OK, so I very abruptly ended the Fiji Life only to replace it with an Alice Springs flavoured life. Check out my new adventures:
http://thealicespringslife.wordpress.com/
Tuesday 3 September 2013
Saturday 15 December 2012
Evan update
Well, it turns out Evan will still hit Fiji, but the worst will pass quite far North. It will affect Vanua Levu and the West of Viti Levu.
Suva does not seem to be in the firing line - we are prepared nontheless. Though we did start drinking the wine yesterday!
Suva does not seem to be in the firing line - we are prepared nontheless. Though we did start drinking the wine yesterday!
Thursday 13 December 2012
Cyclone Evan
Cyclone Evan has just torn up Samoa and is now headed for Tonga and Fiji. This is the first cyclone of the season - and by the time it hits Fiji it will be Category Five.
I am not sure how badly affected Suva will be, but by all accounts it will hit the Northern Division hardest - which means Vanua Levu.
Not much we can do except prepare now - water, torches, more water. We are in a pretty secure house, so that is fine...no generator though and the power may go. But we are well connected with three houses all together if something goes awry!
Well, here's to my first ever cyclone.
I am not sure how badly affected Suva will be, but by all accounts it will hit the Northern Division hardest - which means Vanua Levu.
Not much we can do except prepare now - water, torches, more water. We are in a pretty secure house, so that is fine...no generator though and the power may go. But we are well connected with three houses all together if something goes awry!
Well, here's to my first ever cyclone.
Sunday 9 December 2012
Saturdays in Suva
It is a rather interesting proposition living in a relatively small city, but sometimes feeling like you live in a city of 20 million people.
That's a Saturday in Suva. Long, long queues at the bank. Hustle and bustle on the street. Elbows in the side at Pure Fiji. Long waits at Vodafone.
It struck me a lot on my first Saturday in Suva, which was also my first day in the city. People are everywhere. The markets are full of fruit and life.
The bustle all serves a purpose - the streets are full of busy on Saturday because Sunday here is genuinely a day of rest. Most of the shops close, the streets are empty and people go to church and then have a traditional Sunday lunch.
And you see tumbleweeds in the centre of Suva.
It is such a contrast. And it is one of those things about living here that I just can't quite wrap my head around, as lovely and frustrating in equal measures as it is.
That's a Saturday in Suva. Long, long queues at the bank. Hustle and bustle on the street. Elbows in the side at Pure Fiji. Long waits at Vodafone.
It struck me a lot on my first Saturday in Suva, which was also my first day in the city. People are everywhere. The markets are full of fruit and life.
The bustle all serves a purpose - the streets are full of busy on Saturday because Sunday here is genuinely a day of rest. Most of the shops close, the streets are empty and people go to church and then have a traditional Sunday lunch.
And you see tumbleweeds in the centre of Suva.
It is such a contrast. And it is one of those things about living here that I just can't quite wrap my head around, as lovely and frustrating in equal measures as it is.
Sunday 2 December 2012
Blue Spotted Ribbontail Ray
I went swimming in another glorious Fiji location. On this occasion I was blessed enough to witness these two little creatures:
I saw a pair of eyes lying on the ocean floor, then they started to move silkily and low and behold it was these two! I think one of them spotted me at the same time, because she jerked up and kind of started darting around, as did I, after clicking my camera!
So, panic and me underwater are still friends!! But I am seeing some pretty cool stuff!
I saw a pair of eyes lying on the ocean floor, then they started to move silkily and low and behold it was these two! I think one of them spotted me at the same time, because she jerked up and kind of started darting around, as did I, after clicking my camera!
So, panic and me underwater are still friends!! But I am seeing some pretty cool stuff!
Tuesday 27 November 2012
A typical day in Fiji
I feel like more than ever today embodied a typical day for me.
Sleep - badly - it's hot and I have lots on my mind - weekend getaways, work...mostly weekend getaways.
Wake up early for exercise with a Britt or a Bec. Feel good.
Come home. Get on Facebook. Enough said.
Go to work.
Go for extended coffee/lunch/second hand shopping trip!
People don't turn up for important work meeting. Feel annoyed. Stomp around office.
Come home early as I feel all is lost. Engage in post work activity - French, more exercise, cheap movie, chatting to people about how all is lost.
