I’m back home now. I got into Atlanta at 6:30 a.m. on Father’s Day, and I’ve never been so tired in my whole life. I feel like I’m starting to recover a little now. Just in time too because I have so many things that I have to do before I leave for DC on July 2. I’m going to DC for a Sierra Club environmental workshop, which I’m really excited about.

However, I have to talk about my Fijian experience before I can jump to DC. Unfortunately I wasn’t able to get on the internet at all when I was in Fiji because it cost insane amounts of money and it was very unreliable.

Anyway, first things first. We landed in Nadi, Fiji the night of June 5. We were greeted with one of the warmest welcomes (or bulas, their word for hello/welcome) that I’ve ever received at any airport. They gave us shell necklaces, played beautiful Fijian music and talked and talked and talked. The great thing about Fiji is that everyone is so welcoming and willing to get to know you. It’s highly important to Fijians to learn people’s names, and when you tell them your name, they never forget. 

The group that had gone to Fiji right after the New Zealand trip was still at Skylodge, the hotel that we were staying at. That night was special because we were able to catch up with old friends, and the hotel was putting on a special fire dance performance that was really cool. 

The next day we had lecture for a little while, but for the most part everyone was already on Fiji time. I should explain what Fiji time is because it is an integral part of Fijian society. Fiji time entails waiting, relaxing and possibly not doing much of anything. In Fiji time no one is late, and if you don’t show up one time, it’s not a big deal at all. It has been really hard to adjust to the modern world again because I feel like I should still be on Fiji time. 

Later in the day we went to a small village outside of Nadi near a mountain called the Sleeping Giant. The mountain is actually shaped like the profile of someone sleeping on their back. We were able to get our first taste of traditional Fijian culture in the village. They served us our first lovo, a meal cooked completely underground in an earth oven. We also had our first kava ceremony. Kava is a major component in Fijian society. It is a gift of welcoming you into their village, their home, their family. When you drink kava, you have to clap your hands once and say “bula” before taking the coconut bowl filled with kava. Then, you must drink it without stopping, and afterwards you clap your hands three times. I’m not totally sure of the significance of this, but each mataquali (tribe) varies in their ceremony. 

Also at the village, we hiked to a waterfall and swam around which was a lot of fun. Our group really started to bond on that hike. We had a really small group of only 12 people and our professor and his son. It was the perfect amount of people. 

The next day we left for the Yasawa islands where our resort, Botaira, is located. On the boat we passed probably 15 different resorts on tiny island atolls. Literally every resort looked like something from a movie or a magazine. Then, we reached our resort and received yet another amazing welcome. We were dropped off on a floating platform in front of the resort, and some of the staff were already out there singing, playing guitars, offering us necklaces and fresh coconuts. It was like something out of a dream. At that moment I felt like I was in heaven.

The resort itself was really cool. The main bar and dining area overlooked the bay, and the sun sets perfectly centered at the end of the bay. The girls (there were 9 of us) stayed in a dorm style room with 10 bunk-beds, while the 3 boys stayed in their own little hut. Everything there is beautiful, colorful and just brimming with life. We walked barefoot everywhere and wore sulus (sarongs) constantly. The food they served us was also incredible. That first afternoon we had a massive Fijian hamburger with cassava fries and papaya from the tree nearby. We had lecture after lunch, and then we were free to go swimming and snorkeling. Most of us swam out to the floating platform again. There is a huge tower on it, and we all decided to jump off. The tower is probably around 20 ft tall, and when I jumped off I didn’t realize that this would be different than just jumping off the side of a pool. I jumped, canon ball form, and “SMACK!” The back of my legs hit the water and I thought I had broken something. I was hoarse with pain, and a little later I looked at the back of my legs and a huge bruise was already starting to form. Even now, a week later, I still have remnants of the bruise.

