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I have been so blessed since departing on Wednesday evening with my friend Laura on our journey towards Fiji. We left around 9PM heading to the Syracuse airport arriving at 1:30am.. although we tried to get some sleep we were unsuccessful and jumped on our flight at 6:10am. 2 hours later we arrived into Chicago and transfered (smoothly)  for our 4 hour flight to Los Angeles where we arrived to sun and palm trees! We were so exhausted though and made our way to the hotel and fell into a restful 2 hour nap.

Upon waking, we checked in with our concierge Raul and Noe and with their help we jumped on a trolley that took us to the Manhattan Pier… we were giddy with excitement and met some really nice people on the trolley who enlightened us on how “Canada” was spelt; yup they were American! LOL… so they told us that you spell Canada as so: C-eh-N-eh-D-eh.. They thought we were joking when we told them we had never heard the joke before. Funny enough our friend that we met the next day was surprised that Laura and I didn’t use the word “eh” at all! LOL! Oh well… but I do know that I LOVE BEING CANADIAN!

At the Pier we met an amazing man (Don) with his three children who were adorable and so hospitable. Laura and i dipped our feet into the Pacific Ocean and played around for a bit, then settled down to listen to some cool stories about the area from Don. It was refreshing to hear a man in love and tell us about how he met his wife on Catalina Island… you could just tell how much love he still had for her which truly warmed my heart. They took along the pier to show us the aquarium and when we got to the end, the local fisherman were pulling in a huge catch… we watched with excitement and I watched a HUGE stingray come splashing to the surface; who at the last minute broke free of the line. They tried to catch another stingray and again, at the last minute as they were trying to bring him up, he broke free… it was fun to watch and pretty exciting and even Don, our new friend and fisherman helped out trying to bring up the stingrays. I have to admit that I am pretty happy both broke free and remain in the ocean

Don and his family were truly awesome and the kids were incredible and told many stories of their lives and tales of childhood- it was a fun night and Don arranged a friend of his (Brian) to give us a ride to Venice Beach the next day as he was heading out fishing.

Laura and I were so excited about meeting so many nice people and having the most amazing experiences that we went to bed pretty excited for the next day. We woke up and Brian picked us up and dropped us off at Venice Beach… we literally spent the next 7 hours strolling along the beach, meeting new people, checking out the ocean critters on land and water and then explored the boardwalk from Venice Beach to Santa Monica Pier. Just around Muscle Beach we saw a TV show being filmed and decided to get a closer view and sat down to watch… we were excited when David Duchovny sat 5 meters away from us, shooting a scene for Californication. It turns out where we sat was part of the extras section and we were in a place that we weren’t supposed to be, but pretty excited nonetheless when the producer told us we could stay if we just sat and didn’t move while shooting- we even took an undercover video and some pics and later found out when we tried to get a closer pic that the security was there to stop people from taking photos. Oh well.. we didn’t know! LOL!

Well, in all our walking and the with the wind playing tricks on us as we kept having to put a sweater on and off, we got very burnt by the end of our 7 hour trek in the sun… Laura looks like a lobster and has the cutest sunglasses tan. I am pretty red along the shoulders and legs but funny enough my face didn’t get burn at all (yahoo). Today we are going to head into Hollywood and Melrose to explore and see what we can. Our flight departs at 11:30PM so we have a wee bit of time to see more sites today before we depart.

My angels have been keeping me safe and guiding us in the greatest ways and I its so exciting to see everything happen as it comes along- only the best experiences so far, meeting the nicest people and feel only blessings around us! As we went to bed tonight, we both laughed as we realized this is ONLY the beginning. In the next 24 hours I will be getting off a plane in Fiji and starting the most amazing job of my life… rebuilding these schoolhouses and building the fresh water reserves truly warms my heart and fills me with such excitement for the adventure ahead! Giving is the most incredible feeling in the world… I received an email from my 15 year old son last night where he reminded me how proud he was of me and that we wanted to remind me “to make a difference”. I thanked God last night for having such incredible children… I am so blessed and so excited for this next leg of my adventure to begin and see how it will unfold!

Bula (Cheers in Fijian)

Tasha
XoXo

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This evening around 9PM, Laura and I are driving to Syracuse to catch our plane to LA May 6th at 6am. We’ll be in LA until May 8th where we catch our flight to Fiji arriving around 5am local time on May 10th.

I learnt this morning that I will be working in the village called Savu (it means waterfall in Fijian and I am excited to see why). I have been working a lot with my totem animals and learnt that “frog” is one of my little buddies along my life journey. Simply put, the frog means transformation and I am definately in a state of transformation.

