Fun, Friends, and Fantastic Memories in Fiji
July 14, 2026
Bula Fiji families!
What an incredible experience we all just had living in the Fijian villages. We met so many kind people who opened their homes to us, had some tasty food, and experienced a totally different way of life.
We started our journey with a bus ride, stopping in a town for a great lunch of fried rice and chow mein. We shopped around a bit, loaded up on snacks, then we were off! After bumping along dirt roads through BEAUTIFUL mountain scenery for an hour, we arrived in our first village home. We walked along a river to the small cluster of buildings on a hill where we would be staying. A large rain tree covered the main building where meals were cooked and some of the villagers stayed, and the hill offered breathtaking mountain views. The region is known for its horses, and we saw plenty trotting around, both wild and tamed! For dinner, we had a large spread of different meats, curry, rice, fruits, and bread. As always, we concluded our night with Moonup. The sky was clear and the stars were so bright that you could see the Milky Way with clarity! Later that evening, Katherine sparked an insightful conversation with the girls and shared some of what she has been learning about religion, leading to a thoughtful discussion about Christianity, the primary religion of these villages we stay in.
On our second day in the village, we woke up with the sunrise and the roosters. After a breakfast of fresh fruit, cake, and fried dough, we went to a Seventh Day Adventist church service. We went on the short hike to the church, and on this hike, Mac kept everyone’s spirits high by leading chants the whole way. The entire service was in Fijian, and the hymns they sang were beautiful. We had lunch, and then had a few hours to hangout. Bronwen’s hair had become so thoroughly braided that we joked it had been braided “to oblivion,” and the village children kept adding one more braid every chance they got. Marguerite and Banks were the first to join Kate in teaching the village kids how to make friendship bracelets, and before long bracelets, string, and smiles were everywhere!! Elle also re-learned the bracelet making quickly and started teaching kids how to make them, too. Teddy had brought a rugby ball to use in the villages, and it became a staple. The kids loved tossing it around with him!! We made friendship bracelets and played our new favorite traditional Fijian board game called Cramnboard! William picked it up quickly and looked unbeatable! However, Natalie and Bronwen pulled off an upset victory over Teddy and William in the championship match, earning plenty of cheers (and some friendly trash talk). We then headed over to the village center for a traditional kava ceremony to welcome us into the village. We all sat down around a large kava bowl with the village chief and other important elders, our guides, and a few children who wanted to join. The conclusion of the ceremony marked our official acceptance into the village.
After the ceremony, we played some intense games of soccer and rugby with the village kids, and we enjoyed learning how to play an unfamiliar game. The Fijians were a tough match! The soccer game was super intense, but it was the best time. Henry, Graham, Mac, Teddy, and William all impressed the villagers with their soccer skills. Graham fearlessly stepped in as goalie and Henry fired several shots on goal. Teddy even earned the nickname “Techy” thanks to his surprisingly technical footwork despite claiming he hadn’t played much soccer before. We all went and played in the river together to cool off, splashing each other and climbing up a slick log to jump off of. Before long we had the full crew splashing around!
We had another incredible meal for dinner! When the sun set, our hosts surprised us with a massive bonfire! It was the perfect way to round out our time in our first village, and we sat and talked around it as it died. We had Moonup next to the dying coals, then got to sleep. Zach and James decided to cowboy camp. It turned into a memorable evening as James & Zach stayed up chatting with our hosts and got to sample even more traditional Fijian food. Then, they pulled their ground pads right out next to the coals and spending the night under the sky!
The next day was spent kayaking down the river! We packed up and loaded into two-person kayaks to get to our second village destination. It was a lovely day to be on the water, and our kids were zooming through the water. They were our fastest group yet!
We stopped for lunch in another village where chicken, fruit, and other foods were graciously prepared for us. It was the perfect break from kayaking, and we all went back into the water refreshed! We had about an hour left of kayaking before reaching our second village destination and home for the night. We were warmly welcomed with hot tea and homemade pastries, which was the perfect reward after a long day kayaking.
We stayed in the community hall of this village and were surrounded by incredibly welcoming people. Lillian was excited when one of our favorite girls from the village invited her to ride a horse, so she was the first of our group to head off on horseback through the village. We were officially welcomed into the village with another kava ceremony, and the kids loved it. They stayed in the circle chatting with the Fijians for a while, not wanting to get up!
We then ate another delicious dinner prepared by the incredible women of the village. Later, we all went outside for another bonfire!! We sat around it playing games with the kids, chatting, and listening to music. The village kids taught us a game by the bonfire, and Banks jumped right into the middle with enthusiastic dance moves that had the group laughing. We had a wonderful Moonup, in which some of the village kids our age joined in.