That night the church from the village of SoSo came over to sing to us. SoSo village is just on the other side of the mountain, and most of the staff walk over from the village every day to work in Botaira resort. Soon we would be making that hike as well for a homestay in SoSo. However, we had one more day in Botaira. All the next day, we went snorkeling and swimming and worked on our research projects. My project dealt with tourist’s knowledge of the coral reef and sustainability. I talked to the other tourists at the resort and examined the damage on the coral reef. It was really interesting, and I think it really helped the resort too.

The next day we went swimming with the mantarays, huge stingray looking creatures that can get up to 12 foot wingspans. They were really amazing, and oddly enough I wasn’t really scared at all. After we got back, we packed up and headed to the village for our homestay with SoSo families for 2 nights. The hike was straight up the mountain and then down. I couldn’t imagine doing it everyday like the Botaira staff does. When we first arrived, we had a kava ceremony with the chief, and then we met our families. My family consisted of 78-year-old grandparents, Lorima and Este, their daughter, Marta, her daughter, Tara Seelo who is 7 months, and their niece Cathy who is 18-years-old. Cathy and I had tea with her pastor, Pastor Bill. Cathy is one of only 70 people in the village who are Pentecostal. Most of the village is Methodist. Pastor Bill showed me the church he is building as well as a little bit of the village.

Mostly, I just hung out with Cathy and Taro Seelo, the baby until dinner time. We had octupus and fish for dinner. They told me to eat first while they sat and watched. As soon as I told them to eat too they did, but it’s customary for guests to eat first in Fijian culture. They also told me to eat the whole plate of octopus. I did because it wasn’t that bad tasting. Unfortunately, later I found out that the plate of food was for everyone in the family, and the grandparents hadn’t eaten yet. I felt so bad, and for the rest of the time I didn’t eat that much at all. After dinner, Cathy and I went to her parents’ house and had kava. One girl from my group was staying with her parents, so it was nice not to have all the pressure just on me to answer questions and talk. Because I ate the whole plate of octopus, Cathy called me the “eater” when she introduced me to her parents. From that moment on, people expected me to eat a lot, and I will probably forever be known as Emily, “the eater.” 

After kava, Cathy and I went to the Pentecostal church to watch the youth group practice their song and dance routine for a conference they were going to the next day. It was a lot of fun just hanging out with everyone, and I really felt like I was a part of the village.

The next day, we took a tour of the village as a group, and then we went to the school. I went to the kindergarten room and was completely malled by the kids. They were so much fun and we ran around all day. They love to say “zip it boonanae!” This basically means “hey girlfriend!” They also do a sort of “z-snap” when they say it which is hilarious. They also like to say “Emily tae ma!” which means “Emily is a gossip.” So, I was Emily, the eater and tae ma with the occasional boonanae thrown in. By the time school ended, I had to rush back to my house to shower and get ready for the lovo and meke (Fijian dance and song) that night. My family dressed me up in a traditional sulu and made me a beautiful necklace with leaves and flowers. The lovo was really impressive. There was so much amazing food, and I was completely stuffed by the end of it. After the lovo, some of the villagers came out in traditional Fijian garb and performed the meke. It was beautiful, and I just have to say it, the men are ripped in SoSo. I’ve never seen an 8-pack abs, but every guy had them. It was glorious.

After they finished their meke, we performed our own meke which entailed singing “Build Me Up Buttercup,” dance motions included. It was a lot of fun, and I think the people really liked it. 

The next day we left the village in the morning and said bye to our families. I had given my family some children’s books, eye glasses, toilet paper, razors, a flashlight and other little things that they might need. Fijians don’t really have a word for thank you because it is such a giving society already, but they do have a word for “I accept this with gratitude”-vinaka. They said “vinaka” and then put the presents away. At first I was a little take aback, but then I realized that it’s probably just their culture. 

