Here Waiting For You

I made it!!! I got in yesterday afternoon. The flights weren’t too bad. I was a lot more rested when I arrived that I expected because I slept a lot on the planes. It is BEAUTIFUL here!!! I can’t wait for you to get here! Feel free to call or write if you need anything.

Stephan

I'm Looking Forward to the Trip!!!

Hi Guys!

I just drove 10 hours to my folks place (near Pittsburgh) for the holidays. I spent most of the time dodging snow drifts and looking forward to being in the islands. Travel safe and I will be there to meet you when you arrive!

Stephan

The Excitement Builds

Hawaii Bloggers-
It has only been 3 days since my last post but my excitement
for this trip to Hawaii has increased beyond what I had ever
imagined. Anytime I see a friend from home they ask if I am
doing anything over vacation, and I always react with a
bubbly comment filled with excitement. I think my friends at
home are starting to get sick of me repeatedly saying how I
am going to Hawaii and probably just want me to go there
now. I also feel like this cold is getting more brutal each
day and the thought of being on a beach away from this
weather seems to get me through the day.I am trying to spend
as much time with my family and friends at this point since
we are only 10 days away! Whenever it hits vacation time, my
mind can never recall which day of the week it is, so now I
keep a countdown on my phone to tell me how many days it is
until January 1st. Ah!, how I would give anything to be able
to be on the island now, being able to see the beautiful
scenery and getting able to see anything any color other
than white everywhere. I told my friends that they may not
ever see me again after our trip to Hawaii since I'm going
to never want to come back to New England. I am so blessed to
have this opportunity and next time I blog, I will finally
be on the island of Hawaii!

Thoughts on Departure: BRITTANY WOMACK (lover of Capital Letters)

I AM VERY EXCITED ABOUT HAWAII ALONG WITH THE REST OF MY
FAMILY. AFTER FINALS AND THIS COLD BRUTAL WEATHER, I CAN'T
WAIT TO GET AWAY! I WANT TO SEE THE CLEAR BLUE WATER AND GET
MY TOES IN THE SAND! I THINK IT WILL BE A WORTHWHILE
EXPERIENCE TO STUDY AT THE UNIVERSITY. I AM STARTING TO LAY
THINGS OUT THAT I WANT TO BRING. I AM TRYING NOT TO PACK TOO
MUCH IN HOPES OF BRINGING ALOT OF THINGS BACK WITH ME FROM
HAWAII!!! I HAVE NEVER BEEN TO TEXAS BEFORE SO FOR THE FEW
HOURS WE ARE THERE BEFORE OUR NEXT FLIGHT, I I THINK IT WILL
BE COOL. THERE IS NOT MUCH HAVE TO SAY, BUT I DEFINITELY
CAN'T WAIT FOR VACATION. I PLAN TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF ALL
THE TIME WE HAVE THERE! BRITTANY WOMACK

Thoughts on Departure: Javianna Silvers

Aloha Everyone,
We only have 14 more days until paradise!!! These last 2
weeks of classes were so stressful, but the thought of hot
weather, the beach, and good food made me more motivated to
just get it done. It just dawn on me today that Hawaii has a
4 hour time difference. I don't know about you, but sleep
is very important to me and I hope my body gets well
adjusted to the time zone in reasonable amount of time.
I'm already bummed thinking about how I am not going to be
able to sleep going into the New Year, since we Hartford
people have to be on the plane at 6am. But at the end, it is
all worth it and I'll trade all the sleep in the world to
visit Hawaii. I'm so looking forward to see what everyone
is talking about when the talk about Hawaii. The beautiful
beaches, beautiful people, the peaceful vibe, and the food
(most important). I'm also shocked about how Hawaiian
native people are being treated. It kind of makes me sad how
people can be so deprived in the country. I can't wait to
learn more and get all my questions answer. This is a once
and a lifetime experience and I'm so looking forward to
see you all in 14 days.

