The Fijian Experience

2015-08-15T11:42:00.000-07:00

Jean-Michel Cousteau Fiji Islands Resort

Mango Bay Resort

2011-03-18T19:42:00.000-07:00

After my 1st meke here the night before, I returned the following day to see more of & learn more about this lovely resort itself. I had considered staying here for part of my trip also. The places I've photographed which you sleep at here, right along the beach, are a combination of beautiful, rustic modern European architecture & traditional Fijian homes called bures.

Fijian Handicrafts

2011-03-16T20:01:00.000-07:00

Here you can buy everything from the beautiful handmade tapa cloths, native to Fiji & a few nearby indigenous islanders, which can be used as wall hangings, table cloths, place mats, etc., or the native Fijian handwoven floor mats, made from a plant & used in Fiji for everything from walking on to eating on to sleeping on (if you're in some households).

I was told that masks are actually not native to Fiji yet you can have your pick of some here.

If you want to recall the days when Fiji was known as the Cannibal Isles, you can buy some cannibal forks & cannibal bowls. The kava bowls are next to them to help you swallow all that. Or, have a try at some of the weapons used in bygone days such as the neck breaker, head crusher...The Indo-Fijian seen here gave me a history lesson about the usages of such items before the Christian missionaries came from Britain & the U.S. and supposedly civilized & tamed them...Today,despite the State Dept. warnings stemming from the several military coup de tates, most recently in April 2009, any tour guide book will emphasize the wonderful hospitality and Fijian reputation as contenders for being the friendliest people on earth.

For the diva in you, you can always have your own little fashion makeover here but don't expect the modestly dressed natives to look highly upon your choice of some of these female outfits most certainly designed for tourists. Speaking of fashion, now why did 1 of my pads in this dress have to get all out of place & deformed-looking?

Across the road from the store is a beautiful view of the Coral Coast...

If I get enough people expressing an interest, I might start taking drop-ship orders for their products after looking into getting them shipped. Any takers???!!!

Elementary School Visit in Namatakula Village

2011-03-13T23:53:00.000-07:00

My host Judith, a retired teacher, & I walked to this school near their home & across the road from the residential & church areas. The headmaster, seen here with the kids, escorted me on a tour of the school. All students wear uniforms representing their school in Fiji. Although it wasn't in practice with all, according to a sign I read there on grooming expectations, I found it interesting that they tell little girls they should wear their hair cut short. As we entered the school, we passed some children who were leaving since it was the end of the day; others played in the field while still other children were putting things away & cleaning up their classrooms.

Though handmade posters in each class seemed to be the primary teaching material, some information these kids were learning, I could've sworn I've seen posted by some of my own "high school's" classrooms. It reminded me of my Trinidadian sister-in-law saying how much more advanced the British education system and influence still is over the American; she claimed they learned more content & at much earlier ages than children here in the U.S. do. Yet, most Fijians don't finish school beyond the mandated primary years. Like in many other developing nations, high school must be paid for by their parents who are usually unable to afford it, or a sponsor.

That may be so but the few books seen were old dusty ones in the library donated by a group of seniors from the U.S. who annually vacation at Namatakula Village. In fact, though some of the bookcases were empty, this vacationing group had donated the library itself. I still want to get more discarded library & textbooks donated to this school's library & a few other schools in Fiji which our school district would otherwise sell to a recycling company. The challenge is to find a Fijian rotary club for this area, along with a means of transporting them from our school district to the ships or planes that would make the deliveries, then getting them to the designated schools, along with covering the costs. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

The last room I entered in the school was the only office, a tiny room containing a photo of the school's founder. I don't recall seeing any working technology in the office & none elsewhere in the school. There was no Internet access there at all, as in the village in general (although my hosts did have a telephone in the front of their home).

Like other villagers, teachers of both genders all wear a wrap called a sulu tied around their waist and covering most of their legs. This is also expected of village guests in most Fijian villages, although Judith told me it was fine to dress as I normally would in her more westernized village. I sat on the steps of the school with the 2 teachers present, watching the children play rugby, the most popular sport, amidst the many mud puddles on the field. Many of them, like many Fijians in general outside of the towns, were barefoot.

If there are not enough teachers from the village, as is the case here, they are recruited from elsewhere in the country and temporary housing is provided for them on the school grounds for the school year. I was allowed to enter 1 such teacher's home on the premises. Given the couple of objects in the front room from 2 other cultures in Fiji, I figured the home belonged to a world history teacher like me. I also noticed I'm not the only teacher in need of a housekeeper.

Firewalking Show the Warwick Hotel

2011-03-13T22:24:00.000-07:00

Most of the firewalkers known in Fiji are from the island of Beqa. Like for many other things in Fiji, there is a Fijian legend about how a spirit god gave the people of this island the power to walk on fiery hot stones without being burned or feeling pain. What that legend fails to explain is how some others in the world,including Indo-Fijians--whose tradition stems from their homeland in India-- have the ability to do the same.

The Sikh people from India, a small percentage of whom also migrated to Fiji, practice a religion called Sikhism, which includes avoiding all killing, including that of insects, and an annual self-mutilation ceremony. I have seen photos & footage of some bloody ones but also have read about how in some cases, there is no blood flow & seemingly no pain involved, even when doing such things as sticking something into one side of the face until it comes out the other.

When I was in college, I learned about the powers of the superconscious mind, most popularly known as the subconscious mind. Mind over matter is a familiar description of a fascinating subject that goes by many names & is backed up by various fields of study, including quantum physics, parapsychology, hypnosis, telekinesis...which I won't go into here. I will say though, that I was in an organization for a while named Majestic Eagles and 1 member, Jeff Noble, led a demonstration of such powers which several of us took part in on the streets of NYC 1 night. Each of us walked across a path of burning hot coals, just as the firewalkers of Fiji here did. With intense concentration & faith that the mind can achieve whatever it can conceive, I too, felt no pain & suffered no burns as did the others.

I would never endorse anyone just going out trying such a thing after hearing of it. My own education of it began with the last chapter of a book called You Can Succeed by Eric Jensen & another called The Power of Your Subconscious Mind by Joseph Murphy. By the firewalking point in my development of this power, I had already learned to eliminate pain & my fear of it as quickly as it developed in all sorts of situations ranging from stubbing my toe, to needles, & even a headache. My greatest test prior to this one, was when I sat perfectly still, calm, & pain-free as a friend pierced my nose with a sterilized sewing needle by hand, something which took substantially more time than the piercing gun used at jewelry stores. All such miracles for me came to an abrupt end when I stopped the regular meditating I'd learned from the 1st book & was either jinxed or just wrongly believed in predictions from 4 different people that came true regarding a deadline for mastery...Whenever I try to meditate now, I either fall asleep or my mind just won't stay focused enough for it to work...

My 1st Meke; Traditional Dancing

2011-03-13T20:45:00.000-07:00

Simon was a cab driver for the nearby & breathtaking Warwick Hotel until told he needed to upgrade his van in order to continue doing business with them. He plans to do so as soon as possible. In the meantime, he receives donations from guests who he & Judith host for chaffeuring us around to places we want to go.

