Can a girl change her flight!?

Today was a special morning. I woke up with the intention to call and change my flight. So I borrow a phone and it has no minutes on it. I get a second phone and it is dead. The other phone is missing so by the time I locate it and call it's been awhile. Half way through my flight change the phone dies. I find another phone and call back three minutes later my phone dies. At this point I run to joes to put more minutes on my phone and accidently send the data to my computer! So we try again and I get it on my phone and call. Oh the lady is now on break. By the way everytime I call I have to go through the automated push this push this. So finally I call back and she is on another call and my phone dies. I JUST WANT TO CHANGE MY FLIGHT! Ahhhhhhhh! Why is it so hard to communicate in this country with anyone. 

Now I am putting my mom on it. But in order to talk to my mom I had to email her and then text my sister to call my mom so she an check her email. 

read more "Can a girl change her flight!?"

FIJI schools

Things I have taken note of: 

- kids set the table for teacher'a lunch and do the dishes 

- kids call adults mam and sir

- they are always aware of you and always make sure you have a place to sit 

- they use blackboards

- they burn their trash

- no toilet paper in bathroom you have to ask for it from the office and they give you a few squares 

- lunch comes by taxi and some women get ou their pots and the food that they prepared in the village. Then he kids who bought lunch eat on actual plates and line up for food.

- school Bells sound like fire truck sirens 

- schools that don't have school Bells have a kid ring a bell 

- pencils are scarce

- they use recycled trash to make paper chains to decorate classrooms

- they have containers for pencil shavings 

- supplies are non existent and even white paper is scarce 

- there are no text books

- they have homemade compositions books for every subject 

- they all write neatly and use a ruler to underline titles and dates 

- they have teeth brushing all together on the yard after lunch 

- in the morning and at the end of the day they have cleaning time 

- many times teachers leave the classroom or are late yet the kids are inside working 

- they have crazy great talents in singing and art 

- when the teacher asks do you have a change it means a change of clothes for PE 

- kids take the public buses or walk 

- all kids wear uniforms 

read more "FIJI schools"

Nananu-I-Ra Day 2

This morning we woke up and the girls decided to try wind surfing. Basically a sail on a big surf board. I was very skeptical but decided I should at least try. Try being the keyword in that sentence. Warren started by having us just stand on the board in calf deep water. 1. My balance is not so great 2. Falling off in calf deep water and jumping on rocks is not my ideal situation. After that exercise we walked up the beach and added the sail. 

On this journey i sliced my foot on one of the previous mentioned rocks and there is still a little rock in the wound I need to try and get out. I tied and that is what counts but after one try I was done. Warren had me sit on the front of the board and he sailed me a little and then I went in. The girls are atill out there and having success. Yay! Now I am complacently laying on the beach wishing the clouds would pass by the sun fasts because when the sun is behind the clouds it is actually pretty cold and super windy here so my kayak desire will probably be put on hold, for now. 

read more "Nananu-I-Ra Day 2"

Nananu-I-Ra

Friday: finish work and head to the bus station at 4pm. Pay $12 and get on bus that last 3 hours and some change. Then we get off th bus in the dark and a taxi is waiting. After pilling in we arrive at a small dock with a little metal open air boat. Oh let us add it is hayley, Matt, Abi, manti and myself. We take a 20 minute boat rid through the dark with the MOST INCREDIBLE sky I have ever seen! You could see the galaxy and soooo many stars. It was in the list of most beautiful nature sites I have ever witnessed. Adding to the ambiance was that we were on a little metal boat in the middle of the ocean. Then we arrive to our island and our bungalow is at the top of a very steep hill. Luckily this was paved, no repeat of the mud attack from last week. 

We were all in one room with bunk beds and a cat. A cat whose named changed everytime he or she, we have not decided yet, walked in. Anyway we woke up at 6am to see the sunrise. Talk about gorgeous. Now this is Fiji. Turquoise waters, white sand and Palm trees. We sat on a rope swing and watched the sunrise. 

Then was time for diving! The rest of the group was going to snorkel but there was. A group going diving so I had a choice to make. I was pretty dang nervous because I have not been diving in years. So I decided to go for it and I am so glad I did! Stop 1: a wreck! Um hello bucket list! When I got certified 5 years ago it was in order to dive a wreck at some point. The visibility was not so great but it was amazing to see this submerged boat. We even got to swim through a small part at the front of the ship! I don't even know how to describe to you this experience!