Thoughts on Departure: Erika Pesta

There are only 17 more days left until we leave for
Hawaii. I hope you all are as excited as I am. This trip
will definitely be an experience of I lifetime I think for
all of us.
I have a question for everyone, who has never been on
a plane before? I did not think of this until the other day.
These people are in for a real treat. It’s nothing to be
nervous or scared about. I love plane rides, they just get
annoying after awhile. Especially with the amount of time we
will be spending on them. Airport happen to always be a
little crazy and overwhelming at times, but its just because
people tend to make a bigger deal out of things then
necessary. One thing that you will find is that airports are
a great way to people watch. You will find a variety of
interesting people. The most important thing I think people
need to remember in airports is to stay calm. People tend to
over react, and blow things out of proportion. You will get
to your destination eventually; there is no need to stress
out.
The day that everyone departs is definitely going to
be crazy. We will have mixed emotions running through our
heads. Whether it is, excitement, being nervous or just
exhausted because we had to wake up at four AM to catch a
plane at six AM. You must keep in mind though the place you
are going, and the amazing things that we will be seeing. I
can’t wait to see you all, and I am very excited to share
this experience with you all!
Fly Safely,
Erika Pesta

Thoughts on Departure: Leevette Rivera

Hi Everyone
I am so happy the semester is finally over. We only have two
weeks left before we head off to Hawaii and I cant wait. I
keep looking at the calendar wishing time would fly by and
it would be the Jan 1st already. I am dreading the long air
flight. I hope there is a good movie playing or I fall
asleep. It's going to feel so great to get away from this
really cold weather we're having. I wonder how the different
time zone is going to affect me. I am looking
forward to learning about Hawaii's culture and scenery. I
can't wait to go to Pearl Harbor since it has made a huge
impact on Hawaii's history. Overall I think Hawaii is going
to be a wonderful experience to remember. I cant wait till
we're there already.

Thoughts on Departure: Elissa Golub

Hi Guys!
It's getting closer to the big day where we fly off to Hawaii! I'm
really excited to go and am anticipating an amazing trip. I am not
only looking forward to experience the culture and ways of Hawaii, I
am excited to have this experience with a group of people that I am
truly excited to get to know. This experience is going to be one of a
kind. I am a little nervous about flying alone, knowing me I might
miss my flight, just kidding. On the other hand, I can't wait to see
things in Hawaii which we don't have the opportunity to see here. I
can't wait to see the beaches and look at the gorgeous land
surrounding us. This trip is definitely going to be one to remember
forever. Taking classes and experiencing an education is a first hand
experience I can't wait to be apart of. I wonder how the teaching
techniques will be and what I will take away from the lectures and
trips. Another interest I have is the time zone. I wonder if being in
a different time zone will affect me hard. I am interested to see if I
am either really tired, or have a lot of energy. I am just excited to
be able to have this experience. I can't wait for the trip to come
already, Hawaii is going to be amazing.

Thoughts on Departure: Stephanie Madler

I know that I will not be the first person to say that I am
excited to go to Hawaii. Not only because I personally have
never been out of this continent let alone time zone. This
trip has gotten many positive reviews and is only making me
more excited to go. I can almost picture myself there
already. Palm trees, gorgeous scenery, who wouldnt want to
go? i look forward to learning about Hawaii past the
appearance of it. I can definitely say with confidence that
I will have one heck of a time trying to manage what I am
going to bring. Naturally I would love to bring everything
with me, although that isn't exactly feasible. I also worry
what i am going to do on the plane, a 15 hour flight? that
is going to be interesting, especially following new years
eve. although i must say i am really pumped to bring in the
new year in a new place. hope everyone finishes off the
semester well and i will see you all so soon!

