This post features student writing.

Bula friends and family!

Welcome to the Fijian way of life. We all wake up at 7 AM to get ready for the busy day ahead. We eat breakfast at 7:30 AM in the common room of the girl’s house where we typically eat cereal, oatmeal, eggs, toast, and homemade fruit juices. We then get to work by 8 AM.

When we first arrived there was a ceremony to introduce us to the community and to welcome us into their Fijian family. We were each given flower necklaces made by the children. After we ate a wonderful dinner, we drank kava and danced with the community members and kids at a Fijian fundraiser for the school.

The next morning we woke up to go to the church where the pastor from the main island preaches once a month. There was beautiful singing and prayers, all in Fijian. After mass, our group ate breakfast and played gamed together in the common area. We spent the rest of our Sunday on the beach playing games with the kids.

Today, we got to work early digging holes and collecting rocks to build the overhang in the front of the school to protect from rain. We then separated into groups and hiked inland on steep terrain to collect timber. While challenging, the views were incredible. After a brief intermission for lunch, we came back and collected sand from the beach for our project. Now we plan to play with the kids until bath time at 5 PM and eat dinner before the day ends. From all of us on the trip, we would like to let you know we love it here in Fiji and are excited to be a part of a new culture. Love and miss you all!

— Cameron & Gianna