Growing Within

Growing Within: Advanced service and immersion in indigenous life and grassroots development

Day 1 (Tuesday): Depart the USA
Welcome to your South Pacific adventure! All of our scheduled group flights to Fiji depart from Los Angeles on Air Pacific, Fiji’s national airline.  Your flight will be nonstop to Nadi International Airport and will be escorted by a Rustic Pathways flight leader. The flight will depart LAX in the evening and take about ten hours.  During your flight, you can meet other students, get some sleep in preparation for your arrival, relax with a movie or two, and start to settle into the easy-going way of life in the South Pacific.
    
Day 2 (Wednesday): In Transit
Today is lost as you cross the international dateline, but don’t worry too much – you will get it back on your way home!
Day 3 (Thursday): Welcome to Fiji
Upon clearing customs and immigration, you will be greeted by Rustic Pathways’ Fiji leaders. After breakfast and orientation, you will head for the tropical waters of beautiful Natadola Beach for a picnic lunch before gathering last-minute supplies, sulus and kava for your trip to the Highlands. 

You will travel by truck or four-wheel-drive vehicle to the Nasouri Highland region. The journey normally takes about two hours, and you will pass through remote villages nestled in mountain valleys where locals live off the land and have strong ties to their traditional culture. The need for service in these remote parts is great, and villagers here will welcome you with big smiles and many thanks.
 
Tonight you will stay at the Rustic Pathways Farm House, part of our Highlands Immersion Base and home to the Growing Within Farm project. The Farm House is set near the banks of a picturesque river and surrounded by papaya and banana trees, lines of lettuce and carrots, and local crops of dalo and cassava. Take a swim in the river and start to soak in the warm hospitality of Fiji. You will receive an in-depth cultural orientation tonight and will begin to learn about the traditional way of life in the Highlands.

Day 4 (Friday): Life at the Farm House
You will live at the Rustic Pathways Farm House, which sits along a bend in the river at the edge of the farm that is home to the Growing Within project, for much of your program. The Farm House consists of traditional thatched bures (or huts) for sleeping with mattresses on the floor and walls made of bamboo. There is also a main dining and activity building. You will take excursions from the Farm House to visit ancient caves, hidden waterfalls, and local schools and health centers, and you will spend nights in the nearby village learning about the challenges and beauty of life here, but the Farm House will be your base.

The Growing Within project started when four brothers who have been close friends of Rustic Pathways for many years started a savings group and used the funds to purchase a pair of bulls to plough their fields and expand their farm and their income.

Today will be filled with an overview of the projects you will be involved with and a chance to get to know the families here. By late afternoon, you will find yourself learning how to water the crops, share in the cooking, and collect firewood – your immersion into the rhythms of life here will be underway! As night falls, you will spend time with villagers as they play guitar and sing traditional songs late into the night.

Day 5 (Saturday): Village Culture and Entertainment
You’ll wake up early this morning and help out on the farm. You may help to construct a fence, build a greenhouse, or get involved with other small scale construction projects. Locals here finish work on Saturday afternoon and head home to the village for social time with friends and family, and you will too.

After presenting your traditional sevusevu to the chief of the village, you will take a short hike to a breathtaking waterfall nestled in the mountains here. Take a swim and soak in the beauty around you. Tonight, get ready for the traditional meke dances and entertainment that the villagers put on as a show of appreciation for your support of their community.  You will stay the night in a small group with a local family and share meals and activities at the Village Bure.

Day 6 (Sunday): Feasting and Celebration in Nasivikoso
Sunday is a very ceremonial day in Fijian culture. Fiji’s native people are predominantly Christian, and Sundays are observed as a day of rest. Your new friends in the village will get you dressed in traditional Fijian clothing and invite you to their church. This is a wonderful occasion where the whole village gathers – elders, parents, teenagers, and young children alike – for a morning of singing and respectful thanks for the wonderful environment in which they live. It is impossible not to get caught up in the pure enthusiasm and open delight villagers show towards each other and their surroundings.