On my 2nd night, he took me to this show at the nearby Mango Bay Resort, another lovely yet much lower cost, place to stay along the Coral Coast of Fiji. The Coral Coast is where most resorts are on the main island of Viti Levu. Here in the town of Korolevu, Namatakula Village is near both of these resorts which employ many of the villagers, enabling them a higher standard of material living than most Fijians. The show's dancers, singers, & instrumentalists are all from Simon's village.

They performed as guests of the hotel ate dinner or had a drink at the bar. In the end of their dancing, which stems from the traditional warrior dances, each dancer picks a partner from the audience to join in the last dance with the whole group. The last photo shows the Fijian who selected me.

Before the show, I was able to access the web in the space seen here inside a modernized bure (traditional style Fijian home)office. If/when blogger allows us to post videos again, you will see some great footage of it all.

My 1st Yaqona Ceremony

2011-02-26T22:36:00.000-08:00

Guests are expected to enter a village for the first time with a gift of kava bought in town, for the village chief/hosts. The herb kava kava, which can be bought in health food stores in the U.S., is derived from this grounded plant that also makes the drink seen here. It is considered something sacred in Fijian tradition and is known for lifting spirits/reducing stress. Maybe that's the secret to Fijians' typical friendly ways & their "no worries" saying.

At a typical yaqona ceremony, people are seated in a group on mats and will drink kava from the communal cup passed around. This is only after prayers are said in Fijian for a call & response, and one must clap 3 times before drinking a cupful of it when it's your turn...Fijians seem to love the taste and always inquire about visitor's perceptions of it. It leaves a tingly feeling on the tongue but I never drank enough to feel any effects of it. It seems capable of putting one in another state of mind based on what I heard from others...

On my 2nd day in Fiji here, my host Judith was taking me to visit the Namatakula village school when we passed through and stopped by these groups during their annual village fundraising, known as Namatakula Day, which included kava drinking. We stopped at a men's group, a youth group (seen here), & a women's group, all having separate activities going on. Simon and Judith are amongst the heads of the village and are expected to contribute more than others. I added to their funds myself when Judith made the point of saying I "could contribute if (I'd) like..."

As we were about to cross the road to the school, we passed this man grinding kava into a powder for preparation of the drink.

There was kava drinking with the Fijian musicians and singers available every evening during dinnertime on the Jean Michele Cousteau Resort deck. From there, we also had a village visit with some of the formalities of it on my second day. The most traditional yaqona ceremony I witnessed, though, was at another Fijian village on Taveuni Island. It was a stop on the Tui Tai Cruise and the formal kava procedures were followed by singing, drumming, & the simultaneous traditional warrior dance show. I'll be posting more photos of the latter.

What's in, what's out with Fijian Culture?

2011-02-26T22:31:00.000-08:00

While I was able to take hot showers in their home, cold bucket showers are the norm elsewhere in Fijian villages, like a Trinidadian relative told me is the norm for many island people around the world. In some of the remotest of villages,the people still bathe in still beautiful rivers. The electricity was powered by a generator the whole village pays for although my hosts pay a higher percentage of the share because their electricity is on all day for their many guests vs. just three hours at night as in most of the few villages that even have access to the generators. The government is sponsoring an increased percentage of them now and dare I say I'm afraid the whole country will be modernized and lose all of their traditional charm soon. My hosts even had a tv & microwave for goodness sake!

While the face painting, everyday grass skirts, bare breasts, tribal warfare, & cannibalism were long ago eradicated by Christian missionaries from Britain and America, things are changing so fast, now the "indecently dressed" people are limited to foreigners who come visiting from these and other western nations, baring far too much for the now modestly dressed, mild tempered, and warm Fijians. Still, visitors to villages (besides mine, according to my hosts) are not expected to bare more than their lower legs and even shoulder baring is seen as improper. Nowadays, the only warrior dancing you'll see though is at a Fijian show. Pictures coming...

Environmental Conservation & Self-Determination at Votua Village; the Coral Coast

2011-02-26T21:52:00.000-08:00

I stopped by the nearby Votua Village which I heard has much more advanced environmental conservation programs than the village I stayed at and two of very few Fijian-owned businesses, Vilisites Restaurant and Mike’s Dive Shop. You can find the former by searching for Coral Coast attractions or restaurants at www.frommers.com You can learn more about the latter at http://www.divingfinder.com/Scuba_Diving/Oceania/Fiji/Mike_s_Divers and read an interesting chat debate about it on www.lonelyplanet.com.

Next trip, I want to stay at Votua Village to take full advantage of their opportunities and learn more. On this trip, I learned more about environmental conservation in Fiji from the Jean Michele Cousteau Resort, visited when I left Namatakula, & from the Tui Tai Cruise's slide show, which I've included a couple of shots from here. Victor Bonito, heads several environmental projects in Votua Village. He was hosting some environmental scientists from a university in the states when we unsuccessfully tried to meet up.

In any case, I've included some photos of the Coral Coast, which Simon drove along to get me there & everywhere else. Besides containing most of the resorts in Fiji, some beautiful scenery of rainforest mountains and practically empty beachfronts, it has just 2 paved roads which circle the island: Queen's Road & King's Road. We passed loose horses a number of times, feeding on the grass along the road. Simon said they return to their homes in the evening. I'm not sure why I was so surprised by this. Many people are shocked that I let my pets outside yet they always stay near our home & come back in at appropiate times.

Where's the Beef, Where's the Bed, What was the Roof Like Over my Head (in the Village)?

2011-02-26T21:50:00.000-08:00

In the village, I woke up smiling each morning, partially because I'd had blissful sleep in a cozy bed, contrary to my fears, partially for other reasons, but mainly because it was like being a child on my grandparent’s farm in North Carolina again, to be awakened by the long-missed crows of roosters. Hens & roosters roam cage-free like they did at my grandparents' and uncle's then. Like some other Fijian homes, the house was made of brightly painted cinderblocks, including inside walls, (the vivid colors reminded me of some homes in the Spanish Caribbean plus the Mayans) but unlike most, their house was relatively large and decent. I had my own turquoise bedroom with that nice, cozy double bed. The only other cultures I know of that place high value on turquoise are a few Native American and ancient Egyptian ones. (Fascinating links between them in an upcoming post.)

The window in my bedroom was the only one facing the backyard that I believe contained glass. The others were all open windows and doorways without screens. Most Fijians keep open doorways and windows even in front because they believe it bad manners to close or lock doors. An open door says “Welcome in” and other villagers (plus a stray cat, dog, and birds) came freely in and out of the home of my host family. Like my family in my hometown in N.C. , most people in these patriarchal villages are related and “stopping by” plus walking in without knocking was normal. Crime is rare to non-existent in the villages and a passenger on a bus in Nadi told me he’d heard on the news during that week, that Fiji had the lowest crime rate in the world.

Half the Fijians in the country are unemployed and live off the land as they always have. Families grow their food on their own farms and fruit trees, plus catch it through fishing and wild pig hunting. Ever since The Blue Lagoon, the movie made in this country coincidentally, I've had a submerged fantasy of spending some time living on an abandoned island. In Fiji, a country of mostly uninhabited islands, that fantasy was reawakened--just a bit.

Original plans were for me to join others teaching people in some other villages how to build and maintain marine reserves for the reef fish, a staple food there, which is something their ancestors had long done, but with westernization, the Fijians had gotten away from. Though reef fishing is also a main source of livelihood for many Fijians, I discovered there are now hundreds of organizations in Fiji getting Fijians to go back to what their ancestors knew best; preserving the reefs and fish which depend on them, preserves far more than just them. I was glad to learn that my village was one of them and the reefs have been coming back to life, increasing the colorful fish that need them.

