Bula!

BULA! That means hello in Fijian! Actually it means a lot of things. You say that for hello, after someone sneezes, when something is good, and all kinds of stuff! But I am safe and here! It was CRAZY travelling day. Can I just say that I don't care for LAX?? That place is HUGE and I had to ask approximately 5 people how to get to the International Terminal... no one said anything about going outside to get there. Dang Califorians. ANYWAYS. That flight. SO LONG. But it was ok. I landed in Fiji around 5:30am and then had to wait about 2 hours and change for my hopper flight to the other side of the main island to Suva (the capital). I was in the smallest plane I've ever been in. We're talking outer propellers and everything.
We were only in the air for 15 minutes and a few minutes for take-off and landing. Then I got picked up by my Country Directors (Lucy and Brittany- they are super awesome girls) in a 'taxi'. Taxi's here are basically any kind of car and are typically driven by native Fijians or native Indians (there is a huge indian population here). Today was kind of cloudy and cooler than it's been. I dropped my stuff off at the house and went grocery shopping with Brittany and a girl on the team named Meghan. We went to the outdoor market- I needed about 15 more eyes to see everything! It was massive and different vendors everywhere. They don't have shopping carts or baskets, you either bring your own or you hire one of the wheel barrow boys- they are super nice and help you find the best produce from the best vendors. And he kept making sure our vegetables weren't crushing the eggs and things like that. The part of the Island I'm at is definitely city, but it's right on the coast. However, it's not the crystal clear blue ocean with white sandy beaches in this area (I hear that's more up north, hopefully I'll get up there one of these weekends!). Brittany then took me to get the best ice cream in town (I got orange with chocolate chips! YUM- reminded me of Lexy  and her fav Swiss Orange :)). Then she showed me around a few other places and we got me some basic groceries. Jaywalking is common, and you go as far in the street as you can until more cars come and you just wait there til there's an opening. Basically I thought I was going to die about 6 times. I'm not at the house for lunch and trying to find some energy to make it until about 6 or 7 when I can pass out. It's been a long day and it seems like I left Utah forever ago. I don't even remember what Jenny looks like. Oh well! Here's to Jet Lag! Love and miss you all already.

-Sarah