Our first international service learning and cultural immersion trip just completed two days ago and I'm still reveling in the experience. Our group did some extraordinary things, learned a great deal about the Fijian people and served communities recovering from natural disasters and searching for a sound economic future. Planned with advice from Britt Herron of Rustic Pathways, our trip was to incorporate service projects that were tailored to things that Kaiser students might find interesting or useful. These were 1) conservation and 2) education. We kept our schedule flexible and found that learning about the culture through a series of activities and a home stay allowed for very meaningful and substantive immersion. Vocabulary:
Cultural Understandings:
We began our adventure at the Eco Lodge in Momi Bay outside Nadi, Fiji. The city of Nadi is beautiful. It has a very diverse population of more than 40,000 people. It seemed to be a developing and thriving city. The people are friendly and look to reach out to you and have a conversation. We had a wonderful time exploring the city at the beginning as well at the end of our trip. The Rustic Pathways Eco Lodge sits snug in the middle of the an Indian Village. In fact, one of the women from the village works with Rustic and is a very loved member of the Rustic family. The Lodge is complete with several camp-style multi-bunk rooms for all sorts of groups. In the distance you can see the whitewash of world-class surf sport, Cloud Break. We watched it in the distance upon arriving, letting our imaginations guide us through its barrels. Vocabulary:
Cultural Understandings:
Our arrival to the Lodge marked opening day for their summer season. There were what seemed to be a hundred Rustic staff on-site for training, some of which came to greet us when we arrived with songs and dance, and all of which came later to celebrate the opening of the summer projects. It would be naive of me to think that we had the best program leaders in all of Rustic, but our leaders were hands-down extraordinary. Hollie (from Baltimore) and Jolame (a local from Nasivikoso) were amazing. They bent over backwards at every turn to ensure our trip was safe and fun and packed full of meaningful experiences. It seemed on Day One, however, that Rustic was full of incredible people - we just happened to get two of their best! Not more than a couple hours on the ground in Fiji, Hollie and Jolame took us to spend the day bodysurfing at a nearby beac - the best start to any trip! Later that day we explored the wonderful Eco Lodge and its surroundings. That night we ate and danced and sang merrily with the Rustic staff and the locals from nearby villages. It was awesome dancing alongside the Rustic family (most of whom were just outside the average age of the group). The Rustic family is comprised of college-age, or post-university individuals who've decided to take the world on, living in a more meaningful way, searching for purpose and what's beyond their dreams - what's there just waiting to be discovered. It was only day one and we already knew how huge this trip was going to be for all of us. As a teacher, I search for opportunities to give students authentic experiences that are true to life and true to people. This was it. Personally, this first night reminded me of my college days, traveling the world, finding myself surrounded by other adrift travelers dancing crazily to samba in basements in São Paulo, or with the people along the Mekong River in Vietnam or even curiously in African drum circles in Hawai'i. It was a beautiful night to witness and to be a part of. There's something to be said for music, as it's understood globally. A good way to get a real feel for the people of any culture is to listen to their music and dance alongside them. Vocabulary:
Cultural Understandings:
Our second day in Fiji started with a trip to Food Haul, a local market. We were each given a list of the things we needed to buy for the families we'd be staying with. We broke into the pairs we'd be staying with at our home stays in Nasivikoso and were given a list of supplies. The list contained basic cooking items such as rice, flour and sugar, as well as household supplies, like soap and detergent. Once each of our carts were full and we checked out it was off to the village. A 4 hour off-road ride up to the highlands in the back of 4x4 vehicles was an excellent way to start the journey, and prep us for the rustic nature of our trip. We were entering a part of Fiji only accessible by helicopter and 4x4. We were leaving behind some parts of civilization that are perhaps taken for granted and replacing them with parts of humanity many don't often get to see - and perhaps parts of ourselves that we didn't know existed. This would prove to be exactly the way things were. Nasivikoso Village - over 3, 000 ft. above sea level, populated