This week, I am bringing attention to the recent underwater volcanic eruption off the coast of Tonga. On January 14, the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai volcano erupted suddenly and loudly, causing a tsunami that impacted Tonga—and coastlines around the world.
Why am I discussing this? Back in 2015, I visited nearby island country, Niue, while on a year-long working holiday visa in New Zealand. In Niue, I met the Tongia family who are originally from Tonga. They gave me one of my most cherished memories from my long-term trip around the world.
In this post, I reflect on my time with the Tongia family and how easy it is for us to forget how connected we all are on this fragile rock we call Earth.