Above: Panoramic of Natadola Beach
Right: Sunset at the Hotel
Below: A few of us in the Ocean

















Right: Sunset in Suva, at the Hostel















Right: A horse at Natadola Beach
















Left: Me at Natadola Beach







So, Fiji is still awesome. We began classes yesterday (Monday), which really consists of us hanging out in the Bure and having guest lecturers coming in to speak with us. Some are really cool, and others are boring. It doesn't really matter too much, because I can look out the open door and see palm trees and feel a nice, Fijian breeze come in off the ocean. It has been a week since we arrived now, and we are all feeling it. Most of us are sick on some level due to drastic changes in diet and our full and hectic schedule, so I hope that we all feel better soon.

We are now living in Suva, the largest sity between LA and Aucklund, New Zealand. It is about 200,000 people, and it is of course right on the coast. The University of the South Pacific is here, and is where we have "class." Much of the learning in our program is experiential, meaning we go on lots of excursions to see what it means to live in Fiji. It is really kind of fun to tell people we are from the States, and that we are living here. The respect is much higher toward us when people know that we aren't just tourists, especially if we say "bula" to say hello and "vinaka" for thank you. Each day feels a little more like I live in Fiji, and that I am not on vacation. It is nice to be in the hostel instead of the resort, because it feels more real and genuine. Also, we have a 79 year-old woman who lives at the hostel named Auntie Amy who cooks us breakfast and dinner every day. She is adorable, but gets bit by the dog a lot. We all feel sad for her. The campus is absolutely amazinginly beautiful. There are palm trees, huge canopies of rain trees, and flowers everywhere. Campus winds up and down hills, so it is VERY confusing.

Yesterday, I went shopping downtown. I bought a new cell phone for $30 that works internationally. If you want my phone number, incoming texts are free and calls are free for me if they are incoming. Just let me know. I also bought a new "bula" shirt, which is a shirt covered in flowers. Many Americans know them as Hawaiian shirts- same thing. When we go out clubbing for class on Friday, I'm definitely wearing it. Speaking of which, remember how I said class was experiential? Well, our instructors take us to the cool local clubs in town on Friday night. This is part of class. Everyone should study abroad through SIT in Fiji.

Anyway, all is good. Shoot me a message, and I will get back to you as soon as I can!

Bula!
Austin