Here are some photos from the past few days and the briefing of our April 2013 ten week team!
Posts Tagged ‘gap year briefing’
Monday, April 15th, 2013
April 2013 ten week expedition begins!
Our April 2013 ten week expedition is officially underway! Although most of the team have been arriving into Fiji over the past few days and enjoying some pre-project relaxation at Smugglers Cove resort, today the team finally all came together, as leaders Tom and Nigel met the last volunteers who arrived into Nadi Airport just a few hours ago. Our team of 22 are currently heading along the Coral Coast of Fiji’s main island. By this afternoon they will have reached their first destination, the tiny castaway island, Leleuvia. The sun has put it’s hat on, which always promises a paradise style briefing! Over the next few days the team will enjoy games and activities on Leleuvia and presentations by the Fijian Ministry and our leaders as they get ready to begin eight huge weeks of volunteering and traditional village life on Nairai Island.
Wednesday, January 30th, 2013
January 5 week team begin their expedition!
Just a message to let all friends and family know that our January five week project, and our third expedition of 2013 is officially underway!
Many of the team arrived in Fiji a couple of days ago and have been enjoying some beach time at Smugglers Cove resort.
Those who flew straight from the UK were met at Nadi Airport a couple of hours ago. The team are all together and currently traveling on route to Leleuvia Island resort (picture above) and the start of their Think Pacific orientation. It’s a lovely 28 degrees and beautiful sunshine.
Our volunteers will spend the next few days on this stunning tropical island, getting to know each other, acclimatising and being briefed in detail about their project ahead from our staff team and the Fijian Ministry.
After so much excited anticipation, it’s fantastic to have finally begun their Fijian adventure!
Tuesday, January 22nd, 2013
Batiki Team – Castaway Photos
Here are the first photos from our January expedition team as they enjoy their castaway island orientation. Beautiful weather greeted our volunteers and after their four day briefing, our team have now arrived into Naigani village on Batiki Island. This is an incredible location and a very special place to call home for the next eight weeks of traditional island life. We have so much ahead to achieve, from building a community centre to inspiring the children through teaching, youth and sports projects. We look forward to all the achievements and adventures ahead!
Thursday, July 15th, 2010
First expedition update from our July team in Fiji
Tuesday 13th July –
With the team touching down safely we were onto the TP Bus and winding our way along the coral coast in beautiful sunshine. After a short stop off in Suva, the capital, we made our way to Waidalice Bridge where we were met by the Caqalai boats. The boat ride out to our castaway island for the 5 day briefing is truly stunning, as you meander down the river, through the mangroves and out into the ocean.
With a back drop of Moturiki, where our projects will be based, Caqalai looked stunning! After dropping bags in rooms and a quick change the team headed over to Niubasaga village, the chiefly village of Moturiki, to present a sevusevu to the Ratu of Moturiki island, and after an extremely warm welcome as ever, they enjoyed their first bowl of grog and of course the “hop hop” dancing, and the guitars and band were in full swing!
With our May 2010 expedition having been in Niubasaga, the emotions of the experience were still very present as they welcomed our new team, and we are looking forward to a fantastic 5 weeks ahead!
Wednesday 14th July –
This morning the team were up on the beach to watch the sunrise, before a morning spent relaxing on the beach on another beautiful south pacific day.
By mid-morning our local partners had arrived from the mainland and the briefing began, with a welcome from Peceli on behalf of the government of Fiji, Seruwaia on behalf of the Ministry of Health and a presentation from Philip Komai, who conducted all the island training under the National Centre for Health Promotion. Philip Komai was an integral part of establishing the projects that Think Pacific teams undertake, and his passion for development and the communities themselves is truly inspiring.
The briefing was also an opportunity for the team to meet Joe, the Mata ni Tikina for Moturiki, and Esala, their Mata ni Vanua in Savuna village, as well as being the time for the expedition leaders to chat through the project, village life and the cultures and customs of this unique island community.
After lunch there was time for the team to take a wander around the island, have a swim and a snorkel and relax on the beach reading.
In the evening we organised some team games to get to know each other a little better, and after dinner villagers from Naicabecabe, where our project was based in September 2009, came across to perform traditional ‘meke’ dances. And then the mats were brought out and the Kava was mixed, with some ‘hop hop’ dancing of course!
Monday, July 12th, 2010
July 2010 team arrives in the Fiji Islands!
After the long journey to Fiji, our July team arrived safe and sound in Nadi airport earlier today. They are currently on route and heading to the east side of Viti Levu and then onwards to Caqalai Island where they will arrive in a few hours time.
Our team will soon be able to kick back, sunbathe and relax into ‘Fiji time’ as our five day briefing gets underway and we prepare our team for the life that awaits them in Savuna village, Moturiki Island.
We have some huge volunteer aims to complete on Moturiki – as well as supporting Moturiki District School with a structured timetable of daily lessons, youth clubs, kindergarten classes and sports coaching, we will be installing a fresh water systrem to each home in Savuna – A project which will make a massive difference to the lives of the local community.
Here is a video clip taken from the beach of Caqalai Island, with Moturiki in the distance.
The team will soon be immersing into daily life in Savuna village as well as enjoying some guided activities including spear fishing, snorkeling and a mightly jungle trek to the Ruku Ruku waterfalls. The expedition will end with a big week of white water rafting in the Namosi Highlands and a few well deserved days of R&R by the pool. It’s going to be an exciting and incredibly rewarding five weeks ahead!
We’ll be updating this blog every few days with news and pictures from our expedition team as we follow their experience from start to finish.
Loloma,
The TP team.
