Our time in the village has come to an end. As we say goodbye to Navakawau, we’ve had a chance to celebrate with our new friends and reflect back on many amazing memories before we head to the city of Nadi for a final few days in Fiji.

This week we completed our service projects and students had a chance to dive deeper into a topic of interest to them through their independent projects. Some students learned more about weaving and coconuts, one learned to spearfish, another followed the process of making kava from beginning to end, two girls taught dance, one shadowed the village Peace Corps volunteer, and another documented her time in the village through photography.

On our last day in the village, we gathered at the school with village families for an all-day farewell celebration. (Shout out to Will, Nick, Ella, and Becky for performing a traditional meke dance with village students!) As part of the ceremony, students each shared a few words about the best parts of their time in the village, which we’ll share here:

These past few weeks have been such an amazing, life-changing experience. I remember driving up the road to the school on the first day and seeing so many smiling faces. I have loved having countless dance parties and going down to the beach for bonfires. I will never forget Navakawau.  — Aliya

Over the past few weeks I have had a lot of amazing moments, but the most amazing one was enjoying the bonfires with all the village kids and being able to see the Milky Way for the first time.  — Nick

My favorite thing about Navakawau is the feeling of love that is expressed through each person. Everywhere I go I’m greeted by a smiling face. By being here, I have learned what it really means to feel fulfilled. I will truly miss the love that wafts through the air in Navakawau.  — Maya

For me, the most memorable thing about Navakawau was how the language barrier did not affect my ability to make amazing friendships with kids of all ages.  — Julia

In these two weeks in Navakawau, I had many memorable moments, but the best ones are from nights of dancing. Whenever I hear the song “Shake Your Bum Bum” I’ll think of Fiji.  —Graham

My time in Navakawau has been one of the most fulfilling experiences in my life. One of my fondest memories was when I first arrived in the village. I was greeted by swarms of children who were excited to play and have fun with me. I will never forget the abundance of love I have received the past two weeks. I wish I could never leave.  — Becky

Being in Fiji has been amazing every day, but my favorite thing about Navakawau is the hospitality from each and every villager. I loved the variety of food we tasted and the interactions we had with everyone.  — Amy

Starting off walking alone and ending up with a heard of smiling kids is my favorite part of being in Navakawau. I also love how every person is down for an impromptu dance party.  — Ella

To me, the thing that stood out the most about the village was the incredible hospitality that the villagers showed me and my peers. Whether it was just saying hello when passing by on the street, or allowing us to eat a meal in their home, the hospitality and kindness of the villagers is truly something to marvel at!  — Will