Then was dive spot 2: the reefs. This was one of the most incredible if not the most incredible thing I have seen. Imagine swimming in the most amazing aquarium you have ever seen. The visibility was great and the colors and shapes of the coral! We got to swim through the canyon and under the reefs and all through and around them. It was so.... Words can't tell you! Come here and experience it! And there were two sharks!  Maybe like 5 feet long. My second dive I felt so much more comfortable and at ease. I'm glad I was able to do this even if the table I am sitting at right now is rocking back and forth back and forth. 

On our way back we walked the beach and the local house dog started to dog like crazy and stick his head way in the sand... What the heck... Then he starts to go crazy and we see that he is attacks the crab. 

This dog is awesome!

Finally we walked the beach with the local owners daughter and found these nuts.

read more "Nananu-I-Ra"

Animal abuse

There is one bing that infuriates me in. Regular basis. I have a hard time with this and controlling emotions because I want to cry and scream at the same time. We are talking about animals here people and most people know animals are my weakness. A big weakness. In fact one of the few things in my life that bring tears very easily. So take that and add a country with little regard for animal life and you have a very upset Jessica. 

On a daily basis, more like an hourly basis you see dogs roaming everywhere. Covered in open wounds, cuts, rumors, fleas, broken bones, limping and so think you can count every rib on their body. I have to hold my break every-time I see one near the road because cars don't stop. Put bluntly, it pisses me off. How is there a whole group who has such little regard for animal life. It's the most disgusting thing I have seen in regards to animals in any country I have ever been in. I just want to save all the puppies! 

read more "Animal abuse"

Drug awareness day

Today in Nasouri is Drug Free Day. All this week schools have been decorating their schools, making banners, and having assemblies. Then they all came together at the park today with the ministry of education. They started by marching in with some drummers and holding large banners each school made. 

So all the schools were under these huge two tents because of course it was raining. Then different people spoke like the police chief and many schools had presentations. Our school Nuku did an awesome Fijian dance and sang three songs. They have beautifu singing voices and did an incredible job. When we were under the tent it was so cute the girls would clear a space on the tarp and clean it for us to sit on. Then when there were performances they would make sure the kids sat flat so we could see. They are always concious of us and treat us so well. I love the respect and unity the kids have here. I also love that all the kids wear uniforms and each school is a different color so kids are easily identifiable. I think in the US we need to up our drug free week. Ours is so lame compared to theirs. And how neat would it be to have a concluding assembly with all schools in the district coming together.

read more "Drug awareness day"

Nuku

I love that when we go into a classroom the kids bring us chairs to sit down.

I love that the people are so friendly and kind.

Spent the day at Nuku and FENC yesterday. At Nuku we taught more about drug awareness and did the heart oragami and are going back today to do another round. Tomorrow is their big drug awareness day and I am really excited for that. 

At FeNC yesterday I worked with two girls on sentence structure and spelling. I like tutoring those kids who have such a great need. 

We are back on the hour bus ride y Nuku which is good for blogging but I have to be careful not to get sick. I woke up last night at midnight with an almost migraine and it still hasn't subsided. 

I wish that my eyes could capture pictures to show you how beautiful this place is and what I  seeing.y phone does not do anything justice to the greenness and beauty of Fiji. 

read more "Nuku"

Teaching at Bishop School

Today we went to Bishop school for my first set of lessons. When we walked in we were stunned my the massive amount of children... Turns out the other second grade teacher was sick so all the kids were in one classroom. We started by introducing the theme of food for the week and then did the peel banana song with the kids and the girls camp milk song. Too cute. Then Holly, Nikki, and I took half the kids to their classroom and taught them about good food choices for your heart and then turned that paper into heart oragami. The other room made oragami carrots. 

Then it was off to a fifth grade classroom.  There we did a lesson on drug free week and made the same oragami hearts. Next we had the kids divide into groups and wrote songs to teach about healthy living and saying no to drugs. The kids did an incredible job and were so creative. They also have beautiful singing voices. They sang to us a Fiji song before we left. It was a great day! I wish I could upload the videos but the internet here is sketchy and the program isn't providing internet so we have to pay for it all on our own and it's already cost me $200 to set it up so no videos until I am back in the states. 

