Fiji – Sarah

Student: Sarah – 2024 Scholar for Fiji
Course: Bachelor of International Studies/Bachelor of Commerce
Program: Semester exchange 2025

Describe the city you were living in.

I was based in Suva, Fiji’s capital, a busy coastal city where government, regional organisations and everyday community life come together. Suva is vibrant and multicultural, with a strong focus on relationships and community. Life felt slower in some ways but more connected. Living in Suva meant adapting to the climate, new routines and different cultural expectations, which helped build my independence and confidence over time. Being immersed in this environment gave me a strong sense of place in the Pacific region.

Describe a normal day in your life overseas.

A normal day involved balancing study and work. During my internship with the Pacific Islands Association of NGO’s, in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme I worked on governance and public finance initiatives, including building the Vaka Pasifika eBudget Portal – a regional public finance platform that maps national budgets against the Blue Pacific 2050 Strategy.

My days often involved analysing budget data, developing tagging frameworks, meeting with regional partners and refining digital tools that would later be used in policy dialogue. Alongside this, I studied Pacific-focused courses at the University of the South Pacific, which deepened my understanding of regional politics and development.

Outside of formal work, relationship-building was constant whether that was sharing meals with colleagues, attending community events, or sitting in a tanoa (kava bowl) where conversations often stretched for hours.

How did you decide which study abroad opportunity to do?

I chose the New Colombo Plan because it allowed me to combine academic study with a meaningful, long-term internship in the Pacific. Fiji appealed to me as a regional hub for governance and development, which aligned closely with my studies and career interests. The program offered the chance to take on real responsibility and gain practical experience beyond the classroom.

What was something that challenged you?

One of the biggest challenges was stepping into a role with genuine responsibility in an unfamiliar context. During my internship with PIANGO, in partnership with UNDP, I was tasked with developing the Vaka Pasifika eBudget Portal.

This required backing my ideas, responding to feedback from senior regional stakeholders and adapting quickly when priorities shifted. Working across different cultures and institutional styles pushed me outside my comfort zone. Combined with navigating dengue fever and adjusting to “Fiji time,” it required flexibility, patience and emotional maturity.

Taking ownership of a project with regional visibility significantly increased my confidence.

What is one big lesson you learnt?

The biggest lesson I learnt is that confidence comes from doing.

Before arriving in Fiji, I took confidence from what I could achieve academically. Now, I take confidence from how I show up in relationships, in responsibility, and in uncertainty.

This experience reshaped how I see leadership – not as proving capability, but as building trust, staying steady in complexity, and contributing something meaningful that outlives your placement.

Learn more about studying at the University of the South Pacific