After the morning’s activities, you will walk back to the Farm House for an afternoon relaxing by the river, playing a game of river rugby, and sharing laughs with the group. The relaxed and open atmosphere here is perfect for a Sunday afternoon, and the entire scene will make you think that no one, including yourself, should have a care in the world. This is a place that is very easy to get used to and incredibly hard to leave. You will settle back into the Farm House tonight and get ready for the busy week ahead.

Day 7 (Monday): Rural Education and Service
As you work towards understanding the way of life in these parts and the challenges of rural communities, you will visit a local school for an eye-opening experience. You will travel to a school in a nearby village to lead arts and sports enrichment activities as well as English lessons for the local students. Schools here have very limited resources for activities like art, and students always look forward to our visits. Your service today will bring smiles to many faces and will be an experience you will surely not forget. Then you will return to the Farm House for a swim in the river and to get ready for dinner.

Day 8 (Tuesday): Harvest Day
You will wake to a big day on the farm, and your help will be vital as crops are picked and packed for shipment to town. This is the busy season on the farm, and extra hands enable them to produce more than they otherwise could. Jump right in and get ready for a hands-on day of service and serious fun – Fijians can’t help but play, laugh and joke as they work. There seems to be a philosophy here that nothing is worth doing if it is rushed or not enjoyed. In the late afternoon, take a short hike into the hills to watch the sun set over the valley. You will sleep at the Farm House tonight.

Day 9 (Wednesday): Nadi Market and Town Day
This morning you will pack the truck with the crops and head back to Nadi for market day. After lunch at a local restaurant, you will join the women of Nasivikoso selling the crops in the local market and lending a hand as they bargain their prices and seek out customers. You’ll also have a chance to do some shopping for yourself in the local handicraft market and explore the town of Nadi for a few hours.

Tonight you will stay in a small hotel, bask in the sunset near the water’s edge, and re-energize for the next part of your journey. Take a minute to check in with the Western world, read your e-mail, make a phone call home, and reflect on your first week in Fiji.

Day 10 (Thursday): Back to the Farm
After gathering some supplies in town, you will head back to the Farm House today. You will be back to work on the farm by afternoon, continuing to work on small construction projects designed to help the farm grow. You’ll sleep at the Farm House tonight.

Day 11 (Friday): Traditional Medicines and Ancient Caves
Pack an overnight bag this morning and prepare for a night out in the bush. Villagers here keep farms in the mountains that surround the area to grow kava, their most valuable crop. Today you will hike about an hour to a local kava farm to see what this root is all about. On your way, learn about traditional foods and medicines that grow wild in the bush, including plants used to heal broken bones or calm stomachaches. Tonight you will sleep near the kava farm in a cave hidden deep in the mountains and used by this family for generations.
               
Day 12 - 13 (Saturday - Sunday): Friends in Nasivikoso
It’s back to the village today after a morning of projects on the farm. Take a hike to a local waterfall along the way and spend the afternoon swimming in the cool waters there. Then return to your host family for the night and join in the meke performance. On Sunday you can go back to church if you wish. You will also have a chance to relax, play games with the children, or read a good book. Say goodbye to your host family before you go, as this will be your last stop in this incredibly special place.

Day 14 (Monday): Rural Education at Navosa Central High School
Today you will travel to the village of Keyasi and the only high school in these parts, Navosa Central. About 50 percent of students in Fiji continue on to high school, and almost all of them have to travel far from their villages to attend. Students here will be excited to see you, and you will spend the day providing tutoring and enrichment activities and helping with basic construction projects. Talk with teachers to learn more about the challenges they face in this remote area, and perhaps you will be able to make recommendations for future Rustic Pathways projects here.

Day 15 (Tuesday): Harvesting & Projects
Today will be your last day in the Highlands, so you will want to get the most out of it. Help harvest crops for tomorrow’s trip to the market and put the finishing touches on the projects your group has undertaken. It will be hard to leave this magical place and all of the close friends you will have made. You will have a big send-off party tonight, with music, laughter and fun at the Farm House.

