One Year Done, More to Come….

Yes friends, Romans, countrymen/women, and family units of various sources…..

I have indeed completed the first year of my ‘new’ life and not only survived, but thrived. Can you believe it? I knew it would go quickly, but not even I predicted it would be this quick. From my arrival on August 7 to today, the whirlwind of a major move to Hawaii and to Hilo specifically has been ongoing with no obvious slowdown in sight until now. It has been many things…. The usual ‘exciting’ ‘enlightening’ ‘educational’ and other such adjectives clearly apply. But more importantly to me it has been liberating, rejuvenating, and restorative in both body and spirit. These and other benefits were the bonus outcomes from this impetuous move, and several people, including my sister, have told me I needed these bonus results more than I had realized. Who said I had become a grouch? OK, Donna, the sister who tells me what I don’t want to hear, did. As I mulled over her comments and others by family and friends, it occurred to me that they were right! It was hard to admit that my usually delightfully wacky personality had taken a severe turn south and was not present in my day to day encounters as much as I thought. However, looking back at the last couple of years in Austin, it is with humility and apologies to any and all that I encountered that I ask you to forgive me for my impatience and bullheadedness. I can only claim ‘burnout’ and a serious need for new beginnings.

They speak of the “Hawaiian Way” here as being laid back, relaxed, unhurried, and kind. The “Aloha Spirit” is the guiding force, and it is incumbent upon islanders to spread that spirit to all they encounter. I truly believe that God knew what He was doing when He set up this opportunity for me. As I have said in my earlier blogs, the path was clear and the necessary steps were placed in front of me. All I had to do was continue putting one foot in front of the other along this, dare I say preordained, pathway. I didn’t question it when it was happening, but I only now realize why and how much I needed to follow that path.

Friends were left in the Austin area. No doubt about it, I miss them all dearly. But thankfully the online technology and cell phone eras are here and working pretty well. So I am able to keep in touch with almost everyone on a reasonably frequent basis. I got to see wedding pictures of a couple who met in my clinical group two years ago. I would have been at the wedding, but the pictures were almost as good, and she was a beautiful bride with a very handsome groom. I have seen my hanai family of Pam and David (no longer my ‘pseudo-children’ but my hanai children) begin raising their son and daughter respectively with gentleness and patience gained from watching Diane and Wayne in their parental roles. A new great niece has also grown before my eyes through texts and online pictures. I have used Skype to stay in touch with Alisa and Kathleen. Some of those Skype visits were the basis for timely contacts and the ability to participate in decisions and follow-ups of activities discussed over the Skype system. My only regret is that it didn’t come while Kirke was alive to enjoy seeing family in distant places. While I’m not addicted to Facebook as some are, it has also been a way of staying ‘in the know’ about past students and family. Pictures posted there also help me to feel a part of life in Austin or Texas.

But I have also made new friends here. One of the joys of teaching adults in the community college setting and in my world of nursing that I love is that it’s easy to have former students become new friends and colleagues after they finish my courses. It was true in Austin, and it’s again true here. What a lucky woman I am that students enjoy my teaching style and recognize the rigueur of the disciplined clinical work I expect from them. They seem to appreciate it and some actually thrive within it. I’ve already shared getting a sunburn at the Merrie Monarch Festival Parade with two students and family members, and watched the Festival international Hula competition on TV live from down town Hilo with about 6 students who brought dinner and I put out the paper napkins!! So going into the summer, I have many invitations from students (and faculty) to occasionally meet for lunch, spend a day on a car trip out of Hilo, to sit and visit at the beach, to watch them surf, or to even meet for a weekend in Kona and get a personally guided tour of that west side of the island. I do love what I do as a ‘job’ and it seems that the enjoyment is apparent to the students. For that I am thankful.