The next morning, we packed up to head out in the kayaks one more time. This route was shorter than the day before and even more beautiful. We could see the mountains as we floated right by!
Eventually, we arrived at a natural Fijian cave for a tour. The cave system is the largest in Fiji, and was used as a refuge during a measles outbreak in the late 1800’s. It was incredible and even had a pool over 400 meters deep, which is a reminder of the crazy structures nature can create! Marguerite was inquisitive during the tour, and kept our guide entertained with thoughtful questions.
We wrapped up with delicious make-your-own barbeque sandwiches outside of the cave before heading to our final resort destination. Even the rainy off-road drive back was a dance party thanks to Elle, who sang all the song lyrics loud and proud. We can’t believe how quickly this trip has gone by, and we can’t wait to update you all from our final destination!
Sota tale!
Kate & Zach
FIJ 3A THANK YOUS
Graham-Thank you so much for sending me on this trip. I have had an amazing time so far and I can’t wait to see yall.
James – Hi mom and dad miss yall just wanted to check in and say thanks for sending me to Fiji having a blast over here on the other side of the world! Miss yall can’t wait to get back.
Mac- Thank you mom and dad for letting me go to Fiji. I have had an amazing time and can’t wait to see yall.
Henry-Thank you so much for sending me on this trip. I have had an amazing time so far and I can’t wait to see yall.
Teddy- Mom and Dad, thank you guys so much for providing the opportunity for me to go on this trip. It has been amazing so far and I can’t wait to see y’all when I get back!
William-Thank you for sending me on Moondance I am having so much fun.
Natalie- Hey Mom, Dad, and Aunt Mary! Thank you all for making this trip possible. Honestly the best trip I have ever been on. Thank you guys for everything. I can’t wait to see yall!! love yall. 😘
Lil- Hey mom and tyee thanks for this amazing trip I’m so happy to be in Fiji, I miss you guys so much and can’t wait to see you soon❣️
Katherine- hi mom and dad!!! Thank you so much for sending me on this trip! I will always cherish the memories I made and the people I met on this trip. Yall are the best!!!!!! See you soon💕
Elle- hey mom and dad!!! Thank you so much for giving me this amazing opportunity and sending me on this trip! The memories I’m making are once and a lifetime and the people are all so amazing. Yall are really the best and I miss yall so much. Love yall💕
Banks- Hey dad thank you so much for giving me this amazing opportunity to come to Moondance! This trip has been everything and so much more than I could have asked for! I never want to leave but am so excited to see you, I love you so much and thank you again!💕💕
Marguerite – Hii family!!! I miss you guys so much and I can’t wait to see you. Fiji has been so amazing I can’t even put into words how fun it has been. Thank you so much for this opportunity to go here with Moondance. This is an experience I will never forgot. I love the village the most and I love the kids even more! Love yall 💕💕💕
Bronwen- Hiiiiiii!! I miss you guys so so much. This trip has been AMAZING so far. I am so grateful that you guys gave me the opportunity to travel across the world. I really can’t express how grateful I am. The culture here is so amazing and I am so grateful I get to experience this. I wouldn’t be able to do it if it wasn’t for you guys. So thank you so so much. I can’t wait to tell you all about my trip. I love you guys tons!💕💕
Fun in the Sun!
July 10, 2026
Bula families!
We have just rounded out our scuba section of the trip, and it has been incredible! We have eaten some delicious food, had exciting new experiences, met the friendliest people, and made great friends.
Day one was sailboat day! The kids touched down in Fiji at six in the morning, and we met them at the airport before transferring to a nearby hotel for a filling, buffet-style breakfast. Upon finding the pool, the boys jumped in immediately for some intense games of Marco-Polo. The girls jumped in right after for a huge game of sharks and minnows! After playing the competitive pool games, hanging out, and sunbathing for a bit, we drove over to board the sailboat! Lounging on the nets, the kids soaked in the stunning views and the island sun. Natalie kicked off question games around the boat, which had everyone laughing and getting to know each other very quickly!!
The lush mountains rising directly out of the deep blue Pacific Ocean were a sight to behold! After riding the waves with wind in our sails for a while, we anchored down next to a reef to snorkel around. It was a great appetizer for scuba diving to come, and we saw beautifully vibrant fish and coral formations! Upon returning to the boat, the guides gave us a fruit platter along with an incredible homemade meal of chicken pasta with veggies, flaky bourekas with an incredible sauce, and divine walnut cake. After lounging and swimming for a little while longer, we set sail back to the port. The guides were so kind and helpful, and the sailboat was a perfect way to kick off the trip after their long plane ride.
