Day 8 by Cameron

Today we went to Kiholo Bay, a marine preserve protected and loved by the people of Hawaii and their culture. The moment we arrived, there was a new energy in the air. We could all feel it, and knew this was a special place. The trees, water, ground and wildlife all felt connected.

My favorite part of the day was after all of the day's events were over, we were able to swim in the waters. My favorite animal is a turtle, which made this day especially amazing. The shallow waters, at a depth of at most 4 feet, were filled with turtles in all directions. Before today, I had never swam with turtles, and that was one of my goals for the trip. The experience, for me, of being able to swim with and sit next to turtles was my highlight of the whole trip.

This was the last day of the trip and because of this, I have a lot of reflecting to do, both on what I've learned and what I've seen. I have learned so much from this trip, and changed so much as a person.

Thank you to Ed, Susan, Don and Lauren for being here with us for every part of this amazing journey.  

Day 8 by Karina

 As we come to the end of our journey, I've learned many things. Hawai'i is not what we see on a 50' inch screen with the hula girls and the nice beaches, it's more than that. It's about the people who live here and the many learning experiences that Hawai'i offers each and every single one of us. This week has taught me a lot whether it's from seeing myself in a different perspective to appreciating every single thing that we have in life. At the end of the day WE depend on nature, nature does not depend on us.

Today was more than I had ever expected. Life is not always about being on your phone 24/7, it's about observing what surrounds you. It's about sharing the same feelings and common purpose of saving OUR home. It's about learning the Mo'oelis that have been passed through many generations and taking that information to learn about core values. As Aunty Lehua shared life stories, I realized that I want to stand up for the same cause she believes in and preserve what we still have left. To not let walls divide our cultures or telescopes on Mouna Kea from ruining our ecosystems. Swimming next to a handful of turtles was one of the most amazing things that I have ever done in my life. Taking those fifteen minutes out of my day to sit and listen to the calling of the waves and watching the jumping fish soar out of the water was such a serene scene that can not be explain with words. Fifteen minutes can change your life.

I truly believe that I have left my mark in Hawai'i- someday I WILL return. This place has revived all the more reasons why I still have faith in humanity and showed me the love I have for nature. Mohalo to all of the beautiful, inspiring individuals that made this trip one for the books. From the bottom of my heart, thank you.

Day 7 by Mariana

Today we were able to make a trip to Holoholokai Beach where we participated in four different stations. The activities covered topics including fish identification, reef health, measurement of water quality, and biodiversity. All these stations helped give us a better understanding of marine life through first hand observations.

One station that stood out to me the most was the fish identification station. This particular activity was a bittersweet experience. When James was handing us out snorkel gear and designating the fish that we would individually observe, it hit me. It hit me that I was actually going to get into the ocean and snorkel. Something I've always been unsure of had finally made its way to me. I had never swam in the ocean and the simple fact that I was going to swim among the vibrant coral reefs and marine life made me excited yet afraid. It was definitely a situation in which I had to take a big step out of my comfort zone. I was glad that I wasn't alone. Susan was by my side through it all. It was a great experience and I thoroughly enjoyed my time in the water exploring the marine life.

Overall, this experience made me realize that I shouldn't let fear take over because opportunities like snorkeling in Hawaii don't arise often. I learned the importance of enjoying the moment and flowing freely without worries. Most importantly, it opened my eyes to the significance and beauty that coral life bring to ocean life. Coral bleaching is an issue that we all have to acknowledge and research more in order to address it to keep our beaches and marine life healthy. I have to say that snorkeling at the beautiful beach of Holoholokai was one of the most fascinating experiences I have ever had and I loved every second of it.

Day 6 by Mia

International House of Pancakes, or IHOP for short. Here in Hilo, Hawaii IHOP might not be around the corner, but what there is here is a small comfortable and retro restaurant named Ken’s Pancake House. This restaurant is the definition of what Californians call, “Hawaiian” because of it’s eye catching colorful walls decorated with endless black and white photographs of many customers with their families. Also what added that little extra to the “Hawaiian” feel was the instant welcoming feeling you felt once you walked into the restaurant, especially from the waitress who was so caring and humble when she approached our table and said, “Aloha, good morning how are you guys doing today?” That gesture was very kind and generous of her to ask because the restaurant, already at 7 am was so full, and for her to ask how we were feeling was very thoughtful.

As the waitress was handing out menus my friend Keila and I were taking photographs of the photographs on the wall and turning them into hilarious memes. Finally, I took a look at menu and decided that I would be trying the ‘kokonut pancakes’. The pancakes consisted of shredded coconut mixed into the buttermilk pancake mix topped with more shredded coconut and powdered sugar. What shocked me the most about these pancakes were not only how delicious and delightful they were, but how massive and thick they were in size. 

The size of the pancakes left me speechless. They were so delicious that it left me wanting more but unfortunately I couldn't fit any more into my mouth since I was so full.      

Finally, after having a very humongous and delicious pancake it was time for the whole group to leave and I was extremely sad because I had to leave my pancakes behind. I felt as if the world was ending but I walked out with a grin on my face. This moment was bittersweet because I wanted to finish eating this delicious food, but I knew if I tried to finish my plate I would be sick for days.

This humble experience of just going down to a restaurant around the corner of UHH and interchanging laughs, bigger than life food, and hilarious memes via snapchat. I very much loved this experience because it made me feel special and loved by all my friends and peers. If I had the opportunity to be with these wonderful people again, I would without a doubt.

Day 6 by Whitley

Today we went from once side of the island to the other. We started the day in Hilo and ended in Wiamea. Along the way we were able to stop at a lava tube. My favorite part of the day was exploring the lava tubes at Kaumana Caves.

Lava tubes are made by huge flows of lava that erupt from one of the five shield volcanoes on the island. Their extreme heats not only move the lava along the side of the volcanoes but melt down into the earth as well. This results in a complete tunnel that runs under the surface of the island. The way to get into these lava tubes is by a sky light, which were made when gases pushed up into the top and break open the lava tube. The amazing part of lava tubes is that there are hundreds under each Hawaiian Island. They are subtlety hidden away within the beauty of the island. 

Walking into these caves I looked around and breathed in the cool air. It was about 15 degrees cooler inside the tunnels. 

The ground was wet and slippery beneath my feet. As I climbed over small rocks and down into small tunnels I felt drips of fresh ground water falling on my head. The small flashlight I had in my hand didn't help much to see the path ahead. A few places along the way I had to crawl to make it through the tunnels which led me to look at the ceilings of the tubes. The top of the ceilings had small stalactites where the last flow of lava had dried. Every glance up from them on was a constant reminder that these tunnels were made by huge flows of lava. 

Heading back to the entrance of the tunnel I was cold from the cool atmosphere in the tube. The light at the end had a green glow showing how lush the plants outside were. This made me appreciate the islands of Hawaii and the fact that I am here. Roots hung down from the ceiling up to 15 feet long falling just above my head as I walked out. Ferns were growing all along the outer rim of the skylight. Once out it took the short walk to the cars in the sun for me to appreciate the AC again.