Ni Sa Bula Vinaka and Namaste! Welcome to my Peace Corps Fiji Adventure
Thank you for visiting! This site hasn't been updated since my Peace Corps service (way back in 2004 I think, when my web design skills were in their infancy... It looks like there has been a lot of traffic since. I will leave the site as it is for now, a snapshot of my experience in Fiji....Mary (1/28/09).
This site was created to provide information about my Peace Corps experience. I will be serving as an Environmental and Water Resources Management and Education volunteer in Fiji.
UPDATE 20.9.04:Wow, sorry for the long delay in updating the site (again) but I forgot my password since I haven't used this thing in so long! A lot has been happening lately, my parents and Colleen came to visit me and I had a wonderful time during both visits. I saw my first shark while snorkelling in the Mamanuca group with Collen (a big white-tip reef shark!) Last week we officially opened out first Composting Toilet (with artificial wetland) that I designed with a professor from the University of the South Pacific. We also just got our proposal approved to fund an integrated solid waste management system in the village. We will have trash bins placed throughout the village and will have bi-weekly pick up and trasport to Fiji's new Sanitary landfill. We will be the first rural community in Fiji to implement a solid waste management pick-up system! Those are just some highlights, so much more is happening. I will try to post more photos as soon as possible. Right now this computer is so slow that it freezes every time I put in my latest photo CD!
UPDATE 17.6.04: I've finally added some new photos and I'm safe and dry at my site again. I've actually been very busy lately and I'm hoping to update my project page soon with some information on my projects. I'm also looking forward to a visit from my parents and sister in early July and my first "vacation" time since I've been in Fiji
UPDATE 17.4.04: I'm currently evacuated from my site due to flash flooding! It's not so bad though because I get to spend some time in the capital city. I'm pretty sure my whole village is under several feet of water at the moment and the road to get in and out is closed. I don't know when I will be able to return but it should be soon, maybe a few days. It just keeps raining and raining and raining...
New pictures will be up soon!
UPDATE 2.02.04: Sorry about the long delay in updating the site, I've finally posted a few more photos. The world Peace Corps Director visited Fiji a few weeks ago and visited my site as part of his trip. I actually made it into an aritcle on the official Peace Corps website so check it out here: http://www.peacecorps.gov I'm trying to explain some of my projects in the new Project Page so check it out but keep in mind it isn't totally finished yet!
UPDATE 23.12.03: Christmas is only two days away but I hardly notice that it's the holiday season until the occasional reggae christmas carol blasting from a local bus reminds me! I will be adding a page dedicated to explaining the projects I am working on soon, probably after the holidays. I also have many more great pictures to post soon! Until then, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all!
UPDATE 11/9/03: I've finished my Fijian host family stay! I just found out that my permanant site placement is in the village of Vunisinu near the small town of Nausori. This is about 30 minutes from the capital city on the main island of Viti Levu. I'm currently in Suva, the capital city, for a few days before we move into the Indo-Fijian home stay and begin learning Hindustani. I had a chance to post a few more photos that are much quicker to load so please take a look!
UPDATE 10/21/03: I'm alive and well in Fiji! I'm currently in training living in Tagaqe Village on the coral coast. I've added a photo page with a few pictures. Please take a look!