I could not bear going boar hunting; the poor things are caught in the forests and stabbed with spears and unlike when my grandmother would chop the necks off our chickens & I’d cry up a storm but still eat them that night for dinner, I could not eat the pork that was served from the lovo because I watched one family member cut the whole pig open the day before and it was just a “little” thing. Although we also went to supermarkets, my family down south ate fresh food quite often through much of the same means as I grew up during summers there. (Just replace the boar hunting with deer & squirrel hunts, which were mainly out of fun for my cousins by the time I’d come along vs. necessity; my uncle also kept pigs & cattle in pens.)

Did I mention Judith & her family’s great cooking? The cooking is done communally and served by the younger adults in the extended family household. Although I kept telling the hosts I didn’t mind eating on the mat in the kitchen with the rest of the family instead of always being served at the dining room table with the two of them (which they’d bought sometime after hosting their first elderly couple who had a hard time getting up and down from the floor), they continued to call me to the table at meal times. These were the times we would exchange stories about the history and culture of our countries and families. The younger family members would then come in and clear the table when we were through.

On my fourth and last night with them, they prepared a lovo for me. This is underground cooking, which I learned later from my mother, was once done on occasion by my family downsouth also. Who knew? While Judith's family cooked the pig her nephews brought home and other food in this hole they dug, wrapped and covered in banana leaves,and covered with dirt, she explained that in some other villages, they use alternative methods, such as putting the food inside bamboo for the underground cooking. All I know is, it was amongst the best of the Fijian food I tasted. Because it takes so much labor and hours to complete, one must stay at the villages I learned about, at least 3 days to experience the lovo; well worth it.

As recently as the 1970s or 80s, the only places visitors to Fiji could stay, was with a host Fijian family in their village. My particular family had just finished hosting others a day before I arrived and had more guests coming the day I left. I believe they told me they host families at least twice a month now, sometimes far more often. This started when an Australian or New Zealander (from one of these two nearest neighboring nations) stayed with them and, seeing how large their place was, asked if they wouldn’t mind joining him in a business venture: he gets a cut for steering guests seeking homestays in their direction through his website, along with several other Fijian families in various parts of the country. You can check out this and other villages’ activities; Fijian foods, and even some of my host family’s recipes, along with sampling Fijian music, plus planning your own Fijian homestay there like I did at www.fijibure.com/namatakula/index.htm (more photos pending)

Highlights of Namatakula Village Homestay

2011-02-26T20:15:00.000-08:00

Highlights during my stay in the village were many and entailed:
1. Learning more about Fijian history & culture over meals with my homestay hosts, Judith and Simon, noting several similarities between village life & that of traditional African, Native American, & my N.C. hometown.
2. My first yaqona ceremony (communally drinking kava, the national drink [which the herbal supplement kava kava is derived from], amidst Fijian-recited prayers and a formal ceremony including a specified type and series of claps)
3. An interesting primary school visit (though quite poorly equipped & built in comparison to ours, they seemed to be learning some things that are taught in our high schools in the states)
4. Enjoying a lovo meal (cooked underground beneath banana leaves though some groups there prepare it in various other ways, including inside bamboo vs. covered in banana leaves [As my mother later explained later, much to my surprise and delight, some members of my family in our hometown used to also cook underground at times])
5. Watching and then joining in a meke (traditional group dances, including warrior ones, accompanied by communal singing & drumming); note that “meke” is also a Kiswahili word meaning “mat” and I noticed a few other signs of linguistic connections between this 2nd most widely spoken language in Africa (after Arabic), and Fijian, despite tourist guides making no links between Fijians and any origins besides Polynesian
6. A firewalker ceremony by a group from the island of Beqa where Fijian legend says they inherited the powers (of walking across hot stones [reminiscent of my own walk across hot charcoal yrs. ago with a spiritual group I once belonged to]); this practice is also a spiritual part of some other cultures. The Indo-Fijians (Indians of Fiji) have their own firewalking ceremonies.
7. Shopping, chatting, drinking complimentary coffee, enjoying beautiful views, and learning more history (about traditional weapon usage and cannibalism) at the only Fijian-owned handicraft store, Baravi Handicrafts (owned by the village across the street from it unlike most businesses in Fiji which are usually either owned by the Indo-Fijians, Chinese of Fiji, Japanese of Fiji, or foreign European and a few U.S. companies)
8. Checking out the lovely Mangobay Resort & Warwick Resort (www.mangobay.com and www.warwick.com), within minutes of my village, while paying by the minute to use their Internet access &/or watching free shows performed by some members of my village. Yes; I did claim membership; this is encouraged of visitors who do village stays.
9. Getting my finger slammed between an ultra large & heavy door at the Kula Eco Park www.kulaecopark.com shortly after entering; right after being whistled at by a parrot and holding snakes, iguanas, & other birds.
10. Climbing the Sigatoka Sand Dunes, an UNESCO World Heritage archaeological and eco-tourist site consisting of beautiful views of forests, the ocean and beach, meadows, and valleys, plus skeletal remains of the Latoka people (ancient Fijians), while climbing and descending mountains made of sand at www.nationaltrust.org.fj -- just in time to see a rainbow and sunset at the peak!
Fijians, a Melanesian (Black) people, have a well-deserved reputation of being amongst the friendliest people in the world. I really took to the youngest family member, a two-year old named nicknamed “Boo” (as are so many in the African-American community).

I will post photos of each in subsequent postings.

My Fiji Report: submitted to the Geraldine Dodge Foundation after returning

2011-02-12T20:49:00.000-08:00

PERSONAL REJUVENATION & FULFILLED DREAMS of a LIFETIME
AMIDST PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Through the GERALDINE R. DODGE FOUNDATION’S TEACHER FELLOWSHIP
October 2009

