New Zealand & Fiji – (NZF) – June 25 – July 21

Welcome Global Works travelers, parents and friends.  We are excited to share with you trip updates from around the world.  As our main office receives updates from the trips we will update the page as we receive news from the field.
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Greetings from your Global Works Leaders:
Kia Ora,

Greetings from the New Zealand/Fiji trip leaders; Jay, Harry and Lyssa! We are excited to explore the North Island of New Zealand with you. Our service will be focused on the island of Urupukapuka were we will be working in conjunction with the environmental organizations, Guardians of  the Bay of Islands, and the Department of Conservation to restore the original habitats for native bird and plant species. Throughout our journey we will learn about Maori culture and “Kiwisms,” surf, go blackwater rafting, and challenge our focus from up high.

We will then depart to Fiji where we will experience traditional village life with our homestay families, dance the takitaki, and sample kava with the locals. We hope to challenge you to push your boundaries, work hard, have fun, and gain insight into other cultures and ways of life in the South Pacific.

Sweet As!
The Crew
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Update #1:
Day One: Going to the first day of the trip is always nerve-racking. Most of the people on our trip came without knowing anyone, and from all areas of the country. When I arrived in LAX, I was a little bit scared, but my nerves had dissolved and I was mostly excited. I saw Jay’s welcoming face at the check in line and I knew everything would work out. After all of the group members, not only from our tour but also from the  Fiji tour arrived, we spent time meeting each other, sharing stories, and eating. It was crazy how the hours until our flight seemed to disappear, within the blink of an eye. Our first day of the trip was not only extremely long, we also had an awesome time. After our 10th hour of the  flight, the two groups separated and we were able to really get to know all the people on our New Zealand/Fiji tour. We spent about 9 hours in the Fiji airport which was actually so fun!  I’m not sure how we managed to pass the time but after hours of reading magazines, talking, playing Uno, eating, shopping, and a quick exercise lesson, we were finally able to go on the plane to New Zealand. As soon as we stepped off the plane, we were all friends. Not only did we know each other’s names, home states, and hobbies, we all shared inside jokes and some fun nicknames for each other. One may have thought all of the hours of traveling would have tired us out, or made us cranky, but actually it brought us closer and we had a great time. The first day of the trip was long but fun!

Day Two: We stayed at a YMCA lodge in Waiwera the first night, and we had all been awake for almost 30 hours so we passed out around 8 or 9 o’clock!  After 12-ish hours of sleep we woke up mostly adjusted to New Zealand time. Breakfast was really good; we had cereal, fruit, yogurt and spaghetti! As soon as we finished breakfast we headed into the vans to go take a look around the beach. The view was so beautiful with the knotty, twisted trees in the park that led to the shell-covered beach bordered by huge cliffs. We played some fun ice-breaker games and then took some time to walk around to take photos or go in the water. Half of the group went knee deep in the ocean, but a few others and I just enjoyed the amazing scenery. When the sun hid behind the clouds and it started pouring rain we made a mad dash for shelter. We went back to the lodge for lunch and then got ready to go to the thermal pool water park. Though it smelled like rotten eggs, the pools were warm and relaxing and the slides were super fun! After two whole hours of swimming we walked back all pruned to the lodge. We packed up and got ready to head to the island the next day where we would spend the next week.

 

Note: The group will not be able to post updates while on the Island, and the home office will be in touch with another update after July 5th.

