Short Update

It's been a while... mostly because my camera broke and I don't like posts without photos!

But, my friend Kari has arrived in Fiji and delivered a new one- yay! I'm very excited to be spending the next week with her. We're going back to the village this evening, spending a few days there, then heading for some travel elsewhere.

A few weeks ago, I got to visit another volunteer's site on the island of Taveuni. The village has had a marine protected area set up there for 11 years now. I got to participate in the annual reef survey which was really fun. The village was really nice and the whole island is just beautiful. I hope to go back some day and see a bit more of it.

Upon return to my village, I learn that they are trying to implement an annual village budget, which is quite an amazing thing here in Fiji because it involves thinking ahead and planning! However, I learned that the plan for the initial funding of the budget is to open the marine protected area that we have and basically fish it to death and remove anything from it that will sell in the market. Ahhhhhh!!!

Well, I guess that's where I come along... The village has agreed not to open the area until I, along with some villagers have completed some basic surveys (mostly of the sea cucumbers and clams). So I'm rather excited about being able to use my skills here! It's things like this that I thought I'd be doing here in Fiji.

But, I think the village has finally realized that I'm capable of these things from hearing of what work I've done in other volunteers' villages. Until recently, I'm pretty sure they thought I couldn't even swim (probably due to the peace corps rule that I have to wear my life jacket at all times on boats)...

Hopefully my next update will include some stellar photos!

Hope all is well with everyone.