Where To Begin?

Oops! Old blog draft, I'm just now putting up now - Eeek!

So June's almost over and I'm now finally getting to write an entry. Tons of things have happened, of course, so I'll not be able to cover everything in detail (some of you are sighing with relief, haha!) but I'll try to give you a rundown of some of this month's occurrences. Here are a few highlights:


Cultural Night - About a month and a half ago I was asked to be a part of the USP Student's Association as a member of the Welfare and Development Committee. The majority of the work to be done with this committee surrounded the promotion and hosting of a major event, the "USPSA Welfare and Development Cultural Night." I was given several responsibilities, one of which was to give the welcome speech to open the evening's program. Although I was nervous to speak in front of hundreds of people whilst in a foreign country, I was honored with the opportunity to be a part of the night and deliver the welcoming address. The coolest part of the evening, however, was being able to see all the traditional dances of the different cultural groups from all of the twelve member countries that make up USP. It was really interesting to see their costumes and learn about the distinct dances that highlight their cultures. After the event, I was deemed an 'Honourary Pacific Islander' by our chief guest, the Deputy Prime Minister of the Cook Islands. I felt incredibly honored.

The American Exodus - Of the American study abroaders my two closest friends, Josh and Elicia, left for home about a week ago. Although we saw each other off and on throughout the semester, I am really grateful for their friendship over the last few months. After getting to know them, it's clear that there was a purpose behind us meeting each other. I grew greatly from conversing with them and hearing their stories. Next semester is going to be different without them around.

Nakorokula - Last week, Nina and I spent five days in a village called Nakorokula, near Sigatoka. We went with a group of fourth-year dental students to provide basic dental care and promote oral health to the villagers. Nina and I manned the registration table and helped with health promotion stuff during the day and the nights were filled with grog sessions and R&R. My trip really warrants a full blog entry, but alas all it will get is a tiny paragraph 'cause my life's been just that eventful over the past month or so. A couple of thoughts, however... I've heard many wise people tell me that life's not about how much money you make or the type of car you drive, and so on. I have to say, however, if life isn't about all those things then why am I constantly pushed to think or plan or worry about them so often? Deep down I know they're right though. Life isn't about those things and the people of Nakorokula reminded me of that once again. As I reflect on the week, I have come to the conclusion that perhaps the biggest thing I can take away from my time in Fiji is that so very often my priorities are screwed up. It's good to dream and aspire and work hard, but work and achievement are not the most important things in life. And although the people of Nakorokula lived with very little, it was evident that they were very rich. Life is simple but short and I must always remember... vu, vanua, moana, mana... It's ironic to think that after all my years of schooling, perhaps the most significant lessons I've learned have come from people who have never attended a lecture or written a term paper. Reality check, huh?