UWTSD International Travel and Tourism Student Finds a Second Home in Fiji Through Life-Changing Volunteering Experience

13 October 2026

A University of Wales Trinity Saint David (UWTSD) International Travel and Tourism Management student has shared how a five-week volunteering placement in Fiji transformed her confidence, broadened her global outlook and inspired her future career ambitions, while helping her discover a second home on the other side of the world.

Niamh McAuliffe a BA International Travel and Tourism student on the Think Pacific volunteering programme

Niamh McAuliffe, from Birmingham, spent five weeks in Fiji, which included three weeks on Think Pacific’s Ultimate Fiji Volunteering Programme, learning about Fijian culture and community, island life and history as well gaining a deeper understanding of conservation and sustainability.

Niamh explained: “The biggest highlight was discovering how a place so far from home could become a second home to me. We weren’t simply visiting the country and seeing the attractions. We were living within a community and experiencing the true, raw and real Fiji.

Supported by funding from UWTSD through the Welsh Government’s Taith initiative, the programme was led by Fijian leaders Ana and Freddie (Ratu), who helped the group of students understand Fiji from a local perspective. During their time there, they explored national parks and attractions, including the Presidential Palace, Fiji National Museum and the University of the South Pacific and worked with local NGOs and partnered with the Ministry of Health, gaining an insight into community work in Fiji. They also spent time in Suva, where they learnt a traditional Fijian dance, a meke, which they later performed for their host family in the village.

But, it was the week spent living with a family in a remote Fijian village that left the greatest impression on Niamh and gave her a completely different perspective of Fiji from the average tourist. She experienced everyday Fijian life and took part in traditional and sustainable crafts, including making fans from coconut leaves and learnt how to prepare traditional food such as lovo, while gaining a deeper understanding of where food comes from and how communities use the resources around them.

Niamh, who is a former student of BMet College Sutton Coldfield, said: “My experience changed my whole perception of life. I developed a much deeper level of professional and cultural respect for Fijian communities, traditions and ways of life. I learnt about the importance of understanding local customs, learning elements of the Fijian language and recognising how language barriers can affect communication.”

“I became much more self-aware of how fortunate I am to have access to education and everyday conveniences that I often take for granted. For example, being able to walk into a supermarket and buy food is something I never really thought about before. In the village, we experienced a very different way of living, where food could involve walking to a nearby field, preparing it and understanding where it came from. I learnt that things I consider normal or essential at home can actually be a privilege elsewhere. Something as simple as having a table to eat from and chairs to sit on is not something everyone in the world has access to and it taught me to be more appreciative, adaptable and respectful when experiencing different cultures and ways of life.”

The experience also enabled Niamh to form strong friendships with the other participants of the programme.

“Meeting students from other universities was another highlight,” she said. “By the end of the three weeks, our group of 17 had gone from being strangers to feeling like a family, and my confidence grew through sharing experiences and interests with everyone.”

And there were some unexpected memories along the way — including a chicken laying an egg in her friend Lily’s bed!

Niamh says that the trip also strengthened her confidence, independence and communication skills. She said: “I travelled independently to the other side of the world, to a country I had never visited before, and came home feeling like I could achieve anything I put my mind to.”

The experience encouraged her to step outside of her comfort zone and become more confident in unfamiliar situations and it has already influenced her future career ambitions and her understanding of International Travel and Tourism Management, as the trip has helped her appreciate that hospitality is about much more than providing a service - it is a feeling she said.

“The hospitality I experienced from people in Fiji, including complete strangers, showed me how welcoming people can be” she said. “It has made me want to work with people from different cultures and backgrounds, while also learning from them.”

She would strongly encourage other UWTSD students to consider an international mobility opportunity and is grateful to the University for the support provided including the funding via Taith.

Her message to follow students is clear.

“Go into every experience with an open mind,” she says. “Habits and behaviours that are completely normal at home can sometimes be interpreted differently elsewhere, so it is important to be respectful and willing to learn. Take every opportunity that is presented to you. You never know which experience will become a memory that stays with you forever.”

Niamh’s five weeks in Fiji has left a profound and lasting impact, broadening her horizons and inspiring a desire to continue discovering new cultures and experiences. Since returning to the UK, she has been appointed a Think Pacific Ambassador, a role that will enable her to continue sharing her journey while pursuing exciting international opportunities.