Thoughts on Departure: Zack Pollack

As I sit here writing this blog, I have to say, I am
impressed with how fast this semester has gone by. It feels
like only weeks ago I received a letter in the mail with
details inviting me on this trip to Hawaii. For myself, I
knew this was an opportunity that I was not going to pass
up. My sister went to Hawaii a few years ago and she said it
was an experience of a lifetime. I figured back in June that
if I went on this trip I would be exposing myself to a
culture, which I have never seen before. Also, studying
there for two weeks will give me a respect for the culture
and diversity of Hawaii. Before I was lectured about the
50th state, my immediate thought of Hawaii was beautiful
weather, unique culture and a nice Hawaiian woman placing
lei around my neck. These are basic stereotypes about
Hawaii, which many tourists think of, including myself.
With only a few finals remaining until winter recess, I
have to admit it's hard to completely concentrate on
studying when I know I have an exciting trip to Hawaii right
around the corner. When speaking with friends and family- I
have been informed many times how the plane ride is long and
boring. Having traveled to parts of Europe I am aware of how
boring the ride could be, but I figure with an I-pod,
magazine and a small pillow I should be prepared for the
ride. It will be interesting leaving early on January 1st
which means I should probably not stay up too late on News
Years Eve with knowing I will be getting up very early. But
yet again, we have a ten-hour flight to look forward to. At
the end of the day, when we get to Hawaii it will be an
experience of a lifetime and that is all that matters.
The one part of the trip, which I am most excited for, is
when we visit Pearl Harbor on January 7 on island of Oahu.
As a person who loves history, this is a site, which has a
lot of meaning to me. The reason why I find this site so
interesting is because the attack on Pearl Harbor, on
December 7, 1941 was the key reason why the United States
entered World War II after they believed in isolationism for
so many years.
I look forward to seeing everyone in a couple of weeks on
the unique island of Hawaii for an experience like to other.

Thoughts on Departure: Andrea Mullin

Hey Guys!
I can't believe the departure is almost a hop skip and a
jump away. I can honestly say i have not been this excited
in a very long time. I am excited to meet everyone on the
trip if i don't already know you. I excited to be apart of a
new culture that after the lectures with the Professors, I
clearly know nothing about. I hope that we see things that
are nothing like we have ever seen. I want to take in the
Polynesian culture and reconize all the impacts that make
this culture who they are. I personally am going to be
keeping a close eye on the effects our people have had on
this culture because this aspect of the lecture that has so
far affected me the most. I am not too nervous about the
plane ride, I am actually unlike most am excited because
this means a lot of down time to read a book or catch up on
some magazines and I can honestly say i feel like i have not
had downtime to myself once this year. I hope that everyone
going on this trip is just as excited as i am and i cannot
wait to be in Hawaii!

Thoughts on Departure: Name ??

I am anticipating our day to go to Hawaii. However I think
the day might be very busy since we are leaving New Years
Day when many other people travel. I've been on planes many
times before so I am not scared of doing that, but this will
be my first long distance flight by myself so I am a little
nervous. But for the most part I think things will go very
well. The thought of departing to Hawaii is a very good
feeling :-).

Thoughts on Departure: Brendan O'Neil

Today is Tuesday December 15, 2009 and we are in the heat of finals with the end of the semester in sight. Pulling all nighters while brewing coffee through the night, thinking of what to pack for home, holiday shopping and trying to find time to enjoy the company of friends while we are still on campus have made for a hectic past few weeks. How will we survive this mad dash to winter break? I take a deep breath and imagine enjoying the 80 degree weather Hawaii is enjoying as I type and the stress starts to melt away. I am also prepared to not just lay on the beach but explore the Hawaiian culture and get plenty of hands on experience within the course as we dive into the Polynesian culture and recognize its impact on the island. As for departure, I personally will be flying from Boston, I will be looking forward to catching some shut eye on the plane as I attempt to adjust to the time change. Packing light will not be as big an issue although I will not be attempting Dean Goldenberg's carry-on strategy. The travel portion will be fine, save weather changes, and will be the last step between me and one of the biggest cultural experiences in my life. Although I am not looking forward to the hurdles of travel I anticipate it will be well worth it in the end and will continue to count down till we land.