by 200 people living in 5 clans, and set in the most lush landscape with towering mountaintops only a stone's throw away. Upon arrival, we were swiftly taken to meet the chief, Chief Simeli, and the elders from nearby clans and villages. We presented sevusevu, and were given their blessing for our stay. Several people spoke and chanted on behalf of us and on behalf of their village. When the ceremony was complete, one of the program leaders of Rustic and a local of the highlands (and who would we'd soon come to adore), Oro, turned to us and said, "You are no longer guests. You are now family." I'll never forget that or how true that statement was. For the next week, we were invited to everything and accepted as family. In our own homes, at the school yard, with the locals - we were loved. Take a look at the Google Earth shots map of where we're at! Our service component in this village was primarily at the Nasivikoso Village School in Lovo Qa Rau Valley. "Lovo Qa Rau" which translates to "plant to grow", is home to the school and to the teachers' homes. Not many years ago, the students were walking or taking a bus several miles to the nearest school. The area as well as the school itself was built, and is staffed and maintained by both Rustic Pathways and their Foundation, as well as the government. Our service-learning tasks were both in the classroom as well as continuing construction. At the school, we were to provide lessons that would teach English and provide 1-on-1 support. The classroom sizes were well over 30 students so with 8 of us we decided group activities would be best. Our first activity was to teach colors to their youngest Class 1 students. Through singing and outdoor activities our first experience as teachers was a total success. Our service at the school also include art and sports. We loved this part of the project because it really gave us an opportunity to get to know the youth. I noticed that they are learning English alongside Fijian. For every Fijian word or sentence on the board, alongside it was the same phrase in English. Even at 6 years old, their English is fantastic. A secondary part of the project at Nasivikoso was helping to construct a footpath for the teachers. In their rainy seasons, the area is incredibly muddy and it's difficult at times for the teachers to get to school from their homes and back without getting filthy. We were able to install about 10 feet of cement footpath while we were there. It was hard work but everyone enjoyed learning how to mix cement! See more about the history of Rustic Pathways' efforts to provide access to educational resources for the children, and you can donate! Vocabulary:
Cultural Understandings:
Another part of our stay in Nasivikoso included getting to know the customs as well as the lifestyle of a real Fijian village. One of these activities included hiking to a nearby waterfall. The waterfall known as Magunu (or "drinking water") Falls has a very significant history. Not only does it provide water for the village but it also sits right next to their ancient village. The ruins of the village, very visible as we passed through, led us to imagine what life as cannibals and warriors was like. The waterfall added even more mysticism to the history. As told by one of the locals, when they'd have war at their doorstep, the villages would cut down long and thick bamboo stalks from the forest and dunk it in the waterfall until it touched the earth. If fire shot out from its top, the Gods were telling the village to go to war as it was sure they'd win. If it didn't, it would mean a loss and the village would go into hiding. This led to a conversation about magic and spirituality. Fijian folklore tells much of intense spiritual beliefs and connections. There are still people who are connected to these powers and practice old Fijian "magic". This is well-understood by everyone I spoke to and a part of life in Fiji. We spent every night in Nasivikoso singing, listening to music and storytelling until the generator turned off. People would come from around the village to sit with us. It is customary to meet with others in the village, even in their homes. As everything is shared, it is common practice to walk into each others' homes and have tea or a meal, or just sit and talk. We loved this and were blessed to be joined by our extended family in the evenings. On the third night, we had a bonfire. A group of children sat with us and sang songs and watched the fire. As the children left and the flames dimmed, the stars shone bright. We caught a few darting across the sky. We found ourselves laughing uncontrollably, telling stories and talking about adventure. Nasivikoso did something to our group. The love the village shares for each others and the traditions they hold dear are so deep and so visible in their relationships. They are so truthful and honest with