ELODIE Matua is far from home, but she is determined to return to Vanuatu and help save lives as a member of the country’s medical service.
As a Francophone student, Elodie has faced language barriers, distance, culture shock, homesickness, and loneliness.
Now the holder of a Bachelor of Medical Health Science from the University of Fiji, the 22-year-old has set her sights on becoming a doctor and completing the Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Science – MBBS.
“My plan is to graduate with an MBBS degree and become a doctor so that I can return to my country and contribute both to my nation and to my family,” she said.
“I want to return home to help my country and save lives.”
For regional students like Elodie, the struggles were often quite real.
“At first it was tough – I felt homesick,” Elodie admitted.
“There are so many challenges as a regional student – homesickness, culture shock, and language barriers, especially with Hindi.”
Coming from Vanuatu as a Francophone student, Elodie found herself in an English-speaking academic world.
“Back in Vanuatu, I’m a Francophone student. Coming here to UniFiji, everything is in English. It was tough at first, but now everything is okay… it’s good.”
What helped her survive? Friendship. “I have great friends, and also some people here in Fiji who are so good to me. They make me feel at home,” she said.
As new graduates like Elodie prepare to step into their careers or further studies, UniFiji Vice Chancellor Professor Shaista Shameem, offered this advice: “Think about where you want to be in 10 years’ time and work hard to get there. Figure out how to make the world a better place for everyone. Cause no harm to others.”
The University expressed strong confidence in the impact this graduating class will have, describing them as nation builders with a global outlook.
“Our graduates are nation builders and also global-ready,” Shameem said, highlighting their potential to contribute meaningfully to Fiji and the wider Pacific region.
Looking ahead, stakeholders can expect significant developments. The University is not taking a backward step.
“We are reviewing our strategy for the next five years to move from resilience to renaissance,” Shameem said.
It’s an ambitious goal, but if today and graduates like Elodie are anything to go by, they are well on their way.
