Perhaps the most striking thing about being in Fijian villages is not the poverty, not the simplicity, not the absence of modernity, but the absolute warmth and friendliness of each and every Fijian. Young and old, men and women, big or small, the Fijians exude warmth. The universal greeting of "Bula" is their hello but it implies much more than just a greeting; it conveys warm feelings and good wishes. That is just right off the bat before they have even met you. Walking through the villages, the Fijians peer out of their homes and always extend their greeting of Bula attached to their big, warm smiles. This is not the exception; it is the way.
How amazing it feels to be immersed in such a world of openness and warmth. It changes you (at least it changed me). I felt a melting away of my exterior, my wall. I was not alone in this feeling. Our whole team felt it and loved it! It did not at all feel artificial or forced or because we were visitors or because we might give them something. It felt only like real, genuine love and kindness. It's powerful and it is a better way to live.
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