Tribewanted: Vorovoro

Bula Sia everybody!
While on Vorovoro a few motnhs back i had an interview for an Australian Newspaper and this article was in this last weekends paper!
Hopefully it will help attract more aussies to Vorovoro!
(I have copied the text below as i dont know how well the file uploaded)

Currently having fun at Summer Camp in the US – miss Vorovoro everyday.. Can’t wait to get back there!!

Moce Manda Semesa!

ARTICLE:
Vorovoro,
Fiji
James Atkinson, 24, is having the
adventure of his life on this tiny isle
where he’s an advocate for cultural
tourism and living off the land…
and the mind-bending local tipple.

How did you end up in Fiji?
In 2006, I stumbled
across Tribewanted.com, a cross-cultural
community tourism project on Vorovoro. After
graduating from Swinburne University in 2007
– where I studied tourism operations and event
management – I took a year off to travel, and I
spent two weeks on the island last year. I travelled
for all of 2008 and planned to return home, but
then I got a job as part of the Tribewanted Team.
I flew straight here from London in February.

What’s your role on the island?
I’m the wavu,
which is Fijian for ‘bridge’. I’m the link between
the local community and the ‘tribe members’
who come from all around the world to visit the
island. It’s my job to make sure they appreciate
Fijian culture and tradition. We run so many
activities, sometimes I feel like I’m on Survivor.

Do you ever sit down after a long day and think,
I need a beer?
Absolutely! But we have kava.
It looks like muddy water, has a bitter taste and
usually makes your mouth go numb. I’ve been
having a few crazy dreams lately, but after
living on the stuff for four months, I’m fine.

What have you noticed about the locals?
Fijian
people are very happy – they’re always smiling,
laughing and singing – and they’re generous
and will go out of their way for you.

Any weird island happenings?
We have a village
elder who acts as our medical man. When I had
a few painful boils on my arm, he approached
me with a bunch of leaves and squeezed them
onto the boils. The next morning, the pain had
gone. It was incredible.

Have you picked up any Fijian lingo?
I’ve learnt
a few funny sayings that make the local kids
laugh, such as, “You look like a frog,” and, “I have
no underwear.”

Any tips for fitting in like a local?
Participate in
all things cultural. We encourage visitors to take
language classes, join in ceremonies and dance
the meke – the Fijian traditional dance.

What do you consider essential Fiji gear?
Sunscreen and mosquito repellent.

What has living and working in Fiji taught you?
I can go home and say, “I know how to climb
a coconut tree!” Apart from that, sustainability.
I’ve become more conscious about saving
water, recycling and not being wasteful.

When will you return to Australia?
I don’t know. The project was recently granted a three-year
extension and I’d love to be around to see how
it evolves. We’ve already built so many great
structures on the island, who knows what we’ll
be capable of doing in another three years.