Fiji25 Blog 26- Chloe

Chloe

Blog 7/17/2025

Everyone on this trip has seen me scribbling away in my GSL journal(s, I have two), so I thought I’d finally share some of the things I’ve been writing. I’m tired and don’t feel like having my second blog compared to her older sister, so here are direct excerpts with some notes. I’ve been advised to caution innocent readers that these excerpts, much like these past few weeks, are chaotic and very odd. Blog No. 1 was written for people who aren’t in the group to try to understand our dynamics; this blog is to supplement the memories of people who lived them with me.

Jun 17:

Abi had a hamster + beta fish (two) and her dad didn’t like the hamster so it lived in the garage

Jun 19:

[I thought we were going to play a lot more poker on this trip, because it’s something that most of us know and the rest were willing to learn. I brought an entire set of chips but we played once in the airport and haven’t touched them since. I wrote this when I thought I’d have to keep track of who the best was over the many games we would play in the month ahead.]

Our long-standing poker tally

[This is followed by absolutely no data about our scores. As I’ve covered, we haven’t played a game since.]

Emre and Wilson were laughing about a guy who walked on with just a PS5 and a soccer ball who’s sitting in the very back corner of the plane and looking at the ceiling

Nickie seems to be staring blankly ahead, and I think both Cari and Iveta are asleep

One of Wilson’s favorite quotes (his second favorite, to be specific) is “Wanna know which way a tree falls? A tree falls the way it leans. Be careful which way you lean,” from The Lorax

 

Jun 20

[I was watching a movie on the plane that moved me to write this.]

Rest in peace laundromat you were loved and lamented

 

Jun 21

[I was reading Old Man and the Sea.]

“If the others heard me talking out loud they would think that I am crazy,” he said aloud. “But since I am not crazy, I do not care.” From Old Man and the Sea

 

Jun 23

[After going to school and meeting all the kids for the first time.]

The kids were great I fully asked them their names and didn’t hear them and asked them to repeat and now have totally forgotten and I couldn’t tell you a single one

Also tell me why now is when I find out “Jivin” is actually Steven? I’ve been calling him Jivin

 

Jun 24

[No idea where the context is for this, though I do remember writing it and being tickled at the prospect of having no context in the future, which, of course, is now.]

Sophia just whispered “deceased” to me

It was rather unnerving

Ellis just took her GSL journal and took a bug’s life with little to no remorse

 

Jun 26

[My oldest brother’s middle son, Joseva, was in town for our Soli and was laying on my bed while I wrote in my journal.]

He’s now messing with my notebook as I write

Well no he’s watching quizzically as I write and occasionally pretending to snore

 

Jun 27

One of the birds outside my window sounds like videogame shooting

 

Jun 30

[Rugby-wise, things only got worse from here.]

We played rugby at the school today and it was a lot of fun I have to remember to pass the ball I just kept booking it directly into Wilson who I fear was on the opposing team

[I found this amusing and important at the time, and I think it was because until then, I had heard dogs “hit” a series of barks but never just one.]

A dog just hit the singular bark

 

Jul 3

[My window overlooks the back of Alex’s house, where he has three little brothers: Raituku/William, Penny, and Sikeli.]

One of Alex’s brothers is just on the toilet out my window

[The door was wide open and I struggled to not make eye contact when the brother said “good morning”]

 

Jul 5

[I was writing the lyrics to a song I had stuck in my head, but evidently got confused about where I was in the song. This is Riptide by Vance Joy

This cowboy’s runnin from his shelf

 

July 6

We all got in a stargazing circle after dinner everyone but Abi and Sophia both of whom were tired and we talked and then I said what if we all rolled to the right and we did and it was great and then Nickie came and took a video of us circle rollin with Wilson saying “roll!” every so often

 

July 8

[This was a major turning point in the trip. Steven, or “Jivin” as I called him, apparently had a twin whose name I was also saying wrong. It’s Joel, not “Joa”. I think the main issue here is that my personality combined with the kids’ accents don’t mix. If you tell me your name and I repeat it back to you exactly how you said it, I “know” your name. If someone else says your name referring to you but pronounces it a different way than you pronounce it, I’m going to think they’re talking about someone else. Another part of the issue is that I still strongly feel as though I’m “right” even though I can’t be “right” that someone else’s name isn’t what it is. You told me your name, and it’s not my fault that you said your own name wrong.]

THEY’RE TWINS

[After the whole twin incident (which I will NOT be referring to as a “twin-cident”) I went home and read part of The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis. This quote stuck out to me.]

“If any present self-indulgence on your part leads to the ultimate loss of the prey, you will be left eternally thirsting for that draught of which you are now so much enjoying your first sip.” From The Screwtape Letters

 

July 10

[I’ve become semi-infamous not just for sleeping a lot, but for making it everyone else’s problem too. Our entire group has had to wait thirty minutes for me to come to our morning meeting, only to find me tucked into bed when someone finally came to check on me. I also fell asleep during lunchtime one day. I have a vivid image in my head of lunch with me passed out a corner of the community hall as everyone forms a semi-circle around me, chewing silently and letting the occasional tear fall. This is all aside from the point. These three lines were written in a stupor.]

Alex Ellis Hair Quinton

Tired Laxative Sleep

Tired Ellis Here

[No idea what was going on in Past Chloe’s head, but I wish her peace.]

Mind is really on Hyderabad

 

July 12

[They call me cruel, but I consistently show my saintly nature.]

I spent quite some time trying to help this dying ant make it to the final sugar granule

 

July 14

[Jacob is the eldest of Alessi’s three kids, all of whom are very well-loved by this group. While I wouldn’t say he’s a serious person, it was amusing to me to see someone nearly 18 and with so much responsibility also be so jolly.]

Jacob skipped out of his house and hummed his way to rugby

 

July 16, Today

I started this blog (and this trip) strong, and I just need a couple days to live free of any reflection. I’m sure there’s something meaningful in these excerpts if I really dig, and I apologize for failing to give something more sentimental. It’s our last day in the village, and I can only feel so much.

Much love. From,

Chloe