I set out on this study abroad program in order to explore a different, oftentimes under-represented country, and just get to know people from other walks of life. It was really important for me to experience a vastly different culture than my own to prepare me for a future career working with people unlike me. It led me to experience a cross-cultural connection with many students at the University of the South Pacific and allowed me to be more independent and self-sufficient being away from my usual support system. This was a truly rewarding experience to be able to travel outside of my country and see the ways that other people live and exist in the world, and it broadened my perspective on what it means to be part of a community.

Being in a space where I didn’t know the language, made me desire to learn it even more and communicate with my new Fijian friends in their native tongue. They taught me any word that I asked for and even gave me an example of how it’s used in context. That helped me feel much closer and connected to them than if I had not attempted to learn at least a bit of this new language. I learned many things about Fijian culture, especially in researching topics for my essay, but one of the most notable things I learned from the students on my program is the importance of community and family. In the United States, family is important to a lot of us, but our culture overall is much more individualistic than Fijian culture. I heard many personal anecdotes from the Fijian students on how cultivating a community can get you through some of the toughest aspects of your life and I think it’s a perfectly timed and much needed lesson for me to take away from my abroad experience.

In applying to my study abroad program, rumor has it that Americans are loathed abroad. I assumed when I got to Fiji, the locals and the Fijian students I was studying with would be closed off, not want to get to know us, and just merely tolerate our existence and while that may be true in some countries, I was welcomed with open arms in Fiji. People actually sought to understand the American experience and were shocked to discover that it was unlike the movies. It was surprising to me that I felt more welcome in Fiji than in most places I’ve visited in America.

Other students probably can relate to feeling nervous about not feeling accepted in another country like I was, especially if they’re a minority. As a black woman, being accepted and well respected in another country is what gave me the most anxiety about studying abroad but I did a lot of research into my host country and their views on Black Americans and decided that this was the safest program for me and it just happened to align with my interests, being survivor themed. Throughout my time, I felt incredibly safe exploring on the island and mingling with the locals in the village, as well as very supported by my Fijian peers. They showed such kindness and hospitality that drastically improved my experience abroad, and I’m forever grateful to have made long lasting friendships and experienced Fiji with them.

• Name: Lauriel Ellis
• Status: Junior
• Major: Psychology
• Hometown: Redford, Michigan
• Program: Fiji: The Scholar Island