From Fiji to the UK is not an easy feat but here we are. I don’t think I’ve actually realised what this means but I’m so grateful for the adventure that my little family and I are on.

We’ve always dreamed of living abroad, my husband and I that is, there’s always been this desire to want to navigate the world together with our children in sort of a globe trotting type of way but somewhere along the road, we settled for familiar.

It still feels surreal, just a week ago I was packing up suitcases while my gurls were zip locking bags of snacks for my toddler sons, 2 and a half years old and they were taking their first flight across oceans for 20+ hours , how we all survived? I couldn’t even begin to fully express haha; but God for real!

Although, I will mention: if you’re a mom/adult considering to travel by yourself with 2 two year olds (or under), make sure you are extra ready for the mental load, and especially for 20+ hours travel in the air, it is not for the faint of heart but it is definitely worth it if it’s to reunite your family after a long time (2 years in our case). And flight attendants are extremely helpful (Fiji Airways & British Airways) and there were great people who helped at the airports as well. People want to help a mom, don’t let stigma or your own thoughts tell you otherwise. Some people may look at you crazy and even make a comment but your priority is you and your children, don’t be afraid to just go ahead with the travels.

Ok, so now that I’ve gotten that little spiel of mom power done, let me get to the crux of this blog post, moving to the UK: A bit of backstory, I’m from Fiji (Namosi vasu Nadroga) but raised in the US, moved back to Fiji when I was 18 and thoroughly enjoyed my life being back in the homeland. Some highlights include starting my relationship with God (the real highlight for real), graduating with a law degree, experiencing beauty pageants in the Pacific (South Pacific region that is), getting married, joining the political arena, working in government, starting an online safety project, giving birth to twin boys, starting a consultancy and developing my leadership journey.

And then my husband, who always dreamt of joining the British Army (BA), actually joined, we were in for a ride.

My husband is Fijian (Lomaiviti blood strong) and while he’s traveled out of the islands for work and leisure, he’s never lived outside of Fiji, until 2023. He moved to the UK and was inducted that summer into the BA (shoutout to all army wives, teach me your secret haha). Our sons were only 6 months old when he left our shores and I was sure we were going to make it work somehow.

Chhhiillleee the work took on a whole new level! Because less than a year later, our marriage was rocked to the core, one of my sons was hospitalised, depression and anxiety came back roaring and I was clinging to faith for dear life.

Fast forward to the last few weeks of 2024 and I was prepping visa application documents, leaning in to my therapy sessions and intentionally making room for personal growth.

And all of this to say that while it’s only been 2 years since my husband moved here, I’ve lived in Fiji for the passed 14 years preparing for something I didn’t even know was possible. And now, we’re here, a whole family of 4 living in the UK and looking eagerly ahead to what God has in store.

I guess my encouragement for you if you’re still reading this is put in the work while you wait.

If you’re waiting on God to move or speak, do the last thing He told you to do well, work on you, discover parts of God you never knew, stay grateful and be intentional with your loved ones. Life is too short to carry burdens that you weren’t meant to carry, live intentionally, and know that God is good.

Stay blessed.

-A