Under the Sea!

Our weeks here in Fiji are super great because we work on the projects we have set up from Monday through Friday, 9-5. Then, at nights, usually after we eat dinner at the house, we have planning meetings for the next day. I love how busy we are throughout the week! HELP International has said that for every 3 weeks of work, you can take off 1 day for a mini vacation, if you want. Also, we automatically get Saturdays off.

So, this past weekend, me and 7 others from my group, took a trip to Raki Raki. It's about 2 hours away from Ba, which is where we live. So, Friday night, after our work was done, we got on a bus and made the trip! Once in Raki Raki, we got a taxi to take us to Volvivolvi Beach, which is where our weekend vacation was. So, as a back story, there is an American man named John who served in the Peace Corps in Fiji about 20 years ago. Well, he is retired now and he and his wife came back to Fiji and live in a house right off of the beach in Raki Raki. He has met with HELP volunteers in years past, so when he found out more of us were coming this year, he e-mailed our country directors and offered to take us out on his boat to go snorkeling!

We met him the next morning right on the beach and he took us out to a private cove, where the water was insanely blue and clear, and the sand was white! We all got our snorkeling gear on and went out with John for an adventure that I will never forget! I seriously could not believe my eyes. I saw so much down there on the sea floor! He was trying to find a shark for us to see (which I was completely fine with not seeing) but, they weren't coming out of their trenches. It was beautiful though! I saw sting rays, jellyfish, bright blue star fish, coral reef, and so much more! It really was one of the coolest things I have ever done in my entire life.

I took my underwater camera down there and got some sweet footage! I'm so thankful to John for taking us out there. It was a great weekend, but now I'm ready to get some work done today! I'm going to give lesson plans to the prison in Ba. We will be teaching (me, and 2 other girls) classes every Monday morning to the inmates. It's going to be a great project! Sorry that I haven't been able to post any pictures on here yet. The internet cafe's are super slow, but I'm working on it! Have a great week!