The frog is the totem of metamorphosis. 
It symbolizes coming into your personal power.
It reminds us not to become bogged down with day-to-day living. It is the totem of water. 
Its voice calls forth the rains.
Emotions are associated with water and
a frog totem may be telling you to get in touch with your feelings. People with frog medicine give support and energy
where it is needed. 
They can cleanse the negativity from an environment.

Well my friends…. I am not sure when I will have the opportunity next to write but I am so excited about this adventurous and lifechanging journey ahead. I will be writing when I can but likely that I will write upon my return on the 23rd of May as there is no electricity or running water where I am heading.

God Bless and remember to live each day with purpose, passion and abundance.

All my Love,
Tasha
xxoo

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Dear Friends,

I leave for Fiji this May; just a few shorts weeks away, where I’ll be working with another 20 volunteers who have signed up with Volunteer Eco Students Abroad (VESA) to help establish a fresh water reserve, repair school buildings, teach English and give advice for proper hygiene along with get a chance to play with the children in a small village near Suva, Fiji.

I have been fundraising since September and the one thing that comes up time and time again is that people do not realize Fiji is a Third World country and that they do very much require our help!

As a single Mom of 2 amazing children of my own, I went back to school at the age of 32, taking Recreation and Leisure at Algonquin College in Ottawa. As a first year student, I want to get hands on experience in assisting in a recreation setting and ultimately helping people on a global level. This will be my first volunteer journey abroad and I am very blessed and grateful to have this opportunity. This will be an amazing hands-on learning experience and a good opportunity to assist those who need our help.

My volunteer work in Fiji will be an amazing experience where I know I learn more than I can in a classroom, although my course is amazing for getting us the practical experience. After I graduate next year, it is my strongest desire to find employment helping to make a difference in children’s lives in a recreation setting. Recreation is so vital to a child’s development!

The trip in its entirety is $4000. VESA partners with PCDF and UNICEF and the first $2000 goes directly to the cost of the volunteer work that we are doing while we are there. When we leave, the greatest thing to be thankful for is that the villagers will have sustainable access to fresh water and much more. I am asking again for your help! I know that many want to help and your donations will allow me to get there and make a difference first hand.  

All my love,
Tasha

For more information on my fundraising efforts please go to: http://www.tashamaggie.com/?page_id=536

To make a donation through Paypal: https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_xclick&business=tashamaggie@hotmail.com&item_name=Sponsor Tasha’s FIJI Fresh Water Project Effort in Partnership With VESA&amount=&no_shipping=0&no_note=1&currency_code=CAD&lc=US&bn=PP-BuyNowBF&charset=UTF-8

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I have spoken in the past about the Level 4 cyclone (Tomas) that hit Fiji on March 18th, 2010. I have been so horrified that this disaster never made it to the news over in North America; Fiji never seems to make the news except the coup back in 2001 and that seemed to get minimal news coverage at best.

I wonder why it is that no one seems to have Fiji on the radar? Is it because we see all the celebrities vacationing in Fiji? The blue blue waters, the coral reefs, the colonial homes?!

Just on the outskirts of Suva (the capital of Fiji), away from the flashy shops and colonial homes, tens of thousands of people are living in settlements in tiny, thatched huts. These dilapidated settlements have little sanitation and often no water or electricity.

Fiji’s sugar plantations have historically been the greatest money-spinners with the European markets but with the EU’s decision to cut sugar subsidies it’s had an impact on Fijian trade and the crop that represents a third of the nation’s industry is in for difficult times.

Locals are also being affected by dwindling visitor numbers as tourism was the modern cash cow!

Really think about this stat for a moment…. In 2008, an estimated 35-50% of Fijian’s were living BELOW the poverty line. For a skilled government worker they earn about $150 week, and for the unskilled they are lucky if they make about $50 week to provide for their entire family.

A local news agency on April 5^th released estimates from Fiji’s disaster management agency saying that it will cost nearly five million US dollars to rehabilitate housing structures damaged and destroyed by Cyclone Tomas in Fiji’s eastern division.

After the storm, the governments of New Zealand and Australia each sent $1 million in their currencies to Fiji. The New Zealand Air Force sent relief supplies, including tarps and water purifying equipment

I am going to be on the ground from May 8-22^nd building fresh water reserves and rebuilding schoolhouses and teaching basic instruction on hygiene to the children through an organization called Volunteer Eco Students Abroad who are partnered with Partners in Community Development in Fiji (and UNICEF). Please I urge you to help donate in order to make this happen. Just because it isn’t on the 6PM news channel, it doesn’t mean that there are children and people that don’t require our urgent help.

Can you even imagine not having access to CLEAN DRINKING WATER? I certainly can’t and that is why I will in Fiji this May in order to provide each home with access to fresh water.