Day 16 (Wednesday): From Farm to Market
Pack up this morning, load your luggage and all the crops into the truck, and return to Nadi by the afternoon. You will stay at a small hotel tonight and take time to reflect on all that you have accomplished and learned with your group as you watch the sun set over the tropical waters.

Day 17 (Thursday): Beautiful Beaches
On your last day in Fiji, you will take in cool breezes and incredible views as you spend the day along the coast. In stark contrast to life in the Highlands, the coast will offer the chance to see the other side of Fiji and enjoy some last laughs with your grouop. Buy some souvenirs in Nadi and have a final dinner before boarding the plane home. If you are connecting on to another Rustic Pathways program, your staff will help you meet up with your new group.

An Important Note about Schedule Changes:
Rustic Pathways reserves the right to change, alter, or amend the daily itinerary for this trip at any time. Changes can be made for various reasons including changes in flight or program schedules, changes in the schedules of various external tours incorporated in our trips, the addition of new activities into a trip, or the substitution of an old activity for a new activity. The itinerary shown here provides a good outline of the anticipated daily schedule for this program. As with any travel program, some changes may occur.

Packing List Growing Within

You will be traveling to Fiji during the dry season, where the days are generally hot, with some humidity, but rainy is not typical. The evenings can cool off significantly in the Highlands region and a heavy sweatshirt is often needed.  

Please pack lightly! You must be able to carry and load your own luggage and you will be staying at three separate locations during your program.  Air Pacific does allow two pieces of checked luggage up to 50 lbs, but please be aware of the baggage restrictions for any domestic connections in the USA.  You can find more details on Air Pacific’s baggage allowances at http://www.airpacific.com/Flying-With-Us/Baggage-Allowance.

Do not bring your favorite items with you. There is always a chance that you will get a bit dirty while working on your service projects and exploring the islands.
Be sure to wear your Rustic Pathways T-Shirt when you are travelling to Fiji!
Carry-On Luggage: A small backpack is the best carry on bag and will be useful throughout your program for day trips.

• Passport and Wallet
• Photocopy of Passport (2 additional photocopies should be carried in checked luggage)
• Any and All Medications (Be sure to bring medications in your carry on just in case your luggage gets delayed in transit!)
• Extra t-shirt, change of underwear
• Sunglasses
• Journal and Pen (required for this program)
• Good Book, Music
• Reusable Water Bottle
• Camera

Make sure everything you pack in your carry-on complies with the carry on regulations of the TSA: http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel/prohibited/permitted-prohibited-items.shtm
 Checked Luggage: A medium sized duffel bag, wheeled bag or large backpack are fine. Please check you domestic carrier in the USA for any baggage limitations or fees. You must be able to carry and load their own luggage.

Clothing: 
T-Shirts or collared short-sleeve shirts* (8-10)
Long-sleeve t-shirts (1-2)
Long skirt (for females) that covers your knees* (1-2)
Shorts (3-5)
Jeans or long pants (1)
Sweatshirt or light jacket (1)
Underwear (10-15)
Socks (4-6)                                                 
Sneakers (1)
Tevas, sandals or flip flops (1)
Swim suit (1-2)
Cap or sun hat
Light weight raincoat or poncho
Toiletries: Biodegradable soap and toiletries are required
Biodegradable soap
Biodegradable shampoo
Toothbrush
Biodegradable toothpaste
Sunscreen
Insect repellent
Waterless hand sanitizer
Personal first aid kit recommended with band-aids and antibiotic ointment
Any medications – Be sure you have prescription medications in your carry-on.
Contact lens and fluid and spare pair of glasses
 Any other personal items as necessary

Other Required Items:
Towel (1-2 – large quick dry travel towels are great)
Flashlight or headlamp (a must!)
Spare batteries
Reusable water bottle (also a must!)
Sleeping bag
Work gloves (for use on some service projects)