Thoughts on departure: Ashley Merkman

Friday December 11 is the last day of classes. It is relieve
to finally be done with the semester. The stress is almost
over. All that is left is finals week then winter break is
here. Christmas is right around the corner but the best of
all is that it means the trip to Hawaii is almost here.
Going to Hawaii is going to be one of the best opportunities
we get. We get to experience a whole different culture and
lifestyle. The most stressful part about this whole trip is
probably going to be getting ready. It seems like its so far
away when it is almost here. Packing is going to be a bit
stressful. You never really know what you need to bring to a
place you have never been to. The weather is mostly always
nice and hot, but there is a chance it could rain. The plane
ride is going to be long and boring. Switching flights isn't
going to be that stressful because we only have to do it
once in Texas. Airports confuse me because they are so big
with a large amount of people with many places to go. Once
you get through the journey on the plane trip it will be a
relief to land in a beautiful place called Hawaii. Overall
getting ready for the trip is going to be a little bit
hectic but in the end it will be worth the trip. We are all
going to experience so much with such a small number of
people. By the end of this trip everyone is going to be
friends and appreciate the culture we got to experience.

Thoughts on departure: Amanda McCarthy

Over the summer when I received the packet for the trip to
Hawaii, I automatically knew that I wanted to go. There
wasn't even a question in my mind about whether or not I
should go on the trip. What student wouldn't want to go to
Hawaii and get credits for it? Not only will I be allowed to
sit on the gorgeous beaches, but I will also be able to
learn about the culture, environment, and much more. Like
everyone else that is going on the trip, I can't wait to
get out of the cold. It is currently 27 degrees in West
Hartford; today in Hawaii it is 79 degrees. In my opinion 79
degree weather is perfect. I have been counting down the
days to our departure. Every day I get more and more
excited, but stressed out at the same time. I have so much
to do before we leave. I have two more finals, and a paper
due this week. I am trying to stay motivated, but it is hard
when all that I can think about is the trip. I also am
worrying about packing. Whenever I travel somewhere, I
always forget something essential like a toothbrush. This
will also be the first time that I am taking a trip without
my family. I am the type of person that gets lost all the
time. I sometimes still feel like a freshman because I walk
into a wrong classroom, or building. If someone on the trip
gets lost in the airport and never actually makes it on the
plane, it is going to be me. I am so excited to get to know
the people that are going on the trip. It is going to be a
unforgettable experience for everyone!

Thoughts on Departure-Andrew Elish

As I sit here, writing this entry, I am finally realizing
that the trip is really going to happen, and that it is less
than a month away now. With the term winding down, and the
trip beginning to take a more central place in my thoughts,
I thought it would be a good time to reflect on how my
initial conceptions about Hawaii have changed, and what I
now expect the trip to be like based on the seminars we have
had so far.
Personally, I initially had no idea of what to expect from
Hawaii or the course in general. Before attending any of the
seminars and informational sessions prior to departing, I
had a very vague and generally stereotyped view of Hawaii
and its general culture. While I had briefly reviewed the
history of America's annexation of the island in the
1800's, I had largely forgotten about the fallout which
the hostile, unapproved takeover caused. I generally
considered Hawaii to be a tourist and vacation
destination known for a great international surf scene, but
which tends to be more popular with Asian tourists since it
is so much closer to Asian countries than the United States
mainland. In general, I tend to think of Hawaii most
often when I think of its historical place in World War Two.
I have had some exposure to information about traditional
Hawaiian culture, mostly through occasional programming on
TV. While I take in and process information like that at the
time I view it, I then tend to forget the details, reverting
back to my more standard view of Hawaii as an incredible
natural oasis and vacation hotspot.
After the two lectures we have had, my views about, and my
expectations of Hawaii have definitely changed. The
lectures focused on two big issues in Hawaii which I had
never really imagined could exist there. The one which
surprised me most was the information we went over regarding
the impact of invasive species on the Island. While I know
that in the United States, and in other places throughout
history, invasive species have been a huge issue, I never
really thought that Hawaii, which is an Island would have
such a huge issue with a problem like this due to its
natural isolation, which ought to at least make it harder
for foreign species to arrive on the island. It was
interesting to learn that almost everything we think of as
being native to Hawaii is in fact a foreign species which
either arrived via boat and travelers, or was introduced.
Examples of this include the Pineapple, numerous species of
animals, and most interestingly the huge impact of invasive
plants. The plants were the most interesting to me, because
I had no idea that the island is currently facing a huge
threat, not from erosion by the sea, but by loss of topsoil
due to the increasing dominance of a particular type of
plant with an unusually shallow root system. Since the roots
are so shallow, and since much of the island experiences
relatively heavy rainfall during the year, having large
areas of topsoil with only shallow root systems in place to
solidify the soil presents a major problem. When rain
saturates the ground, or there is a heavy wind condition,
the topsoil tends to slide, carrying the invasive plants
with it, and damaging the overall ecosystem on the islands.
The lectures were also interesting because they highlighted
the fallout which can still be felt over the way in which
the United States annexed the Island. While I had briefly
covered the annexation in history classes, it was presented
as such a minor event that I had forgotten that the islands
were annexed over the objection of the Hawaiians.
Additionally, the annexation never gained true legality,
although it came to be accepted as if all procedure had been
followed. This lecture was helpful, in reminding me that
indigenous Hawaiians still resent the treatment they
experienced by America at large during the process of
annexation, in which their concerns about protecting their
culture and way of life were largely ignored, making it
extremely difficult to find any truly authentic Hawaiian
cultural practices being followed in the present day.
After these two lectures, I am interested to get to the
island to see the content in an actual setting, not just in
a classroom. However, I think that seeing the impact of the
annexation and the loss of indigenous Hawaiian culture, and
learning more about that issue in the classroom portion of
the course will be the more interesting of the two issues to
see first-hand. In general, I am looking forward to an
opportunity to experience a new place and more importantly
learn about a place I know almost nothing about first-hand.
I think the lectures provided a valuable groundwork for
understanding the interaction of people and nature in
Hawaii, as well as the interaction occurs there between
various different cultures.