Faculty have also become friends and colleagues and even mentors. Who would have thought that I needed a mentor at this stage of my teaching life? But it turns out that old dogs can learn new tricks, and believe me I am learning from the best. The level coordinator for this year and next is Sharon, and I have been so very impressed with her insights and standards and relaxed teaching style. She has shown me how to be more creative, and has listened to my ideas with respect and openness. We have built on some of the ideas and she has helped me to see even better ways of doing things. The student – faculty interactions here are totally different in the classroom and lab than they were at ACC. And as a result, I have broadened my teaching skills and enjoyed class much more.

Laura is the third Musketeer here in Hilo, and she has become a dear friend who listens and shares and supports and helps me reframe Ideas and reactions to more realistic perspectives. We have tried to eat dinner or lunch together almost weekly (well, at least about 3 times a month) and those evening visits have also helped ground me here and facilitated my becoming a member of the community and state. The other day, I wore a new pair of seersucker blue and white striped capris pants and a collage like print top with blues, browns, and some white. I asked her if she thought they went together since there were some stripe areas in the collage top…..I barely finished the sentence when she firmly said ‘No’. I laughed and told her that she had just become the surrogate for Kathleen who would say to me “You are not leaving the house dressed like that!” But, that is what a friend does. I just wonder how hard she had to fight to stay mum on the mismatch until I actually asked about it late in the afternoon? Laura and Sharon live in Wimea, which is about an hour and 15 minutes west of Hilo. The drive is absolutely gorgeous as you spend most of the time skimming along the ocean on the Hammakua Coast Highway. So, the two of them head home each weekend if they don’t drive back and forth on a daily basis. Several faculty do that from Wimea. I just think of it as ‘rush hour’ drive from Eastview Campus to home, but less traffic and much better scenery. But new friends abound on the teaching team beyond just my own level faculty. I am lucky again in that regard.

Nooli has come into my life, and he is a great companion. He is still only 10 lbs, and has a darling expressive face. I continue to work on the house breaking. Those books that tell you to stop and take the puppy out every 30 minutes are nuts. But he is getting better at letting me know he wants to go out, and I’m more in tune to his communication style. But he only has me so he is close by all the time I’m home, or if I’m on the computer, he is either here in the study lying down quietly or he’s at the living room window sitting guard. No one, and I mean NO ONE, is sneaking up on this house when I’m here. But he is less aggressive when I let people come in, and he’s being less paranoid about being left alone when I go to work or out somewhere. He can not possibly get any cuter, and he snuggles beside me on the love seat at night if I’m watching TV.  He also will curl up with his back against my back at night when we go to sleep....my own little heating pad who wakes me by licking my eyes when he thinks I need to get up.

One last thing to let you know how well I am acclimating into my new paradise. I have taken some cooking classes on the Community College campus. They are taught by faculty in the Culinary Arts Program or chefs from the community. So, Korean cooking was one, and another was an island blend of cultures. There is an Eggplant here that is called a Japanese Eggplant. It’s purple on the outside like the ones you see in Texas, but it’s long and shaped similarly to a zucchini. It is less tart and much easier to cook with. We diagonally sliced and battered and coated it (Panko bread crumbs are the BEST), and then deep fried them. The last step was to layer them in a casserole with Marinara Sauce and lots of cheese between layers before baking. UMMMM!! GOOD! But I’ve also been introduced to foods I’ve never heard of but were delicious. We also fried whole fish at the last class I took. Me!! Cooking and eating a whole fish! Yep, I’m not in Texas any more.

Enough for now. I am sending my love to you along with my aloha spirit. But I’m also sending the message that I’m here for a while. The process to apply for Tenure has been started, and that is a 5 year process. I plan to be here at least that long. SO….WHAT DOES THAT MEAN FOR YOU??? IT MEANS YOU NEED TO COME VISIT ME OVER HERE!! Door is always open, and a guest room is waiting. The hall bath has two sinks, so bring a friend!

Take care, and have a great summer.

Aloha,
Janene

HOW CAN THANKSGIVING BE 3 WEEKS AWAY?????

