A day of volunteering in a veterinarians clinic.

Written by: Jessica (14) and Emma (12). Pictures by: Mom

We are currently in Savusavu, Fiji for cyclone season. A few months ago we took off some time from homeschool to play all day with our friends (we hadn't seen them in a long time.) Now, it's time to get back to the books. In addition to studying extra hours for homeschool, we're also learning in other ways. Some different ways we are learning outside the "classroom" is volunteering at the local animal clinic, taking art classes with a local artist and joining the junior sailing class. Friday we spent hours volunteering at the Animals Fiji clinic.

Getting ready to comfort a dog fresh from surgery

I (Jessica) loved my first day at Animal Fiji clinic because Alex (the vet) allowed us to interact and help. My favorite part of the day was when I learned how to take a pulse and when I learned how to test urine for blood. I look forward to learning more about the medical procedures the vet will preform. I had such a great experience at the clinic.   

I (Emma) loved the animal clinic because I got to help the dogs feel comfortable and I really like watching the vet, Alex do the surgery on the dogs. I got to learn how to make a sterile kit, helped the dogs wake up from their Isofluorane, I was also able to help prepare a dog for surgery. The day that we went to the clinic they were packed with dogs, by the end of the day they had 7 dogs that were fixed and a cat, they also had 2 dogs that came in to be vaccinated and one urine test. 

Reading a dogs pulse

 The clinic is trying to get 10,000 signatures to ban Paraquat, it's a poison used to kill the weeds that grow on plants for the farmers, the problem with is that it also kills animals and humans. When a dog or cat consumes the Paraquat it burns the dogs from in side eating away their lungs and other inside organisms and is a very painful death that is why Animals Fiji is trying to ban it. It's very sad. If you too would like to sign the petition to ban Paraquat, click here. 

Creating sterile kits

Preparing a dog for surgery

We're both happy that our parents organized a day for us to volunteer with Animals Fiji and can't wait to go back. We're especially happy that mom didn't get upset when we told her that we felt like we learned more in one day at the clinic than had we done homeschool! 

Catching up with Pigtails in Paradise.

Written by Jessica, age 14

Sorry for lacking on the postsL!

Since we last left off on the blog, lots of things have happened. After we decided to no longer sail south towards Panama, we stayed in Mexico, stopped in Barra Navidad for Christmas, La Cruz for New Years, then we went  back down to Zihuataejo for the guitar fest, which was awesome. It was a week of awesome music, dancing and food.

Our crew for guitar fest.

 After we went to the guitar fest we sailed back up into the Sea of Cortez, and when I mean up, I mean WAY up there. It was so great, I felt like I was in a book or magazine. My favorite spot was a place we called “butt cheek cove” on Isla Tiburon. 
After sailing the Sea of Cortez we hauled out in Guaymas and decided that we would go to Charleston, SC (where my dad is from) for hurricane season and to help refuel the cruising kitty. We bought a car, packed our things, grabbed the cat, stopped in San Diego to see family, before putzing along to South Carolina. We made a few stops along the way like in Austin, Texas. 

My San Diego family, included 2 great grandmothers.

We made it to South Carolina, where we lived for 7 months. I have a lot of family (including 10 cousins) in Charleston, so it made it a lot easier to be in one place for seven months. 

Me and most of my cousins having a blast.

With both our parents working, we were enrolled the local public school (where 3 of my cousins went) after a great summer filled with beaches, family time and parties. Before going back to school I was pretty nervous, and started wondering, “Will I be behind in school?” or “Will I want to go back to the boat after this?” It turned out that I was a year ahead in math and was able to move into “honors” classes. The best part? I got straight A’s for both terms I was in school! Because I want to be a vet when I am older, I made a deal with my parents that if I got straight A's I could go to work with my neighbor who is a vet on his surgery day. 

In the veterinarian operating room!

My parents had said that if after going back to the states, if Emma and I wouldn’t want to go back to the boat, we wouldn’t have to. I guess we would have sold the boat and just moved back into a house. After a few months at school, both Emma and I were begging to go back to Terrapin.  I wanted to go back to the boat  for a few reasons. My main reason for wanting to go back to the boat was that between before school tutoring and regular school hours, I was at school from 7:30 to 3:00, and still had 3-4 hours of homework a night! I felt like I had learned just as much if not more by doing 4 hours of home school on the boat  versus 10 hours (homework included) of public school per day. Obviously I would prefer 4 hours of home school and have the option to take part in daily activities like snorkeling, hiking, fishing, swimming or kayaking.  
   Another reason why I wanted to go back to the boat, was that I am so accustomed to sailing and discovering new places that staying in the same place was hard, for all of us. The final reason is I was ready to get back to the boat, was to cross the Pacific Ocean and start new adventures. Although I was ready to get back to the boat, it was hard to leave Charleston, and say goodbye to my family.

Our front porch view while living in Charleston

We came back to the boat last January and began to prepare for crossing the Pacific Ocean. In April we crossed the Pacific Ocean in 24 days.

We made it!

Since crossing the ocean we have visited French Polynesia, Cook Islands, American Samoa, Tonga, and Fiji. My two favorite places thus far would have to be Fakarava and Mopelia. Fakarava had so much wildlife. I loved the crystal clear water and there were sharks every where! Mopelia was just as great, but it was much different than Fakarava. We had a great feast in Mopelia held by the family that lives there. We are currently in Fiji for cyclone season, if you're around please come say Hello.  I am glad that we made the choice to head back to Terrapin and start a whole new chapter in our adventures.

Oh ya, while in Charleston, we finished our   "Life of a boatkid'  video...you should check it out!