Tommy Yu

I was flipping through the yearbook reading all the grad comments when I suddenly realized how in the moment they really were. They were written several months ago, yet the yearbooks were distributed only a week ago. Ten years from now, is what we read in the yearbooks really representative of us as a person and whole? Or is it representative of us at this stage in our lives? Thinking about this, I finally realized that looking back, things are always different from what we thought of them at first.

I was browsing online when I stumbled on Shakespeare’s play As You Like It. Reading about the seven stages of man, I came to the conclusion that as humans, we’re constantly changing whether physically or mentally. Our thought process warps with new experiences and emotions, and past memories will influence us in different ways.

Even now I feel that my Fijian experience has influenced me in different ways, and still does to this day. I know that my memories will continue to influence me regardless of what stage of life I’m in. Memories are everlasting, but how we decipher and allow them to influence us will change with time. Thus, Fijians, be sure to continue to cherish our Fijian experience. Botswanains, make sure you make your trip memorable and worthwhile. No regrets.

It’s now May 31st, the last day of the month. I guess normal students would see this as any other day, but most IB students and I see it as the end of our struggle. Since grade 11 last year we’ve been dreading the notorious IB exams, and particularly May 2011 in general. But now that it’s over, I was a bit surprised to find that I wasn’t feeling any lighter or less stressed. In fact, contrarily I feel even more anxious. It’s basically June, and with just under a month of school left comes summer, the end of high school, and our going separate ways. At the assembly the other day Mr. Partridge said this was an exciting time of day, and I see what he meant now. It’s the final stretch.

Looking back at last year and comparing it to this year, I’ve come a long way both in character and habit. My character has changed a bit, and my values even more so. Talking to the Boswanians and seeing them run around trying to fulfill their scratchcard or meat sale quotas has been fascinating, and has certainly brought back memories of us this time last year. We’ve certainly come a long way.

Taking a break from reviewing Hitler’s burning of the Reichstag or Deng’s SEZs, I looked up and stared at the calendar for a good couple of minutes. What was most shocking to me was how time has flown by. I still can’t believe that it’s almost two months since we’ve left for Fiji, and we only have just over a month of school left. 12 years of education with 2 being in IB, is coming to an end. And then what? More school, but all in the preparation of what lies after that. The inevitable and incessant passage of time can be a little scary.

I was also reading some of the Grade 11′s blogs and had a couple thoughts. First off, remember to put dates next to your blog titles! But secondly and more importantly, I actually felt a pang of nostalgia. This time last year the Mongolian IB’ers were studying their butts off for their IB exams, while we Fijians were stressing out about how to carry out the fundraisers. Then it hit me, it’s already been a year since we were in that spot that the Botswanians are in now. Now we Fijian IB’ers are cramming last-minute studying, and the Botswanians are conducting their fundraisers. Time gone by is gone, but what I can still do is to cherish the memories of that time and to make the most out of what time I have left.

Botswanians, keep up the good work!! Don’t be discouraged by low response from people during bottle collecting or scratchcards collecting! Remember, enthusiasm spreads. When I was first discouraged, I started thinking about what a tough job telemarketers have, everyday getting hung up on or yelled at. Stay optimistic, and things will turn out great!!

And fellow Fijians, lets cherish what time we have left in school. Even though it is inevitable that we will go our separate ways after, that memory of the five foot poop hole etched forever in our minds, uniting us wherever we go. And IB’ers, keep it up!!! Only two weeks left until freedom tainted with preparation for provincials!

It’s almost been a month since out departure from YVR for Fiji in March. Since coming back, it’s been pretty interesting to see not only my fellow classmates’ reactions, but also non-Global people’s reactions to our stories and pictures. Almost immediately after we got back, we’ve been thrust back into the school system- exam preparation and a final run for marks. I found it pretty intense to once again feel the thrill of academic learning after experiencing the exhilaration of non-classroom learning.

It’s been a lot to think about since coming back from Fiji. I’ve had random thoughts pop up randomly, ranging from ideas about the value and purpose of education to the different ways we can live out lives. One random thought that has crossed my mind has been how much of an impact we really have made in Fiji. True that we have built a storm shelter that the villagers can seek shelter in now, but was that all we could have done? I was just reading up on the Alliance for Progress program Kennedy introduced, and was simply surprised at the similarity between the Peace Corp program and Global Perspective. Then I realized, maybe the real change that we made wasn’t necessarily for the villagers- the building we constructed and the holes we dug may not be the only positive change we have brought. That may just be the physical proof, but buildings can be torn and built. A more long-lasting source of change lies elsewhere. The real and more potential change was in ourselves- 28 students armed with new insights and an unforgettable experience etched in our minds. Only aged 17 and 18 right now, we have only 2 more months of school before moving into the world and creating our own waves of change.

