July 3

We had the privilege of touring the LDS College of Fiji.  It is actually a high school.  Students from the LDS Primary School come here after the 6th level.  It is a beautiful campus.  There are several classroom buildings that are connected with walkways that just a few years ago were covered. They teach everything that one would see in a high school in the U.S.  They compete in sports.  They have an administration building that houses the principal, the usual staff and the ITEP senior couple.   The students were all dressed in uniforms.  The grounds were immaculate.

ITEP is a program out of BYU-Hawaii, where teachers in the South Pacific can further their education. I believe it originally started because many of the teachers did not have bachelors degrees.  Leaving family and country to secure the needed education was not an option.  So, once again inspiration came and the ITEP program was developed.  Elder and Sister Whitehead, our ITEP couple, teach college courses to the teachers using curriculum developed by BYU-H.  If a teacher sticks with it, they can earn a degree from BYU-H without leaving Fiji.  Elder Whitehead has taught for many years in a university in Canada.  The classes are taught at the end of the school day. I know that the Whiteheads are teaching a special education class currently.  What a wonderful thing.

Speaking of the end of the day.  Everything in Fiji shuts down by 6.  All the YSA activities except the dance have been from 5:30 to 7.  Institute classes are 5:30 to 7.

We were invited with the other senior couples to eat with President and Sister Klinger.  I am so impressed with them.  It was a wonderful evening.

So far we have not seen a single cat! Not one.  Lots of dogs who are loose and run barking though the neighborhood late at night.  We also have not seen a mongoose, although we are told they are everywhere.  We have had a gecko in the house twice.  We have respectfully taken him or her out!