Optional Items:
Pictures of family and friends to share with you new friends in Fiji
Musical instrument – the Fijians love to sit around at night and play guitar
Energy bars, vitamins and other snacks
Books, playing cards, games

 

PLEASE NOTE:
*Due to cultural rules in Fijian villages, it is customary for females to have their shoulders and knees covered at all times. While you are at the farm and in town you will be able to wear tank tops and shorts, but for the majority of the program female students will need to wear t-shirts or other sleeved shirts. Women must also wear sulus (sarongs) or a long skirt when in villages and at traditional ceremonies. Typically our students wear light shorts under their sulus. We will provide the students with a sulu on their arrival, and students typically wear light shorts under their sulus. You may wear a long skirt that covers your knees instead of a sulu.  If you have a sarong already at home you may want to bring it along. Please pack with this in mind!

A note about electricity:
There is not electricity in the village although there is a small generator that provides power for some basic items at our Base. Please make sure you bring a good flash light (head lights work especially well). Make sure you bring your camera batteries fully charged, and a spare one if you have one, as you will only be able to charge these items once in the middle of your program when you are in the town of Nadi. 

Laundry:
You will have the opportunity to wash laundry by hand in the village with the help of local families. You should expect to do this at least once during your trip, and should pack with this in mind.

Gifts for Host Families:
In the Fijian tradition of sevusevu, it customary for visitors to present a gift to any village or home they visit. We ask that you bring 3-4 small gifts for host families and friends in the village. While any gifts are deeply appreciated, we ask that you follow the suggested items below, which we have developed in conjunction with local villagers based on needs they have identified. We suggest bringing three to five items for your family, keeping in mind that these gifts are shared with all ages. Gifts can be gently used items that you have at home.

Suggested Gifts for Host Families:
T-shirts (short or long sleeve)
White collard shirts for children (used with school uniforms)
Long skirts for women and girls
Sweatshirts or jackets
Raincoats or umbrellas
Towels
Flashlights and batteries
Sneakers, boots and flip-flops (and socks)
Toothbrushes and toothpaste
Ball point pens and pencils
Button-down shirts for children (they wear these to church)
Sports equipment (rugby ball, soccer ball, volleyball)
Baseball hats
School supplies (notebooks, pencils, pens and backpacks)

You may, in turn, receive a small gift from your Fijian family to help you remember your time in Fiji, so remember to save a little room in your packs for this on the way home.

Donations:
In preparation for their programs, many students ask about bringing donations with them for the schools and communities where they will work. The following donations lists have been created in conjunction with local schools and communities and we encourage you to bring 3-5 items with you if you wish. It is very costly to ship donations to Fiji after you have traveled (and we don’t encourage it), so we strongly recommend you bring any items you might like to contribute with you when you come.

Suggested Items for Schools:

• Sport Equipment - Soccer balls, rugby balls, volley balls, nets, ball pumps, cones, soccer shoes, rugby boots.
• Story books - Kindergarten and elementary level.
• Classroom Tools - Blackboard erasers, chalk, motivational stickers, 3x5 cards, any science equipment)
• Art Materials – Paints, paint brushes, glue, scissors, construction paper, white paper, scissors)
• Items for Individual Students - Backpacks, white collared shirts for use with school uniforms (elementary school age), shoes, pencils/pens, erasers, portable pencil sharpeners, folders.
• Teacher Resources - Phonics Cards, Phonics Activity Books.

Medical Donations are also greatly appreciated and are given to rural nursing stations and community nurses. Suggested items include: over-the-counter pain relievers, children’s Tylenol, band aids, anti-biotic ointment, hydrogen peroxide, gauze, first aid tape, ace bandages, slings, thermometers, medical gloves.

 

 

Frequently Asked Questions
Growing Within
The Fiji Islands

1 - What will the accommodation on this trip be like?
Students will spend the majority of this program at our Farm House Base as well as several nights with host families, one night camping and two nights at a hotel in the Nadi area.

