Expedition diary of Olivia Poller, age 13

My name’s Olivia Poller, I’m 13 years of age and from Australia. Recently Mum and Dad decided to go on an adventurous holiday to Madagascar, dragging my brother and myself along with them. When I first arrived at CoCo Beach, after a long and exhausting 8 hour four by four drive, we all met the staff of Blue Ventures. They were all very welcoming and full of energy. My brother and I share a hut that overlooks a picturesque view of the ocean and the waves put us to sleep every night. 8:00am is breakfast, my favourite meal of the day (because it doesn’t include rice, fish and beans). Sometimes if we are lucky, Bic or Georgie brings down some of their home made yoghurt, which is sooo nice ? During the day, Vinnie (my brother) and I take our little pirogue (laka in Malagasy) out to Andava Rock, where we snorkel and take loads of photos of fish. On Saturdays a boy from the village, called Joelson joins us on our pirogue trips and we catch massive waves on the shallow reef. Also on Saturdays the volunteers walk down to the local Malagasy school and do some English teaching. Mum even arranged tabloid sports, where the kids played volleyball, 3 legged races, tunnel ball and much more. They absolutely loved it! The children also tend to look at Vinnie and myself quite a lot, probably because they have never seen a vazar kid. Every day I sit down at the restaurant table and do boring school work, sometimes the BV staff help me; they’re obsessed with learning.

The thing I miss most from Australia would probably have to be my friends and that I cannot contact them. I also miss western food. Every morning each person has their turn at what food dream they had that night and what they made.

This adventure has definitely made me appreciate the little things in life and how lucky I am to live in Australia. Veloma.