Fresh Perspectives

Surfing 101, Hula Dancing 250, and The Aloha State 310.

Too bad these ARE NOT classes available out here in Hawaii.  That’d be pretty sweet! 

I’m a business major and am now into some of the core business classes, so no time for fun and games when it comes to selecting which courses to take.  For the first few weeks, I sent pictures home filled with waterfalls, beaches, and sunshine.  My parents doubted I was actually enrolled…but hopefully after reading this blog, they’ll be assured.

This semester, I’m taking just 4 classes (due to a slight mix-up while registering), which means next spring I will have to make up for it by taking 6 classes.  Now, I should probably be freaking out about that fact, but I’ve chosen to take singer/songwriter Van Morrison’s advice…“Don’t worry about tomorrow.  That ain’t gonna help you none.  You’ve gotta live and take each day as it comes.”

Anyway, for right now these are the classes I’m taking:  Microeconomics, Spanish 101, Public Speaking, and Financial Accounting.

Microeconomics is pretty much a piece of cake if you put it in practical terms.  Take a good that we all enjoy…ice cream!  The cheaper ice cream is, the more people will buy.  And there you have a major concept of economics – the Law of Demand.

Spanish 101 has been interesting thus far.  I’m kind of playing catch up since most of my fellow students took Spanish in Middle or High School.  (I was that geek who studied Latin.)  Before this class I knew how to say 3 things:  Hola!, Feliz Navidad, and Mi casa es su casa.  Slowly but surely, however, I’m adding to my Spanish vocabulary!

Public Speaking – America’s number one fear!  Luckily, I don’t suffer from this common phobia, so I don’t think I’ll have much trouble with this class.  It doesn’t hurt either that my teacher reminds me of Mother Goose:  she likes to tell stories, is extremely caring, and has tiny glasses she wears at the end of her nose.

Accounting…ick.  My least favorite class of the semester - boring material and a crazy teacher.  At least I have one class that’ll be sure to keep me on my toes!

Well, there you have it - my Fall 2007 classes.  No longer will my parents doubt I’m actually going to classes out here!

Until next time…Aloha! 

Posted by Kendall at 12:32 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Where are you from again?

I get that question quite a bit out here.  I’m not sure if it’s the long i sounds or the “hey ya’ll’s” but people seem to know I’m not a local!  No worries though, I’m proud to tell them I’m from South Carolina.  It always starts up quite an interesting conversation.  I’ve even found a few people that are actually familiar with Columbia.  The 2 most popular reasons are 1) Fort Jackson, the US ARMY training center and 2) good ole’ Steve Spurrier and the football team.

It’s amazing how two places in the U.S. can be so different, though.  For one thing, a roll at restaurants here refers to pieces of sushi rather than a piece of bread.  I was out to dinner a few weekends ago, staring at the menu in disbelief, and thinking, “Wow…these must be some pretty appetizing dinner rolls for $10 apiece.”

Also, how often do you take off your shoes when walking into a stranger’s house?  Probably not too often.  But here, it’s considered extremely disrespectful if you don’t take them off right when you enter.  That took some time getting used to!  Shoes in general aren’t really a big deal in Hilo.  I was in public speaking the other day and realized the girl giving here speech was shoeless; and it’s not uncommon to see teachers in flip-flops and students walking around on campus bare-footed.  It was shocking at first, simply because you’d never see that in the Russell House, but it’s just the way things are!

If you’ve never been far from home, then I strongly urge you to consider this exchange program!  Everyday, I learn new things about the Hawaiian culture, and get to share little bits of Carolina with my local friends.  (I’ve convinced them all to try grits!) 

Until next time….Aloha!

Posted by Kendall at 05:13 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

If I had to choose one thing I miss most about being away from Carolina this Fall, it would without a doubt be FOOTBALL season!!!

I’ll tell you one thing – I’m just longing for a good tailgating session, the 2001 entrance, a stadium full of garnet and black, and of course…seeing our Gamecocks devour the opponent.  I’m not going to reminisce too much more, because it will only make me homesick.

But out here in Hawaii, I promise I’m keeping up with all the football news back in Columbia.  I watch all of the games that come on TV! Speaking of….two weekends ago, when we beat Georgia, I’m surprised you couldn’t hear me cheering clear across the Pacific Ocean.  I was SO excited to see us beat the Bulldogs!  My roommate and I ordered pizza and pigged out as we watched the game, eyes glued to the TV.  As for the games not televised, I keep up with them online, getting a play by play report.  And believe me, I scream and holler at the computer just as much as the television set!

