It was in 2013 when I first thought of going to Fiji. It was however not until 6 years later that I actually set foot on the Fijian islands, the so often claimed bits of paradise. So how did it all start?

Throwback to 2013: A 4 months break between employment contracts was the perfect opportunity to travel and do some volunteering work, contributing a bit of my time to good causes. But where to for a first solo trip? The anxiety of the moment led me to Japan, one of the safest options for a solo woman traveller and then to Thailand, a not so remote place where I would be one of the first two volunteers of the 2013 season in a sea turtles project. But while researching for marine wildlife projects (one of my passions) I came across some volunteering programmes in Fiji, next to the one in Thailand that I would finally choose. Fiji has thus been on my mind ever since. And it became reality when one evening in a Taiwanese hostel, without giving it too much thought I booked a flight and immediately after signed up for a 2 week teaching programme in Suva, Fiji’s capital.

With this came a great excitement which grew day by day, as the flight to my first Pacific stop was approaching. A sort of nervousness ahead of what I thought would be a challenging experience quickly took over after stepping on Fijian land, meeting the volunteers in the project and hearing all their stories. But the anxiety immediately made room for more self confidence and for a certain routine once I settled in the volunteers’ house and my new role as Ma’am Valentina.

It is a truism so often heard, but, oh, boy, how time flies! And what an experience my two weeks would make for: days of joy, of noise, of loud laughters, of anxiety, of hope, of sadness, of indecisive feelings, of contemplation, of a lost voice…and days of extreme happiness, peace and self content of being surrounded by many little cheeky monkeys that would give me a glimpse into the true Fijian life, next to some life lessons, many hugs and colourful letters to always remember. The new people that I met, volunteers or coordinators of the programme, added to this experience in different ways. I truly hope that the two weeks of volunteering have been as much of a valuable experience for the children and teachers I worked with as they have undoubtedly been for me. It is not uncommon to sometimes question whether these programmes are designed for volunteers rather than for the schools and their needs (when looking at their duration and how they are set up). Taking however an optimistic perspective on things and as one of the volunteers pointed out, the time that the volunteers get to spend with the children and teachers, as little as it may be, is both precious and helpful. And the answer lies within the children’s joy and cheekyness alike. It is this bouquet of memories that I will perhaps first associate with my trip to Fiji, even though my travels within the country would continue, revealing more of the soul that I got to know in Suva.I would spend my remaining time in Fiji like a true tourist, mostly hopping around the Mamanuca and Yasawa Islands, occasionally coming back to Bamboo Backpackers in Nadi, the tourism capital of Fiji’s main island. It was perhaps out of pure comfort (not to say laziness of booking something else) or it being the most socially active hostel in the area, but Bamboo kept on drawing me back. Truth be told, it is a bit of a hub for (day) trips to the nearby Mamanuca islands if you don’t feel like jumping on the South Sea flyer and making a few stops on your way to the far north of the Yasawas.Oh, the Yasawas.. and the Mamanucas! Those crystal clear waters continuously luring you in, where you saw your first sharks and where you solo kayaked and paddled on a stand up board, those beautiful beaches where you jogged in the morning, with sunrises as a bonus, those many faces seen around the villages where you spent some of your nights, those cheeky smiles appearing and disappearing with the children on the islands… and those bloody bed bugs giving you a reputation and itches to remember, as well as some food for thought (is the Universe trying to tell me something?!🤔). Oh, and that tan that you long awaited for, giving up reading the one book that you brought on your trip (and have not yet finished – I wonder how it’s possible that I read more books in a month when I was at home and didn’t manage to finish one single book in the 4 months that I’ve been travelling for?! Some more food for thought or perhaps some more reading, please!Fiji, you’ve uphold your reputation as an extraordinary place, a place whose wonders and wilderness remain to be further explored…and I’m not done with you yet! Bula vinaka and cheers for a good return!