Introduction to Personal & Professional Development
For my personal and professional renewal as an adventurist World History teacher, I left in July on two flights totaling 23 hours, for Fiji. This tropical paradise archipelago of 332, mostly uninhabited islands in the South Pacific region of Oceania, where I stayed for the eco-adventures & cultural immersions of a lifetime, was well worth it! It was the dry season and winter there though temperatures averaged 85-95 fantastic degrees during the day. Fiji has no spring or fall; the only other season is the wet season, a.k.a summer.
Like its two nearest large neighbors, Australia and New Zealand, Fiji is full of scenic landscapes, skyscapes, and seascapes, plus has a fascinating history. This nation, too, preserves a captivating traditional culture, despite increasing westernization and urbanization. Like I initially longed to do in those neighboring countries when first deciding on where to go for this blessed privilege, I ended up taking advantage of every possible eco-adventure, historical, and cultural immersion opportunity from amongst the many, in Fiji.
Namatakula Village Homestay in Korolevu
On the main and central island, Viti Levu, I spent time along the famed Coral Coast, experiencing Fijian cultural immersion during a village homestay in Korolevu at Namatakula Village with a host family headed by a retired teacher and cab driver. They took me on educational and cultural tours when I wasn’t interviewing them about the history and culture and comparing how similar it was there to my rural hometown of kinship groups in North Carolina, as well as most traditional African and Native American societies.
First off, I must admit I quickly backed out of plans to stay in a “typical” Fijian village once learning more about the extent of cultural differences. There would be no hot water, only bucket showers, a sanitation level I was unaccustomed to, no electricity, except maybe through a generator for three hours at night if I stayed in a village with one, etc. Though the latter challenge truly did not bother me so much, I did need electricity to charge my new international cell phone (I.C.E.) and my netbook, bought for this trip to keep uploading photos and film onto it so I could continually add more, post new content onto my Fiji blog, and work on creating and editing the documentary of my trip daily. I was not sure how often I could get to someplace else where I could. I also wanted to stay at a village with lots of interesting eco-cultural activities within it or nearby. So I opted to stay at Namatakula Village in Korolevu. It is one of the most prominent villages because many have found work at the numerous nearby resorts, and my host family was relatively well off. Little did I know, technical and financial challenges would still prevent me from doing much more than just uploading the film during my entire trip (Since returning, the technical challenges have continued, and after seeking various sources of help, I just learned early this month that my new netbook being a lemon is the source of some of it).
Tui Tai Adventure Cruise
Though nestled amongst these Melanesian islands of Oceania, one extremely remote northern island named Kioa, which I was privileged to visit & experience the history and arts of there, is totally populated with Polynesians. Another, named Rabi, is completely populated by Micronesians. Like most other citizens, these two peoples still practice much of their own traditional cultures although they, too, speak Fijian and English. So the northernmost part of Fiji has the three physical/cultural parts of Oceania all in on nation.
That leg of my journey was part of my five day Tui Tai Adventure Cruise, which National Geographic Adventure rates as 1 of the top 25 trips of 2009! This is due partially to its charitable fund for these isolated, unique villagers which are a huge challenge to visit unless on this cruise. I donated medicines and children’s shoes to a primary school in Rabi (including Obama flip flops bought in Nadi, a town on the most populated island). I also visited a captivating secondary school there. In both schools, we were treated to powerful cultural performances which we later joined in as is custom throughout Fiji.
I also held a wild baby goat that my tour guide found in the crevice of a tree trunk! That was such highlight of my trip besides the mountain climbing we were doing in the process on this island named Cobia, I’ve sworn off goat meat, one of my favorite Caribbean dishes, from now on! Another part of the group saw a boa constrictor after one member almost stepped on it during the Mt. climb! We were actually climbing up a mountain in the Ringgold Atolls that is a volcano subsiding into the crust. The crater of it is now full of coral reefs and the Pacific because one side of it has been eroded so much by strong winds over the millenia. The island is only inhabited by such animals as fruit bats (which I entered a cave of), birds, & wild goats--including that baby one my tour guide and I held.
But these were just a couple of the countless cultural and eco-adventures on this cruise where you are welcomed onboard with a flowered necklace and serenade. Ecotourism & sustainable development includes passenger education and opportunities for participation in coral reef surveys which I took advantage of. Films on Fiji’s marine biology (coral reefs and other sea life), history, and culture were presented, along with unforgettable experiences of the latter. Such outstanding fun with nature as kayaking, some of the best snorkeling/ dive sites in the world, hiking, mountain climbing, biking, and swimming amongst breathtaking mountain and ocean views, natural waterfalls and waterslides occurred daily.
I very reluctantly decided not to try the dive courses due to risks to my life and the instructor’s license from my shortness of breath challenges, despite the fact that the others swam with sharks each time plus a manta ray once like I’d been dying to experience (along with dolphins and whales). That means I didn't even get to do the award-winning shark dive later in Pacific Harbor as planned. Though I did not even get to see dolphins while snorkeling in Dolphin Bay, all the beautiful varieties and colors of fish and coral were enough to keep me satisfied.
And hey, all theses benefits were for a maximum of 24 completely pampered guests (in this case, only 8 the first few days and 14 during the last 2) known by name to all members of the crew and each other! We had such a ball that when I was leaving this leg of my trip, I could not hold back the flood of tears during the singing of the farewell song from the crew, the same one which had ended each visit of Fijian cultural immersion. After leaving there, I flew to the capitol of Suva.
Jean- Michel Cousteau Resort on Vanua Levu Island
Another jaw-dropping highlight was staying in the Jean- Michel Cousteau Resort on Vanua Levu Island. At this exotic South Seas paradise, I stayed in a beautiful bure (traditional bungalow) combining the best of Fijian and European architecture and design. I delved into their cultural and environmental recreation programs and learned much about their MPA (marine protected area) which includes giant clams and endangered sea turtles), organic garden which all their produce comes from, medicinal plants and coconut palm trees grown from seed for their breathtaking landscaping, and other eco-projects from the on-site marine biologist and medicine man. Cousteau’s “Project Ocean Search” is an adventure in coral reef and other marine and cultural education and conservation programs where you can also participate in reef surveys.
Most employees are from the neighboring Fijian village although there are also Indo-Fijians working there (descended from Indian indentured servants to the British during colonial times). Since there are a maximum of 26 guests there, you and the staff get to know each other by name and the pampering begins with a complimentary foot soak and massage shortly after guests are serenaded at the entrance when their friendly complimentary cab driver lets them out. The resort is designed for honeymooners, families, and water enthusiasts like myself, and if you are blessed enough to bring your babies or children there, they are taken away from you and cared for each day by the staff while you either get as much R&R as desired or take advantage of the activities. Cousteau rotates cultural village visits for guests to various nearby villages on the island to support the local people. I experienced some of the best dance performances of my entire lifetime at one such village visit.
Little did I know at the time, basketball star Shaquil O’ Neal was staying at this poverty stricken village we were visiting at the time and even walked by the cultural performance that held me in awe. I learned later that although he had been offered a mattress to sleep on during his homestay, he insisted instead on sleeping on the handmade woven mat on the floor as the family themselves did every night. He may be building a property in this paradise island. What a guy!
Surprise, Surprise!
I'm so glad I didn't pre-book anything for my 4 days following my Cousteau stay. I ended up staying with this couple I'd met for a couple of nights in a spectacular home where they are creating a botanical garden tourist site that will include events like weddings and musical performances amongst thousands of exotic, endangered, and/or beautiful trees, herbal medicinal greenery, shrubs, fruit and aromatic trees of every sort which they already have. One of the owners just created the Savusavu Arts Society also which was very appealing to me.
As if that were not enough for this passionate naturalist and environmentalist, I ended up staying the next couple of nights on a YACHT with another couple that have spent the last 5-10 yrs. sailing to 33% of the countries in the world & been living on their houseboat in Fiji for the last year!!! They're all a part of "couch surfers" (an organization of free international homestays) which I created a profile on too after learning that some home they had stayed in through it were better than five star hotels!
Rivers Fiji in Pacific Harbor; the capitol Suva; & the gorgeous Hindu Temple in Nadi Town
Later, I left from the adventure capitol of Pacific Harbor to go white-water rafting for the first time, another life-long wish, with Rivers Fiji, a company that helped establish the Upper Navua Conservation Area and Ramsar site that also protects highland villagers in this remote inland enchanting land of emerald green river and countless natural waterfalls, gorges and canyons nicknamed “The Grand Canyon of Fiji.”
On another part of Viti Levu Island, I toured the Fiji Museum to learn even more about the history, culture, and arts of Fiji, and walked around the capitol city of Suva with no problems, despite many warnings and initial fear regarding the 6th coup of the last several years which occurred there in April. It is considered the best place for the most extensive Fijian history education so thank God I took my chances and all went well. Everywhere I went, Fijians and Indo-Fijians seemed to get along perfectly although these coups resulted from Indo-Fijians, which make up approximately half the population, fighting for political office rights. According to some, the country was recently rated as having the lowest crime rate in the world and even some, if not all, of their coup de tats have been non-violent. Yet the mass media of western nations depicted it as a nation now endangering lives. Go figure.
In Suva, I also hung out having a nice time with a newly-made Chinese friend from Fiji and his friends & family a few times, learned about their history, culture, and links to their homeland despite 100 years there; hiked in Colo I Suva Forest Park; ate some delicious Indian food & Chinese food; stayed at the South Seas Hotel before upgrading twice at the Raintree Lodge, and finally, visited the most beautiful and largest Hindu temple in the South Pacific, known as the Sri Siva Subramaniya Swami Temple, in Nadi once back there on my last day!
Conclusion to Personal-Professional Development
I had countless unique experiences there to be treasured for a lifetime. The kava and fire-walking ceremonies were interesting. Joining in local dances and hiking up an UNESCO World Heritage Site known as the Sigatoka Sand Dunes for its various ecosystem reserves, archaeological sites, and scenic beauty was challenging yet exhilarating, along with a number of rainforest hikes up mountains, including the fascinating and strenuous Ringgold Atolls of Cobia Island. Eating Fijian food from a lovo (food cooked underground) and Chinese food from a hot pot, plus tasting chicken feet, eating other Fijian foods, and different kinds of Chinese and Indian foods than I’m used to was a good experience. Experiencing “Coral Watch,” while learning about other marine protection programs existing there (seemingly more so than anywhere else in the world), meant the world to me.
I stayed in a couple of hostels; my first time ever—one very basic, the other quite quaint, in the capitol. Most unusual though, would be my stay in that lovely rustic home high in a mountain overlooking ocean views and the botanical garden the owners will soon be opening as yet another eco-tour spot, staying on the yacht of another couple, and being introduced to couchsurfing through these “non-Fijians” met there. Fijians are amongst the friendliest, most relaxed, and laid back people on earth, and I believe that being there rubs off on tourists and it gave me more optimism about the rest of the world.
On the gorgeous northern island of Taveuni, another site of the Tui Tai Cruise, in addition to seeing 3 rainbows in one evening, I crossed the International Date Line, the only piece of land on earth where this possibility of taking one step into today and the next step into tomorrow exists. Fiji is 16 hrs. ahead of EST so when I left there on a Tuesday night, I arrived in Los Angeles the next day following a 16 hr. flight on Tuesday morning with the same date!

