Photo: 20111027_PH_L1020290_0196 - Ordinary steward Chelsea Grace in the Solomon Islands
30 October 2011
By Ordinary steward Chelsea Grace
This is my very first trip in the Navy and I’m so excited to be going overseas to Rabaul and the Solomon Islands. The weather here is so hot and humid it takes some getting used to, but once you’ve acclimatised you start to love it.
So far in my adventure I’ve visited Mono Island in the Solomon Islands Western Province where I came across some amazing people and listened to some of their stories about the Second World War, and how it affected them and their people. I was blown away to hear them describe their experiences in such detail. To me, it was like the events happened just yesterday.
The villages are filled with smiling people and children who love to play soccer, it made me realise how lucky we are as Kiwi’s to have the things we have and how we often take things for granted, these people don’t come from wealthy or middle class backgrounds, they come from next to nothing, yet they make do with what they have. They have each other and to them that’s all that matters.
This trip has really been a great experience so far. Being on the same islands that our New Zealand war dead lay to rest is also pretty special, to visit the area where men laid down their lives in order for our freedom, they made the ultimate sacrifice. I know when I get home I’ll have so many stories to tell my friends and family.
It makes me proud to be apart of such a tight crew here on board HMNZS Resolution, and to see all on board working hard for these people and their communities.
We might be a small crew but I know that we have certainly made a big difference to lots of the island people we have met.