November 6, 2010

HOW CAN THANKSGIVING BE 3 WEEKS AWAY?????

It’s raining in Hilo as I write this blog entry. I’m told to buy several umbrellas, not the wimpy small ones, but big honking tent-type umbrellas, for the ‘rainy season’. OK….I can do that. Actually the rain cools things off, comes in intermittent spurts with some just pouring down, while others you can’t tell it’s even raining until you step out into it. I got to the grocery store today under very overcast skies, and just got the many bags into the house when the bottom dropped out. Great timing…..Go Me! I can gage the intensity in part by whether I can still see the Hilo Bay and large hotel complex from my living room. If they are all gray and indistinguishable, it’s a gully washer on the way fur shur!!

So, despite the onset of rainy season, I’m sitting here wondering where time has gone!! I got here on August 7, started work on my birthday the 16th, and have already done mid-semester clinical evaluations for my group at the nursing home, Hale Anuenue. Great place, by the way. So, Thanksgiving is less than 3 weeks away. My brother and sister-in-law, Kirke’s younger brother, are coming for the holiday. HOORAY!! It will be a fun visit and a chance to show off my new home town that I have grown to love.

But seriously, what have I accomplished in this short fast time?? Let’s see…..humm.

Well, #1. I have made a really good friend who has been ready and enthusiastic since I landed at the Hilo International Airport. Bev is one of those truly great friend who will go anywhere, do anything, and help a friend get acclimated to the new world order here. She recently held an Open House to officially house-warm her Vacation Rental apartment that I stayed in when I arrived. During the party, her cousin….did I mention she is a cousin to 98% of Hilo and Hilo area folks?....did an Hawaiian chant, then a blessing in Hawaiian, and then sang the Queen’s Benediction before we ate. Then later she sang native songs with two neighbors accompanying her on ukuleles. THEN…. Bev danced a hula for all the 50+ guests. It was beautiful, and she was so graceful and looked terrific in her slim flowered Mumu. The Hula is a long standing tradition and has survived many changes in the islands over centuries. Watching Bev, and her cousin who danced too, it’s easy to see how much a unique part of this lovely land this story telling dance is.

#2. Home has become my own, not just a feeling of short term vacation rental or hotel suite. The house has come together really well. Remember all that country themed décor I worked so hard to put into the Saber Trail house last spring? Well, no county style here, but no sea shell theme either….Kathleen would harm me if I did that as a theme. But I am making it an Hawaiian theme. Found an ad for Macy’s sale (they have incredible sales!!) on Hawaiian print bedspreads and comforters. The master bed room now has a red & white floral print comforter with red dust ruffle, and red/white/black accent pillows. I love it!! The guest room will have a Black & White Hawaiian theme to it. The spread has a repetitive black geometric-type symbol on a white background. My plan is to order some B&W reprints of old Hawaii scenes from a photographer here in Hilo. They will be the wall decoration to go with the bedspread. I also found accent pillows for that room, and one has a bit of red in it. The kitchen is a red theme too in accessories, and I enjoy the splash of color when I cook. So the house is feeling like a home.

