My Study Abroad Experience: Pre-Departure

By Victoria Robertson on January 2, 2015

If you asked me a year ago if I’d spend my last winter break of college studying abroad in Fiji, I’d laugh in your face. In fact, even when I applied for the program I thought it was all too good to be true.

But here I am, two days before my program begins, still in disbelief. And what’s more, I really don’t know what to expect. As you could probably imagine, this makes packing a rather difficult task.

My study abroad course spans two weeks during which we will be participating in tourism activities essential to Fiji’s economic well-being such as zip lining, kayaking and snorkeling, just to name a few. How on Earth you pack for that, I have no idea.

http://scottandkathieadventures.blogspot.com

To add to the difficulty, I have to be careful not to pack outfits that may offend the Fijian culture. As a female, I am expected, in the more conservative towns, to cover up my shoulders and wear long skirts to cover my legs.

This conservative dress code may prove difficult during summer in the southern hemisphere, especially since January is said to be Fiji’s hottest month.

So, I got to packing. Most of the days will be spent viewing the various hotels on the many islands or visiting the beach, so I packed several lightweight sundresses to wear over my bathing suit (which was the first thing I packed so I didn’t forget it).

I also made sure to pack a long skirt along with some t-shirts for my homestay visit in Votua Village as well as some practical presents for my homestay family. (Rather than giving material gifts to the family, they desire items that can be put to use, such as school supplies for the children and clocks/household items for the parents).

I also packed two pairs of shorts along with several lightweight tank tops for the hiking, kayaking and zip lining excursions as well as for the tour of Kula Eco Park (an animal preserve home to the endangered crested iguana).

As far as shoes went, this was the more difficult task. However, I settled on a pair of lightweight gym shoes (that will hopefully be fairly water resistant) and flip-flops for the beach days.

While this certainly won’t be the most fashionable trip I’ve ever been on, I’m working hard to make sure it is the most memorable.

Before leaving, I made sure to pack my license, passport, insurance card and flight information as well as copies of all of this information just in case anything gets lost or stolen. I also went to the bank to exchange my American currency for the Fijian dollar. And, let me tell you, if this money is any indication of how beautiful the islands are, this trip will be one to remember.

The trip has us visiting locations such as Barefoot Island, the Mamanuca Islands and, of course, the main island of Viti Levu. And don’t worry, I made sure to pack my camera, so I won’t be missing out on a single photo opportunity.

From visits to local markets and stays in some of the most luxurious to the most low end hotels the islands have to offer, I will be experiencing every truth of what tourism does to Fiji’s economy.

Photo Via: http://www.barefootislandfiji.com

Another thing to keep in mind before I leave: the physical effect of the tourism industry. While everyone thinks of the beautiful water and thriving underwater ecosystems when they think of Fiji, these ecosystems are slowly declining in health.

In fact, the coral reef, one of Fiji tourism’s biggest selling points, isn’t nearly as healthy as it used to be, and this decline is not only heartbreaking, but could also be detrimental to Fiji’s economy.

Photo Via: http://www.fiji.travel

While abroad, these are issues I hope to keep in mind and explore a bit deeper.

In terms of what I’m most looking forward to about the trip: it’s my chance to be completely open-minded about an experience so entirely new to me. I get to do so many things I’ve never done before, something I am extremely grateful for.

So over the course of this program, I will be posting articles about my experiences while also discussing the importance of these excursions to the tourism industry of Fiji.

So stay tuned as I embark on this two-week program and we can all learn a little bit about the culture, customs and tourism industry of the beautiful Fijian islands.

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