each other. Their generosity and sincerity was such unwavering. Every moment of the day in Nasivikoso seemed to bring a new realization - a new discovery - about life and purpose. On our last night together, all our host families came to dinner in the staff house. They sat with us, close like family. So much laughter and so much love. The children climbing all over us, and each other, electing to dip their cassava in the curry and eat balls of rice with their fingers. As did we. For our farewell, Oro spoke with us again. It would be the last time he spoke with our group as a whole. He thanked us for our work in the village, and shared how much he loved our group. He shared that there had never been a group like ours who brought so much love and energy to the village. We all tried to keep from weeping as he spoke - several not being able to help it. The love that these men and women gave us and the way the village opened up their homes and their hearts to us was enlightening and breath-taking - and as we now knew, simply Fijian. Following the farewell ceremony, we danced. The night was electric. We stayed up late (they decided to leave the generator on a little longer for us!) listening to them play music, embracing each other, eating candies and enjoying our new family one last time. We'll never forget it. Leaving Nasivikoso was not easy. After breakfast, we returned to our homes to grab our bags. The families presented us with leis (or Salusalu in Fijian) made of woven ti leafs and flowers, and put baby powder on our faces. As we embraced, they breathed in the powder, a way of blessing you for your journey. I found many similarities throughout our trip to some of the customs we have in Hawai'i. This was definitely one of them. It was hard to say goodbye to the children and families we had spent so much time with, to the dogs we had befriended and to Tuki, the village boar that was just a few months old and already absolutely enormous. He enjoyed belly scratches and would collapse to the ground for a full massage if you kept going! As we boarded our carriers, the village surrounded us, sang songs and embraced us. Even as I sit here writing this, my eyes are filled with tears and my heart hangs heavy. Leaving those families was incredibly difficult. The relationships we made just within the week we were there were life-giving and life-long. They asked us when we'd be back and if we could come back and stay for longer. Why wouldn't you want to be in a place with so much love and so much depth in relationships? I will return to Nasivikoso some day. That is certain. Vocabulary:
Cultural Understandings:
When planning this trip, we thought it was important that the group had time to bond and catch their breath between service projects. This was a great idea. After coming down from the Nausori Highlands, the students enjoyed a day of relaxation at the Eco Lodge. Lounging by the pool, getting henna tattoos or massages at the spa, exploring the grounds allowed them to recharge their batteries. The work in Nasivikoso wasn't incredibly physically challenging, but I believe the emotions were running pretty high due to the awe-inspiring experiences we had and the love we so quickly shared and then had to let go. It was good to take a break. Rustic Pathways also came up huge for us again. Since the beginning of planning this trip, the students had a fixation with the Koko Maggie, a small boat they had seen online prior to their trip. Rustic group leaders, Hollie and Jolame, had told them they could "try" to set something up just to go see it, but they weren't positive it would work out. It's a good thing we set aside this day to relax, because the staff had been working behind-the-scenes on making their dream come true. We boarded a Rustic van and they took us down to the bay. And there it was! Anchored just outside Awesome Aimee and Joyful Julie, Koko Maggie sat. The students made their way out to the boat and I was told to run back and grab the gasoline (hint hint!). As the students took photos next to the anchored vessel, trying to capture a memory and photo that would suffice, Ben said that the man who came with us was the boat captain and he wanted to know if we'd like to go for a ride. They were ecstatic! Moments later we were speeding out of the bay into the sunset, everyone laughing and myself in full wonderment of their luck and even more to the truth, the love and magic that seems to surround this group. I jumped in the ocean with my cell phone and got the iconic picture and video they wanted! The Rustic staff are absolutely some of the best people in the world. The wonderful Koko Maggie! (video) When we got back to the bay, as the sun finally set behind us, we dodged sea snakes and eels as we sprinted to the van. We drove to a nearby hilltop and sat looking out at the ocean. The students reflected on their journey so far with Hollie