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Initial plans to be there through an internship were replaced by a trip I customized, with the approval of yours truly, the Geraldine Dodge Foundation, after countless challenges kept arising. I was unable to dive due to health concerns, and sanitation suggestions for the newly-emerged swine flu pandemic increasingly made headlines the same month I was awarded the fellowship and was informed that the initial village I’d be staying in, like most, had sub-substandard sanitary conditions in general. I also cut my stay in half to three weeks, hoping to have the time to finalize my two teacher fellowship reports, from Dodge plus aTimpact, in those last two weeks of summer before delving into preparing for the upcoming school year. Little did I know then that 23 hours worth of flight time and a 16 hour time difference gave a whole new meaning to jet lag, along with the depression that hit as soon as I re-entered the states.

One of my best friends spoke of wanting to give up her citizenship and move to Australia, she was so depressed for three months after returning from a trip there. Savusavu, the town in the Vanua Levu Island of northern Fiji, is not only the home of Tui Tai Cruise and the Jean Michel-Cousteau Resort. It has the greatest population of Europeans and Americans who’ve immigrated to this beautiful country and it is growing rapidly with more. One of my reservationists in Savusavu actually moved there with her boyfriend right after they returned to the U.S. from a vacation in this country—staying just long enough in the states to vote for Obama before taking off the next day! Another acquaintance moved there from Britain after one trip, had a house built for she and her son for $40,000, and has since been living happily on less than $300 per month for years!
I, myself, instantly became so depressed for the first couple of weeks after returning to the states, partially due to countless other tragic events also, that I would probably join them after fulfilling my professional obligations were it not for the fact that every time I had called my mother, she lamented about how worried she was with me s-o-o-o far away. My depression upon returning finally lifted by the time I returned to school as I kept reminding myself of the oft-heard Fijian motto so much that it started becoming ingrained: “No worries!” It also helped to picture the friendly faces uttering the words. Despite what we might consider “their depressing poverty and other living conditions,” the Fijians are a very calm, laid back, appreciative, and happy people. I often heard there how we Americans who visit are always “so stressed, uptight, and worried over nothing” compared to their people. “Fiji Time” is a time for letting your hair down, taking it easy, and taking your own sweet time. Their attitude has really rubbed off and renewed my outlook on life. I feel far more energized and enthusiastic as a teacher again now.
All students in Fiji wear nice school uniforms although many of them, like some adults, had no shoes. Primary school is mandatory and while the literacy rates for the country are high, too many students do not go on to secondary school because their families or a sponsor must pay for it, something challenging to afford. Most Fijians live off the land much like their ancestors did, unless employed in the growing tourist industry. I will conduct a fundraiser for donations to be sent to needy Fijians through Air Pacific’s foundation, Kadavu Connections, Savusavu Community Foundation, and/or others. I plan to challenge my students to learn what “poor” really means and to share my passion for helping the needy.

Before I even left for my trip, I started working on ways to get discarded district textbooks and library books donated to some needy schools. The Fijians communicated with were quite overjoyed to learn this since they are most grateful for anything donated, especially on the remote island of Kadavu which basically has no roads. There are still a few challenges being worked out regarding this but I am confident it can happen. Most classrooms visited did not seem to have many textbooks and instead, teachers taught mainly through handmade posters in all subjects. Several areas of floors, walls, and ceilings viewed in the three schools I visited were dilapidated but all the children seemed happy and glad to be there.

This is one reason why I fell in love with the Savusavu Community Foundation, on facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Rotary-Club-of-Savusavu/118687012830. Founded and managed by the manager of Jean-Michel Cousteau, which provides villagers of the town with much needed medical care and educational supplies, I am trying to get discarded district textbooks and library books donated to it and other rotary clubs of Fiji. This resort’s affiliation with the Good Night Foundation also captured my heart.

The Cousteau resort also proves how well people can live sustainably, so much so that it was voted #1 resort in the world on Conde Nast Traveler’s Green List in 2005 and has received numerous others awards as Fiji’s best resort. It is a model that I plan to hold up to my school and community to get the dialogue going: When will we join this movement for sustainability?

In the Micronesian high school I toured, after being treated to another one of the best musical and dance performances of my life, I announced that I would try teaching the dance to my students. The principal, who was taking me on the tour of the school, then requested that I send him a copy of footage showing my students doing their dance and musical performance and an American one, which his students could in turn try to learn. I cannot wait to experience this outcome and establish pen pals between my students and his.

I already had my World History students last year anticipating international trips of their own after providing them with a list of great global travel planning sites based on those I had utilized when deciding where to go through Dodge myself. They then typed reports about the nation they most want to visit based on this research. I will assign a more extensive version of this same project this year and future ones. I am also using some of their suggestions for applying my own trip to school lessons on Fiji.

