Your Hosts in the Village
Living communally is a core component to any Fijian village and although strange to get used to at first, this way of life is often one of the highlights for those who experience it on their project. It is our biggest privilege to be hosted by families in the community during the project. The Fijian families will treat you no differently to anyone else in their family, it is something we request of them due to not wanting to put undue pressure on them to host in any particular way aside from normal day-to-day life, but also we couldn’t stop them – it is a natural part of famous Fijian hospitality! If you are lucky, you may also live with a family who has children. Children in the village are always so intrigued by the arrival of our volunteers!
You will not be living alone with a family during your stay, you will always be paired up with someone else on the team.
Your family with be the beating heart of your project experience. They have allocated themselves to host you once the project has been confirmed and they will probably be just as nervous as you about the experience! When meeting your family for the first time, give them a big warm smile, confidently introduce yourself and begin learning about how the family operates.
Some Differences
Fijians really do live together closely. Your house is the living space for your family, essentially acting as a place to sleep and daily life takes place within the village setting, with toilets, showers and often cooking facilities being located outside. Every house is different and you will be staying with a different family to lots of your team members. Be grateful for the unique experience that this provides you – the family will cherish the time they spend with you so make sure to get as much as you can out of the experience during your project.
Houses in the village are relatively small, often with just one room which is a communal space. Thin curtains divide your bedroom and the rest of the family, who will usually sleep on the floor. Please be prepared for this lack of space and privacy.
You’ll be living at your family’s pace, eating breakfast in the morning at around 7:30 and dinner in the evenings after a busy day. Heads up, your family may be awake much earlier than you, with pots and pans clanging at around 5:00am in the morning.
Top Tips:
- Try to learn everyone’s names on the first day.
- Make sure to ask questions about anything you are unsure about, your family will be more than happy to help out.
- Your family is your window into learning about Fijian culture and rural lifestyle, do not take them for granted and make sure to ask lots of questions!
- You will not be expected to bring any gifts at all, but in our experience, photos of your life overseas and maybe even a photo of you would be a lovely thing to bring… be prepared for that photo to go straight on the wall and not leave it for many years to come!