Eleven hours, eight suitcases, and a whole lot of ocean later, my family arrived at Nadi International Airport. I jumped up and down with excitement as they made their way past security, cranky and jet-lagged but having successfully smuggled in blocks of cheese. Now, that is love…

After packing and unpacking suitcases in the middle of the airport, (we left most of them in storage) my mom occasionally holding something up and saying with a huge smile, “I brought you this, or I brought you that”. My dad asking over and over, “Has anyone seen my blue shorts, hey have you seen my blue shorts? Blue shorts?” My sisters annoyed and jet-lagged and rolling their eyes… It felt so familiar and loud and chaotic and I couldn’t help but smile and think, yes. Finally, mi familia had arrived.

We got on the minibus I hired (complete with plastic seat coverings, cheesy dashboard décor and Lucky Dube blasting on the radio) and headed towards our adventure. Here are some highlights:

Visiting Aji in Saweni

Eating coconuts at Nananu I Ra, and swimming in the ocean at sunrise

Telefunken and girly drinks at The Pearl

Getting pulled over by LTA

Mana Island…Taco’s birthday, massages on the beach, crystal clear water, banana boat rides, lounging by the infinity pool, gorgeous sunsets and ridiculously expensive food

Visiting my Fijian family, taking turns holding the fat squishy baby and jam sessions with the kids (nobody wanna see us together cuz like like you)

Cold lovo at my counterparts house

Meke dancing and grog drinking at Vivili village

Daddy’s happy feet

Taveuni trip with Taco & Case…

Rastafarian captain on the dinky blue boat, beachfront cottage at coconut grove, Raj. Coastal Hiking at Lavena, swimming under waterfalls, garlic shrimp, and tripod at Tovutovu.

And so they came and they went, but they are here, both tangibly and intangibly. They are out in the hammock that now hangs out on my porch, and in my home that no longer smells of mildew, but of febreeze and candles, they are here in Savusavu and in all the places we explored together. They were here when I had quinoa for dinner last night, they’ll be here every time I have cold lovo…

I think that of all the people in the world, they alone could acknowledge exactly what I’m trying to create here. They alone know me to my core and know the things I’ve set out to accomplish from the beginning. And now that they’ve been here they alone can truly understand all that I am becoming.

Familia- I feel so blessed that I was able to share this experience with you…that you were able to see my projects, my life, in this, my new home. And although- as you were able to experience- Fiji does have ways to (literally) get under your skin, I hope that you’ve found a little more peace, knowing and seeing that I am doing just fine. Vinaka vaka levu familia, for everything. For hauling all those suitcases and bringing me things that make me happy and a little more comfortable, for crossing an entire ocean to get to me on your vacation, and for all those incredible memories to add on to our book of journeys.

Y pa’ los que todavia no llegaron... (Chulin, Mario, Nat y Luke…hint hint)

I’ll be waiting always con brazos abiertos…