In June of 2011, my husband and I flew from Langley British Columbia to Nadi, Fiji to attend a Tony Robbins seminar (I’m a big fan!)
Norm & I getting a tour of Tony Robbins' resort in Fiji
Fiji is a gorgeous, tropical paradise located in the South Pacific about 2,000 km northeast of New Zealand. It boasts a year-round warm climate, beautiful white sandy beaches, numerous 5-star resorts and some of the best snorkeling in the world.
But it was the people that made the biggest impression on me. They were friendly, generous and as a whole, the happiest people I had ever come into contact with. I don’t think we ever walked past a single person who didn’t greet us with a warm smile and a welcoming “BULA!” It was truly a wonderful place to visit.
A great example of Fijian warmth and hospitality is Amelia who we met on the plane. (This picture was taken at the Nadi airport.) Despite just meeting us she invited us to her home and her village.
The one thing that wasn’t so wonderful though was being exposed to Fiji’s stray dog population while we were there. I first noticed the dogs as we drove the 3 hour drive from the town of Nadi (where the international airport is) to Suva (the capital city). I saw a dog at the side of the road that had just had pups. It made my heart sink because just one unaltered female dog and her offspring can produce hundreds of puppies. In North America, a pregnant stray is unfortunate but in a developing country, where much of the population lives below the poverty line, it is tragic because her puppies are destined for a life of hardship and suffering.
A typical stray dog in Fiji
(Reprinted with permission from Fiji SCPA)
As we drove a little further along the road, I saw another female who had just had pups … and then I saw another … and then another. I saw a malnourished dog scrounging in garbage. I saw stray dogs in a park in Suva.
And I wanted to help.