About to go to bed - colleague texts - come for a kava sesh at boss' house to discuss work.
Go to kava sesh, bring wine. Have HIGHLY productive work meeting. Make jokes with colleagues about engagement with local culture.
Return to Facebook. Talk to former volunteer, who incidentally used to live in my house.
Still can't sleep, but that is also OK because I have excused myself from tomorrow's early morning exercise and assured colleague of late start.
Sleep - badly - it's hot and I have lots on my mind - weekend getaways, work...mostly weekend getaways.
Wake up early for exercise with a Britt or a Bec. Feel good.
Come home. Get on Facebook. Enough said.
Go to work.
Go for extended coffee/lunch/second hand shopping trip!
People don't turn up for important work meeting. Feel annoyed. Stomp around office.
Come home early as I feel all is lost. Engage in post work activity - French, more exercise, cheap movie, chatting to people about how all is lost.
About to go to bed - colleague texts - come for a kava sesh at boss' house to discuss work.
Go to kava sesh, bring wine. Have HIGHLY productive work meeting. Make jokes with colleagues about engagement with local culture.
Return to Facebook. Talk to former volunteer, who incidentally used to live in my house.
Still can't sleep, but that is also OK because I have excused myself from tomorrow's early morning exercise and assured colleague of late start.
Monday 26 November 2012
When a blue starfish hugs a rock
I just love underwater romance! I was lucky enough to sneak away over the weekend to the Tubakula Bungalows near Sigatoka on the Coral Coast. Yes, when you live in Fiji, that is just what you do!
My plan was to work on the office policy manual, the reality was much more whimsical. The water was a perfect temperature for lazing and swimming around with fish and blue starfish. There was quite a lot happening in not much water! Including this:
In more serious news, the 16 Days of Activism Campaign started yesterday which focuses on raising awareness of violence against women and children and will culminate on Human Rights Day on 10 December with a march in Suva.
This week also sees us celebrate another World AIDS Day. It was our hope at MEN Fiji we would be able to support the launch of a recent research study, but unfortunately timing got the better of us. A local organisation that works with People Living with HIV will be hosting a Red Tie Fashion Evening - this raises important fashion questions regarding red, ties and evenings. I have begun preparations by purchasing ridiculously high shoes, which make me super tall, so that at least now I am only the shortest person in my office by 5 cms instead of 20 cms. Now all I need is the red and the tie part.
This is all part of a new initiative FJN+ are working on to celebrate the Arts and PLHIV and to help develop microfinance-like programs.
I have started doing my geek thing again, where I admire the heck out of women doing really incredible things. I met two such women on my recent trip to Nadi for a workshop on peer education - Vani Dulaki who is Executive Director of FJN+ and Matelita Seva who is Executive Director of Reproductive Health and Family Planning Fiji. They are doing really important work and being quite creative and open about their approach! And they are both fabulous women!
I did say I was doing my geek thing.
My plan was to work on the office policy manual, the reality was much more whimsical. The water was a perfect temperature for lazing and swimming around with fish and blue starfish. There was quite a lot happening in not much water! Including this:
In more serious news, the 16 Days of Activism Campaign started yesterday which focuses on raising awareness of violence against women and children and will culminate on Human Rights Day on 10 December with a march in Suva.
This week also sees us celebrate another World AIDS Day. It was our hope at MEN Fiji we would be able to support the launch of a recent research study, but unfortunately timing got the better of us. A local organisation that works with People Living with HIV will be hosting a Red Tie Fashion Evening - this raises important fashion questions regarding red, ties and evenings. I have begun preparations by purchasing ridiculously high shoes, which make me super tall, so that at least now I am only the shortest person in my office by 5 cms instead of 20 cms. Now all I need is the red and the tie part.
This is all part of a new initiative FJN+ are working on to celebrate the Arts and PLHIV and to help develop microfinance-like programs.
I have started doing my geek thing again, where I admire the heck out of women doing really incredible things. I met two such women on my recent trip to Nadi for a workshop on peer education - Vani Dulaki who is Executive Director of FJN+ and Matelita Seva who is Executive Director of Reproductive Health and Family Planning Fiji. They are doing really important work and being quite creative and open about their approach! And they are both fabulous women!
I did say I was doing my geek thing.
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