Update #2:
Day 3:
Today was a travel day and we started early, getting up at 6:30 so we could make our ferry to the Bay of Islands. We were exhausted from the previous day, so we reluctantly go out of our beds and went to eat our breakfast of milk, cereal, toast and fruit bars. Afterward, most of us went to clean up our cabins and kitchen to get ready for a day of travel. It took a bit of teamwork, but we managed to make the lodge spotless. Afterward, we packed our bags and set off on  a 3-hour drive to the coastal city of Paihia, stopping at the “The Warehouse.” After arriving in Paihia, we split up into groups to eat lunch and explore this cute little tourist town. We tried many new Kiwi things, such as a L&P Soda and Hokey Pokey Ice Cream. After filling our bellies, we met at the harbour and got onto the ferry to Urupukapuka Island, our home for the next five days. We all toured the island, found our cabins, and got settled in. We took a climb up some mountains before having a nice dinner of burgers and fries with “tomato sauce.” After dinner, we all went and watched a local movie, “Boy,” about a kid who is in love with Michael Jackson. Unfortunately, some of us were exhausted from the day’s activities and had to sleep before finishing the movie.

Day 4: Today we woke bright and early and had breakfast at 8:00 am. We ate plenty to get ready for a day filled with service! Today was the day we cleaned all the trash from the beaches around the island to help save the marine life from eating it. We started off with a long hike across the island passing up and over green hills dotted with sheep. We made our first stop at Indico Bay where we cleaned and admired the scenery and then we set off for Oneura Bay. After we we finished cleaning we went back to Indico Bay to eat lunch. After lunch we set back across the island for Urupukapuka Bay, where there was a ton of sheep, some we got to see up close! Next we split up into two groups to clean the last two beaches of the day. At the larger bay there were some fishermen on shore with nets and a bucket of fish. One of the men even gave us a fish and we also found a puffer fish! At the end of the day we all met back up to compare all the trash we had picked up for the day. We had a competition to see who collected the most trash and who found the most unique piece of trash. As a group we collected tons of trash, cleaned the beaches, hiked the island and a great day!

Day 5: Today we woke up and had breakfast at 8 a.m. While waiting for our volunteer coordinator from the department of conservation we cleaned our own beach in front of where our cabins are. We then played some games and leaned about the ecology of the island and about some of the invasive species we would be eradicating. We spent the morning in the forest pulling out the “Mexican Devil”– an invasive species that threatens the habitat of native birds. Our nickname of the plant was Omar and laughed so hard we forgot about being covered in mud. We took a break for lunch and relaxed a bit on the picnic tables in front of the beach. Felling full and rested we continued pulling weeds for the afternoon.   The invasive weeds inhibit the growth of native vegetation, so we did our best to remove all of them. After a long day of service we relaxed on the island, at Otehei Bay. Some kayaked, some braved the cold and swam, and others just lounged around. After showering and washing up, we sat down to enjoy a nice dinner and then played charades after dinner and hung out to finish off a great day!

Day 6: Today we woke up to the beautiful New Zealand air and a warm cup of milo. After breakfast we huddled together and decided to finish weeding the flax bushes. We took many breaks but finally left the bushes in better shape than when we found them. Then we gathered our delicious PB & J (and butter) sandwiches and hiked up the hill in search of Tabaco weed and inkweed. After a couple of hours in the bush, we stopped for lunch. It drizzled a bit, but was still sunny. Our view of the sheep and the bay (Urupukapuka Bay) was majestic! We then returned to work and found larger Tabaco weeds that were more like trees!   Taking out the herbicide and 4 saws, we ended our work with picnic bars, pinky bars and rain. A 30 minute trek back to Otehei Bay was nothing for our seasoned legs. Everyone showered and scrubbed the mud off their gumboots. David (our kiwi friend) was surprised when his parents arrived on the island to help us with our final day of work here. Lasagne for dinner!!! Afterwards we played marshmallow dogeball, on our knees, which was hard on knees, due to the woo9den floor. Following this, we bonded on the couches while watching a NZ show called Bro-Town, was a wonderful way to end another great day in New Zealand. All my friends are on a small lake in New Hampshire and I’m halfway around the world, looking at this beautiful Bay!!!