When I woke up this morning, I sat in bed looking at the ceiling, suddenly realizing that today was the last work day. The very thing we had been working towards since April last year, the fruit of our relentless bottle drives and tireless fundraisers and scratchcards, the community center we are building in Fiji is very nearing completion. Today was the last work day, the very last opportunity for us to make that final push and finish what we had only had five days to work on ourselves but what had been on the top of all our minds since joining the program.

In reflection, the five days spent working on the building has been a long journey. From the wooden frame that housed us during the Opening Ceremony to the yellow and pink house I am looking now as I type, we have come a long way. From digging the toilet hole to painting on the scaffolding, every bead of sweat had been worth it. Not only has it been an immense learning experience for all of us, but it has also been a life changing experience witnessing all the sights and sounds that define Fiji. Today may be the longest day in that it will be difficult throughout the day to tell ourselves that we will be leaving. Even though we will come back tomorrow for the Closing Ceremony, it will be difficult to leave today.

Something that has been on my mind the past few days, was the amazement at the level of resilience and mental toughness the local Fijians demonstrate. Children can walk 5 kilometers or more just for school having to go both ways; the contractor workers can work so many extra hours at such low wages just to prepare the work-site for us when we arrive; the villagers can brave so many storms and have their houses blown away and yet stay so strong and united. This work week has been a very interesting and moving experience, and has made me realize many things. From the numerous epitomes to bonding with my fellow classmates and local workers, every bead of sweat and hours laying in exhaustion on the bus ride has definitely been very worth it.

Something different- Meat

After two days of intense working also known as dehydrating and covering ourselves in dirt and paint, we took a break on Sunday. To be honest it’s really not that bad, but that we’ve just been hard at work. The Fijian workers also had a break that day, and we went on an adventure. First thing in the morning, we watched a vividly real goat butchering. I call it a butchering because that was what it was, not a mindless killing or grotesque mutilation. The first thing that I noticed about the process was the level of respect and skill for the goat. The Fijian butchers were very mechanical and practised from decapitating to skinning the entire goat. We later found out that not only was the entire killing of the goat very humane and quick, but that almost the entire goat would be used. The skin could be used as drum skin, the meat for food, and the tendons for rope. The entire process of killing the goat was rather vivid with crimson blood during the initial slit, but later it became very dry and clean. I watched the entire process even up to skinning the head. At that time I randomly observed a chicken and the dog came by, sniffed and pecked around, and went away with a sliver of goat meat in their mouth. What I interpreted from this was that these animals, oblivious to the fact that what they just snacked on was a piece from a fellow animal that had just been killed, were just continuing on with life as usual. It could very well be their turn to be killed the next day for food or some other utility, but still they kept going on with life.

After the goat sacrifice we went on a hike. We attended the Ceremony of Colors. It was a festival where villagers go from house to house, and celebrate with song, food,  and dance. I was a bit critical of it in comparisons to my classmates, but I enjoyed it all the same. One of the first things I noticed about the festival was that only men and boys sat around the mat singing and eating. All the women and girls were standing off to the side watching. However later when they men started dumping powder on our faces and watered down paint down our backs, even the women came out had fun. I interpreted this as that it was a traditional and religious thing for the gender roles. However with changing times and western influence, women were gaining more and more freedoms and being integrated into the before-men dominated activities.

The past few days have flown by so fast yet they have been so rich and full of unforgettable experiences. It is remarkable how even the first work day we were able to start painting the base coat, and by the second day finish the hole and put up the slidings. This is all due to not only our team’s efforts and the local Fijian’s enthusiastic help, but also to the solid foundation laid out for us prior to our arrival.

At the work site we had several jobs- kitchen duty, assisting the dentists, gathering rocks, digging the hole, and working on the structure. While gathering rocks may seem to be a mundane task, it was actually extremely interesting. We went off to a stream and brought back rocks on two wheelbarrows. Yesterday our group even sat down for a little break to enjoy the serene scenery. With the water rolling on the rocks, the wind blowing sofly by, and the vllage boys crying in delight at finding things under the rocks, I for those ten minutes forgot entirely about the stress of coming back to IB exams and carrying on with life, it was just too breath-taking.

The hole was another task seemed mundame and simple at first, but turned out to be one of the most improtant things that has happened so far. The hole was a task that brought us all together. Sure we could work in the structure all at the same time, but we wouldn’t be as centered on the same thing as we were with the hole. Digging on the hole, the challenge of completing it became an obsession for all of us. With relentless motivations from each other, digging the hole was something that brought us all together, the epitome of our team spirit.