Then, without fail, I call my parents Sunday afternoon for a full report.  My stepdad, David, is probably the biggest USC fan I know, so I get all my inside scoop from him.  How the quarterbacks played?  Who missed a tackle?  How Spurrier reacted? … You get the point!  It’s great; he knows EVERYTHING.  He’s the guy at the games who not only watches but wears the high-tech headphones to listen to commentary.  Gotta love those hardcore Gamecock fans!

I must also admit that I’m extremely jealous of David right now, who will be flying down to Baton Rouge Friday night.  He has front row (in the end zone) tickets for the USC vs. LSU game this weekend.  Now, even though pulling out a win is going to be nearly impossible….he’ll be there amidst all the excitement while I’m getting up extra early (because of the 6 hour time difference) to watch from thousands of miles away.

Yes, unlike some of you who are inclined to spend your days reading, surfing the web, or just hangin’ around, I prefer to spend my afternoons jumping off cliffs!

A normal afternoon for me in Hawaii usually involves some kind of outdoor adventure.  Richardson’s Beach is a half hour bike ride South of Hilo; Honoli’i Beach is a half hour North.  Coconut Island is 5 minutes from my apartment, and some wicked awesome waterfalls and swimming holes are right outside of town too.  (My new friend from Maine would be so proud that I’m catching on to the North’s favorite slang term!!!)

Anyway, I think you get the point.  There’s always something new to explore in Hilo!  But back to the cliff jumping part…I’ve come to realize that there are 3 categories of jumpers out there.

1)  The Jumpers.  These are the people who look over the ledge, feel the intense adrenaline rush, and go with it.  They come up smiling and are ready for another go.

2)  The One-time Jumpers.  This group looks over and thinks, “What the ____ am I getting myself into?”  They jump, and possibly even smile, but are immensely glad they got it over with and will never do it again.

3)  The No Jump Jumpers.  These people usually don’t even look over the ledge.  They’re comfortable keeping their feet on the ground and frequently end up being the designated photographers.

Now, this may seem completely cliché, but throughout life we encounter opportunities that don’t come around all too often.  Those are our cliffs.  They can be something as simple as getting out of your comfort zone that first semester in college or as crucial as a huge career decision.  Either way, when those cliffs come along, ask yourself…which Jumper are you gunna be?

Until next time…Aloha!

Posted by Kendall at 08:43 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Oh Hawaii!!! 

First off, let me apologize sincerely for not having written in over a month.  But c'mon, there has to be some sympathy out there.  I mean, if you were in Hawaii...would you really want to be indoors, typing away on a laptop...didn't think so!  But really, I am so sorry for leaving all of you Future Gamecocks to wonder about my journey to the middle of the Pacific.

Now...let's get down to business!  I'm sure you're all wondering just what this place is like, right?  Well...forget school for this entry, let's talk about the town of Hilo, Hawaii. 

The town of Hilo is on the East coast of the Big Island.  The technical name of the island is Hawaii, but I usually just call it the Big Island like everyone else so all of you mainlanders don't get confused!  Mauna Kea, a dormant volcano, with an elevation of almost 14,000 ft. sits outside of the town and can sometimes be seen covered in snow from the bay.  But don't worry, it doesn't snow in Hilo....the temperature stays right around 80 degrees ALL YEAR!

Now...I don't care where you're from, you do NOT know the meaning of laid back until you've been to Hilo.  Life moves at a slower pace and it's absolutely wonderful.  One of the first things I did after I got settled in was go on a trip to the Volcanoes National Park.  We were supposed to meet at 9 am.  Wanna know what time we left?? Almost 11...all because the bus driver was late.  The excuse she gave:  OHHH, I thought you were talking about 9 Hawaiin time.  And that was completely acceptable! (Too bad I won't be able to use that one for classes when I come back to USC.)

The community of Hilo focuses a whole lot on what I like to call the 3 F's.  Family, Food, and Fun!  Whereas we may only see our extended families a few times a year, these people get together weekly for cookouts and celebrations.  They really value strong family bonds and respect for elders.  Since we're on the topic of respecting our elders, let me tell you a little story!  Here, instead of calling an older person Sir or Mam, they say Uncle or Auntie.  For the first week or two, I thought everyone on this island was related and it wasn't until I asked that I found out that's how it is here!

Hilo is completely different from Columbia and most other large towns on the continental US in that there is almost NO nightlife.  Things begin to shut down by 5 o'clock and around 7, the downtown area looks deserted. But honestly, that's one of the neatest things about living in Hawaii!  There's so much to do during the day, whether it's beaching, exploring, biking, or rock climbing that by the time night rolls around, I'm ready for bed! 

Now that I've described the town of Hilo, you'll be able to relate a bit more when I begin to tell you all about my wild Hawaiin adventures!!

Until next time...Aloha!

Posted by Kendall at 12:28 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)