A quick update

Been here now a couple of months and I think that I am settled in quite well. Been hanging out with this guy Dave and surfing this last week as I mention later. He is an Australian volunteering over here and a really cool guy. You have to understand that as I am sitting now in the computer room I am getting assaulted by a bunch of mosquito’s; every night I get eating alive. Pretty busy with the field placement that I am doing. I move to another part of the organization this week and I am hopeful that I will be a little more involved in community work than the last department. However I am learning heaps about community development theories and practices and that when you try to them into practice in an organization it becomes a little more difficult. This is clearly visible with where I am working and has got me thinking about when I have a job that the things I’m learning now may actually be hard to put into practice when working in the community.

I am nearly half way through the semester up to week 7 and after this week is the semester break. I’m a little bummed that I have a class right in the middle of the break. Means I can’t travel to far but I am going to try and get away for a few days anyway. Thinking that I might go to a surf camp out in the middle of where the swell comes in. It is out on a tiny little island in the middle of the ocean. It will be either be Yanuca Island or Tavarua Island. Both are expensive and I would only stay a few days nevertheless it is something I will do at least once.

The work is now starting to come in pretty thick and it is probably a good idea that that I am not away for the whole week thus giving me some time with no one else around to knuckle down and do some solid work.

It has been a shaping experience so far and this week with the workshop is no exception. Many questions have been raised with no real answers yet I as they say I will keep my chin up.

Thankyou for your emails and comments. I look forward so much to your emails keeping me up to date with the going on in Australia and else where. Hearing about the mundane normal stuff like the footy and the weather is really cool.

The Mangrove Trail

Surf

This one of the four surf spots we went to that day. The first few where reef breaks and this is Fijis only real beach break. It was only about two feet on the beaches but a lot of fun. The only way to this place is by boat and a half an hour walk through the mangroves. The villages told me that in three years there would be a bridge and a road to the beach with a resort to be built. The villages aren’t happy but it is the head chief’s decision, it is just how it works. It is a shame because it is completely untouched. I didn’t see one other person the whole day and felt privileged to just be there.

The boat driver

The boat driver had a work accident in which he lost both of his legs. Now he is a boat driver. Not the occupation I would have thought to be the best choice. Not sure what happens if the boat sinks. However he was the nicest guy and wouldn't take any petrol money for our trip. Fiji hospitality is overwhelming.

The Village

On the boat

Surfing Trip

I meet this guy Dave who is volunteering his time here in Fiji to build a church. He has already been here a year. Anyway he surfs so this weekend was spent on a surf trip. Dave is the nicest guy and knows all the locals where we went. It was so much fun, spending hours on boats, trekking through swamps waist deep in mud, getting about a thousand mosquito bits, meeting cool people and of course surfing. I think I will be spending more time with Dave and the village he stays in. He has almost built the church and leaves in the end of October. Already been invited to the opening, should be heaps of fun. The surf was ok but the mission or adventure was the best part. By far one of the best days in Fiji.

Surfing with Dave

Haircut

In this hot weather short hair is a good thing. However I may have gone a little to close. Already had a sunburnt head. It should look half decent in a couple of weeks. Hopefully.

Working Hard

Many hours are spent drinking kava every night. This how my hours are clocking up for my internship. In Fiji for people to talk with you especially leaders you must put in the hours of sitting and be able to drink kava for them to open up and talk to you. After a few days they all started to talk to me heaps. Just the way it is.

Doesn't tast to good

Spending Friday night with the Fijian boys.

The international Students

Being a tourist at the bus station

At the bus station

Home Sweet Home - B Block cell 21

The cafe

Cafeteria Staff

Justin at uni

The uni 2

The uni

Kava ceremony with the International students

Drinking Kava

Forgot to get a picture of me in sulu

Stoked after a surf

The Surf in Suva Harbour

Hanging Out The Island Way

Thank You

I just want to take this opportunity to thank people for the emails and comments on this page. It makes me miss people and I am so grateful for friends and family. When you are away you realize the good things that are in life and people that you take for granted and I should acknowledge more often. So thank you so much, your comments, emails and prayers are much needed. I guess through the emails and comments I know or feel that there is canopy of friends or support or something that is over me. Not sure what it is. All I know is that it helps. People in the computer lab must think what a freak getting all teary-eyed just reading emails.

