Week Four

Week Four

Right now I am in the swing of things regarding subjects. I am really enjoying the subjects this semester. Human rights raises more questions more than answers as you dig deeper into what really are human rights. The lecturer is an Aussie, which is nice, and she is always referring to facts about Australia and wanting me to back her up. The migration subject is good and looks at what development issues there are around types of migration and what it might possibility look like in the future. My final subject is an independent research subject, which is probably going to stretch me the most. At the moment I am looking at the correctional service here in Fiji and what legislation is about it, whether they focus on the offender or the victim, as it would be with restorative justice. I think I will be working with a couple of organisation that work in the prison, one being with a reverend who once was an inmate and has been going into the prison for 25 years. He has a focus of just being someone that inmates can talk to as this is what helped him the most being able to hear out loud his thoughts. The other organisation is Prison Ministries, which has a focus of rehabilitation through conversion. They run the Alpha course with the 40 days of purpose course. These courses are compulsory for every inmate that gets put in prison. This is an approach that the first guy totally doesn’t like and the have confrontations all the time. So I really hope it works out and I am looking forward to see what my thoughts will be at the end of it all. Both organisations have invited me to visit the prison weekly so I think it should be an interesting semester you will understand if I can take pictures of the prisons.

There is no real important news that has happened lately, though I have been kite surfing a bit but not as much as I would like. The wind season doesn’t start until April – May, so I will just have to be patient. I think I will go surfing in the Easter break and maybe during the semester break. This semester has a complete different feel compared to last semester. Again I think it will be learning and growing experience. I am glad I have come back because there are things that I have been thinking about that I may not have at home and things I would like to follow up upon returning home to Australia.

I hope everything is fine at the places wherever you are at and I look forward to returning home with many stories.

First week of school

Morning all, this week is the first week of classes and all finally seems to be working out. A couple of the subjects that I wanted to do aren’t going to run because well I was the only student and they need at leats ten. I tried to enrol in a couple of postgraduate subjects and it credit my degree but the rules couldn’t be bent. So after some time of stuffing around as what always happens in Fiji I think I have finally settled on subjects. Today it looks like I am enrolled in migration and development, politics of human rights and research project in sociology. The research subject is a completely independent research project on a topic of my choice, so if anyone has ideas feel free to bounce them of me. This is the only subject that worries me a bit. The final paper for that needs to 10,000 to 15,000 words which at the start of semester seems a lot and added on top of that I have to present my findings in a presentation to the faculty and staff of the development program. Nervous times.

Apart from that latest update about subjects everything else is fine and I am settling in fine and looking forward to seeing what this semester holds and where it leads me. I have committed myself to gaining and learning as much as I can about development and myself during the next six months. This time back has been a different experience since being back, even though I knew what to expect it has still taken a few weeks to get back in the swing of things and used to the culture again.

I look forward to putting my updates over the next few months. I would love to hear what else is going on if you have time. Regards Justin.

P.S. I haven’t been kite surfing much yet but yesterday I meet a couple of other guys who also kite surf so the future is looking good in that sense.

Back in Fiji

Hi everyone, back in Fiji. I have found a place to live of campus, which is really nice. It is the second level of a house with a great balcony that catches the breeze (see photo). The address is No. 2 Reki st Raiwai, Suva, Fiji Islands just in case you would like to send any chocolate or the like. I am in the process of enrolling and hope to be doing postgraduate subjects in development. The weather is extremely hot and well lets just say it is very sweaty all the time. I am thinking I have made the right choice in coming back as I feel comfortable in being back. I haven’t been kite surfing yet as the wind just hasn’t been quite right but I am sure the time will come when I will be out there. There are several familiar faces, which have the transition quite easy, and I think we will do a trip latter in the week to one of the outer islands before classes start the following week. Even though I knew what to expect this time I am still feeling a little like that this isn’t Australia and missing it a small amount. I will post a weekly update and look froward to hearing what people are up to. Take care Justin.

Again to beautiful Fiji

Hi all just about to leave on another trip to Fiji for another semester. I am looking forward to letting you know about all the adventures that I shall have along the way. Will miss Melbourne but after last time I know it will go really quick. Please take care while I am away and I will keep in touch as it will be nice to here from you guys. I am off.
Justin