Guide to taking every opportunity

When starting uni, I didn't think I would get the opportunities that I did. Most significantly, I didn't think I would get the opportunity to volunteer in Fiji. I wouldn't have even know about the opportunity if I didn't go the Global Careers fair. 

It was all a coincidence that I even went to the fair in the first place because uni sends 10000+ emails and 99% of them are spam - they really need to sort that out.

But anyways, one day I saw a global opportunities fair email and I thought this looks interesting. So I decided to go. 

When going to this fair, I saw so many different options for global opportunities. I have always wanted to travel but I have always not had money. So the fact that uni was advertising these experiences with funding, just seemed fantastic.

As I saw the stall for ThinkPacific (a non-profit organisation working with the Fijian Government), my eyebrows raised and my eyes started to sparkle. But then my stomach dropped... It was kind of like I fell in love and fell into panic at the sheer thought of me taking on this opportunity. 

After noting down the information and deep diving through Think Pacific's website, I was even more enamoured at the thought of doing it. But also, more petrified. 

For the duration of like 3 months, I was playing mental ping pong at the thought of going. Until one day, my best friend convinced me/forced me to pay the booking fee. So there was no turning back from this moment.

I tried not to think about it up until a few days before I flew. Even when I was buying things for Fiji, I just kept on telling myself 'I just need a massive backpack for no reason at all' and 'I need water purification tablets just coz'. I really tried to downplay it in my head so I didn't have a panic attack.

Cuts to - I am on the plane - I am shitting myself! Partially because I'm a bad flyer, but mostly because I am flying to the other side of the planet to live in a rural village with no cell service for a whole month with people I don't know. 

When I arrived in Fiji, I was greeted with the cutest thing ever. There was a band playing beautiful music. I think it was beautiful, I actually couldn't hear shit because my ears popped on the plane. Regardless, it felt beautiful. Hello Fiji! 

I was so nervous about meeting the other volunteers because I had so much self doubt. Even though I have always been an extravert, I was socially clumsy/awkward too. Not joking, before this experience, I would relive every social interaction before bed and cringe. So I was really nervous about socialising with everyone. 

However, when I met all the volunteers, they were so like minded. Everyone felt the same. Everyone was nervous. Everyone was terrified. But mostly, everyone was so excited to go to the village. So this made everyone bond so quickly. 

Don't get me wrong there were struggles in this experience. It was hard. It was scary. But it was without a doubt, the best thing I have done with my life this far. 

I could talk/write for hours about how much this experience meant to me. However, I'll save you the time and save me the tears. It was great and it taught me so much about the world. But on a personal note, it taught me so much about myself. It made me realise who I was and every doubt I had about my personality, simply vanished. And it gave me such a profound appreciation for the people, experiences and memories in my life. 

So moral of the story, if you get an opportunity like 'My Fiji story' please take it!🫶✨