As I was sitting on my suitcase, stuffing in stray gloves and socks I realized I hadn’t packed for Fiji. Excited to break out some bathing suits I packed yet another bag to trek through airports, boats, islands. I’ve drank Fiji water and heard of the Pacific islands but never would I believe I’d be getting on a Fiji-bound plane, much less as a pit stop on my way to spend four months in New Zealand!
I was in a daze, even two days into our stay on the island of Naviti. I’ve never been one to vacation. Sure, I’ve traveled all around the world but vacationing means leisure, something my family was never too interested in. So waking up each morning with the entire day free to do whatever I pleased was a dream. I could lie in the hammocks reading Game of Thrones, I could kayak around the island, do some yoga in the grass with the little girl that lived on our resort, anything! Being somewhat deserted was such a treat. With no Wi-fi it was the perfect environment to meet everyone, being deprived of the very constant communication via social media that we’re so used to. It was nice to eat a meal or go snorkeling without pictures or videos going viral before you even finish enjoying it. I hope to soak in every second of my experience in Wellington, New Zealand, and anywhere else my wanderlust takes me these next few months without the distraction of wanting to immediately share it. Here’s some pictures of our stay in Fiji.
Shelby Torrese is a student at the University of Miami and a TEAN Featured Blogger. Shelby is currently studying abroad with TEAN in Wellington, New Zealand.
