Location: Navatu, Vanua Levu, Fiji
This morning, we woke up and headed to shore in Savusavu, Fiji. Some students made it to a local rugby game, while others tested out the nearby natural hot springs by boiling some eggs in them, and others sat and enjoyed some food at the marina restaurant. Most of us walked through town, going into random shops. The highlight of town today was the market. There were buses and taxis of people pouring in with goods to sell, mostly fresh vegetables and herbs, and it was amazingly colorful. After lunch, Argo and crew headed out of Savusavu. While underway, we had an MTE class and learned all about VHF radios, which is how we communicate with other boats while at sea. After a few hours of motoring, we arrived at Navatu, where we would spend the next three days. Everyone is very excited about our current location, which is in yet another beautiful bay, surrounded by lush trees and a small village without even any lights. This is an area that tourists rarely visit, and our arrival has caused some excitement. We had two boats full of children and parents circle by the boat, all smiling and waving and yelling bula!, which is hello in Fijian. I think that moment was my favorite of the day and a very good indicator of the days to come. After dinner, the students took their OCE midterm, and we enjoyed an amazing light show courtesy of a distant lightning storm. After a busy and swelly passage to Fiji, I think we are all very excited to stay put, explore the island with some local Fijians, and chill out on island time for a couple of days. Lots of love to my parents, grandparents, and friends keeping tabs on me 🙂