I have tons of footage, photos, and postcards from these adventures, and with the aide of another Arts alumni Newark teacher friend, TV Production majors, teachers, and their supervisor here at Arts High where I teach, I'm even more thrilled at the prospect of applying my own TV production and

screenwriting skills learned in a couple of workshop series a couple of years ago, towards producing my own documentary series on Fijian arts, history, culture, adventures, geography in general and marine biology and environmental science in particular which will air on classroom monitors and local cable stations, if not greater places! If approved, these may be used for cross-curricular interdisciplinary lessons during Fijian theme teaching day(s) at my school and others. I hope to also gain a requested permit for interdisciplinary community evening program(s) resulting from Fijian projects and performances at my school and/or others and these will be added to the documentary series.

My video documentaries and countless photos will moreover be used to teach some of these lessons about Fiji and environmental sustainability in particular, plus geography in general, to my own students. I have already begun sharing my ideas for a cross-content Fijian Theme Teaching Day at my school during 2nd or 3rd cycle because each school subject can do some exciting projects tied to it and it is looking good so far. We might also do the same for Earth Day and World Ocean Day although the latter may have to be belated or early due to final exams which are also scheduled in June.

Regardless of this, the Fijian travel blog I am creating will be used to persuade people to help save endangered coral reefs and the environment in general and at least my own students will read such assigned posts. I began heavily infusing the arts in my teaching again and fell in love with blogging after creating my own art therapy blog because of my unforgettable aTi (Artist/Teacher Institute) experiences in oil painting, creative movement, etc. following the deaths of several loved ones three years ago, especially this month, so how could I not create a blog of “My Travels to Fiji?”

Speaking of those life-altering gifts, I cannot wait to use some Fijian photos to paint the beautiful scenery existing in that tropical paradise! I invested in photography courses plus more oil painting workshops at the Newark Museum Arts Workshops plus a worthwhile camcorder-camera (finally) and a netbook to prepare for this trip! Although most of those workshops were either cancelled by me due to overload of school work or the museum due to lack of sufficient enrollment for the teachers, attempts to have my photos and potential Fijian paintings exhibited in as many shows, art galleries, and museums as possible will follow when time permits. These talents and Web 2.0 skills mentioned above, will be shared with members of my school, plus people in and outside of my school district. What else would be expected from a teacher who is also amongst alumni of art majors from “Arts High?”

To further expand the reaches of my two fellowships, aTi (Artist/Teacher Institute) Impact and Dodge (the former was also sponsored by G.R. Dodge), I anticipate conducting more workshops on arts-infusion across the curriculum and Fijian-infusion ones for NPS, NTU, NTA, NJ Council for the Social Studies, National Council for the Social Studies, Newark’s educational and community cable stations plus other ones, etc. First, I will conduct workshops at the Fall Conference for AENJ (Arts Educators for NJ) on October 6th.

I’d love getting Newark students involved in a student exchange program with Fiji or elsewhere, more global pen pals, and international trips in general. Of course, some of these goals must first be met with approval from the powers that be. I know our kids will benefit enormously from the outcome just as I already have. Thank you from the bottom of my heart Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation.

Estimated Itemized Costs of trip

2011-02-12T20:40:00.000-08:00

Estimated Financial Report of Fiji Trip
Funded by Geraldine Dodge Foundation’s Teacher Fellowship
for Newark, NJ Public Schools Educators 2009

1. Roundtrip Airfares (includes required connection from Los Angeles) $1400
2. Jean Michel-Cousteau Resort (3 days@$465 each) $1395
3. Tui Tai Adventure Cruise (5 days all-inclusive) $3100
4. South Seas Hotel (Hostel) & Fiji Museum (1 day) $ 25
5. Raintree Lodge Hostel (2 days) $ 50
6. Namatakula Village/ www.fijibure.com (4 days at $40 day + donations & gifts) $ 400
7. International cell phone (includes usage) $ 100
8. Bus & cab transportation (in Suva & Nadi) $ 60
9. Rafting the Upper Navua River with Rivers Fiji (1 afternoon) $ 200
10. Colo I Suva Forest Park $ 5
11. Sigatoka Sand Dunes (UNESCO World Heritage site) $ 3
12. Kula Eco Park $ 3
13. Meals & drinks (in Suva & Nadi) $ 100
14. Laundry (at Cousteau Resort) $ 15
15. Souvenirs & Postcards $ 150
16. CSA Travel Insurance Deluxe $ 280
17. Internet Access in cafes/hotels (approximate p/minute totals) $ 50
18. Snorkel equipment & water shoes $ 200
19. Emergency Medical Supplies $ 100
20. Village donations (children’s shoes & medical supplies; cash) $ 150
=$7696 total
(excludes costs of netbook, digital camera-camcorder, new clothing & footwear)

Note: All funds from the fellowship were for coverage of trip costs only, not technology or activities to be fulfilled afterwards. We had to include an estimate of what the funds would be used for with our application and also submit a list, like mine here, afterwards. I hope to win a grant from www.donorschoose.org or elsewhere, which will enable me to order a wide variety of Fijian arts & crafts, instruments, traditional dance outfits, lesson materials etc. which can enrich my class' lessons and interdisciplinary experiences on Fiji.

Well here goes! My 1st 4 nights were in Namatakula Village with these hosts & their extended family

2010-01-05T12:22:00.000-08:00

HOMESTAY IN NAMATAKULA VILLAGE
In the town of Korolevu which is located on the famed Coral Coast (where most resorts are), the western side of the main and largest island, known as Viti Levu, lies.

First off, I must admit I quickly backed out of plans to stay in a typical Fijian village once learning there would be no hot water , bucket showers, a sanitation level I was unaccustomed to, no electricity, etc. Though the latter challenge did not bother me so much, I did need electricity to charge my cell phone and netbook plus to keep uploading photos and film onto it so I could continually add more, post new content onto my Fiji blog and work on editing the documentary of my trip daily. I was not sure how often I could get to someplace else where I could. I also wanted to stay at a village with lots of interesting activities within it or nearby. So I opted to stay at Namatakula Village It is one of the most prominent villages and my host family was relatively well off.

Shopping and otherwise spending time in Nadi the first day prior to arriving there was rather frustrating. After my 17 hr. flight from Los Angeles arrived there at 5 a.m., my stay began with an ATM eating my debit card as I took too long deciding how much to take out due to foreign currency conversion, causing me to wait 3 hrs. for the bank to open so I could get it back! After eating breakfast and perusing a souveiner shop and the Visitors Bureau, while my camera battery charged at an airport café, I stored my luggage in another part of the airport and took a bus into town to shop for an international cell phone (which research revealed as the most inexpensive means), use an Internet cafe, and grab some lunch from an Indo-Fijian fast food place (While Indian food has long been my favorite, theirs is different from that in America or their homeland yet still tasty). Finally, I took the 2 hour bus ride to my homestay with hosts Judith and Simon in Namatakula Village and arrived that night. Being there my first 4 nights was nice but hampered by “Joy Time” fitting right in there with the oft’ heard of “Fiji Time”— or could jet lag be my excuse?

