Into the Frying Pan

Bula,

After months of waiting and preparing for my trip, I have finally arrived in Suva, Fiji! The Fijian people are by far some of the nicest I have ever met. As soon as I stepped off the plane I was introduced to the Projects Abroad staff that helped me every step of the way. Everyone I have met has been extremely friendly. Multiple strangers have come up to me on the street and begun conversations about who I am and why I am here. They have all offered me advice on what I should do over the course of my trip and how to get the most out of my experience. Once I arrived I took a 6 hour bus ride from Nadi to Suva through the country side. The island is extremely beautiful. I have not seen such lush landscapes since I was in Washington. Everything is unbelievably green. On my trip to Suva I meet a large group of native Fijian who did not stop talking to me the entire 6 hour ride. Despite the fact that super tired from the long flight it was still a lot of fun. I have only met a few people who could talk continuously for six hours, but each of my new Fijian friends had that talent! Once I arrived in Suva I was immediately taken on a tour of the city. I was surprised that the third world country I thought I was going to was in fact not that third world at all. The city itself is actually fairly modern. There are internet cafes all over the town, and as in any modern country there were starbucks on almost every corner. The only significant down side to this island paradise is the heat. At 86 degrees with 100% humidity, I have not stopped sweating since I got here. Even the natives are saying that the weather is “damn hot”. Following a brief tour of the city I was left to explore on my own for a couple of hours while my tour guide was in a meeting. I was able to wander around the city for a couple of hours and explore some of the shops and cultural landmarks. Given my navigation skills, I am lucky that I did not end up back in Nadi! However, my exploration went off without a hitch. After that I was introduced to my host family. Within seconds of getting to my host family’s house I was given a bear hug by Nee Setta, the mother of the house. Like my mom, she too has the ability to talk uninterrupted for hours! Needless to say I felt welcome instantly. I was then introduced to Wise, the father of the house, and 10 year old Tony. Both are soft spoken and extremely polite. It has been hard to have conversations with Wise and Tony, most likely because they can’t get a word in with Nees and have forgotten how to have a sustained conversation. However, after a short while they seemed to warm up to me. They have already taught me a great deal about Fijian culture and history. I have learned that food is an extremely important cultural cornerstone. The majority of the things I have learned about the island has been over a meal. Nee Setta’s favorite phrase is without a doubt “have some more”. I am now convinced that she is trying to kill me by over feeding me. What I have learned is absolutely fascinating. It is a completely different culture than anything I have ever experienced before. I am excited to learn more and share it with you all.

The first weekend here in town was unbelievably fun. A group of 11 other volunteers and I went to a hostel halfway between Suva and Nadi. It was a pristine hut cut out of the middle of the jungle. The rooms were very nicely appointed and one of the few hostels that didn’t cramp 40-60 people into a room. The beach at this resort was just like what I had imagined. Hundreds of yards of untouched white sand with crystal clear blue waters. The other volunteers are amazing people. It is an odd mix of a fraternity and a church group. The kids I am down here with love to party, but also have a deep desire to help others. About half of the group is from Germany while the other half is from Australia. Despite being the only American, they all welcomed me into their cliques. After the weekend we returned to our jobs in the city.

All of the volunteers on the weekend trip were working at the orphanage, and it seems like medical volunteers are few and far between. In the clinic I am working at there is only one doctor and one RN, yet they manage to see about 175 patients a day. If I thought the ER in the Springs was busy, I hadn’t seen anything. The medical system down here is extremely rudimentary, and a lot of the practices are way behind the times. Every patient that walks through the door is likely to receive antibiotics and advil. When the various ailments stop responding to the antibiotics the doctors cannot seem to figure out why. It seems the concept of resistant bacteria has not yet reached the pacific islands. It also seems as though the concept of blood borne diseases has not yet reached the island either. It is a very common practice down here to reuse needles on different patients without so much as rinsing them in tap water let alone make any attempt to sterilize them. Needless to say it has been another of my many culture shocks.

Well that is all for now, I have to head to bed. Tomorrow I am going to meet my supervisor at the health clinic I am going to be working at. It should be another fun filled day full of new adventures.