I wish I had known to bring supplies. The kids have nothing. It is so hard to do lessons when they don't even have pencils. Hopefully I can write some supplies into my project proposal because the kids are desperate for them. 

Now for the negative. You can stop reading here if you want. 

----------------------------------------------

In other events I have a rash all over my arms. Who knows maybe it's a combination of the bug spray, sweat and sunblock. Hopefully it goes away.

I finished my course of antibiotics but I'm still feeling pain. Please hope and pray that it heals fast. 

I am on carb overload. Seriously. All they feed us here is bread. Bread, oatmeal, pancakes, cereal, CARBS. Hey we have bananas. For someone who doesn't eat bread at home this is killer. Can't a girl get some yogurt!? Peanut butter? Oh... It's too expensive is what we were told. My one regret? Not bringing food! If anyone ever goes on one of these trips please bring food! It gets expensive fast and there are not a lot of options on what to eat, especially if you are vegetarian. Anyway here is to crossing fingers I don't gain ten pounds in bread fat and come home malnourished. I do not need a repeat of Ecuador. 

The food situation is also a little scary. In Ecuador we washed everything in a bleach bath and our dishes too. We don't have hot water here either so sanitation... They don't do any sanitation and my fingers are always crossed that I will have a strong stomach. 

Oh man I'm in my room and I hear tons of screaming... Giant cockroach. Hahaha all the girls are standing on he couch screaming. Yeah we have some cockroaches lol. 

read more "Teaching at Bishop School"

Rugby: Fiji vs. Samoa

After our "camping" adventure we headed to a rugby game. Now you know me. I know nothing about sports and I am perfectly happy that way. But this rugby sport is pretty interesting! I mean what other sport puts men in tiny shorts then proceeds to cheerleader Toss this previous mentioned man in the air oh and wrap it up by sticking your head in another mans crotch and pushing the other team. Hmmmm. Anyway to say the least it was fun to watch! Samoa won though but power to Samoa. 

read more "Rugby: Fiji vs. Samoa"

Fiji camping

So maybe we should start by defining the word camping because when I was asked if I wanted to go to the village and then spend the night for camping I was like sure thing. But what ensued was um words can't describe. There is no way for you to understand what we went through unless you were here. So let's go back to when we are all in the back of the truck. So we arrive in the village but it is 9:30 and pitch black. Hayley has to pee so we take care of that nature adventure and then the boys start pulling out the huge army tents and they tell us to wait. Well like an hour and a half go by and we wonder what is taking so long... Little did we know... Little did we know. We grab our bag and start to walk... Um hmmm oh to describe what we were walking through. It was a tiny thin path in the middle of the jungle with thick foliage and MUD. Oh the mud. Oh and ps we are in sandals. Go figure the Red Cross peeps are in knee high mud boots and then there is us and our sandals and the MUD.  I'm talking squishy thick mud that a times comes up mid calf And a little higher. Like you wLk and your shoe sticks like glue. So pitch black, no one said I bring flShlights lol, sandals, carrying our stuff in the mud. Well now we know why the boys were taking so long right. Okay so this is not. Short hike either and I'm leading. Why? I don't know your guess is as good as mine. Okay so then we have to start going downhill and thn through a creek. Sheesh! We are laughing the whole time and I'm dying. I'm actually surprised at how well I kept it together.  

When we finally get to our "camp" aka hug canvas army tent we run into the stream to bathe our mud bath off and take a pee. Oh and then I notice the rocks, no the boulders we have to sleep on. I'm talking fist size rocks and bigger. Hundreds of them. Isn't that nice. No one brought bedding. That's is where we are at now. It's midnight and we are sitting on the boulders... 

Well last nights sleep was a little rocky to say the least but after the hike and lack of food and water my body was able to sleep for about four hours. Then can wake up time. We walk out of the Tent and it was beautiful. The women were bathing in the steam and we went for a nature pee. Dude you know me. You know how much of an adventure this was but I think I kept a pretty darn good attitude. First time ever with no toliet or shower. So then it starts to rain of course because what would the trek back be without rain? Let's talk about what this trek was like. Seeing it in the daylight have whole new meaning to this. You know I can't even describe. Mud is the only word. So finally we make it out of the mud path and the village was in sight. We stopped at the most gorgeous stream lik crystal clear pure natural beauty.