I usually just exhale & relax at the beginning of summer vacations but the prior two summers, I'd gone right into the reinvigorating 2 week aTi (Artist/Teacher Institute) after 4th of July & believe it or not, just a few minutes after I'd sent off my Dodge application, I'd received a notification that I'd been nominated for another fellowship for that same summer which I hadn't even applied for; one just started from & at aTi. As soon as that was over each day, I'd go back to still customizing my Fiji trip...I'd spent the 3 days before my trip doing so much running in preparation, I'd barely slept & literally had no sleep the night before. My plan was to learn how to use the new technology on the flights over, but as fascinated as I was by the double decker 4 aisle plane, the warm Fijian flight attendant service, delicious food, & variety of individualized options for entertainment on the plane, I was out like a light shortly after the instantly served meal & slept through the entire flight, just as I had the one before my connection. Because I then spent so much time learning & trying to fix my new technology those 1st few days, (international cell phone, netbook for uploading photos & film + developing my Fiji blog [I wished], & my new camera-camcorder) all bought for this trip, + had so little time there, I couldn’t do or film half of what I’d planned yet still had an exciting time there.

International Travel Sites Used to Decide on & Plan My Trip

2009-11-30T22:26:00.000-08:00

Some International Travel Sites Used
for Deciding Where to Go & What to Do

Note: My students last year were given my usual 5 paragraph report to type about where in the world they want to travel to but this time I had them base it on use of these travel planning sites that I had just used myself when planning where to go for this Geraldine Dodge fellowship also:

www.globalvolunteeringnetwork.org or volunteer.org
www.volunteerabroad.com / Volunteeringsolutions.com
www.studyabroad.com
www.transitionsabroad.com
www.fsdinternational.org
www.globalexperiences.com
www.globalcrossroad.com
www.adventuretravelabroad.com
www.geovisions.org
www.auip.com

search for:
academictrek
Institute for cultural ecology
Blue ventures
Real gap experience

Q & A from travel agent + researched plans

2009-07-20T08:38:00.000-07:00

AMENDED & CUSTOMIZED FIJI ITINERARY PLANS & NOTES FROM A TRAVEL AGENT

NOTE: The following is based on my research + correspondence between a travel agent and I before my trip:

ON VITI LEVU ISLAND

(MAINLAND of the 332 islands)19-29 degrees Celsius (64-80 degrees Farenheight with 75-80 norm on land & 70-80 norm in water during winter’s May-October dry season - max. temp. all yr. usually 78.8-87.9 degrees farenheight)

Nadi:2 days (incl. nearby locations; 1st & last 2 days)
Visitor’s Bureau in airport where arrive 5:10 a.m. 7/23 after 10 hrs. on Air Pacific flight 811 from Los Angeles),
Bula Festival is 23rd -25th & I'm interested in what that's like. I may want to check it out & must buy sulus (sarongs) & $20 gift of kava root for sevusevu that 1st day for village stay
½ hr. N. of Nadi: Next: Garden of Sleeping Giant (over 2000 aromatic orchids m-sat 9-5 sun 9-noon $8 & ½ hr. N. of Nadi). Just past that, Sabeto Hot Springs & mud pool (best in eve. $3.50-5 m-sat. 8-5)

Last days in Nadi: 8/10 leave 10 or 15 from Denarau Isl (near Nadi) for 1 day dive, swim & snorkel in pristine Mamanuca Islands (along with the Yasawa Islands, it is the driest part, most beautiful & clearest beaches, cheapest all inclusive family resort options but has most of mosquitos), then back to Nadi for dinner at The Original Curry House ($10-20 Indian food) or where under $10 (other options incl. South Sea Cruises $125-135 leave 9 return 6)

8/11: Start in N., just S. of Main St. bridge for food & souvenir shopping culminating in the beautiful Hindu temple Sri Siva Subramanya Swami Temple (daily 9-5 $3.50) and Indian cultural centers (where they teach/demo dance & music), prior to Air Pacific flight 810 leaving at 10 p.m.) are definites. I imagine budgeting $200-400 max. for souvenirs is good idea. Less important are Natadola Beach (beautiful & best in Nadi & incl. horseback riding)

the inter-island flights are very restrictive (15kg or only about 33 pounds for your checked bags).

Korolevu 4 nights; 2 hrs. from Nadi & 2 ½ from Suva capitol: Namatakula Village Stay F$380 (half of U.S. dollars during my stay), deposit $80 paid at www.fijibure.com/namatakula
Activities: traditional mat, basket, & pottery making, great fresh food [can get recipes incl. online] + music CDs online], band, dance, sing, horseback, village & Coral Coast tour, snorkel, swim, scuba dive, watch octopus catching in soft coral capitol of the world with over 1000 fish species, eat traditional food: drink kava at welcoming ceremonies (sevusevus), fresh fish & produce, cassava, dalo (or taro), rou rou (like spinach), sweet fruits incl. coconut.

Accommodations: stay in prominent, prosperous home by local standards in large village amongst 400 inhabitants, mobile phones work & can buy a telecard from Judith, taxi driver-at-Warwick Hotel-host can pick up from Nadi; Simon whose home # is ____________ , 24/7 electricity, most beds have low ceiling fans, TV, flush toilet, private cold & warm showers, 3 small stores, theft is rare-nonexistant,

Internet 15 min. walk to Warwick or Crusoes Hotels (www.crusoesretreat.com 650-0185), 5 min. walk from the Beachhouse (almost stayed in 4 bedroom dorm or garden room for 1-3 days at a time &/or same for Mango Bay Resort 650-1565 www.mangobayresortfiji.com recreational activities at resorts incl. horseback riding beach, outdoor night cinema, swim up bar, bonfire, party, no kids, kayack, raft at latter)

visit Votua Village- great conservation efforts, mat-making, making flower leis(salu salu making), bure building, study herbal plants, trek to Hot Springs, waterfall(Biausevu Falls F10$ w/Adventures in Paradise in Korotogo for tours 652-0833), observe village mtg., prawn fish in river, horseback riding, snorkel, eat at only Fijian-owned restaurant www.visilantes.com & dive at beach in only village-run dive shop www.fiji_mikes_divers.cfm

(village etiquette: no shades, hat, well-covered body, bring kava $20,no tips but can donate books, pens, note pads, erasers, sharpeners, clothes... when visit school; farewell song “Isa Lei”)

It’s b/t Warwick & Naviti Resorts (latter is 100 km from Nadi airport & again, can use services at any resort & latter has firewalkers Wed. F16, lovo Fri.& most resorts offer it wkly. [traditional feast w/protein wrapped in banana leaves & cooked in heated rocks in underground oven]F48, ATM, Internet F.30 p/min., mini-fitness ctr., beauty ctr. The Warwick has Mon. firewalkers at 1830 F15)

Alex at Diveaway Fiji 650-1124 10 min. away (like Hideaway Resort): 2 day referral course open water dive certification/shark dive. Most all of the hostel / backpacker types of accommodation are easy to get on arrival. Mango Bay’s bures run about US$140 per night, the dorm accommodations about $20. You should also be able to arrange the village visits on arrival either by booking with one of the local tour companies or just stopping by. The tour desks at most of the nearby resorts can also assist. Sigatoka 1 day: visitor center just west of town; hike/climb 1,106 acre Sigatoka Sand Dunes (max. 50 ft. for travel insurance coverage) in 1st Nat’l Park in Fiji (bring huge water bottle on this UNESCO World Heritage site incl. prehistoric sites & breathtaking views from top after long, hard, leg-burning climb; great for picnic at top & watching sunset; easy & fun going down 8-6 $5), Kalevu Cultural Center (all day probably arts & dance demos & housing types)

Other sites on Coral Coast (near Sigatoka) which is famous for resorts & beaches: Kula Eco Park (2 hrs. handling reptiles etc. animals, rainforest walk & birdwatch is a must 10-4:30 $20 across from Outrigger on the Lagoon Resort, 20 min. from Naviti Hotel) & I'd like learning more about Sigatoka Sand Dunes & how long tour will take for each. Kula is good, and you should allocate a couple of hours. Sand Dunes are hike based, so you could take up to 4+ hours depending on how fast you walk.