We hiked back over the mountain, swam at Botaira, had lunch and then caught the boat back to the mainland and Nadi. The next day, we experienced the Indo-Fijian aspect of Fiji. The Indo-Fijians were brought over to Fiji by the British to work as indentured servants in the sugar cane fields. Still today, there is much prejudice associated with Indo-Fijians, and many of the coups that occur in Fiji have to do with the strained relationship between indigenous Fijians and Indo-Fijians. We were able to visit one of the largest Hindu temples in Polynesia which is located in Nadi. We made an offering, and it was very special to be in such an incredible temple with people who are put down every day and yet come to offer whatever they have. It was touching.

We also visited the local markets and then to contrast that we went to the high-rise resorts in port Denarau. It was really disgusting seeing all these rich, white people gorge themselves with food and booze while lazily sprawled by an over-chlorinated pool. I was really glad that we stayed at an ecoresort instead of these places.  

The next day was our final day in Fiji, and we spent most of the day finishing our modules (essays that we have to write about the culture, environment and sustainability of Fiji) and basically just sleeping until we had to get on a plane to go to LA. 

Even now, I feel like I should wake up and still be in Fiji. However, I think I’m starting to adjust, and I’m excited about my others plans this summer. I just hope I can get over my jet lag before I leave for DC.

Tonight is my last night in Sydney. I have mixed feelings about the situation. I’m sad to leave because I feel like I’ve just skimmed the surface of such an amazing city, but I’m also really excited to see what Fiji has to offer.

To make my feelings even more complex, I’m a little homesick too. A lot of the people on the Sydney study abroad program are going back home tomorrow, and the same feelings I had when I departed New Zealand are surfacing again. I miss my family and friends, and lately I’ve been able to talk with them more which has both helped and encouraged my homesickness.  It helps to hear my family’s voice and be able to speak with them directly, but it also makes me miss having the conversations face to face. Also, I made so many incredible friends in New Zealand, and I miss hanging out with them. It’s kind of startling when you realize after saying goodbye that you aren’t going to be with these people 24/7 anymore. Just yesterday I was riding the city bus, and I turned to my left half expecting to see my bus mate from NZ sitting next to me.

However, I have about 10 more days until I arrive back home which feels like an eternity, but in comparison to the trip is simply a blip on the time scale. Also, I’m sure that my time in Fiji will go by in a flash. If it doesn’t it’s probably because I’ll have food poisoning from some of the food and water there. Being sick always makes the time excrutiatingly drawn out. About 5 people who went to Fiji last year said that they were sick either during the trip, on the airplane or when they arrived back home. I’m hoping that I get the latter. I would hate to be sick in Fiji which would put a damper on the festivities, but I also would hate to be sick on the plane. I already experienced this when I was coming home from France a couple years ago, and it was quite possibly the longest 7 hours of my life.

However, I will not dwell on it. I bet the more I obsess over the issue of sickness the more psychologically wound up I will be to actually get sick. So, for now I will focus on the present. I will focus on having a wonderful time tonight with my friends, and then my next plan of action will be to make my flight to Fiji. I already have a wake-up call scheduled for 8am and a shuttle at 9am. I feel confident in my preparation, especially since I’ve also set 3 alarms in my room. Paranoid much? Maybe just a little, but I am my mother’s daughter (haha love you mom!)

I had the most marvelous day completely on my own. I hopped on a bus in the morning to Bondi beach. I was expecting a Daytona-esque beach with high-rises and annoying advertisements. I was completely mistaken.

Bondi is absolutely beautiful. From the varying hues of blue in the water to the rocky outcrops that break the momentum of the waves, I just couldn’t stop staring. Also, the myraid of cute surfers kept my attention too.

What really pleased me, though, was the coastline walk that takes you along the rocky cliffs that make of the bays from Bondi to Bronte beaches. I must have taken a couple hundred pictures of waves and surf. I also grabbed some take-away (it’s not called to-go here) lunch at a seaside cafe and found a warm rock to sit on while I enjoyed the view and my chicken and cranberry sandwich.