Day 7: This morning we awoke to classic New Zealand wind and rain but that didn’t stop us! With only a small fifteen minute delay the group was off with raincoats and filled water bottles. We hiked a familiar path to a big clump of Wattles (weeds). Everyone dove right in and decimated the destructive plants. These were easy to pull compared Inkweed and Tobacco Weed. All the big work was done in time, for lunch on the beach. The slight rain wouldn’t damper the spirits of the group as we munched on out tuna sandwiches and brownies. After lunch we opted for the “long and easy” route home. It actually turned out to be quite a trek but it took us out to see scenic parts of the island. There were treacherous moments but everyone made it safe and sound. After our long days hike, most of the group opted for a swim in the freezing ocean. The whole posse gathered and snuggled to watch the hilarious movie,  “The Boat That Rocked.” After we enjoyed a delicious dinner, Global Works ended the day with a photo montage of the week.

Day 8: Today we woke us to a powerful rainfall. But we all got up eager to continue our journey from Otehei Bay onto Rotorua. We gathered in the common area for our normal breakfast of toast and cereal. After that everyone finished packing, we all somehow managed to stuff all of our belongings back into our bags, then we met in the common area again to go over highs and lows of the trip so far and what we were excited for in the upcoming week. We then grabbed our lunches and boarded the ferry. The ferry ride was fairly quick which was great because the water was far from calm and the boat was constantly swaying from side to side. We arrived in Paihia, loaded the vans and continued our journey from there. After about 4 hours on the road we stopped n Auckland for pizza. As a group we devoured 16 pizzas with various toppings such as pepperoni, spinach, tomatoes, mushrooms, and of course cheese. Then, after a quick switch of vans due to an electrical issue in one, we were on the road again. After a few more hours we finally arrived to our new houses for the next two days. We were excited to be in a house with a T.V.! After watching TV for a while we all decided to, “hit the sack,” because we were all exhausted from our long day of traveling.

Day 9: July 5th,  I ran of clean clothes today; this is good because today also happens to be laundry day. Before laundry we were going to the Te Puia to learn about Maori culture and history. We got a welcoming ceremony, where a very large man with a spear ran out shouting in Maori. We walked into a giant meeting house and watched a few dances. Then they gathered all of the girls on stage and taught then a dance with a poi, string and ball. The boys then went up and learned the Haka. We were taken on a guided tour with Paul and followed him to look at Kiwi birds. I really enjoyed the Kiwis, they were the high point of the trip for me personally. They were about the size of a volleyball except with little chicken legs and a funny little head and beak. We walked over to the hot pots and the stench of the sulphur was hard to bear. We got out of the park and headed for town and we got a couple of hours to wander while our clothes were cleaned. We all eventually got back to the hostel and enjoyed a burger and fries with hokey pokey and coke ice cream floats. We sat in a hot pool then went off to bed.

Day 10: Today we woke up to eat our final breakfast in Rotorua. Jay decided to go all out and made us scrambled eggs mixed with tomatoes, onions, and a little bit cheese. We had plenty of time to pack our stuff after breakfast before we moved on to the next place, which was the high ropes course and Waitomo. On our way to the ropes course we passed through a town called Waireika. The area was full of nuclear power plants and geothermal plants. These plants and the smaller cars show that New Zealand is a much greener country than our own. After the quick pass through of that region we stopped for some sight seeing at Huka Falls. As we walked closer, the roar of the falls grew louder and louder. Soon the falls were in sight and we watched the water cascade over rocks for almost 100 meters. Unfortunately, our little adventure was a little cold from the continuous rain. Our spirits, however, were not dampened by the rain as we continued to the high ropes course. Many of us were frightened at first but the height of the ropes. The fears were soon conquered as we balanced across the metal wires in the freezing rain. The rain then conquered most of us to our disappointment. We quickly scurried back into the vans and got ready for our wet ride to Waitomo. Eventually we reached our final destination for the night and unpacked.