We surprised the kids with an ice cream stop before transferring to a hostel by the coast, where we spent the last few days scuba diving! Upon arriving, we had a pizza dinner followed by a brief Moonup before getting to sleep.
Our next day was filled with scuba skills! We split the kids into two groups: one morning session and one afternoon session. In the morning, Katherine and Marguerite managed to open a fresh coconut on the rocks before pouring the coconut water into cups for everyone to enjoy!
We also made a hammock village as a group on one of the pavilions. Somehow, we managed to squeeze every hammock into a cluster, stacking on top of each other and even lying diagonally to make sure no one was left out. By the end, we were able to fit ten hammocks into the small space! During the SCUBA sessions, the kids learned how to assemble and put on our gear, clear our masks, inflate BCDs, move around in the water, and assist each other in out-of-air emergencies. Our instructors were fun, patient, and so helpful! In the meantime, the rest of the group set up hammocks, played spikeball, and did some fishing with improvised rods. Concurrently, two of our advanced students – Mac and William – were embarking on the first dives of their certification! They had a blast going on two incredible soft coral dives in the morning. After all of the scuba skills and pool dives were wrapped up, we had a lovely afternoon of hanging out, lounging in our hammock village, and playing an intense volleyball tournament! The games quickly became competitive, and Elle was a force to be reckoned with at the net by blocking spikes left and right while the group cheered her on. Graham kept everyone on their toes with his powerful serves!!
Natalie and Mac led a great Moonup as our first leaders of the day, closing with an intense game of Mafia. Katherine put on a stellar performance, coming within a single round of winning as the mafia! Also, Banks somehow got accused during almost every round of Mafia we’ve played, despite always being innocent, or even the detective!
We then headed to sleep in preparation for our first open water scuba dives the next day!
The long-awaited day had arrived: we were going out to the ocean for open-water diving!
In the morning, the two advanced students, along with Kate and Elle (newly advanced student!), went out for another awesome dive! We saw incredibly beautiful underwater cave formations that had so much coral inside that it looked like a coral rose garden! Everyone else spent the time playing volleyball, lounging in hammocks, and taking a walk to the arts village! It was a cute area with lots of shops and even more ice cream!
After lunch, we got on the boat together to ride out to a beautiful reef. Diving six meters deep, the open water certification students saw bright blue starfish, tons of vibrant fish, and insane coral formations! Once everyone got over initial nerves and figured out how to control their buoyancy, the ocean became a wonderfully peaceful place. Teddy especially picked up scuba diving quickly and stayed remarkably calm and confident underwater!
At the same time, Zach, Natalie, Banks, and Katherine dove down 18 meters next to a towering coral formation! There were soooo many fish. One big silver one even swam right through the group, passing mere feet from us! Our guide pointed out bright blue sea slugs, colorful fish, and neat coral. Back on the boat, we DEMOLISHED the cookies that the guides gave us, before going on our second dive around the reef.
Later, we went to a nearby resort for dinner! As we were waiting for our food, there was a cultural show put on by the resort! We all crowded outside to watch them perform dances and do some insane fire spinning! At one point, they brought all the boys and girls forward separately to follow their lead in a dance. They had the boys take their shirts off for the dance, making for a hilariously memorable moment!! Dinner was great, and we went to sleep after another great Moonup.
Day four was certification day! The group went out in the afternoon to a larger reef and dove down twice to 18 meters of depth. The open-water students encountered breathtaking marine life and got to experience the serenity of being that deep under the surface. The water was super clear, allowing us to see that the advanced divers – William, Mac, and Elle – had an incredible dive in the morning. Along with Kate, the three of them went to a dive site called “the bistro,” where shark dives are usually held. They saw some incredible marine life, including nurse sharks, bull sharks, and lemon sharks!! This was such an insane dive, and they were lucky to have seen such cool sights. It was a beautiful day out, so the group had a great beach day in the afternoon. William kept the vibes high and grabbed the guitar whenever he could and led sing-alongs to Riptide!! They lounged in chairs, soaking up the island sun while the boys played hackey-sack, wrestled in the surf, and continued their volleyball games. James and Marguerite never hesitated to sprint into the water to retrieve the volleyball whenever it was drifting away! They were our heroes!! Bronwen and Lillian joined Zach at the beach and spent the afternoon playing in the surf and attempting handstands between the waves. For dinner, we had a tasty dinner at a nearby resort, complete with creme brulee and ice cream for dessert!
