Tribewanted: Vorovoro

Bula sia everyone!

Greetings from the Island! Jimmy here, writing to you on a hot, hot day from our cool sanctuary that is the Grand Bure. The sunshine is making for some lovely snorkeling weather, and everyone here is gearing up for a dip in the sea this afternoon.

As I have been trying to decide what part of my island journey to share with the world, I have gone back and forth between listing off all that we have accomplished since we arrived in November, to writing about the differences between managing in Fiji and managing back home in the United States. After weeks of lamenting and deliberation, I have reached the decision to simply write about my life here on the island, as a father, a husband, a teacher, a project director, and a member of my new Fijian family. Then I quickly realized that I’m going to need to write more than just one blog! For starters, I’ll simply put into perspective how my life is here, and how it differs from life before I left the States.

My home in the United States is in Indiana. Nestled right in the middle of the Midwest, you would be hard pressed to get any farther from the sea. So an obvious big difference is the fact that each morning as I wake up and look outside, I see the waves gently rippling along the shore, mere paces from my vale. My Indiana home is 10-minute drive from the heart of the capital city, and so it nearly goes without saying that the silence of our island home is a welcome break from the noises of the city. Another obvious difference is the lack of snow, as it is winter back home right now, and there is plenty of snow on the ground. No snow here on the island, I can guarantee that!

The sense of family here is a constant reminder to me of one of the main reasons we decided to call this island our home for a year. From the all-inclusive atmosphere of the grog mat, to the loud and jovial celebration that is teatime, or dinner, there is always a sense of belonging, no matter where you are from. I have been lucky enough to have a close group of friends at home, who are an extended family similar to the one I have here, and had that atmosphere not been present here, I am sure we could not have chosen to leave our friends and family back home for this year. It is my hope that as more and more people visit Vorovoro, this is a small piece that they can carry back home with them, this sense of acceptance, and family, which permeates all aspects of life here.

Island life has inspired a new sense of mindfulness, thoughtfulness about my life as I go through each day. It is necessary to be in constant awareness of my resources, from the luxuries like electricity, or a new book, to the necessities like fresh water, ice, and food. The contrast of the excess from home, to the carefully monitored inflow and outflow of everything, which is necessary to accurately track our impact on the environment, is at times astounding. This is an awareness that I am truly grateful for, one that has already changed my outlook on my impact on the planet.

My new island home, and family, have already taught me so much, and I am really just beginning to be settled. I know there will be many more wonderful insights and lessons generously peppered with talanoa that I will need to pass along, and so, until next time…..

Jimmy