Day 11: Caving day today. It has seemed to be the subject of everyone’s excitement in the past few days, and what a day for it! The night before, we had made arrangements for a group cooked dinner so we split up into 3 groups; one for sides, one for main course, and one for desserts. The groups also would be our caving groups. The caving activity started wth a 30 meter vertical rappel down into the cave. Some of the group handled the decent better than others, but everyone made it down safe and fine. The groups then waded through the water upstream to where the glowworms were the most concentrated, the groups then rafted down through the dark caverns for quite a while before clambering back up to their dry clothes and towels. The day finished with a  huge group prepared feast. The appetizers were quesadillas, made with red peppers, mushrooms, and onions. The main course was tacos with all of the fixings. The side dishes were beans, guacamole, and seafood rice and lastly the dessert was Oreo balls and seedless grapes.

PHOTOS:

 

Update #3:

Day 12: After yesterday’s excursion, almost everyone in the group struggled to rouse themselves and thus were late for breakfast. Breakfast consisted of the usual cereal, yogurt, and eggs but with a twist of last nights leftover taco flings. With packed lunches, everyone vanned up to make the winding journey to Bridal Veil Falls. We underwent a peaceful bush walk to the beautiful falls. We then traversed 261 steps to the bottom of the falls for a fabulous photo opportunity.

Off to Raglan! We attempted to eat lunch on the wharf but everyone retreated to the warm sanctuary of the vans. All of us then braved the cold air to win the scavenger hunt that enabled us to explore the small quirky town of Raglan. Money was quickly disappearing out of people pockets and being replaced by goodies from surrounding shops. The leader then introduced us to the world famous surf break we will be learning on. Everyone is now a little scared but excited to surf. We all were looking forward to the cozy bunk beds at the Karioi lodge, our home for the next few days.

Day 13: Fruit “forest” day. Today waking up at 7:30 for breakfast at our Raglan hostel, (very cozy…four to a room that measures about 15 by 13 feet.) After a quick breakfast we headed to a nearby community garden to talk to Paul, a local involved in environmental education. After listening to Paul’s explanation of how our earth and its resources are dying, we learned how a sustainable garden is an efficient and eco-friendly solution to fix it. We finally got started on the gardens by weeding out an invasive grass species from South Africa. When finished weeding the group got started on re-doing the outer edges of the beds; we began planting several types of plants to be used for food/medicinal purposes (garlic, winter mint, lime, ect.) To protect and sustain the beds, hay was spread around to newly planted seedlings/large fruit trees. The gardens were done by late afternoon and the van was loaded up once again and the group drove through a treacherous roadway to see a very beautiful scene overlooking the waves from a massive cliff. The day ended by a showing of Food Inc. (from Paul) to further educate us on the importance of our planets food/environment/resources.

Day 14:  Solscape visitation/surfing day! We woke up bright and early today to Jay’s famous eggs and a lovely breakfast spread. We then ventured to solscape, an eco-friendly lodge and environmental education facility. After touring the property and learning more about sustainable resources and eco-friendly living we had time to reflect with Paul (our guide) about our ideas to further the sustainable lifestyle movement. Solscape’s main way to provide energy for the property s by solar energy. Once the tour concluded we went back to our hostel for lunch. The anticipation was building for our surfing lesson as we ate lunch! The group proceeded to the hostels sports barn for our basic land surf training. Finally we were able to head to the beach. When we arrived it was freezing cold and was waves were massive…but the sun was out. We put on our skin tight wet suits to keep us warm. Everyone went out to catch some waves-only the strong survived. The day concluded with many running noses, smiles, and sandy feet.

Update #4:
Day 15: Today was our last full day in New Zealand.  We were rewarded with a sleep in and breakfast starting at 8:30. We packed up our bags and proceeded on a two and a half hour ride to Auckland. After a quick stop at the gas station, we arrived at the hostel: Surf ‘n Snow backpackers. Later we shopped for final souvenirs on Queens Street. After meeting up three hours later, we dressed up for a nice dinner at Tony’s. We had a choice of lamb, steak, chicken, veggies, and pasta. It was a nice farewell dinner. We went and ate cake after venturing back to the hostel to grab rain jackets and money. After some people had cake, we went to an ice cream parlour, except I sold gelato. Finishing up the gelato we had some Kodak moments at the fountain with the sky tower in the background it was a great way to spend our last night in New Zealand together.