Our Farm House Base is located about a 20 minute walk from the village itself and sits at a bend in the river with breathtaking views of the jagged mountain peaks that surround it.  The Farm House has several traditional style houses and approximately 4-6 students will sleep in each on a simple mattress on the floor.  There are flush toilets and a cold water shower at the Farm House and a big main house for meals and activities. While the Farm House provides upgraded amenities for our students while enabling an incredible immersion into the local culture and community here, accommodations are basic. There is no electricity and a mix of lanterns and generator power light the way at night.

For the home-stay portion of the program, students will stay in pairs or groups of three with each host family.  Homes are typically made of concrete or wood and tin and families provide a bed or a mattress on the floor. There are flush toilets located near to host family homes.  We have a small Base House in the village, known as The Village Bure, which is a focal point for our groups while they stay with host families. Students will eat all meals at the Village Bure and will spend time here with their group for activities and to share time with villagers. 

Students will spend one night in the middle of their program and their final night at a hotel in the Nadi area. Accommodation here will be in dorm-style rooms with shared facilities. Students will also spend one night camping.

2 - Will the students be drinking bottled water? 
Students will drink filtered water on this program. The water is run through special filters by our staff and it is available for students at all times at the Village Bure and Farm House. While in Nadi at the end of the program, the tap water is safe to drink.

3 - What kind of food will we be eating?
Students will eat a combination of local Fijian dishes and more western-style dishes prepared by cooks at the Farm House and Village Bure. Breakfasts typically include cold cereal or oatmeal, freshly baked buns and scones, and fruits. Lunches and dinners range from traditional Fijian feasts of cassava and dalo (root crops similar to potatoes), chicken and fish, to noodles and pastas, curries and stir-fry. Peanut butter and jelly are often found as are delicious Fijian pancakes, roti bread and local fruits. We can easily cater for vegetarians.

4 - How many girls and boys are usually on this trip?
On average, our programs in Fiji are 70% female and 30% male.

5 - How does this program connect to other programs?
All programs in Fiji connect easily together. On the final morning of each program, students will connect with the staff, arriving students and other connecting participants in the Nadi area for their next program.  Students can also easily connect this program with our programs in Australia and/or New Zealand. Students interested in combining programs in Fiji with a program in Australia or New Zealand should do the Fiji program first if possible.

6 - Will there be a flight leader to this country?
 A flight leader will accompany students on the group flight to Fiji from Los Angeles. Our program staff will greet students when they arrive at the Nadi Airport in Fiji. Students connecting to this program from Australia or New Zealand will not be escorted on their connecting flights between countries, but will be chaperoned for check-in and then met by our staff in Fiji on arrival.

7 - How long is the flight to this country?
Fiji is 10 hours by air from Los Angeles. Flights from Australia and New Zealand are about 4 hours.

8 - Do we need to get visas for this program?
A tourist visa will be issued on arrival in Fiji for US citizens. No prior arrangements are required for US Citizens.

9 - What immunizations do we need for this trip?
Rustic Pathways does not make recommendations regarding immunizations. We strongly suggest that you consult with a travel doctor or your family physician regarding immunizations before you travel. You can also find more information on the websites of the Center for Disease Control (www.cdc.gov) or World Health Organization (www.who.int).

10 - What costs are not included on this trip?
We recommend students bring about $100-$200 USD in spending money to cover any souvenirs, snacks, phone calls and internet they may wish to purchase. There are very few opportunities to purchase snacks or souvenirs on this program until the final day when the group is in the main tourist center of Nadi.

Students will also have the option to go Island Hopping or Sky Diving on the final day of this program at an additional cost. Sky diving ranges from $250-$500USD and parental permission is required. Island Hopping costs about $60USD and involves a half day boat trip to visit several small islands off the coast.  Students who may wish to participate in one of these optional activities should bring additional spending money with them to cover these activities.