Part of me is wishing I could say Bula to all of you right now, but I am in New Zealand, yet to learn the Maori word for hello. So, try to imagine a Kiwi accent on my Hello! It has been full of twists and turns here for the Walkabout group, but now we have wind back in our sails and are diving fully into this ocean of an adventure. But, before I talk about everything New Zealand, I feel that there should be a proper post fully recounting the magic of Vatusekiasawa, or Vatuse, as it is called by the locals.
Upon entering Vatuse, the most we could all do was keep our heads up and smile at all of the foriegn people, so openly excited to have us there. From the start I was almost overwhelmed with the intense generosity of this little Fijian village. We were given hand woven leighs, whisked to our homestays, welcomed with open arms, and sang and danced all into the night. The community was so full of hard work and dedication, not only to keeping us comfortable, but keeping us a family. The first day of working hit me like a brick wall. It was hot, we had to wear sulus (like a long cloth skirt to your ankles)and manually mixing cement wasn’t many of our fortes. But the minute I met the people we were making these paths for, I could barely feel the sweat. The village men came to help us, the women hand squeezed juice to drkink on our breaks. I got to hear the kindergarden kids singing in the background. And as the days pursued into the two weeks, I got to walk on the very sidewalks I have made. That was a feeling of satisfaction I have never felt before.
As the people grew on our group, we made friends, were showed to local sights and danced the nights away. I saw the sugar fields burn (completely natural), I saw a night sky that has yet to be surpassed in beauty, and drank kava with the locals. I have never been in a such a work hard play hard community. A community that was so well knitted together and as beautiful as the rolling mountains and beaches encompassing them. Vatuse didn’t need an overabundance of things to make them happy, they gave all of their best food to us, the danced, sang, and taught us. I am so excited to return to Vatuse and I, as well as the others, feel like we have a home away from home there. Throughout everything that happened at Vatuseu, let me give you a layout of the day.
Wake up
Eat Breakfast
Work
Lunch
Work
Tea
Break
Dinner
DANCE.
Personally, I really liked dancing. But the dance they do is sort of a play of look everywhere but your partner and alternate your feet. And don’t forget to keep your arms bent. I had a hard time at first, but then it felt more natural, and truth be told, I probably will forever dance like a Fijian. Aside from the dance moves, I just really want to reiterate the kindness and generosity that was contanstly palpable in the air all throuhgout native Fiji. IF every person in the world spent a little time in Vatuse, I know for a fact that the world would be a better place. It was full of laughter, fun, and flowers, sugarcane in the air and a blazing sun over your head. And at night this was replaced by the blaze of sugarcane fires, the little village illumated with the stars and the curry hot in the community hall. Not to mention the same four songs they played to dance to in a continuous loop. The average day was magical there. And I reccomend someone to pick up a seat next to mine on a flight back a couple of years in the future.
I’m out to enjoy the greatest and greenest of New Zealand.
Tera.