Thoughts on Departure-Mallory D'Agostino

With all of this stress of work for this week and then
finals next week, the only thing that is keeping me going is
the thought of being in Hawaii under the sun and on the
beach! I can not wait for these last two weeks to be over
and for me to just to be able to relax for a little bit. And
although I can not wait to be in Hawaii, I do not want to
have to wake up at 4 am to be on time to the airport to sit
on a plane for hours. But I know it will be worth it once
I'm sitting on the beach.
I wish I could go on more, but I have to work on one debate,
meet a different group for a different debate, write a
paper, and do three days worth of math homework. I hope
everyone else doesn't have to do as much work as me! And I
hope everyone is as excited as I am to be going to Hawaii so
soon! Can't wait to go through this experience with everyone
:)

Thoughts on Departure Blog-Kayla Colbert

It is hard to believe that 24 days from now we will be wellon our way to the Hawaiian island of Oahu. I cannot believe that I am already considering whether or not Ishould climb into my attic now and get my suitcase, or wait until a few days before departure to climb up there andrummage through my family's ever growing collection of junkto search for the piece of luggage that will best suit mefor this trip. With the final two weeks of the semester rapidly approaching, I am not looking forward to the final assignments, projects, essays, and exams that lie ahead. I wish I could escape the craziness of life now as I amcompeting with my work schedule to complete all of myassignment and actually feel like I am absorbing the material. The next two weeks will be a stressful and busytime for everyone and this makes me wish that I could fastforward the following days to our departure date to Hawaii.
As our departure day is slowly arriving, I am growing more anxious and excited with each passing day. I do not likeairports and I especially do not like flying, so January1st, 2010 is not a day that I am looking forward to. The idea of flying has always scared me because of all thepossible things that could go wrong. Even though everythingwill be alright, I know I will be a nervous wreck on the dayof departure; however, the days following January 1st arewhat I am ecstatic about. The idea of being on an airplanefor the majority of a day is not appealing to me in any way. Being confined to a tiny seat, eating airplane food,walking down the narrow aisles, and knowing that there maypossibly be a screaming baby on board is not my idea of agood time and if there was an alternate form of transportation to travel to Hawaii, I would gladly opt outof flying. The chaos, confusion, and crowds of people thatare associated with airports is dreadful. I do not do well with giant crowds of people and getting lost from our small group in the Texas or Hawaii airport is my biggest fear. Itend to space out a lot and live in my own little world, in which I ignore everything around me, so this fear may verywell come true, but hopefully not!! Even though I do notlike flying, facing my fears will be worth it as soon as weland and step onto the island of Oahu and are embraced by the warm, beautiful weather as opposed to the cold, crispweather we are familiar with in New England. It seems as ifit were only yesterday that the Hawaii package had arrivedin the mail and I was reading the information for the firsttime, and now five months later I am preparing for the tripof a lifetime.

