Fiji
The island country of Fiji is located in Melanesia in the South Pacific Ocean. This archipelago country consists of more than 330 islands and more than 500 islets. Only approximately 110 islands are inhabited by people all the time, while the others either sit desolate or see a visitor or two on occasion. Most of the islands in Fiji were created when volcanoes were erupting about 150 million years ago. The two islands that are the most important, because they cover about three-quarters of the land in the country, are Viti Levu and Vanua Levu.
The weather in Fiji is warm all year round with cooler temperatures averaging seventy-two degrees Fahrenheit from May to October and warmer temperatures arriving between November and April. Rain normally falls during the warmer season, especially the farther inland a person gets.
The culture in Fiji is a mixture of indigenous Fijian, Indo-Fijian, Asian, and European, and while their culture has been evolving for the last century, they are still able to focus on culture during their everyday lives.
Interesting and Unique Facts about Fiji:
· Every time a person sees someone in Fiji, they exclaim BULA!, which means hello
· For 96 years, Fiji was a British colony – they gained their independence in 1970
· There are three languages spoken on the islands – English, Hindustani, and Fijian (there are more than 200 different dialects for Fijian)
· The national drink is Kava or Yaqona – this drink is made from powdered root of a plant from the pepper family and mixed with water in a bowl
· Locals participate in Kava ceremonies which have their own rituals
· The national sport is rugby
· Most villages in the country are self-sustaining
· Only village chiefs can wear hats and sunglasses
· Everyone must remove their shoes before entering a home or other building
· Extended families living together is common – their culture doesn’t believe that elders should live alone
· The International Date Line goes through the island of Taveuni – a person can stand with one foot in one day and their other foot in the day before
· Instead of saying yes, many locals will just raise their eyebrows
Many people visit Fiji to go island hopping as they are mostly quite close together and people can experience different things on each one. While island hopping, some people decide to visit some of the inhabited islands, which is definitely a different experience from the ones that are filled with people and activities.