Day 16: We had an early start to our last morning in New Zealand. Starting with breakfast at 7:30 and ending with a beautiful, hot night in Fiji. Loading our white vans for the last time, we drove to the airport. We arrived too early and spent our time repacking everyones bags to not be over-weight. Once all of our luggage was checked in, we went to the food court. We all stuffed our faces with food so we wouldn’t be hungry on the plane. Then the time came to say out last good byes to David, our kiwi member of the group, Harrys younger brother. It was sad because he was a very big part to our group and will be missed very much. We also went shopping for last minute souvenirs and food. After arriving at gate number 3, we waited for our plane. After some seat drama, we finally got settled into our seats. The plane eventually left over an hour late, about three hours later we landed in Fiji awaiting our new adventure. After retrieving our luggage and going through customs . We met out new guide Adam. We then embarked on a three hour bus ride to Voli-Voli resort where we will be staying for these next two nights. After arriving, at 9:30 we anxiously explored and gazed up at the beautiful starry night. We ate Indian Fijian food and then went to bed after our long day of travel.

Day 17:  Our group woke up to an island paradise. We ate breakfast (or at least most of us did) and then went to explore the beach and ocean just outside of our doors. The ocean was bright blue and perfectly warm. After the beach excursion, we took out bus to the nearby village of RakiRaki. There, we bought sulus of many different shades and patterns to wear during our homestay. Once sulu shopping was finished, we ate a delicious Fijian lunch, of which the main components were huge Chinese and Indian dishes. Satiated, the group walked around RakiRaki, enjoying the smell of the hot bread shop (and the taste) and the Fijian market with items like salted pineapple halves, breadfruit, and hot chillies. Everyone in the village was very amiable, and would always respond when greeted with a, bula! or even initiate the greeting. When we had finished stocking up on sweet bread, we returned to Voli Voli. Some went swimming again while some people hung out on the beach while we were supposed to be playing volleyball. We had dinner and then gathered to learn the Fijian customs. We went through the sevu sevu ceremony which is the traditional Fijian greeting for newcomers, and then finished with a round of Kava, a Fijian drink. Then we fell asleep, dreaming of the homestay to come.

Photos:

 

Update #4
Day 18: Today we said goodbye to the beautiful Voli Voli beach resort and “Hello” to the new village, Nativi, were we will be spending the next six days. After a scenic bus ride, we were welcomed into the village with a song sung by the people from Nativi. Immediately after, we had the Sevu Sevu ceremony, to officially welcome us to the vllage. We all drank Kava and introduced ourselves. The Fijians always had huge smiles on their faces and were very enthusiastic to meet us. We were equally excited to be a part of their lives and learn some of their culture during the next week. When the ceremony was over, most of us were invited to dance, it truly was a joyful experience. We were then given our homestay families and were introduced to our nau (mum). We went to our homes (which are mostly one room, with a bed and a place to sit) and met our ganequ (sister) maqu (dad) and taciqu (brother). Most of us have many siblings, cousins, nieces and nephews and they are all absolutely adorable, always laughing and happy. We then went to lunch which is prepared by our Nau’s, it was delicious! After we hung out with our families and played jump rope, volleyball, rugby, cards, hand games and more! Our naus then served us tea and crackers around 4pm, and then we went back to our siblings, they are too cute! Later we got ready and went to church, our naus act as if they were our real mums and are always making sure we are comfortable and okay. They are some of the sweetest people ever. We then went to dinner, which consisted of rice, sausage, roti, and potatoes. We all said “vinaka” (thank you) many times and then headed off to carve kava bowls. After a very long and extremely exciting day, we were all exhausted, however some of the boys still joined the men in drinking kava. We then went back to our homes, which our siblings held our hands and led us to, where we then said goodnight to our naus!