Pacific Harbor 1-3 days where wetter & greener than S.W. part of island & most adventures (45 min. from Korolevu): I definitely want to include day 1 $US220 rafting or kayaking US75 b/t black volcanic rock walls of the upper Navua Gorge River with Rivers Fiji if in good enough physical condition (www.riverfiji.com or 800-446-2411) and/or another company if offered for less.

www.artsvillage.com 10:30 a.m. & all day required (learn arts & customs; Rosie Holidays car rentals/tours 345-0655);

1 day shark dive excursion (whether here at www.aquatrek.com , Beqa Adventure Divers
(www.fiji-sharks.com at 345-0911 ) where they also have Beqa Lagoon Shark Reef Dive where you can see bull sharks & up to 7 other types of this endangered animal also at their Shark Reef Marine Reserve in this “Year of the Shark,” or elsewhere if more affordable) and Indo-Fijian cultural immersion if possible. Interest in Tsulu hotel (www.tsulu.com) & viewing The Pearl South Pacific Hotel(www.thepearlsouthpacific.com ). The full day Upper Navua river trip will run about US$120. Rivers Fiji is the company to do it with. The best rate for the Shark Dive is with Aqua Trek, and is US$135 (2 tank dive) plus $15 Shark Marine Reserve fee. Suva: minimum 2 days but ideally 4 in this often rainy & cloudy capitol since its in rainforest area unlike beach areas on west coast; South Seas Hotel seems best (quiet residential area backpacker hotel w/shared bathrooms, 5 min. from museum, park, Singh Indian restaurant & incl. activities mentioned on their site of canoeing, rafting, & bushwalk are partial reasons why.

day 1 tour ancient artifacts & cultures of last 100 yrs., view crafts incl. tapa cloth, woodcarving, baskets, fans, hats, mats at Fiji Museum (must begin early Tues. &/or Thurs. preferred 8-4:30 but f8-4, sat.9:30-4:30 open), lunch at Old Mill Cottage or Hare Krishna Restaurant (11-3 best & under $10)

day 2 early morn. 8-4 daily $5 wear mud boots, get map, & guide before entering Colo-I Suva Forest Park w/4 sq. mile walks & natural pools in rainforest before seeing Raintree Lodge architecture & restaurant 1 min. away, afternoon shop at Curio & Handicraft Market & view Suva Municipal Market (like festival m-sat.8-5) along Stinson parade. Ra Marana House( great coffee, smoothies, serenity, wireless Internet).

Higher afternoon priorities: Univ. South Pacific's Oceania
Centre/Oceania Dance Theatre., jazz bands, Black Rose band

Given time, I'd like visiting the offices of the World Wildlife Fund & Greenpeace (environmentalist organizations that I’ve been a member of). Others which are less priorities incl. viewing Parliament House traditional architecture, South Indian Firewalking Fest (July/Aug. at Mariamma Temple), Bollywood music & film + shopping in Toorak & Cumming Streets (latter ones can be done in areas like Bloomfield & Edison NJ + NYC). All of these things are walk-in and you shouldn't have any trouble just doing them at your leisure (based on their hours of operations, of course). You should also be able to walk in at South Seas as well. I know all that's a lot but as you can see, I want to take full advantage of time there! Let me know if too much to handle; I know I'm picky. I have to run out. All in all, I think that you won’t have enough time or budget to do all you have set aside based on what you have told me. I think that your best bet to get as much in as possible would be to remain flexible and make you arrangements for those things once you are there and have a better feel for how much you can really fit in. Fiji doesn’t operate at the frantic pace that we are used to here, and you may find that an especially tight schedule will leave you frustrated and disappointed. Thanks, DeAnna

*Fiji country code for initial part of dialing is 679; time zone GMT + 12 hrs.
- amembassy-fiji.gov
- register w/embassy at travelregistration.state.gov

-snakes on the mainland wiped out by the invasive mongoose introduced from India

Summary of Original Fijian Plans in March 2009

2009-07-20T08:05:00.000-07:00

Due to too many questionable issues with the founder & director of the Institute for Cultural Ecology below, I was given permission & even encouraged by the Dodge Foundation to change my initial plans. I almost even changed my destination a few times but thank God I didn't. Here is what I planned to do at first:

Shorter Version: My Geraldine Dodge Teacher fellowship is paying for an internship with the Institute of Cultural Ecology to Fiji for six weeks where I'll stay with Fijians, gaining a hands on education about the unique and traditional Fijian culture, coral reefs, and the cultural ecology linking them! After becoming a licensed scuba diver, while helping marine scientists, fishermen, and other divers map the reef near the village, I will be part of ReefCheck, an international volunteer survey tracking global trends in the endangered coral reef crisis, helping to collect information on the abundance and diversity of coral species, publicizing their significance, and helping establish a long-term coral reef monitoring and protection program at these sites which also safeguards local villagers' livelihood and sustainability since reef fish are a staple part of their diet and fishing their main livelihood. There'll even be opportunities to go on ecological or cultural fieldtrips! Interns can learn new skills & participate in reforestation projects, rainforest trekking, cultural lessons…

I'm a passionate naturalist and environmentalist for those who don't know and can't already tell. Coral reefs are the second most diverse ecosystem in the world and have been the model for some of the most important work in ecology. They are economically valuable as a source of food and compounds that can be used as drugs; they also protect the coast from wave erosion during storms. Coral islands and their white sand beaches attract millions of tourists while many of the world's twenty million scuba enthusiasts travel in search of colorful corals and large reef fish. Coral reefs are the largest biological structures on earth and may be viewed from space! Yet, despite their importance, little has been done to understand how coral reef organisms respond to human activities.

I plan to document my personal and professional growth during and after this experience through a travel blog also used to persuade people to help save endangered coral reefs. I've fallen in love with blogging since I established one last summer in response to my experiences at the Artist-Teacher Institute (thanks also to the Geraldine Dodge Foundation)! Speaking of that life-altering gift, I would be dying to use my photos taken to paint some of the beautiful scenery that exists in the tropical paradise there! I have invested in photography and more oil painting workshops plus a worthwhile camera (finally) to prepare for this one! Attempts to have my photos and paintings exhibited in as many shows, art galleries, and museums as possible would follow. These things will be shared with art majors in my school plus others in and outside of my school district…Last but not least, with the aide of TV Production majors at Arts High where I teach, I'm even more thrilled at the prospect of applying my TV production skills learned in a workshop a couple of years ago towards producing my own documentary which would air on local cable stations, if not greater places!