#3. My many years of teaching experience has paid off well, and I am really enjoying the faculty I work with, and the students in the class. It was never my intent to bring ACC’s Nursing Curriculum to HawCC’s program. As a result, I’ve had a really eye-opening experience watching and learning from people who do things differently. What a novel idea!! Do things some other way than ACC…..is this heresy? NO….it’s a relaxed, student friendly, reduced stress, learn without faculty ‘saying’ everything-type of doing nursing education. Lots less lecturing, and even that is supposed to be interactive. The ‘class’ is divided geographically with 22 in Hilo, and 9 in Kona. Lectures are done over HITS which is Hawaii Interactive TV System, I think. Anyway, it’s a new challenge, but one I’m getting used to and enjoying. Labs are very interactive, with Kona doing theirs over there, and our students working with us here. Same exams are given to both groups, so lots of coordination, emails, attachments, and video conferencing goes on to keep everyone on the same page. As I said, my colleagues on the faculty have been gracious and generous with time, information, and friendship. Even the administrative assistant to the Program Chair spent about 30 minutes with me early in the semester driving me around the combined campuses of University of Hawaii and Hawaii C.C. She pointed out buildings, gave me history tidbits, overview of how and where the overlap of facilities occurs, and waited patiently while I picked up my keys…..actually someone from the key dept brought them out to the car so they could chat a minute with Luann. Talk about SERVICE! My office is the back corner of a converted classroom, and Joyce has the front quarter. She has been instrumental in getting me set up with a doctor here who I like very much. She also doesn’t just tell me where something is, like the master key box, but gets up and walks me to the area where it is. I could have found it, but she also gave me some unwritten policies about use, and where to find the key to the key box on weekends if I need it. My keys get me into the main nsg office as well as my office and some other zones. Sharon is level coordinator and she has been a true gift from God. She teaches so well, and I have learned so much from watching her. So, you say, old dogs can learn new tricks, and I say, yes! Laura is the third of our little band of merry educators here on the east side of the island. She is simultaneously working on her Ph.D from UH-Manoa (Honolulu) in an online format. She too has gone out of her way to tutor me through online resources for students, library access via web, school email via web, and many other things. We’ve done lunch and dinner some over the months, and laughed and learned about families, etc. Another growing friendship.

#4. Students!! What a delight. They have adopted me and love my Texas background. But, I’m no longer in Texas so they are trying to teach me a new Hawaiian word (or two) each time we are in class or lab or clinical. That’s a real hoot!! And, of course, introducing me to new foods is another dedicated task for them. My clinical group came to the house on the last day at the nursing home, and brought lunch. Justin wanted me to ‘just try’ some thing! in a dish from the deli. So I picked up a smooth piece of whatever….a SMALL smooth piece, and then made the mistake of turning it over. SUCTION CUPS!! No, NO , and NNOOOOO!! OK, I’ll try just this small piece….sorry, Justin….octopus will never be a food I rush to get at the pu-pu table (appetizers). But the Chicken dish was delicious. Another student has come by and helped me unload some heavy boxes and even set up a small cubical-like organizer for papers, etc. She is becoming one of the student’s that I know I will continue to stay in touch with after graduation.

#5. Added a new member to the Jeffery family. Yep, I got a puppy! He’s a darling small mix of Shitzu & Silky Terrier. Brown, black eyes, 8 lbs, and a year old. One of those great faculty members I mentioned above has connections at the Wiamea animal shelter, and they got him as a rescue dog. I don’t know all the history, but it’s obvious he was left alone a lot of the time. He wants lots of cuddling, and tummy rubs. But he also has not been socialized to strangers, so he growls and barks to show who’s boss when new people are trying to meet him. If they persevere and maybe even bring him a treat or at least let him smell them first, then he settles right down. I named him K’noole. One of the first streets I saw here was spelled Knoole, so the good old phonetic education I received in elementary school kicked in immediately, and I pronounced it Kah-noo-lee. Nope….not right! It’s really sounded out as Keno-o-lay. But I still say Kahnoolie in my head as I travel along it heading to work. Thus, puppy has been tagged as K’noole, or Noolie for short. My sister came up with the short version. I like it. He is responding to this new name finally, and not the old name he had….Yoda. It was because he has ears that make him resemble Yoda. Anyway, he is a great guard dog…too great. Since he can watch the entire front of the house and the length of the street from the floor to ceiling windows in our living room, he makes sure that cats, mailmen, neighbors, other dogs, and imaginary threats all know who’s house this is, and that they better steer clear. Or else!!! At 8 lbs I’m not sure what ‘else’ would be, but just the intimidation factor alone should count for something.

Well, enough for this posting. Hope your Fall is going as well as mine, and if I don’t get another post up before the 25th, Happy Thanksgiving!!

Aloha,
Janene