Everyone started this week on the build due to school and kindi being closed for Fiji Day. This meant a huge push was put on the walling and flooring from the start of the week with some of the team also helping Jack build the 3 sets of steps needed into the community hall. Working together in pods means everyone gets a chance to work with each member of the team and also get a chance to try all the different skills needed on the build. This has brought about an excellent standard of work to the delight of Jack and the team leaders. With the main building structure now complete, and having shot up so quickly, the building volunteers attention now turns to the trickier bits of the building project and the attention to detail needed when fitting the walling and flooring. This week the team managed to almost complete the walling and lay just under half the flooring, which was a huge amount of work. This means we are well on our way to completing the building on time.
This week’s lessons took on an animal theme in kindi in the build up to Friday’s theme day which was ‘jungle theme’. Angela and Bertie started out by teaching the kids the names of a few animals and then introduced the B.I.N.G.O song which everyone loved. With a few outside games threw in to help keep the 18 or so kids entertained it was soon Friday and time to make their jungle day display. As usual in kindi this started out well with the teachers having drawn a range of animals to paint. But in true kindi style the brushes were soon turned on each other and with the team leaders joining in everyone left that day covered in paint and glitter much to the delight of the kids.
Having settled into school so well last week, Charlotte, Amy and Will were really taking things in their stride and introducing some excellent ideas of their own into their different classes. Will was teaching class 4 about the planets in the solar system and also showing them how to write a diary. Along with their usual classes Charlotte got the paints out in class 6 and got the kids to draw and color a wide range of flags from around the world. Amy had classes 7&8 learning health and how to clean and cover different types of wounds and also introduced some math games which the kids loved. Along with all these ideas our teachers managed to keep the kids rehearsing their pieces for the public speaking which will take place on the last week of project.
After last week’s spear fishing trips and bilo making, this week saw the team trying their hand at some bracelet making and also some traditional Fiji cooking. The bracelets are made in much the same way as the bilo’s and are a fabulous Fijian souvenir to take home. Having discovered his love of custard cake, Bertie thought he would try his hand at making one of his own. With the various ingredients purchased he stopped off in Nasesara, the neighbouring village, along with Amy and Charlotte to try his hand at cooking Fijian style. The result as you can see from the pictures was a massive pie which Bertie was only too glad to share with the rest of the team on his return to the village. Amy and Charlotte have took a liking to the ‘lo-lo buns’ the village ladies make for breakfast and so thought they would give making them a go. Their attempt too turned out to be a huge success, Amy had planned on keeping some for breakfast the next morning but once everyone got a taste the plate was soon empty. Here’s hoping our trio of chefs keep experimenting with Fijian dishes.
On Saturday the team were due to play along with Nasesara and Wawa in rugby and netball games against Navuti. Unfortunately due to a morning of heavy rain it was decided that for everyone’s safety it would be better to postpone the games until the weather improved.
With a free day in the village the leaders set everyone a challenge. This was to get together in their school house teams and make a Fijian raft or ‘billi billi’ from bamboo which we will then race along the coast to neighboring village Niubasaga. Everyone thought this was a great idea and first out of the blocks were Kikau with team leader Ray leading the charge into the forest in search of bamboo. Close behind them were Kula with Ronnie and Ollie determined not to be left behind. Soqe then made their push for bamboo with Kasaqa nowhere to be seen. The members of Kula would also like it noted that they were the only team not to use the help of a Fijian in collecting their bamboo and so feel that no matter what the outcome of the competition they are all truly winners anyway! With everything they need collected it was then time to try and build their rafts using a wide range of methods from tying them together with twine to bracing the bamboo with sticks. Being first in the forest meant Kikau soon had their raft in the water and Amy was selected to test its buoyancy. After a short paddle around the river which borders Wawa it was clear the structure was going to hold, although the aim is to get all four team members on it and paddle to Niubasaga. Even though this task isn’t to be completed for another 2 weeks everyone had a great time coming up with ideas, some of which were too ridiculous to attempt, and any free time will now be spent putting the finishing touches to their vessels!
Tags: gap year, gap year Fiji, gap year volunteer project, gap year volunteering
