Involvement Volunteers International I had the most wonderful time in Fiji, thank you! Probably the greatest experience of my life so far š I was going to post this little spill up on my Facebook along with some more photos.
Fiji ~ vinaka vakalevu for such an eye opening experience! I learnt so much in the little time I was here and my heart has been permanently touched in so many ways. I was so lucky to work alongside such a fun, dedicated team as we did health checks and nutrition education in communities, villages and resorts.. you guys were the bomb! ā¤ļø
The hospitality of our host families was above and beyond. Iām so grateful to have experienced your traditions and the warmth and comfort of your homes, as well as your amazing food! Vinaka ā¤ļø The biggest aspect of this trip for me was being so heavily touched by the locals and their way of life, including their unique sense of community. From the communities and villages where life is quite simple, to the streets of Fiji and even the staff at the resorts, every Fijian I met had open, loving hearts with a big splash of humour.
Fiji faces extremely high rates of preventable disease such as diabetes (1 in 3) and hypertension, health issues that have quickly risen as globalisation and food production has advanced. Witnessing this trend was so educational and highlighted the importance of nutritional awareness and intervention to me. Although fiji faces such high rates of preventable disease , their traditions and way of life is otherwise so inspiring and there is so much to take from it!
For anyone interested in volunteering, I highly recommend IVI programs! From my experience I can almost guarantee that you will not only learn so much but also have an amazing time if you walk into it with an open heart and an open mind!