Hugs!
Tasha
xoxo

For more information on my fundraising efforts please go to: http://www.tashamaggie.com/?page_id=536

To make a donation on paypal please click on the below link:
https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_xclick&business=tashamaggie@hotmail.com&item_name=Sponsor Tasha’s FIJI Fresh Water Project Effort in Partnership With VESA&amount=&no_shipping=0&no_note=1&currency_code=CAD&lc=US&bn=PP-BuyNowBF&charset=UTF-8

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Be master of mind rather than mastered by mind.

~ Zen Proverb

The wish is father to the thought

~ Tibetan Proverb

 

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Things have been pretty busy in my personal life- my Dad was visiting from Alberta and school has been a bit crazy with a lot of assignments due. I also began my field placement at Crystal View Lodge in Ottawa, which is an independent retirement community. I absolutely love it and everyone has been very welcoming. In 1 week, I put in 26 hours! So when I say it’s been hectic, I wasn’t joking! LOL

As for my Fiji fundraising efforts, I have been busy as well. This week, my fellow classmate Laura and I have been giving presentations to our classmates on our efforts in Fiji- the more I speak about how I’ll be helping and with the date very fast approaching, I am getting very excited! I’ll be on the ground on May 10th and starting to help rebuild the villages with my own two hands.

I am still fundraising and doing everything I can to raise the money. I was absolutely blessed to have something loan me the funds I need to get there, which allows me more time to fundraise and pay the money back. Things I have in mind are car washes, another silent auction, BBQ and cake walk.

Please continue to send in your donations or contact me to find out how you can donate. Everything helps so please send what you can!

Hugs!

Tasha

xxoo

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Saturday evening I was invited to attend a Spring Party with Keys to the Universe and on top of the party they offered to hold a 50/50 raffle draw to help raise funds for Fiji. I was so touched by their offer and asked how they felt if I held a silent auction, which they happily agreed to and I have to report that it was an AMAZING success!

My friends, school professors and network through my Mastermind group came together in order to help raise items for the silent auction and did they ever come through and in such an incredible short time! Although the event wasn’t marketed, I feel the event was a true success and gave me the opportunity to speak about what is happening in Fiji and what I will be doing to help in May. Everyone welcomed me with open arms and really came out to support the cause. It was a really fun time and I met so many new people that are some of the kindess people out there.

I am happy to report that we raised quite a bit of money and I will be able to report on the final numbers at the end of this week when I receive all the cheques from the silent auction. I am estimating it to be close to $500! How amazing is that?!

Special Thanks to:

Shane and Marie McInnes - Keys to the Universe (www.keystotheuniverse.com)

Jill Reeves- Community Development Professor @ Algonquin College

Cindy Bradley- Special Events Professor @ Algonquin College

Chris Leger- Undercover Wear (http://sensualparties.ca/)

Kristine Belchamber- PartyLite Fundraiser (www.partylite.biz/kristineb)

Nicole Simard- wonderful spa products gift baskets

I’d also like to thank everyone that donated money and helped support the 50/50 draw! It was your kind words of encouragement and monetary donations that are making Fiji a true reality! When we can continue to look outside of our own realm of reality and give to others, we work together to truly make a difference in the world around us and it benefits all of us in the end!

Yours in Abundance!

Xoxo

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This week on Thursday March 18th a devestation category 4 cyclone hit the island of Fiji, flatenning homes and leaving an estimated 17,000 people without shelter or access to water. Here is the crazy thing… did any of us hear about this in the evening news? Nope! It was on a search for some pictures for my fundraising efforts that I ran across the story in the Fiji Times. Aid is starting to arrive from Australia and New Zealand but now more than ever and I happy that I will be there to help in the fresh water department at least.

It angers me that the media chooses what we should know about and support- we can’t be on the look out for which country is in need, but all I can say is that I am happy that I will be there in May to help. Please still help me with this fundraising effort- if you have any questions please let me know.

For more of the story, please do a google search or check out the Fiji Times here for the full story.

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Last year this time, I was in Ireland with an amazing bunch of people and miss them all dearly… I look back on those memories with such fondess and the memories are still so vivid a year later! I am also sad and feel a sense of homesickness which really doesn’t make much sense.

Well, on a good note, I had a couple of Guiness to bring in St. Paddy’s Day a wee bit early as I will be in a mid term tomorrow.

So… a toast to old friends and new ones with the hope of an abundant future for all! I love all of you and wish you all the best. May you be with your loved ones and family tomorrow and share in the joy of fun, laughter and good times! I know that I will be, even with the impending mid-term looming near!

Happy St. Patricks Day to all!

Xoxo

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