I stayed at Bondi for about 4 hours, but I wanted to get back to the city before sunset. The sun sets really early here: 5:30, and it’s not even the middle of winter yet. When I got to the city, I raced to the Skytower, the largest point above sea level in Australia. I wanted to catch the perfect sunset pictures of Sydney.

While the view was amazing, the pictures were ruined with glare from the sun and the lights within Skytower. I stayed at the observation deck until nightfall and watched as everything transferred to the glowing of lightbulbs. It was absolutely beautiful. Sydney is probably one of the most beautiful and most interesting cities I’ve ever experienced.

To go up to the observation deck you have to buy a ticket that also allows you to “experience” Australia. Since I paid $20, I thought I should at least give it a shot. Let me preface the story by saying, I was in a group comprised of three smaller groups of Asian and Indian families/tourist trips. So, after walking through a cheesy, paper-mache cave which I assume is supposed to be the Aboriginal caves, we filed into a room with chairs and headsets for everyone. There are four languages you can choose from: English, Madarin, Korean or Japanese. This austomatically causes issue with the Indian family. I think only the daughter knew English well enough to understand. So, during the entire show she was translating for her parents who strangely enough still felt the need to wear the headsets that were spewing out a different language.

To make the story even better, the exhibit was an almost reverse cyclorama with halograms. Basically, there are 5 little “stages” and at each stage is a different part of Australia. At each place a little halogram man pops up and cheekily explains the awesomeness of Australia. After that scene is done, you are rotated on a gigantic Lazy-Susan to the next scene. I laughed every time we were swung to the next stage, but oddly enough everyone else was taking it very seriously.

To top it all off, after the cyclorama, we were hustled into a gigantic room with a sort of IMAX screen and chairs on hydraulics. This was my favorite part. We basically took a virtual tour of Australia, over the Opera House, through the Outback, into rivers and caves. It was thrilling! The best part was that you were jerked around on these sooped-up chairs, and with every jolt the little Japanese woman behind would let out a little “oooo” and then giggle. This, of course, made me laugh histerically. So, I probably looked like the lunatic who doesn’t have any friends because she’s crazy. Overall, the Oztrek (that’s what the “experience” is called) was quite enjoyable and well worth $20.

Sydney has really surprised me. The culture here has a huge Asian influence, but there is also a very hip/young/active population of Aussies that makes me feel like a hobo. They strut around in designer clothes. They take bootcamp and yoga classes in the Botanical Gardens. They dine in hip cafes and lounge in hip clubs. I’m jealous that I don’t have time to acclimate myself to this culture. I feel like I’m being left out of the “cool club.”

Yesterday I ended up not going to Bondi Beach and instead walked all over the city: Hyde Park, Botanical Gardens, Opera House, Circular Quay, The Rocks, Darling Harbor, Chinatown. I was walking from around 11 to 5, but after hiking and being so active in New Zealand, I feel like I need to continue the active lifestyle. Also, it gave me a great opportunity to get about a million pictures of the city during the day. Before yesterday I really only had pictures of the city at night.

Also, I had one of the best meals I’ve ever had at the harbor yesterday for lunch. It was the perfect setting: small cafe overlooking the glistening harbor with the Sydney bridge and Opera House in the background. Then for lunch I had a massive plate of fish and chips with vinegar and tartar. It was heaven. I felt like I was in some kind of movie or something.

Last night I met up with some people from the Sydney study abroad group, and we went to dinner at probably the only Irish pub in Chinatown. Not to my surprise, they still served some Asian dishes like egg rolls and pad thai alongside fish and chips and schnitzel.

Then, we went to a really cool club and danced for literally 2 hours straight. When I got back to my hotel I collapsed on my bed from exhaustion. This morning when I woke up my feet hurt so bad and my legs are crazy sore. I guess that’s the life of a tourist.