Day 19: Many of us awoke early to the sounds of roosters crowing and church bells ringing. Despite the early wake up all 20 of us energetically met at breakfast to prepare for our first workday in the village. We devoured the delicious breakfast of various types of dough and fruit, after breakfast we filled our water bottles, put on gumboots, grabbed shovels and headed off to the church. We were pleased to see the half completed footpath that the previous Global Works group had worked on. Our group anxiously began to dig to level the ground, mix concrete and smooth the surface. We worked tirelessly until lunch, when we eat more delicious home cooked food. Finally a few hours after lunch we finished the sidewalk! Next we all rolled up our sleeves to hand print our finished footpath. We felt so accomplished when looking down on the sidewalk we had worked so hard to complete. After work we relaxed at tea time (which is the groups favorite part of Fijian culture!). We munched on bread, while quietly chatting about the day. Later we went to the open ground and played rugby, volleyball and other games with the kids. Many of us bought camera’s to capture the gorgeous smiles of the Fijian people. We played for a few hours until it was time for dinner. After dinner we grabbed our brothers and sisters and went to the community center. While there, a few people weaved braclets, while others drank kava and some danced. By the end of the night the Fijans had asked everyone to dance, even the leaders. The never ending “conga line”proved to be a crowd favorite. After a long day, we all returned home to hug our nau and say goodnight.

Day 20: Waking up to roosters calling, children laughing and the sounds of a bustling village is a wonderful experience that’s hard to explain if you are not here. But that’s our everyday here in Koro Nativi. From that, the day only got better. We were walked to breakfast by our Naus, brothers and sisters, who were reluctant to let go of our hands. Breakfast consisted of so many delicious breads we thought we would explode! After we ate, we headed out to the work site by the church for a half day of service.  Today we began work on a fence around the church.  While half the group tied fencing wire, the other half cleared away piles of dirt we made digging the footpath. By Noon, we were all more than ready to take a break for lunch after working and sweating under the hot sun all morning. We were in for a nice treat when we finished. One of the men had shimmied up the coconut tree to toss down some coconuts! The minister used a machete to cut them open with surprising precision. The coconut water tasted so good, and was very refreshing. I have never had a coconut straight off the tree! We met for another delicious lunch and after we had about an hour and a half to rest or spend time with our families. In the afternoon we hike up the mountain, which was made ten times harder by the hot midday sun. The view at the was worth every step though. We waited at the top for a little while munching on sugar cane and taking in our surroundings. We made it back to the village just in time for tea time, where we drank tea and stuffed ourselves with donuts. Afterwards, we  spent the rest of the evening playing volleyball and enjoying ourselves with our Fijian families.

Photos:

 

 

 

Update #5:
Day 21: What an exhilarating day! After an early morning wakeup call by the roosters and church bells, (which I am sure we’re all familiar with now,) we downed our breakfast of delicious Fijian food in preparation for our big day of scuba diving. As soon as breakfast was finished we all piled onto the bus, saying goodbye to our Fijian families for the day before heading to Voli Voli resort, where or scuba diving adventures were set to take place. After getting settled in at Voli Voli’s diving area, we all watched an instructional video, are lunch, and had some scuba practice in the pool before heading out to the boat to start our fantastic underwater adventure. Many of us were nervous at first, but we quickly overcame our fears as we observed our peers jump in the ocean. The diving instructors were all very friendly and helped us with all our equipment to make sure we would be safe and sound at the bottom of the ocean.  Once we reached the bottom, we were able to see magnificent coral reefs filled with a wide variety of aquatic life. We were all allowed to stay down under for about 30 minutes before resurfacing and re-boarding the boat. After everyone who wanted to (or could) was finished scuba diving, we took a bus back to the village, ending this day’s scuba adventures. Afterwards, we spent some family time before eating dinner and then heading off to sleep.