and spent time writing in their journals. I sat with Jolame talking about the history of Fiji and his people. He shared with me the stories of the first-landers and the stories of their deep ties to Christianity. He shared some ancient truths that are passed down to the children of Nasivikoso and in other highland villages that would make even the most staunch Christians' eyes water in loving mystery. One of which is so deep that the Prime Minister himself chooses to remove his shoes miles away from one village that is believed to have enormous spiritual significance and walk in barefoot. (I won't post this story as I can find nothing online and don't wish to publicize it! But if you ask me, I'll share.) We spoke about development and the loving public perception of foreigners who are more than welcome in Fiji. We sat and spoke long after the students returned in the van to the Lodge. When we were done, we walked back barefoot in the dark (I discovered then that I had left my slippers with Koko Maggie) on the stony road to the Lodge where everyone was finishing up their meals. The Lodge was different than when we had left it a week earlier. It was now teeming with students from all walks of life. It had a great energy to it! But we had to be up early as our trip had only just begun. The second leg of our trip was to Somosomo Island, one of the last islands in the Yasawa Island chain and home to two small villages. In February of 2016, Fiji was hit by one of the most devastating hurricanes in recorded history. Cyclone Winston touched down on the 20th of February in Viti Levu with winds upwards of 190 mph and sustained winds of 150 mph. More than 40% of Fiji's population was severely impacted by the storm. On the island of Somosomo - where our group stayed for the second part of our trip - this catastrophe translated into incredible economic devastation. Parts of their nearest reef systems which provides 1/2 of their island's income in fishing had been destroyed. We went on several snorkeling expeditions around the island and noted the dead coral reefs. While we debated on whether global warming played a hand - a subject we covered in school - it was clear that the reef was suffering and it was most likely due to debris and sandy soil suffocating the reef. This was later confirmed by the local staff who've noted the recent escalated decline. Agriculture is another huge contributor to their income. The land was ripped to shreds by the cyclone leaving behind acres of uprooted crop. With just over a year since the cyclone, the island people are still recovering and families are supporting themselves as best they can. In one conversation regarding employment I had with one of the women staffed by Rustic Pathways, she said that many islanders will seek employment on one of the resort islands. The resorts provide steady income but don't necessarily allow for the people to return home at their choosing. Some will work weeks on end before returning to their village. Rustic Pathways employs locals in villages across Fiji to allow them to make a decent income and stay close to home. Here on the island - especially due to geographic isolation and Winston - this is a wonderful resource. The woman I spoke with thought very highly of Rustic for allowing her the opportunity. I would think with Fijian customs the way they are (being very close with family and loyal to one's village), this is a very common sentiment. It was very nice to hear that Rustic's involvement in these indigenous villages is well-received and appreciated. Note: Rustic was also on the ground in Somosomo during the cyclone. UNICEF came to Somosomo Island after Winston and has not left. The kids toted around UNICEF backpacks proudly. We completed two service projects on Somosomo. The first was helping to restore the reef biodiversity. We handled this in two parts. The first was pulling Crown of Thorns Starfish from the reef. These starfish are incredibly poisonous and dangerous to the coral reef systems. It's argued that the starfish actually help in maintaining biodiversity of a reef system but studies show that its harm to the life of the reef itself as well as the risk of outbreak is too great. We broke into groups with local Rustic Pathways divers and searched an area known to have COTS. In less than an hour, we were able to pull 20 COTS from the reef. While methods of injecting the starfish with a poison have worked, the local staff preferred pulling them from the reef altogether and collecting them for land burial. Personally, it was gruesome to bury them 3 feet underground, but their impact on the reef system and thus the economic impact on the people of Somosomo is far too great. The second was building "fish houses" out of concrete, coral bits and sea shells. We teamed up in pairs and built structures for smaller fish to hide in and corals and sea-life to attach