Fiji

Each of the staff were amazing, they were so welcoming and helpful. The bus to Navua and the boat to Beqa was great, very smooth and no delays. Jess helped me all the way. It was also nice that I was greeted by some of the volunteers from camp at the airport.

The science and all surveys were great, each member of the staff were so enthusiastic about everything which made it more fun. Although if the data that we collected was used within the mataqali to decide which areas were tamboo sites and there was an education scheme with the locals, surveying would be more worthwhile.

Camp was so much better than I was expecting, the life on camp was amazing and everyone was so friendly and approachable. The beds were comfy and a nice surprise compared to the pre-deployment information that I would be sleeping on the ground with a role mat. The food was great with lots of spices to make dishes more appealing. However, I would love if there was more fruit because there was little to none provided.

All the staff were amazing, they were so approachable and friendly yet professional. The diving was amazing, the training and the surveys were so fun and the general vibe on camp was amazing. The only problem I had was the kit list, it had stuff on there that I didn’t need and it didn’t include the essential things like a pillow and a solar panel charger, which wasted my money. The project also gave me such a great experience of Fiji and the culture including visits to the local village for food once a week and for expeditions/ sports.

I had a great time in Fiji. The family is lovely and at the project I loved hanging out with the staff. Everyone is really nice. The homestay had heaps of resources to make my trip easier. Noa, the mum of the family, is a good cook. And you can buy anything else you need in town - especially fresh fruit and vegetables. The only thing I would have loved is a hot shower!

I loved volunteering in Fiji through projects abroad.
The support staff were excellent in answering all of my questions very quickly via email before I left for my trip. Once applying and being accepted I got a personal trip adviser who was very informative and helpful. He walked me through each step of the way until I got off the plane in Fiji.
Once landed I was escorted to the bus by a projects abroad staff member who was wearing a projects abroad T-Shirt so they were easily recognizable. Projects abroad paid for my bus ticket and told me exactly where to get off. This project is very popular so there are volunteers constantly coming and going to the airport so the bus driver knows the staff well and knows where the volunteers need to get off and he makes sure you get off where you need to.
From the bus stop at Arts Village, Pacific Harbor I was picked up by one of the staff members that works at the project and the ride was just a few minutes to the volunteer apartments.
The apartments were new, modern and clean. I was greeted by the cleaning staff and the chef. Yes, we had our own personal chef who has a list of everyone's names and food allergies and dietary restrictions. They are very accommodating to everyone's needs.
From there I was given an orientation and shown around the local area to the different shops, supermarket, doctors office, etc. The volunteer apartment is just a short walk from anything you might need. Also just a 5 minute walk to the beach!
Projects abroad really took care of me out there. They answered all of my questions and I really felt like I was in good hands.
I was there for shark conservation and the dive instructors were excellent and very knowledgeable on all accounts. I would definitely go again and recommend this project to anyone who wants to make a difference in marine conservation.