Reflections on Dec 7

Today is the 68th anniversary of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. This event was our grandparents equivalent to 9/11. As I think about this anniversary, I thought it would be nice to tie it to our class and think about how time acts as an agent of change.

As we live day to day it often seems like nothing happens. It feels like we’re the same person day in day out. Yet when we look back over the course of a few years we find that we actually are different. For example, I am a very different person than I was 10 years ago. So how did this happen? If I feel like I am the same person every day, how did I become different? The answer is that we do change over time, but the rate of change so slow we don’t “feel” it. It is only by looking back that we can see broad differences in our who we are.

The same is true if we think about the world. From day to day it always feels like it’s the same place. Yet if we look back over even short distances of time we find that the world changes radically and quickly. For instance, during World War II (only ~70 years ago) Germany and Japan were our enemies; Russia was our ally. A few years later Russia was our enemy and Germany and Japan were our allies. Now, none of these countries are really on our national threat map (so to speak), but we are focused on fighting terrorists and insurgents in Afghanistan. Oddly enough 20 years ago these same terrorists and insurgents were our allies against the Russians.

What does all this mean? I’m not sure. What I can say is that I see no reason to hate an enemy. If we must fight, whether it is in World War II or in Afghanistan we should remember that we are simply fighting people. Eventually the war will end and in all likelihood our enemies will become our friends. When we visit Pearl Harbor there will probably be Japanese visiting the site. Are they our enemies? Of course not. We should consider them what they are – friends visiting a historical site. We are all now visitors examining the relics of a time that no longer exists.

Looking Forward to My Third Winter Term at the University of Hawaii

When I first accepted the offer to spend a third winter term in Hawaii as a "last minute" replacement for the injured Prof. Seabury, I was a bit hesitant and not very excited. Everyone I told this to thought I was a bit crazy. After all, who wouldn't want to get paid to go to Hawaii for two weeks? It does sound crazy, but I had done it twice before, in 2004 and 2006, and I have had a pretty stressful and bad year. All I really wanted was to spend some time relaxing at home with my family and my dogs. Dean Goldenberg was persuasive that maybe the trip was exactly what I needed after the year I had, and that Stephan and I would make a "good team" bringing our areas of expertise to enhance the students' experience with the course and the trip. On top of this, my mother decided that she would plan a trip to Oahu to be there for part of term. So, as it turns out I am lucky to get to both work and relax with family in the beautiful sunny state of Hawaii.
Sitting here watching the wet snow fall on this early December evening I am finally starting to get excited about the voyage ahead. I watched the video I made documenting the 2006 Hawaii course and it brought back many good memories of all of the fascinating things that we do and learn in the course. One of the things I like most about the course is that I get to be both professor and student. Although I enjoy being a teacher and sharing my knowledge and the knowledge of sociology with students, I must admit that I love being a student more. There is nothing better than encountering new information, ideas, and experiences and being challenged to critically think about how they fit together and apply to the world around me. Both winter terms at University of Hawaii have provided me with the experience of the best of what it is to be a student again. I hope that, as a professor on this trip, I am able to help the students get as much from this opportunity as they can. What I most want to teach them is that travel and fun can be made even more enjoyable by knowledge.
Of course, I am also very much looking forward to the beautiful setting and gorgeous weather as well as the feeling of relaxation and joy that seems to be part of the air in Hawaii. I will encourage students to think about the problems and inequalities there, but there is no denying that there is something wonderful, magical, and peaceful that abounds in Hawaii.