to. It was fun working with the cement to build towers resembling castles with little windows cut out throughout the structure just big enough for fish to get in but small enough to deter larger predatory animals. Our last service project in Somosomo was to rebuild their signboard for Gaunavou Primary School. It had been destroyed by the Cyclone and the school and village were still waiting for a new one. We all worked together and made a sign that represented their island food, the coconut, and their island animal, the manta ray. One one of our snorkeling trips, we were searching for manta ray but came up empty handed. We learned later that since the resorts had implemented manta-tagging projects for their guests the villages have seen a drastic decline in mantas around the island. They fear the tagging has changed the behavior of the manta, an island favorite much like the Humu Humu is to Hawai'i. The fish in that area, however, were incredible. We were surrounded several times by millions of tiny neon blue and green fish. They swam with us and didn't seem afraid by our presence. It was a very surreal experience. Here is a timelapse video of the sign we made for the school! And a timelapse of our sign going up! And a video of our celebratory Cinnamon roll! We spent a lot of our time on Somosomo relaxing and exploring the reefs and beaches. We met with the village several times, playing soccer, participating in their "meke" (a traditional Fijian dance) and learning about weaving - one of their sources of income on the island. Somosomo was a lot different than Nasivikoso in terms of its landscape, but it had similar issues. Access to resources, sources of income and economic development all were pretty significant challenges for the people. Similar to the people of Nasivikoso, however, because of their close-knit community, Fijian people never stopped being Fijian people. They still shared, and still took time to talk and enjoy the company of others. Our team loved this island and loved the Rustic island team that we worked with. Here is a video of meke being performed at Somosomo! On our final day, we awoke at 4:30 a.m. and hiked through the village and up to the summit above the village for the sunrise. We took photos, embraced and reflected on our adventure that was near complete. We were able to watch our sign go up at the school which was incredibly rewarding. Back at the village we packed, played a few more volleyball games, collected a few more shells and said "moce" to our hosts. The ride from Somosomo back to Denarau Port on the Yasawa Flyer is over 4 hours. On the ride you get to see the resort islands that people spend sometimes thousands of dollars a night to stay at! How close to a real Fijian village they are but so disconnected. We were so fortunate. We were blessed with a dolphin show as our ferry cut through the Pacific and a sunset that made even us Hawaii-natives catch our breath. We spent our last night in Fiji at a hostel/resort (that's what it is and that's what they call it). The following morning we reflected one last time together about our trip and the connections we had made. Rustic's own farewell ceremony is called "Rustic Ties" and is about showing appreciation and affection towards the people that you shared your adventure with. We all went around the room talking about how much we loved each other and how blessed we were to share the experience with them. Very beautiful ending to an incredibly beautiful adventure. The Rustic staff, including the director, met us at the airport to say farewell. I don't know of any organization who is more involved and more committed to its students. From start to finish, the Rustic family went out of their way to show us their love and to prove to us that what we were doing was not just a meaningful service project - it was a way to live sweeter and love deeper, and understand the importance of searching the world for purpose, not just choosing the easiest route. Special thanks to the AMAZING group of students that went on this journey: Charlotte Wood, '18 Tabatha Knudson, '18 Monica Guirguis, '18 Vanessa Kwong, '18 John Isaac Fuchigami, '18 Jordan Kaneshiro, '17 Leana Vestal, '17 The Kaiser staff who supported us: Mr. Bradley Bogard (I.B. Coordinator) Mrs. Rinda Fernandes (I.B. CAS Coordinator) Mrs. Shareen Murayama (I.B.C.P. Coordinator) Mr. Justin Mew (School Principal) and many more! And to the wonderful Rustic team: AMAZING Team Holame (Hollie and Jolame) Our Nasivikoso family: Oro, Johnny, Freddy, Ben, Ili and Amelia Our Somosomo family: Captain Sai, Seta, Billy, Wais, Lepps, Koro and Sarah All the staff that helped us along the way: Bethany, Jake, Amanda, Erin, Cassie, Andrea, Aimee Our Hawai'i rep for helping us build the perfect trip: Britt Until next time, Bula Vinaka! A special video of Jolame playing "Senikakala" a song about long-lost love.
0 Comments
|