Tribewanted: Vorovoro

Last night I got asked a great question round the camp fire. Lauren (one of the new tribe members) had brought a great game with her that was designed for people to get to know eachother. Each question was asked and we all in turn took turns to answer.

‘What would your dream job be?’

When it was my turn, everyone (including myself) just laughed, what other answer could there possible be?

I muttered something about being paid to climb mountains for the rest of my life and then the conversation moved on. However I didn’t really give the real answer.

Over the last few years of traveling and working overseas I have become increasingly full of admiration and inspired by those of the medical profession. Some thing that crept up on me unawares until the thought of actually wanting to be a Doctor appeared in my head about September time last year. It ties in perfectly with how I see my place in the world, helping people and improving their lives. I just couldn’t get the thought out of my head. It coincided that I had a 2 weeks left to apply for university in 2008 so I got my application together and sent it off. My heart would race when thinking about the idea.

This was just before coming back to Fiji to work for Tribewanted.

It’s funny, but when I worked in Fiji last year in Lautoka, I didn’t really feel much for the place. It was beautiful but I though a bit boring to be honest. Living in a town meant I never really (apart from on occasion) got out into rural Fiji to see what life was like. Coming back to Fiji, to Vorovoro, if I had to really be honest, didn’t excite me as much as it should have.

Fast forward 6 months and I am happy to say that my mind has been completely changed. The experience of living and working up here is constantly mind-blowing. There is a people, culture, way of life and thinking in Fiji (along with the stunning natural beauty) that is pretty much unsurpassed by anywhere else I have ever worked. Not to mention to be part of an unbelievably exciting project and meeting interesting people (in the forms of Tribe Members) day-in and day-out. The job I have been privileged to be given here is incredible, absolutely incredible.

So over the last few months I hadn’t heard anything from the universities I applied for. I had an interview at Bristol in January but it’s now April and nothing. I started to convince myself that the Doctor idea wasn’t going to happen and look at how long I might be living and working here. I started to wonder whether I had been misconceived in what I though I wanted back in September 07. Life over here is amazing, this is the sort of job that people practically foam at the mouth about when you tell them when you do back at home.

Then the news came through the other day and my world went spinning. Bristol had offered me a place. I couldn’t believe (still don’t really now). The course I got onto had about 10 spots for about 150 applicants; I just thought it wasn’t going to happen.

I had just started to picture myself here for a while and this news meant there was suddenly a leaving date. From being in a situation that I was loving which didn’t have a set ending to seeing an end.

Suddenly I find myself at a total cross-roads. Short term, I have it all and am happy. Long term I have an amazing opportunity to go and become part of something I have the deepest admiration for. I spend my life telling people to live in the present and enjoy what is going on around them, and I’m now in a position where I have potentially life changing decision that challenges that whole philosophy and will involve giving up a lifestyle I’ve carved out myself over the last 5 years. And then one of my best friends dies in a bus crash.

Needless to say my head pretty much fell off my shoulders in the last few week but I think it’s now back on. Everyone finds leaving Vorovoro difficult, and I will be no different. This place really becomes part of you. I’d be lying if I said that the idea of not living here and going back to be a student again fills me with utter joy but I know my sensible side is taking over on this one.

I will be here another 4 months and intend to try and make it as productive as possible. Working here is a privilege and a dream and I hope to make Vorovoro reach as close to its potential as possible before handing over to whoever comes next.