 Then put on our sarong and went into the. Village. It was only 10 houses and everyone there was related. It was beautiful. However the dogs made me want to sob. They are ao sickly skinny it was heartbreaking. That's actually been uh harderes part of Fiji is the animals. Okay so after we did a quick walk of the village. Apparently it floods and destroyed the homes so we went to see what we can talk to the land ministry about up help. After about ten minutes we had to walk 3k out of the forest but hank goodness it was on a paved road. Now rmber all we have had is some cookies for dinner and breakfast crackers which are like thick saltines. Tunnel vision is starting. We are now on he bus. All that happen in 12 hours. What an experience. But hey my ugly strap sandals are broken in! 

read more "Fiji camping"

In fifth grade

Today at St. Agnes school I got to work in a year five classroom. It was a great experience. They were reading Cinderella and then answering questions about it. I was able to walk around and help and assess that there is a significant vocabulary deficiency. Then the teacher had me correct the page with them. It was great beacuse I was able to show them a lot of strategies. They mostly just do call and answer so I showed them how to use they hairs to show the a b c d answers and then give thumbs up or down etc etc. 

Tonight we are on an adventure with the Red Cross. First we loaded I to a huge like army van you know the ones with an open back and they are covered in canvas flaps. So in goes all the gear and then a TON of volunteers pack in. The Fijians just laugh and laugh the whole ride which made it extra fun. Then they dropped off all the ladies to wait and the men went to pick up some tents. We are currently waiting at a bus stop for the men to return. This is going to be a serious adventure. Oh my goodness these women are so funny. I could listen to them forever. They have such personality. We are all sitting in the van while the men set up the huge army tents. They are very chivalrous here. I know that is spelt wrong but auto correct isn't working. Anyway here we sit 9:30 at night just hanging out in this truck. Everyone has like sleeping bags and gear and here we are in sandals. I am the only one who brought a pillow and he sheet I have. Everyone else just has their clothes. My first camping with no shower and no bathroom.... Sick.

Ps it is raining... A lot

Pps do not wear old navy flip flops on rain. I got my foot in one nasty mud slime today which then covered my legs and skirt. Beautiful. 

read more "In fifth grade"

Fiji hospital

So for those who know me you know I don't believe really in medical care unless it is an emergency or something obvious that Dr can fix. As a general philosophy I believe your body can heal itself and you should do a fair amount of research on what you can do. Anyway that being said I had to go to the Dr. Here in Fiji this morning. I have been having bad back pains near my kidneys and was thinking it was a bladder infection. Well when I started peeing straight blood I realized there was an issue that needed addressing. Anyway antibiotics and the whole experience only cost $20 

Waiting and waiting for the dr 

My Fiji Rx. 

After that adventure I got to go to a school with Alyssa and do music and then another school for PE. I finally got my phone unlocked so I can text! Wahoo for data! 

read more "Fiji hospital"

Health promoting schools

I got to tag along with Anne Clare, Nikki , and Alyssa today to a school out in nasorui. This was the most beautiful school I have been to. On arrival we began painting a sign that indicated the school was health promoting. Climbing up a wooden desk and sitting on some homemade scaffolding we painted. It was very hot and sweat just poured out of us but it was quite the experience.

We also got to paint one of the walls of the school. An eighth grader drew an image and then next to the image was a list of things that destroy self confidence. 

After our painting adventure they brought us a feast for lunch. They put out desks and covered them in paper and brought out big plates of papaya, apples, oranges, and than sandwiches laced with carrots and onions. I skipped that one. Oh and green coconuts which they poked a hole in and the our straw was a weird grass that had a hole like a little tiny bamboo shoot. Let me tell you there is a lot of liquid in a coconut. When we were done they chopped it in half and we are the flesh of the coconut which had a jellied texture and was yum. We ended the day playing volleyball with the teachers. I loved this and even the principal played. We should do this in the states! It was very fun and I made contact with the bc multiple times! Go me and my inability to play sports.

read more "Health promoting schools"

First day in the classroom

Tuesday. June 17. Happy birthday to me. Woke up at 3am wide awake so I got up and hung out in the quiet house. Will say after living alone it's a big adjustment to going back to a roommate atmosphere but luckily they are all so nice. So at 7am Hayley, Michael and I got on a bus into suva. Once there we could not find a bus to where we needed to go. Michael must have asked like ten buses and a bunch of people. Long story short when we finally got on the bus it drove right back to our house AHAHAHAHAHA. Then we finally made it to bishop school two hours later. I got to go Into a year two classroom aka second grade. There were 38 kids in there! It was crazy! Wooden desks and chaos but the kids were so cute!