Village of Wavuwavu

Our trek from YVR has brought us to LAX to Nadi and finally to the village of Wavuwavu. To be honest I don’t feel that the voyage here took 40 something hours. In reality, it’s been going on since April last year. We’ve traveled so far for so long, and this was only yet another segment. The trip so far has allowed us to bond together even more and especially more with the teachers. Upon arriving at the Nadi airport, I was genuinely surprised at the level of commercialism here. My first steps into the terminal and customs building was a greeting consisting of a blast of air conditioning in stark contrast to the humid warmth outside, and the high-end advertisements lining the hallway. It was a little overwhelming with the television advertisements blasting us with stereotyped images of beach activities- parachuting and riding on yachts for example. I was further amazed by the big ad of Vodafone- “The only provider of 3G in Fiji.” I interpreted this advertisement to underscore the high level of corporate power and division of wealth in Fiji. In Canada there are numerous celluar providers offering 3G service. Here in Fiji, as the “only provider” Vodafone enjoyed no competition as it controlled the level of technology and part of the division of wealth. Also, the shops lining the walls consisted of duty-free stores selling high end products such as Chanel perfumes and Fiji water at high prices. It was obviously directed at tourists, making it almost as if the Fijian economy was based on making money off of tourism supplemented by the control of corporations.

Upon entering the city of Labasa I noticed again the extreme division of wealth. Nadi airport had so many advertisements while the Labasa airport consisted simply of a moderately small building. Instead of motorized luggage carriers, the luggage was carried by muscle, carried by the Fijians on hand-moved carts. The bus ride into Labasa also highlighted the stark contrast not only between the Fijians, but also between the religions. Again there were run-down shacks Fijians would have called homes, and modest little buildings called stores. But there was also a noticeable division between Fijians who were Christian and Muslim. People of both religions walked the streets but the difference was noted by the difference in clothing. There could be a Christian church on one side of the road, but the Muslim mosque would be far away. Yet it is interesting how people of these two religions could coexist and live together.

The opening ceremony also revealed a lot about the living conditions in Fiji. The most I observed was the division in race this time. The indigenous Fijians from the next village and the Indian Fijians collaborated for the opening ceremony, but there was a noticeable division between the two groups. The indigenous Fijians would sit together by one side of the tent, while the Indian Fijians sat to another side. There was minimal mingling, and it was just very interesting to note how these two groups, both of the same race, could be so divided. I later talked to the Fijian who hosted the Opening Cerenomy. It might have been just me, but I thought that the division between the two groups was also present in the way the man talked. He referred to the Indigenous Fijians as “they” and commented that they didn’t understand english because Fijian education was poor.

So far the trip to Fiji was been very rewarding. It is very interesting to see the vast difference in culture and in social conditions. To be honest, I later felt a little guilty about living in such a relatively high-end hotel with luxusires as air conditioning and television, after seeing such poverty and harsher living conditions. On the other hand, it is such an amazing opportunity for us to come to Fiji and actually make physical change. From the images of the cities, airports, and the Fijian’s vividly colored clothing etched in my mind, to the taste and smell of the traditional Fijian food at the ceremony to the sounds of Fijian music in drums beating and traditional singing, this trip will be unforgettable.

On the brink of embarking on the voyage to Fiji in quest of finding a deeper self, here I sit typing away. It’s currently 04:33 with the meeting time at the airport for 05:30. I think i’m just going to grab a quick breakfast, triple check I have everything, and then head out.

It’s taken a long time to get to this moment, almost an entire year. From our joining the program in April through the basketball games and bottle drives to now, we have come a long way. The very thing we have been working for all year- the trip to Fiji- is right in front of our eyes, and yet I feel that it’s not the start or beginning of our voyage, but the beginning of the ending. The trip will encapsulate all the sweat and tears, all the efforts and teamwork that has gone into the program. Let’s just hope the weather’s great.

With the number of days until our departure in the single digits, it’s pretty exhilarating how fast time passes. Personally I can’t believe it’s already 2011, let alone March. But what I’ve been thinking about recently was on how we as a group are going to respond to Fiji. Will we work well together under the relentless pressure? Will we crack and get angry with one another? From a recent Global class we had I’ve been thinking about the metaphor of a building for a team. There will always be group demolition, renovation, and maintenance. Is it true that we will have to suffer pressure and turn in on one another before the group can improve as a whole? Contrary to popular belief that everything can be worked out, I think that we will have arguments. People will get mad at each other not because we’re doing something wrong, but because we each care so much. We as a group will have to constantly be under renovation adapting to changes, and undergo maintenance constantly breaking and repairing. But as the title of this blog suggests, I think that we as a group will emerge as a house undivided. We may undergo divisions and cracks, but through renovation and maintenance we will come through at the end of the two weeks, and look back thinking how foolish we were to let ourselves be divided at all.