I miss you all
Take care,
Justin.

Other Matters

It is still difficult in making friends outside of the other international students. Most people from the Pacific nations hang within their own nationalities. I am fairly good friends with the other Aussie Tim, I guess because we can understand where we coming from, same kind of humor and the like. Thinking about it we are doing the same as everyone else in sticking with what we know and are comfortable with. I need to really concise of that. Making some good friends with a couple of girls from Canada, which are doing their post-grad. It is good hanging out with them because the conversation has some substance to it, rather than talking crap all the time.

Though I have made a few Fijian friends especially the guy who lives across the hall his name is Chris. Been drinking kava with him and his friends several times, singing and playing guitar all day. Fijians have some of the best voices I have ever heard. I sound like a drowning cat compared to them. All right I sound crap compared to anyone on the planet, but I don’t care I’ll sing anyway. All the Fijians laugh we I sing; good times. I purchased a cheap guitar; defiantly worth it. It is good having some down time playing guitar everyday. I actually learnt my first finger plucking song the other day. I am so stoked about it. I am on the look out for a song book now so I can practice. I think I should be pretty good by the time I return to Australia. The goal is to know a bunch of songs that I can play fluently.

I haven’t been surfing much; you need access to a boat, which I may have already said. Renting boats is really expensive. Been doing a few day trips around the island. I went to a place called Pacific Harbor, not much there and because it was a Sunday everything was shut. I ended up sneaking into a 5 star resort. Well not really sneaking, I boldly walking walked right through the front gate like I was staying there or meant to be there. I hang out by the pool all and read a book; a much needed rejuvenating day hanging with all the rich crew. I have worked out how to put pictures up as you can see, so there will be much more.

Still trying to find a Christian network and finding it difficult as with everything else in Fiji. You would think that being a Christian nation it would be easy; not so. Churches are in Fijian; hence I can’t understand what is being said. The singing as I already said is amazing; worth going to church just for that.

That about it, though I have an official welcoming kava ceremony and lovo (ground oven) today where I have to wear a sulu (a dress). Should be fun; all the international students will be there. I’ll take heaps of pictures and put them and everyone can have a laugh at me in a dress

Subjects and School life

My subjects are going really well. I ended up dropping the geography subject and enrolled in the sociology of the family. A great decision. The content is interesting in gaining a picture of the family in Asia and the Pacific compared to the family in Australia. It does have an exam though, which is worth 50% but I think I should be ok with it.

The religion and politics in contemporary society is my favorite subject thus far. It mainly is going to cover Christianity, Islam, Hinduism and more traditional religions that are in the Pacific; however most religions are touched on. I think it will raise more questions than answers as usual. Already read some good articles on protestant fundamentalism in the US. I actually did the first presentation in the class on this subject, which went really well. This week is about the Catholic church in South America and how they have adopted a liberation theology in going against the status quo; interesting.

The final subject is my internship with the Ecumenical Centre for Research, Education and Advocacy (ECREA). They have finally agreed to take me onboard after some reluctance. I have spent many days there already but I think I officially start next week. However since this is Fiji where time does not exist and being absolute about anything doesn’t happen. I think I will just keep showing up the office and hassle them. I am under the impression that I will be first working with the peace program. The program aims to facilitate a process in fostering and creating a culture of peace, justice and reconciliation among the different races in Fiji. I am doing a 5 day workshop on peace in a couple of weeks. I’ll have more details as they arise.

Pretty much that is it in regards to school life. I have a fair amount of work for each subject, a lot more than I am used to but I guess thinking about it, it’s probably about the same since I am only doing 3 subjects instead of 4.

As it worked I only have classes on Thursday; pretty cool. I am going to try and work Monday-Wednesday doing my internship and have Friday off. Things are slowly coming together in regards to school; things take time in Fiji.

At the beach, no surf

Sneaking around a resort

The other Aussie, Tim

Suva Harbour

Leaving for a day trip

Whale Tooth Neckalce

Handle Bar Mo

View from Cafateria

The Massive Bed

My Room