I see my life differently because of Kids Sea Camp
I took a trip with my family to Kids Sea Camp at Beqa Lagoon Resort in Fiji, an island in the middle of the Pacific. My life has been pretty different since that amazing experience.
Before my trip to Fiji, I had no clue we were going to visit a village inhabited by what I would consider poverty-stricken families, and a school that didn’t have enough notebooks, pencils, or basic supplies for its children. I thought we were just going to be scuba diving, but meeting those children who did not have the most basic things I have in my life hit me hard.
I realized that what we view as problems in our society, not having a girlfriend, not being invited to that party, are drastically different than their problems, which are much more real and significant. They spend time worrying about where the next meal will come from, hoping for medical treatment when sick, and about getting through the jungle safely when walking to school. The experiences I had in Fiji made me realize how fortunate I am, and to appreciate the little things I never gave much thought to.
Fijians, smiling and singing
When I heard my dad, sister, and I were traveling to the Fijian Islands, I didn’t know exactly what to expect. Learning that the islands are in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, I pictured a chain of islands full of luscious jungles, lots of sunshine, and warm blue water. To say that my experience was so different from that picture would be an understatement. When we arrived at the boat to take us to our island, the rain was falling so hard it felt like pellets against my skin. Big waves didn’t help either, surf splashing onto our boat, soaking our clothes. Yet when we arrived on the island of Beqa, the locals and staff from the dive resort were smiling and singing; they helped us off the boat and gave out hot beverages.
Bula to everyone
Already, I was learning how friendly the Fijian people were. They taught me some basic words in the native language: “Bula,” meaning hello, and “Moce,” meaning goodbye. I thought at the beginning of the week that the weather was so important, but later I realized that the people of Fiji left the strongest mark.
While the diving was truly amazing and all the other kids at Sea Camp were awesome, getting to know the local inhabitants meant much more in the long run. Every day, we dove at least twice before returning to the resort for lunch. After that, we would usually play soccer or volleyball with the staff and villagers. When the locals came, I realized they were very different from us outwardly but much the same on the inside.
Villagers welcomed us with open arms
Some kids would show up in torn-up shirts and shorts with all kinds of stains that looked like they’d been there for weeks or months. After a couple of days, we started to get to know the staff and villagers better. Every day, we would walk to their villages, and they would smile, cheek to cheek, and welcome us with the traditional greeting of “Bula”.
Fijian poverty hit me very hard
It was the 4th day when we entered the village of Ravi Ravi in Fiji. Fijian poverty hit me very hard. I saw families with four or more children, as well as adults, living in huts and tiny shacks. To this day, that picture has never left my mind. Instead of being sad, I saw the villagers happy as can be, doing their hard daily work. I couldn’t even imagine living like that. Seeing them living with almost nothing and being as happy as they were made me realize how my everyday problems are nothing compared to theirs.
The next day, we visited a school, and that left the most lasting impression. Many of us brought donations and school supplies for the students. As we walked past the village and into the jungle, the trees grew larger, and the path grew more rugged and untamed. Finally, as we hiked up the last hill, the school came into view. Kids were playing on what was supposed to be their playground. The dirt playground consisted of a basketball hoop made from a wooden bucket and tree leaves, attached to a large tree branch, and two cardboard swings, also hanging from a tree.
The school
The schoolThe inside of the classrooms was also impactful. As we walked inside, I saw what kids use every day for school: notebooks, pencils, and markers. The big difference between ours was that each classroom just had a few pencils, notebooks, and markers, so three kids had to share one pencil, marker, and notebook. I had never thought of a lack of materials in schools. If we don’t have them, we simply go out and buy whatever we need. Those kids did not have this opportunity. I know the materials that Kids Sea Camp arranges for the school help them, but deep inside, I feel like we could have done so much more.
Still so good and happy
I feel like I changed for the better after my journey to Fiji with Kids Sea Camp to dive and learn about the Fijian people. I realize how many little things we have that others don’t. Those little things aren’t little at all to kids in Fiji and elsewhere around the world. I can’t even imagine waking up every day and walking 35 minutes through the jungle to go to school. I will never forget the kids at the school with no windows, no floors, and no books, yet still so good-natured and happy.
My takeaway from my trip is that the little things in life matter most, and that family is important. While diving with sharks was an amazing experience, my most lasting and important impression was to appreciate how fortunate I am, not to take basic things for granted, and to realize that I have a responsibility to reach out and help others who are less fortunate.
A meaningful vacation
I would like to thank my family, especially my father, for helping me see such a contrast in the world. And a special thanks to Tom, Margo Peyton, and Kids Sea Camp for creating such a meaningful vacation. I can’t wait to experience our next family adventure with KSC in the Philippines this summer.
By Liam Sallee, age 14
Liam, his sister Eliza, and their father, Skip, will be attending their 8th Kids Sea Camp week this year in the Philippines. Liam has almost 100 dives.