Day 22: Today was our last full day of service! We started bright and early with breakfast, however most woke a lot earlier to the sounds of all the roosters and cows. In today’s service we accomplished a lot. We started with making a new pathway, then finished our part of the fence that surrounds the church to keep the animals out. While working we had a Peace Corps Volunteer come visit with us, he was staying at a village close by, he was from New York and told stories of his stay her in Fiji. Once the fence part was finished we planted flowers all around it, everyone was helping from digging holes, breaking up dirt or flowers, to actually putting the flower in the ground. Today everyone worked alongside the Fijians-had a great day. After a day full of service, we sat down for tea time, then off to play! Some played volleyball, Rugby, baseball, and some just hung out and sang songs with the children. Once the sun went down we all returned to our homes for some family time before dinner. When dinner time came around our families walked us to the dining hall. After dinner we headed off to the community center for a performance the Fijians had prepared. Starting with children singing and dancing, then older people, then everyone started to drink Kava and dance the night away. Once the lights shut off we called it a night and went back to our homes for bed.

Day 23: Today we awoke bright and early to the sound of church bells and roosters. We sprung from our beds excited for the day ahead.  After a hearty breakfast we met up with our partners to plan an exciting and intriguing lesson plan for the students. When all preparations had been made, we tightened our sulus and filled our water bottles, and began our journey to the primary school. Down the hill and through the river we went to be greeted by one hundred smiling faces. We drank some Kava on the porch and then went our separate ways to our assigned classrooms. After teaching the children all we could in a short amount of time, they got ready to show us their songs and dances. The kids laughter filled the air and we sung their songs in our heads on the trek back. Then we all had a rambunctious lunch and got ready for family day. We all spent the afternoons with our Fijian families, not wanting the day to end. After a delicious tea time we went to church for some closing ceremonies. After church had ended and all our songs had been sung, we headed off to our final dinner here. We are until our tummies were full and we had the energy for the night ahead. Then we all headed to the community center for some more Kava and closing words. The Kava continued to be poured as the music began to be played, until the lights shut off at around 2 AM we danced alongside our new friends. We will never forget the innumerable memories made in such a short few days in Nativi Village.

Day24:
Our final minutes in Nativi village were spent drinking Kava, dancing, and taking last-minute photos. Thankfully the bus was late so we had more time with our brothers, sisters, naus, and mongus. Handshakes, tears, and hugs marked our final goodbye. At Voli Voli we munched on burgers and fries for lunch. Warm showers were a welcome surprise after the freezing cold water in Nativi. Swimming in the pool was the activity of choice; followed by tanning. Fancy clothes were worn for our sunset boat ride to a nearby island where we ate pizza and reminisced about our past month together. Once we were back in Voli Voli, the group changed for some night swimming. Some people forcefully entered the water while others happily jumped in. A photo montage and then an anonymous, “what I like about you,” was the perfect activity for our last night. The beach housed our fun for the next couple hours, as some of the group was determined to stay up late. At 2 AM there were six of us left and somehow we managed to stay entertained (thanks to Harry) until 4 AM! High fives and hugs ended what was our last night together. I miss everyone already.
Update #5:

Day 25:
Last day of the trip. Everyone was awoken early after way too little sleep to repack suitcases for the last time. But the three-hour bus ride allowed for naps and extra bonding time for everyone. All of us were then turned loose into the city of Nadi. In two hours, all were back on the bus with full bellies, souvenirs, and funny stories. Off to the airport! With heavy hearts the group bid goodbye to leader Jay, who is staying in Fiji for a slightly longer stay. It was nice to be back in the Fiji airport after our ten-hour layover a month ago. We were even recognized by workers! And now flying over Fiji, all are very sad to see the trip draw to a close but filled with happy memories of the last amazing month! What a great summer!