They were having an English lesson and the teacher was telling me one of their biggest problems is trying to differentiate work because she has some kids who can full on write and others who can't even form letters... Seems they have the same problems as the US. Then I walked around and helped the kids. It was so funny I was telling them to put periods at the end of their sentences well apparently in Fiji they are called stops. Oh and you are not done with your work you are finished. Anyway then I got to grade it and have them read to me. Monday I go back to introduce their new theme which is food. I'm excited for that. 

While there they brought us some homemade food. They are so nice.

After this we went to Hilton special school and watched and helped Alyssa with PE class. 

Then headed to FENC where we do tutoring in the squatter village. This village is built from sheet metal and is incredibly poor. The kids are covered in sores and open wounds but they are ao happy and cute. 

Pulled out the phone to take a picture and was covered in kids. I also helped with reading and letter writing.

After this we went to a movie and saw how to train your dragon 2. The movie was so cute but the theater smelt like musty cleaner. 

That was one long day 3am-10pm but hey you only live once! 

read more "First day in the classroom"

Health Promoting Schools

Today I went with Nikki, Alyssa, and Anne-Claire to a school in Nasouri. First, talk about beautiful. There is this gorgeous river that runs through and te bright colored huts adorned with equally bright laundry makes for some amazing scenery. So at the school we worked on painting a sign signifying that they are health promoting. We got to climb up some homemade scaffolding and literally melt in the sun but talk about an experience. I really need to work on my water I take. I already have an untreated infection so water is so important but carrying as much as you need stinks. Okay so we painted and then got to paint one of the walls of the school. 

A student in eighth grade drew the picture. Pretty sweet. Then they brought us this feast for lunch.

And we got to drink from green coconuts and some piece if grass as a straw. Let me tell you there is A LOT of liquid in that coconut. 

Oh and that tuna sandwhich is laced with carrots an onions. We then ended the day playing volleyball with the teachers and I hit the ball three times and served. I think they laughed at me... A lot but hey! I made contact! We are on the hour bus ride home right now and the scenery is just spectacular. Here is to hoping rick is still awake in America when I finally get home. We are on day 5 of not being able to talk and it stinks. 

read more "Health Promoting Schools"

Fiji Facts

-They drive on the left side of the road 

-Kissing sounds are to get your attention 

     They make those sounds so loud... I don't know how they do it. 

-Shoes are optional. Sandals are loved.

-Buses are crazy and do not run on a schedule 

- a piece of cardboard or wood in the dash will tell you where the bus goes 

-Everyone here is very modest. Girls and women wear skirts that are long and sleeved shirts. It is very very rare to see a tank top and it is usually on a tourist. The school uniforms are also long and sleeved. It's refreshing!

- There are no dryers hence all the clothes lines 

- no paper towels in bathrooms just a heat dryer that sometimes works and I love that they don't waste paper

- on that note a lot of bathrooms don't have tier paper

_ toilets have two flushers one for small flush one for big- good for saving water 

- no school buses kids take the city buses 

- high schools are called colleges

_colleges are called universities 

- no hot water or air conditioning 

- fanfare cookies are amazing 

- periods in punctuation are called stops

- Your new perfume is bug spray and sunblock combined 

- The people are very friendly

- when you are lost there is always someone there to help you and get you on the right bus or even take you to your destination 

- everyone has short hair be careful of what pronoun you use 

- They have the best carrots in the world 

- You can drink Fiji water in Fiji 

- Lots of Indian food! Yum!

- Fiji words end in vowels

- you need a lot of change for all these buses 

- 1 and 2$ are coins 

- candy is expensive 

- all chocate and candy is made by Cadbury in Australia 

- they have big and I mean big bananas 

- The kids are adorable!

