Fancy a BBQ on an uninhabited island?

COUNTRY: Maldives
PROGRAM: UniBreak
PROJECT: Teaching & Sports Coaching
WRITTEN BY: Caitlyn Swinney

Last weekend we went to an uninhabited island to snorkel and have a BBQ. It was an amazing night; the sunset was beautiful, the reef was swimming with all kinds of fish - we even saw spinner dolphins, and the food was delicious. We danced to Gangnum Style as the excursion team cooked our dinner on the BBQ, then sat around the bonfire eating and talking about the week that had passed. For dessert Brenda, who is from the USA and is organising Rowing Maldives, made this incredible apple crumble which we ate with bare hands. On Saturday Anne, Jannice and I went shopping at the local shops on Hithadhoo and in the afternoon the excursion team took us to another reef further along the island where we saw turtles, sharks, squid, barracudas, an eel and many beautiful fish.

Our third week was full of ups and downs. First aid was unfortunately cancelled due to a lack of interest and swimming had to stopped mid lessons on Tuesday because some of the children along with Anne, Jannice and Sarah were stung by little blue jellyfish. Instead we played Red light, Green light and What's the time Mr Fox (Wolf) with the children which they seemed to enjoy. Their swimming abilities have improved greatly and most of them are able to swim without a kick board.

Hospital was pretty quiet this week, however next week they are trying to fit 45 circumcisions in 3 days as circumcision season comes to an end. I attended Mark's guitar lessons on Tuesday where I learnt how to play twinkle twinkle little star, although all the children showed me up as they are starting to master the guitar. That afternoon we went rowing which was lots of fun, made it all the way to an uninhabited island where we went swimming. On Thursday morning Mark was taken game fishing by some of the locals. He managed to catch 4 massive fish, one of which we ate for lunch - it was so good!

This weekend begins with a fishing trip organised by the director of the hospital, where we will hopefully be as lucky as Mark and catch some fish. Tomorrow we are going to Maradhoo for lunch then we are spending the afternoon cleaning up the rubbish along the beaches. This place is so beautiful but unfortunately a rubbish collection system is not in place and as a result waste litters the beaches.