Volunteer - Fiji Marine Project
Added to website: 05 January 2005
My Leaving-Speech-Poem
I’ve been here for two months now, though it feels like a week,
And at the end of one’s stay, they’re always asked to speak,
So instead of a speech at the end of my time,
I’ve written a poem, which I’m hoping will rhyme.
The whole experience has been truly brill’,
Even climbing without shoes, the Nacula hill.
The diving here’s great, what fun it has been,
With underwater antics from ‘Team-Extreme’.
Dugs on Physical, to show us the way,
Until an emergency stop, from our Andre.
Dug’s reg-on-reg action, at five meters down,
While the expression on Mark’s face is always a frown.
The science was fun, though hard work to learn,
But the reward at the end, we really did earn!
Dinner at Castaway, the finest in town,
Then organized fun, and beers to down.
Now Saturday nights, there have been a few,
Always a bit daunting for those who are new.
Dancing like parents at the Safe Landing Bar,
Or lying on the beach, just gazing at stars.
Matt Kwan in a dress is a usual sight,
Or juvenile male play, which ends in a fight.
A game or ‘Shithead’, or maybe a few,
With complicated rules to confuse the new.
Everyone’s been great, some good friends I’ve made,
And I hope that the contact between us wont fade.
We’ve all stuck together, through the dull and the fun;
Remember that science week, with not a hint of the sun?
But we’ve had a good laugh, whoever it was at,
And the laughter will continue, I’m sure of that!
‘Dippy Danny’s Award for the Misunderstood’,
Should be taken over, and forgotten. For good!
And some other poor sole, whoever it’ll be,
Will be laughed at and ridiculed, instead of me.
When Helen got ill, I was most impressed,
At everyone’s efforts with a night without rest;
Close at her bed-side, everyone stayed,
And a t-shirt for Helen, Dugald made.
‘Chief Boat Marshall Hels Bells’, she was then known,
To keep up her morale,until she went home.
There are so many things I’ve forgotten to say,
But I can’t take up much more of your day.
So for the new vols- my message to you lot,
Is make the absolute most of the time that you’ve got.
It’s a wicked place here, don’t wish it away,
And it’s the people who make it so fun every day.
And to the staff, for all that you do-
It doesn’t go unnoticed, all the stress you go through.
Without your hard work, Rav just wouldn’t run,
And your entertainment simply adds to the fun!
And as for me, I’m so gutted to go,
But my gap year goes on, and I’m off to the snow!
So beware Zermatt, ‘cause here I come-
Five months of skiing, and snow-filled-fun!
Think of us on Thursday, Andre and I,
As we jump from a plane, 14000ft in the sky.
And on Saturday night, when you’re all having fun,
I’ll be sitting on the plane, wishing my time here wasn’t done.
Which leaves one more thing for me to do-To say a sad farewell, and one huge THANK YOU!
DANNY WOOLF, Volunteer Fiji Marine Project, 19/08/04 - 16/10/04
