The two weeks I spent in Fiji was a life-altering, unforgettable experience. Daniel Lund, the country manager was warm from the moment we met him. Thom Turpin-Jelps, the construction project manager had such a great balance of sound training and patient instruction with a great sense of humor and charisma. Our base manager, Tamu Bending was very attentive and observant and always made everyone feel included.
I fondly remember waking up in the morning and preparing for the boat ride to work and afternoons in that grueling sun working on projects. Then there was base life; my wonderful cooking team, leisure time in the common area and play time with the kids (they never seemed to understand when I explained that climbing in trees and atop buildings was outside of the rules!)
I learned how to use a variety of tools, install guttering, mix concrete, build a base, drive a boat (with some help, of course), navigate at night by light of a flashlight, cook with limited foods (world-famous chefs would be envious of our creations with corned beef), adjust to long bouts of quiet, immerse myself into a new group of people, experience homesickness in a new and very unfamiliar environment, and I loved it. I am certain I could fill a series of notebooks with lessons learned and favorite memories from my very brief stint in Fiji, but the experience changed my life and I have the staff, fellow volunteers, and my Fijian family to thank for it.