Yesterday was our final day of scuba diving, and boy, was it a good one! The entire group went in the morning to a dive site with towering coral formations first, then to “the bistro” dive site after. The water was so clear! We saw a bunch of cute nurse sharks swimming around right up close, and a few bull sharks further out! We also got to explore a shipwreck site, where the scuba instructors pointed out camouflaged lionfish, and we saw coral growing all over the upturned hull of the large ship. It was so cool, and the perfect way to cap off our scuba diving together. In the afternoon, we played some more intense volleyball matches. The girls triumphed over the boys twice, and some of our scuba guides even joined in! Henry has kept everyone laughing with his signature dance moves on land and underwater, or while sneaking up to jump scare Kate whenever the opportunity presents itself.
For this last night, we drove into Suva again for dinner at a Mediterranean restaurant. There was live music, lots of laughs, and a cozy atmosphere. The food was amazing!!
This morning, we woke up, had breakfast, and then packed up for the village section. We will spend the next four days and three nights in different inland villages. Many people cite this as their favorite section of the entire trip, and we couldn’t be more excited to experience and appreciate a new culture and way of life!
The trip has been amazing, and we can’t believe how fast it is flying by. Vinaka, families, and wish us luck in the next leg of our adventure!!
Sota tale,
Zach & Kate
James – hi mom hi pops having a blast down around the globe in Fiji right now amazing group to hang out with just got back from our last dive got down to a ship wreck and saw a bunch of nurse sharks and a bull shark which was cool. Love yall and can’t wait to see you guys again. Also say hi to grace and the dogs for me.
Teddy- Hey mom and dad, Fiji has been great. I am loving it and we just finished off scuba diving with a dive where we saw nurse sharks and bull sharks. Also say hi to Dan, Carson, and Briggs for me. I am looking forward to the next couple days in the village. Love y’all!
William- Hey mom and dad in having fun in Fiji and just finished my advanced dive course. See you soon
Mac- Bula mom and dad, having a blast here in Fiji, am really enjoying my group. Also have a guy from st marks the team we played at nhsls.
Henry-Hey mom and dad, hope all is well at home. I’m having a great time out here in Fiji. There is a kid from St Marks in Dallas who’s also a great guy. pet the dogs and say hi to the twins for me!!
Graham- Hey mom and dad, I am having a swell time in Fiji. We just finished off scuba and we are heading to the village right now. My group is great and I’m having an amazing time.
Natalie- Bula Ma and Pa, we are having a blast in the eastern hemisphere!!! I’m just loving it!!!!!! Definitely don’t want to come home!!! Shout out Gatorade, Madeline, Mili, Aunt Mary, and the rest of my bloodline! I surely can’t wait to tell you all about it! Peace, Love and Greece!
Banks- Bula Pa, we are having a blast!!! I love it!!!!!! I don’t want to come home!!!!! Shout out the boogeyman, Gatorade, and my bloodline! I can’t wait to tell you about it.
Katherine- Bula Ma and Pa, we are having a blast in the eastern hemisphere!!! I’m loving it! Definitely don’t want to come home! Shout out to SP and my bloodline! Tell you all about it soon. Peace and love!
Marguerite -Bula Ma and Pa, I am having a blast!!!!!! Miss you but I don’t want to come home! Shout out to Rosie and my bloodline! Can’t wait to tell you about it love you
Lil- Bula Ma and Tyee, we are having a blasttt!!! I love it here. Shout out to Aubs, Isla, Brinks, Payton, Luci, Baylor, and ofc Amelie ! I can’t wait to tell you all about it but I don’t want to come home! Peace and love
Bronwen- Bula Mom, Dad, Dylan, Rhys, Oma, and Messi🕺🕺!! Missing you guys tons. But I’ve having a blast don’t worry! My group is hilarious and my leaders are so sweet and awesome. I got my scuba certification today. Saw some cool fish. The locals are so sweet and scream Bula every time we walk by. I don’t wanna leave, it’s flying by. I wanna try and find cool things to bring home for you all. But I love you all lots!
Elle- Bula Ma and Pa, we are having so much fun in Fiji!!! I don’t want to come home!!! I’m loving it. Shout out Emily Addie my neighborhood buddies Rosie and my ofc all my bloodline! Tell you about it all soon. Peace Love and Greece
Safe Arrival!
July 4, 2026
Hello Fiji Families!
We heard from our leaders this afternoon that the group has landed safely! The trip is off to a great start, and we cannot wait to hear more stories from their adventure! Please remember our leaders and students will be unplugged during their trips, but we will be posting trip updates throughout the next week! This will allow you to follow along with the trip. You can also follow us on Instagram, @moondanceadventures, to see more of what we are up to!
-Moondance HQ
