This month our Master TDM students continue their field research project in Fiji. Read more about their impressions of this beautiful place.

BULA! BULA! That’s the sound of Fiji. It means Hello, Goodbye, Welcome, Love and more. It also represents the welcoming Fijian culture, which always welcomes you with a smile.

Coming from Melbourne the Island surprises us with adventures every day. From mud trekking, snorkelling, diving, and meeting the locals to visiting the most beautiful beaches in the world and experiencing the local student live. All this requires a different mind-set.

But of course paradise has its dark sides: some of us won’t forget getting bitten by small local jungle creatures namely bed bugs or sharing a beer with a cockroach.

During the first week we were able to participate in different activities such as a hike in the local mountains and swimming under the waterfalls. Cutting our way through the jungle with machetes and getting to know the local way of living did not just entertain us but also our two “chiefs”.

Of course working on our assignments is a crucial part of this trip and in this way we appreciated the numerous meetings in the first week. Port Denerau or also called “plastic Fiji” showed us the touristic side of Fiji with 5 star resorts and the marina. Things here work in a different time: Fiji Time! This means taking live slow, change your mind-set in research and looking at things from a different perspective.

Next to working hard on our research assignments there is always time for short weekend trips. If it’s visiting Suva, taking a trip to a lonely Island or going on a tour around Fiji we all try to enjoy our time in paradise.

VINAKA VAKELEVU ( Thank you very much)