Modest Beginnings: My First Weeks Living on Ono Island

In the last 13 days, I’ve managed to swim with manta rays and sharks, see a traditional Fijian war dance, drink kava, spearfish, snorkel on the world’s 4th largest reef, and meet people from Brazil/Slovenia/New Zealand/Aussie/India/Fiji. And ending every night in this one modest bedroom and office–6ft by 8ft. I can remember complaining about the quality of my chair at the office in McKinney and now I only have two wooden boxes to sit on. I remember complaining about the Internet connection being “slow” and now I sometimes go for days without the damn thing. But two things are certain. One–I am safe. Two–I am happy. When I sit and have breakfast, lunch, and dinner 20 ft from the steady waves of the Pacific Ocean, I think to myself…”I could get used to this.”

My first few days were a whirlwind of activities with guests, locals and the resort owners. Moving scuba tanks back and forth, riding in boats to the village or the reef–it was all a bit much for just getting here. Then on Saturday, Jason (The resort owner) and I flew 30 minutes to the capital city of Suva. He had to talk with a lawyer about a trademark situation and I had to get my work visa. Luckily, his father’s cousin works in the immigration office.  He advised us on the proper procedures to get a work visa so it was not as hard as I thought it was going to be.

We returned to the resort on Tuesday night and have had a bit of a break since then. Fewer guests and not as many activities. I’ve been helping to fix a fiberglass boat with the resort foreman and also working on the Resort’s website. Tomorrow night the guests will visit the neighboring village, but I will stay behind to prepare the earth oven to cook our dinner. The last two nights, the sky has been so clear that I could see the milky way. My photo doesn’t give it justice!

Sorry Erin, but I already cut my hair!