On the road(hopefully!)

Bula and welcome to Fiji...well almost. I am currently stranded in northern Minnesota waiting for this blizzard to pass so I can go on a family vacation to Arizona. I figured that it would be a good time to start my blog! I’ll start with my families last vacation of 2009/first vacation of 2010. But first some information about Fiji. So you may be wondering why would a girl from the Midwest want to go halfway across the world to a developing island country? Well, it is because she is innately intrigued by different cultures and places. I hope in the four and a half months that I am in Fiji I learn a little about myself, another culture, and the world as a whole. You now may wonder so Fiji, okay I’ve heard of that, beaches, sun, and Tom Hanks in Cast Away right? Well, the truth is Fiji is all of that but I think that living there will be much different. Fiji consists of 333 islands that cover 7,095 square miles. There are around 800,000 people in Fiji, they are 50% indigenous Fijians, 47% Indo-Fijians and Europeans, and 3% Chinese and other South Pacific Islanders. So as you can tell I will most definitely be in the minority there! They use the Fijian dollar which I will post some pictures of soon. So now that you know a little about Fiji how about more about why I'm actually going? I'm going to study at the University of the South Pacific in the capital city of Suva where I will be studying history and government. I have always wanted to study abroad but I never knew quite where I wanted to go. So when Australearn the company that I am going with had some representatives at Augustana(my home college, Go Vikings!) and I saw Fiji I thought well what place would be better to spend a semester than Fiji! I looked into it more and realized the country is not just beaches and sun but has a rich culture and history, not to mention an amazing landscape that I cant wait to discover. So about a year ago I embarked on this great journey. I began talking to people about it, convincing my parents that it is a good idea (yes mom and dad it is a good idea!), and getting the things togeather that I needed to apply. Then I applied and waited. The about a two weeks later I got a message on my phone that said I had been accepted! I was so excited! Then reality set in I had a to do list longer than I thought was possible. I thought I'm just going to be gone for a few months how much stuff could I have to do. Well, its a lot more than you think. I tackled that list and now have everything done after hours of work. So now I just wait some more for the fateful day in just a little over a month when I leave for the island nation that I will call my home for four and a half months. So for now thats all I have hopefully by the time this gets posted I will have left for Arizona for a few days!
Vinaka(thank you) for reading. Be back soon!