Hawaii Trip 2011
When I first heard about this trip, there was no doubt in my mind that it was something I wanted to do. It sounded too amazing to pass up, no matter what I had to do or how much money I had to earn. I went home that day and talked to my parents, who thought it was a wonderful idea. Some of my friends were skeptical, wondering why on Earth I would want to go to Hawaii if I had to learn something while I was there. I went anyway, and I’m glad I did, because it was the best experience of my life.
Everything in Hawaii was so new and different than anything I had ever seen or done before. The food was different, the plants and animals and beaches and the fact that I could walk on what used to be lava was so completely foreign. All of it was amazing, but a few events stood out for me. The first day we were there, Uncle Dennis told us there was an optional hike to a waterfall at 5 a.m. the next morning, and that “the brave” could jump in and swim. Normally, I despise waking up early for anything, but I was in Hawaii and determined to make the most of the trip. So the next morning I woke up, put on my swimsuit and tennis shoes, and took the hike. We hiked for a while, hopped a few fences, and finally found the waterfall. It was absolutely beautiful. I jumped in and my entire body felt like a popsicle sitting in the freezer, but it was completely worth the cold to be able to say I swam in a waterfall in Hawaii. Another event I enjoyed was driving up to the observatory on Mauna Kea. The sky up on top of the mountain is so clear and free of light pollution or even clouds. We could see stars from an entire hemisphere, and learned stories about constellations that came from Greek mythology, Hawaiian mythology, and everything in between. Being able to look up and see the same stars as almost half of the world completely blew my mind!
Most of the trip was fantastic, but there were definitely a few things that were subpar. My least favorite thing we did would probably have to be the lab write-ups. The labs were interesting and fun, but recording all of the data and answering questions while back at the dorm was most definitely not. Trust me, staying up until 1 a.m. drawing pictures of creatures in the tidal pool is not a walk in the park. Additionally, if I could change anything about the trip, I would want to visit other islands to learn about the fish and birds and other marine animals that live around those islands. It would also have been interesting to see any other dormant volcanoes on those islands.
Whenever I try something new and it doesn’t work out very well, my mom tells me not to worry because everything is a learning experience. That was completely true on the trip to Hawaii. No matter what I was doing, I learned something. The lessons I learned ranged from Hawaiian myths to rock formations to types of fish, but they were all interesting and taught with a sense of humor and fun. Hula was one of my favorite things to learn. Everyone looked a little bit ridiculous trying to sway their hips and move their arms along with the song, but it was definitely very interesting and fun. Another lesson I learned was how connected everything the ocean is with everything and everyone in the whole world. The smallest things we do on land, cutting down a tree, throwing away a plastic bottle, or even putting sunscreen on, can affect the entire ecosystem of the ocean. Fish, marine birds, and other animals sometimes eat plastic, mistaking it for food, and then are choked or starved to death. Too much chemical runoff into the water causes algal blooms that can cover and destroy an entire coral reef if they are not kept under control. People have more of an impact on life in the ocean, and on land, than they really know, because if the ocean is sick, everyone suffers.
I try not to expect too much when looking forward to something, because then nothing is a disappointment and everything is, if not happy, then at least a memorable surprise. But something I was not expecting at all was for the power to go out in our dorm on our last night at Hawaii Preparatory Academy. Also, it was surprising to hear people talk so much about how they believed someone took rocks from the heiau, and to accuse people of taking the rocks with no evidence. Sometimes, things happen that aren’t expected, but that isn’t a reason to start pointing fingers at anyone and everyone who seems the least bit suspicious. There were a few things I was expecting though, and something I just knew would be amazing as soon as I heard about it was seeing the lava. It was sad that there was no lava flow we could hike out to see, but even seeing the glow of the lava from the museum was very cool, and something that is completely impossible in Indiana. And then to look around after seeing the lava and realizing that all of the Hawaiian islands were formed from that was fascinating. We even went to a black sand beach that was formed recently, only about twenty years ago. To know that the Big Island is still forming and growing even as I stood on it was a little bit surreal.
Honestly, I have no regrets about the actual trip itself. I took chances that were there, I made friends who I still visit and talk to, I learned a lot, I acted like a tourist and took hundreds of pictures, I shopped and bought souvenirs and postcards for myself and my friends. My only regret is that I couldn’t convince any of my friends from home to go on the trip with me, because I think they would have loved it just as much as I did and would have had a wonderful time. But even that I don’t regret too much, because I might not have made such amazing new friends on the trip if I had been talking to the friends I already had the whole time.
I have always loved science, and in the past when people have asked what I want to be when I grow up, sometimes the answer was teacher. This trip caused teacher to start becoming my answer again, and not just any kind of teacher, but a science teacher. It may not be a definite plan, but it is absolutely a possibility. If that works out and I really do become a high school science teacher, I think it would be amazing to take a group of kids on this same trip so that maybe they could love it as much as I did.
Basically, the trip to Hawaii was the highlight of my entire life. I can become old and have gray hair and no teeth, but nothing and no one can ever take this experience away from me. Even if I go back to Hawaii some day and make new memories, the ones from this trip will always be with me and will always be special. And if someday I’m feeling lost and confused and don’t know what to do with my life, maybe I’ll break out the chant we learned asking for wisdom and guidance and let Hawaii lead me on my way.