- Trash is everywhere the streets are covered in trash 

- celery is literally 2 ft long

- All the American music is remixed 

- they listen to music really loud 

-$5 movie Tuesday ... That's 2.50 American 

- Fiji money is GORGEOUS ... America take a hint

- Kit kats.... Um hello amazing chocolate. And this is coming from a girl who doesn't like candy... Yeah, yum. 

- There is Indian food and Chinese food and no veggies really except carrots, bokchoy, onions and some tomatoes 

- they use old tires to put plants in

- they use water bottles to make planter beds like little retaining walls

- fresh bread shops make the best smells

- they burn trash and it stinks

- when it rains it pours and it's unexpected 

- 

read more "Fiji Facts"

Day 1

Work up at 5am wide awake so I decided to get up and shower. Well it's like doing the hokey pokey because the water is so cold and so you like jump in then rinse off and jump in again. Then watched some people do insanity on the balcony... Maybe one time I will join them... Hahahahaha. Then we ate some oatmeal and got on a bus. The buses are crazy and we headed to our first school. 

We got to the school and Alyssa taught a music class. We sat with the kids and helped it was so fun! It was a school for special needs kids. Then we went to lunch and had some Indian food. Hayley and I had to then go on a scavenger hunt around the city. We had to do funny things like hold a fish, touch the ocean, juggle papayas etc. 

We has to take a picture with a friendly Fiji man. We went to the post office and the mall again. Then Michael and Alyssa picked us up and we headed to a catholic school to talk to them about observing on Wednesday. The school was so intersting. They have wood desks and chairs and blackboards.

Finally we headed back to the house for dinner and cleaning time. 

read more "Day 1"

The House

Well we got to suva and got off the plane. It was so tiny and they walked our luggage to an outside spinning thing. Then Manti and Michael picked us up. We got into a taxi and drove 30 min to our house! It was a gigantic disaster the neat freak in me started to twitch. There are three bedrooms full of bunk beds. I'm in the first room with Holly, Abi, Nikki, and Hayley. The group here is all really nice. There are 8 girls and one bathroom but it works out because no one wants to shower lol. Then there is a kitchen and a living room and a balcony. We live in one of the wealthiest area of suva.  But the outside views are beautiful! 

The views are so gorgeous! It is so green and so lush. We then got dressed and went to church to a Fijian ward. It was interesting to hear church in Fijian and try and sing the songs. During church I was eating a Carmel and it went down my wind pipe and I swear for five minutes I wS coughing and tearing up and making weird noises. It was very embarSsing. After church we went  out to lunch in the mall. It was Ryan's birthday and we went Into a Chinese restaurant. They put is in this room with a giant round table. My first dish here was chopsuey vegetable style. But they don't have many veggies here so it aS onion carrot and bokchoy. I am so beyond tired right now. Oh and I found out there is no wireless and literally have been in a panic all day. I was relying on internet to keep Rick and I alive and I am dying! I tried calling att to unlock my phone so I could get a data card here but they are giving me a hard time and I didn't bring my laptop and panic! I have to figure something out! Oh and cold water... COLD water showers. 

In good news the weather was very cool today! Hooray! I think God knows I needed that!

read more "The House"

Nadi to Suva

Got off the plane and missed my connection but getting off the plane we went straight outside and were greeted by loud chirping birds and the beginning of the sunrise! We were able up bypass the long customs line by playing the I'm going to miss my flight card! I am so glad I am with Hayley because the customs guy wS drilling us! It was pretty intense! So then we figure out how to recheck our luggage and by the way there is just a door and a flap behind the 1 check in counter and they hand your luggage straight outside. We head to the 1 security point and they say you still have an hour. It is just one metal detector and some chairs and then you walk outside and there are planes with stairs. So we decide to go to the bathroom and while in the bathroom I see his weird thing with a picture of toilet paper so I push the button and proceed to spray cleaner all over my legs. Apparently you are suppose to put the toilet paper under and spray it and then wipe the seat. Oh boy! There was also a shower in the bathroom which I totally wanted to use just so I could say I used it but no time or towel lol! Okay so we head trough the one security gate where you can keep on your shoes and then we hear our names over the intercom. Um.... So back out of security to the 1 check in counter and they said oh we just wanted to see that you were here. Back through security. Then got to walk back outside and up the stairs into the plane! That Is where we are now. 

read more "Nadi to Suva"