Today, I’m going to try to go to Bondi Beach, and hopefully Iwill be able to figure out the bus system. It’s getting colder and colder here, so I don’t think I’ll be going swimming until Fiji. However, I feel like I need a relaxing day of simply chilling out at the beach with minimal walking. Also, I need to start doing some of the Fiji pre-departure work that is required. Hopefully it won’t take too long because I want to be able to have a blast tomorrow, my last day in Sydney.

Yesterday was an amazing day full of wild animals and new friends. I went to the zoo with a friend of a friend, and it was awesome. We got to walk among kangaroos and see koalas. I absolutely loved it! It was also perfect weather, and we were able to take the ferry over so it was a great tour of the harbor too.

Unfortunately, I didn’t get to go to the Opera House for a play yesterday night because they were sold out. However, I don’t know if I would have really enjoyed it because I was incredibly tired from walking around all day. I even have a few blisters on my feet, ew!

Today I’m headed to Bondi beach for a relaxing day of shopping, reading and of course eating. It’s a little windy and chilly today so swimming is out of the questions, but lounging on the beach is going to be my priority.

Yesterday I went to the Blue Mountains with a few friends I had made the night before. It sounds simple right? Get on a train named “Blue Mountains rail” and ride it to the last stop named Mt. Victoria. In reality, not that simple.

After having to wait in a ridiculously long line twice because we didn’t have cash the first time, we sprinted to the platform and hopped on the train literally a minute before it left the station. The ride was nice enough, not a ton of really cool scenery because the tracks were either lined with houses, factories or eucalytus trees, but I did have a really great conversation with one of the people that I met the night before. We actually didn’t realize how long of a train ride it was until one of the other guys in the group said, “It’s been an hour and a half, when are we getting there?” It would be another hour before we reached Mt. Victoria.

Mt. Victoria is a quaint little town with small, cozy cafes featuring three-piece string bands and homemade pies, but unfortunately it didn’t have any Blue Mountains. Apparently, we were supposed to get off 5 stops earlier (a total of 40 minutes) at Katoomba. So, we waited for 2 hours until the next train back towards Katoomba. When we finally reached the town, we were again faced with nothing but shops and quaintness but no mountains. We walked around for a little  while and finally figured out that we had to walk 3 km out of town to Echo Point where the infamous Three Sisters rocks are located.

We start walking, it starts raining, and then the wind picks up. It kind of felt like I was in a mini hurricane. Also, I thought Australia would be considerably warmer than NZ. So I wore thin hiking pants and a long-sleeved T-shirt, definitely not enough for the weather we were facing. One guy in our group just had on a T-shirt and shorts, so he bought a fleece robe from a Wal-mart-esque store and wore it for the rest of the day. He dubbed it his “Gucci Linens.”

We finally made it to Echo Point and took pictures of the Three Sisters. It was really cool, but the weather and the fact that we were soaked kind of put a damper on things. Luckily, we were able to catch a ride on a tour bus back to town. It’s a good thing we did because we had to catch the last train back to Sydney at 6:05. However, when we reached the station we were surprised to learn that the last train was actuallyleaving at 5:25, and we arrived at 5:20. It would have been really horrible if we had missed that train because the guys Iwas with had a plane to catch to Brisbane at 7am the next morning.

Delirious, damp and hungry we finally made it back to Sydney and had a glorious dinner at a Thai restaurant in China town called Senior Crocodile Thai, really absurd name but amazing food. Afterwards, we walked around Darling Habor to Sydney Harbor where we saw some of the light show that the city is doing for this week. They lit up the entire Opera House with really amazing pyschedelic colors. I took many pictures.

Overall, it was a day of experiences and probably one of my favorite days in Sydney so far because of it’s uniqueness.

Today, I’m going to the Tongaro zoo with a friend of a friend. The weather is perfect, warm air and bright sun. Later, I’m going to the Opera House with the Sydney study abroad group to see a play which I’m really excited about. I can finally wear the one nice dress that I bought for the trip. YAY!