“Bula” from Fiji
How a cyclone changed my view on life.
Fiji, where quality of life is not measured by the amount of coins in your pocket, the label of cloth on your back, or the title in front of your name. But measured by the length of your smile, the bond between you and your neighbor, and the amount of “Bulas” (hello’s) you can say in a day.
As I swam neck high through the rapid waters of the cyclone I was touched and astounded by the extent of the help these Fijians offered us. Cyclone Daphne destroyed a large part of the country, flooding homes and villages all over. Even then these people still offered to drive us to a nearby village as we attempted to make our way to the airport, stopping every now and then to place rocks in the potholes of the street as the rain continued to beat down on us. The village we came across was as far as we could go, the rest of the area just looked like an endless dark brown lake. We found a hostel atop a hill where the rain had not yet reached. We slept there for the night in damp beds, no electricity, and no plumbing.
The cyclone had been going on for days- this meant that no food or water shipments could be made, and with the lack of electricity food could not be preserved anyways. Yet these hospitable Fijians still offered the entire rugby team what they did have. That morning we each drank a beer and ate a slice of bread. A rescue team ended up coming for us with a couple of small boats and a bunch of floatation vests. They put our bags on the boats and we created a human chain as we swam across the dirty flooded area to the other side. It was absolutely disgusting, the indescribable things I felt touch my legs and body that I could not see- I will never want to know. But these Fijians only continued to smile and laugh as they put our lives and safety before their own. And it was on the other side they had a van ready to take us to the airport.
There is no doubt that these people truly have their priorities set straight. They know what is important in life; and it is with this thought I realized how petty my desires really are.
Their success is valued through love, friendship, and good times. In the U.S. we climb to “success’’ through money and power. These Fijians, as a people, a culture, a family, in its entirety… embrace a simple and carefree lifestyle that I for one envy. No, they do not have the convenience of washing machines, stable electricity, or even air conditioning, but they have something so much more than that… a fulfillment in life that I have only attempted to fill the vacancy of through alcohol, partying, and my own convoluted version of success and happiness.
Therefore, I challenge you to step out of the comfort of your own shoes and wear none, as a Fijian. In our culture we have been conditioned to immediate satisfaction and comfort. Perhaps the lack of fresh clothes, Internet, body products, etc. is just too extreme to ask for. (It is for me! haha) So I’ve taken a different step: redefining success and embracing these Fijian ideals… and honestly, I’ve never been happier.
