An Appropriate Approach to your Project
Culture
It is our biggest privilege to be invited into rural communities to work on behalf of our partners and the respect and appreciation of rural Fiji from anyone joining a project is paramount. We strive to have the highest standards of cultural exchange in Fiji.
To achieve this goal, we ask you to join the project with a learning mindset, adopting a humble approach to appreciating cultural differences and nuances. This not only puts you in the most effective position to genuinely learn, we believe it is essential for conducting your project ethically and ensuring as effective and sustainable impact on project as possible.
Think Pacific volunteers are sensitive, respectful and hence highly regarded in Fiji. We ask you to join your project with a passion to learn, removing any ego and manifesting a genuine curiosity and thirst to understand Fiji and Fijian life.
This is your opportunity to immerse yourself in every aspect of life. Take an active interest in local customs, values, religious beliefs, ceremonies and cultural practices. By the time you leave, you will have certainly learnt a great deal about Fiji and no doubt about yourself!
Mindset and Your Project
How do I genuinely and effectively do good in the world? If you, along with countless other previous volunteers, interns and global learners, have been asking yourself this question, and want to explore a fun little model that might provide a starting point for the answer, watch this video and use the following prompts for further discussion:
- The video talks about personal development and global development being interlinked. Do you agree?
- How have you seen these links in your own life?
- Which of the 4 quadrants (knowledge & skills, attitudes & empathy, thoughtful action and daily choices) do you most associate with “doing good in the world”?
- Why? Is there a quadrant you think most important?
- What do you think is meant by a “learning mindset”?
- Why do you think this is in the center of the model?
- Is there anything missing from the model presented? How would you answer the question yourself?
Top Tips:
- Everyone’s family/home/food is different – Embrace your unique experience and be grateful for such an authentic opportunity.
- Help your family around the home e.g. washing, cooking & water collection
- Be proactive with family activities eg. plantations, fishing and cooking
- Come with a thirst to listen and learn (set goals that are related to learning about culture, what do you hope to achieve?)
- Be sensitive with conversation – Never talk openly to others about ‘basic conditions,’ ‘poverty,’ or diet in Fiji – it can easily be overheard by the community, it may easily be miscontrued and quickly cause offence.
- Don’t openly display valuables or leave items lying around the home – keep your personal belongings in your bag.
- Never force your views, opinions and your own way of life upon your hosts. Remember when things work differently and understand biases on both sides (fundemental in any meaningful exchange!)