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Bula y'all! It has been quite a while since my last blog entry, my momma likes to remind me of this every time I talk to her. All is well here in Fiji, my days have been filled with the occasional class, a little bit of work, and this week in particular, lots of rugby at the yacht club, which is fondly referred to as the "yachty". Yesterday was a big day for the island nation of Fiji as our Flying Fijian's, the rugby team, beat New Zealand in the most important game of the season. When Fiji wins rugby there are fireworks, tables and chairs being thrown over and lots of Fiji Gold and Fiji Bitter beer. It is quite the event and one day soon we will have a public holiday because of the win.

This time around I would like to talk about the beautiful and dynamic people here in Fiji that I am blessed enough to be able to call my friends. First up we have Liz, the tall ADD blonde from Colorado. I couldn't not possibly love Liz anymore than I already do. Initially we hated Fiji together and then progressively as the day passed, we fell in love with Fiji together. I can always count on Liz to be down for anything, from having mojitos with me at any time of day, to putting on as much coconut oil as possible and lying in the sun, to searching all over Suva for a decent steak. Liz absoutely loves cats and if there is one around you can count on Liz to find it. I love you, Liz!

Then there is Rachel, a little brunette from Boston. This is Rach's fourth time in Fiji so she knows the ropes better than anyone and is a constant source of information, we are convinced that one day she will marry a Fijian and move here permanently. Rach, we hope you do so that we all have the perfect reason to come back to Fiji on visits. Some people might find it funny that Rachel and I have become so close. We are opposite on just about everything. I'm a conservative, libertarian and she is liberal who hates guns. I love pink and she refuses to get anywhere near it. Liz and I would both eat steak for every meal if we could and Rachel is a vegetarian. But somehow we all just click and get along famously.

Two others that bear mentioning are Jazzy and Caroline. Jazzy is a hippie from colorado who has the most loving personality that a person could posess. When jazzy smiles and laughs I find myself doing the same thing. And then there is Caroline. Our very smart chem major from UNCW. I don't think that I have ever seen Caroline unhappy. There is absolutely no one more fun to go out with than Caroline.

Aside from this handful of people are my local Fijian friends. I wish that I could talk about all of them but I could probably go on forever and no one but me wants to read that. So let me just say that they are all fabulous people who have taught me so much and treated me like a friend that they have known forever. It is because of them that I have learned some of my favorite new words that I will definitely be using in the US. Like dodgy, pashing, keen, set and susing. One or two of them have even started saying "y'all" so maybe Im rubbing off on them some too. They have taught me the Fijian culture to the point where I finally fit in better, I no longer get stared at on the bus and my initial reaction to greetings and general issues is automatically in Fijian now. I owe that to them. Having them all around has made me feel less detached from my own family back home. I actually have a life here in Fiji and for that I will always be grateful to them. I hope you all get the chance to visit me in the US someday so that I can return the favor. A big Vinaka to all the people who are such a vital part of "my Fiji".

Moce until next time!

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