Day 5- coral watch and transecting plus impromptu visit to Natewa School

 We started the day off with scrambled eggs, buttered toast, and the best juice I think I’ve ever had… Tang. Tang is a powdered drink served at mealtime and something I’ve grown to love. After breakfast, Matteo, Dylan and I played Uno in the Valle Levue, the village’s community area where we enjoy spending time together as a group. We spent the time before our first dive preparing for Mailē’s 18th birthday by making head lei and friendship bracelets.  Next, we went on our morning dive with the goal of learning how to survey the reef with an audio visual transect. To do this, we used video cameras to record a specific area while others set out measuring tape along the coral.  After the dive, we were fortunate to visit the local school in the next village over where most of our homestay brothers and sisters had been attending all week. We were greeted by the school administrator who attentively answered our questions.  The school is very small with only 78 students in attendance and the curriculum is taught in English. After the Q&A with the school administrator, we were set in front of a class of nervous Fijian students, who shyly asked us, “Where are you from?”  We shared a little about our own school and our background. 

Shorty after leaving the school we hopped on the boat for our second dive on which we completed a Coral Watch survey where we were collecting data to study coral bleaching over time. 

Tonight for dinner our village mom’s prepared a very special surprise for the birthday- a cassava and coconut cake made from scratch.  We had amazing BBQ feast that was made with so much care. 

Today was a great day. One of many. This has put many things in perspective. Of what you need to be happy. Our lovely host Star explained of generally how much money the women and men make in the village by running with their small businesses and working on the local farm. Which is not much. But when you live with these people it is apparent that the items or money in their life is not what makes them happy. They are happy with who they are surrounded with. Every morning you hear laughter from the two children I live with or my new village mom. That they are not  upset about what they don’t have or upset about what they do have. They are happy with who they are with.    Holden 

Happy Birthday, Maile!!!!

Afternoon shell collecting!

Sea cucumber that mimics a "scrambled egg" nudibranch

Charlotte's operculum collection

Eat, dive, rest!

With Star's help we were able to make an impromptu visit to the local school!