Oct. 23, 2010
Aloha friends and family,
I continue to love being here in Hilo, and am finally a ‘real’ Hawaiian…..I passed the paper and pencil Driver’s Test and am in possession of an Hawaiian Driver’s License!! Hooray!!! My picture on it is even a good one! One more sign that I am in the right place at this time in my life.
As acclimation to this new world continues unabated, I thought I would share some things that are now in my realm of awareness which you are missing. Let’s start with….
COQUI FROGS
You may or may not know that the Horned Toad or Horned Frog is the mascot of TCU. So, I am reasonably familiar and mostly comfortable with frogs in general. However there is a specific variety here that I had not encountered. The Coqui frog was accidentally brought to Hawaii from Puerto Rico. They are very very small frogs (less than 2 inches in length) which live within the leaves of plants where they can be hidden by folds and rolls of the leaves near the attachment point on the stalk. OK, so you say “what’s so bad about tiny frogs?” Since you asked, I’ll tell you. It’s the noise they make as they try to attract female companionship. For many people, the cacophony is sleep disrupting and quite annoying.
Allow me to describe an average evening here at my wonderful house on the cul-de-sac. These frogs sleep during the day….lucky little critters that they are. So, about 4pm or so they begin waking up and planning for an evening with friends. A few practice mating calls are heard, but they are sporadic and scattered over the foliage behind the house. By sundown the party is in full swing and hundreds of little frogs have begun to compete for the attention and whatever of the local girl frogs. These male frogs are hoping to strike it lucky with one or more loose women in the Coqui neighborhood. So they try to be louder and more interesting in their calling sounds. Squeaks, chirps, clicks (like a large toe nail clipper at work) and other variations on these sounds will be heard. Some sound like birds and can be misleading in that way. Friends from Austin who have heard them in the background when talking with me over the phone mention hearing a bird. No telling what they think when I tell them it’s not a bird, but a frog.
Now, I am not in the group who dislike the noise at night….and the joint is jumping through to early morning. Actually I sleep better with some type of ‘white noise’ in the background and usually have a fan on to create this very thing. So, the cocqui night club outside my open window actually contributes to this steady hum (?) of background noise. By about 2am the party has pretty much broken up, I assume because the guys got lucky or gave up trying because they were getting hoarse. Yet, there is usually one or two optimistic stragglers still calling into the darkness in hopes of hearing a returning….something….from that last, probably ugly, girl frog. Then things settle down for that day until the next night when the Coqui Club opens again for business. Check out Coqui frogs on Google, and they have links to sites where you can hear their calls.
PURPLE SWEET POTATOES
Yep, PURPLE Sweet Potatoes! Yesterday in the faculty meeting, my colleague, Laura, was eating one for lunch. The outside looks like a regular brown potato but the inside is the color of the TCU school colors. As I watched her eat it I had the strangest feeling. Do you remember hearing about a study done in which people were tested for likes or dislikes of regular foods which had been colored a very different color yet without changing the taste in any way? Green milk, blue mashed potatoes, etc.? People wouldn’t eat the foods or claimed they tasted different. Our perception of food and the taste of that food are closely linked to the colors we grew up seeing and eating. Right now, there is a move in America to introduce Red Celery to the public, but there is concern that people won’t buy it because of the unique color.
OK, back to purple sweet potato. I was almost getting sick watching Laura scoop out the purple potato ‘innerds’ and eat fork after forkful. She swears it tastes just like any other sweet potato. But as I was trying to pull my eyes away from this train wreck of a lunch, I remembered having ordered a lunch just a week or so ago that said it came with sweet potato salad. Sounded good. But when it arrived, it didn’t look orange. Instead it looked white with purple ‘stuff’ mixed in. Texture was all the same, but it never occurred to me that the purple ‘stuff’ was actually the sweet potato. OK, tell me why I could eat that salad, but not watch Laura eat all purple potato from its shell?? It’s a conundrum for sure!
MONKEYPOD TREES
Oh my heavens, these are gorgeous trees. They grow easily in Hawaii, and when they are growing in open areas of parks or greenbelts, they can get to be enormous. The leafy portion grows in a way that makes them look like huge umbrellas. They have a natural stop level for the lower branches so that they spread out with a horizontal edge at the base of the leaves, and a large corresponding sized arch of leaves over the top of the leaf section. Many of these are growing down near the Hilo Bay in the buffer zone of parkland that was established after the last Tsunami in the ‘60s.
Monkeypod wood is prized for use in wood working. You can pay quite a bit for large monkeypod bowls and trays, and such. They have a pretty grain so the wood item looks decorative and then the item itself is functional. If you come into possession of such a wooden décor item, treasure it. These are unique and will last a lifetime and beyond.
MORE FOR ANOTHER POSTING….
I’ll save the details about Paddle Surfing and Scuba Diving with Manta Rays for later. The former are fun to watch as these young people stand on their surfboards and paddle along on areas of calm water near the Bay. The latter is a nighttime tourist option in Kona, and Alisa says she wants to do that when she and Kathleen come to check on me at Christmas. I have elected to remain on shore for that little tourist attraction. Maybe on another visit…..yeah!!
Hope this finds you all doing well. School is moving quickly along here. My nursing home tour with students ends this coming Tuesday, and two weeks later, I get a new set of students who will go with me to the Cardiovascular Unit (read: Intermediate Step-Down / Telemetry Unit). That will be challenging and interesting. The unit is physically small, crowded, and has a high level of acuity (meaning very sick patients). It is very different from my comfy area at Round Rock Med Center…..but that is part of why I came over here. It will be interesting and I’m looking forward to getting more specific experience with that category of patients.
Hugs to you all,
Aloha,
Janene
Saturday, October 23, 2010
Friday, October 8, 2010
WELCOMING PARTY
Aloha
Lots of things going on here, and I’m staying in the middle of most of them. I love it here!
Let me tell you about the big party that was given for all new faculty at Univ. of Hawaii – Hilo and the Hawaii Community College – Hilo last week. There is a group in town that was formed specifically to create community links with and between the University / College and the businesses and public leadership of Hilo. One of the important areas they see in this role is that of making new faculty welcome to the community and helping us assimilate into our new hometown. With that in mind, they annually throw a party for the new faculty and have speakers, fun information about the cultures and cuisines of the area, and entertainment (what would a party in Hawaii be without Hula Dancers??) as well as a feast of local delicacies and traditional dishes that would make your hair stand on end. Speakers included the Chancellor for the University system Hilo facilities, the Community College chancellor, and the immediate past University Chancellor, along with the Mayor (he was a hoot) and other important community leaders. Several state representatives were there but, thankfully, they didn’t speak.
Now…..about Hawaiian dancing…..!! Let’s clarify something right off the bat. I can’t sing (some of you are only too familiar with that deficit of mine) and I clearly have no rhythm for dancing. Stick figures look more graceful. There were two dance groups who performed, and both pulled those of us sitting near the front up to join them for part of the …dare I say ‘entertainment’? It was hard, sad, humiliating, funny, embarrassing, and tons of fun. Swaying hips only look easy. It took me months to learn to Twist in the 60’s and about that time the dance fad passed on to other fads. But I can still Twist with the best of them…..which of course doesn’t help a bit with doing the Hula. The second group was a younger age group (young to me anyway) who had on tight black outfits with silver hanging spangles around their hips. They combined some of the swaying of the Hula, but added much in from Tahiti where fast and suggestive hip shakes are the norm. Now picture me trying to do a tamed down version of this exotic and erotic dance style……STOP THINKING, it will make you go blind. But, despite not being able to do line dancing, hula or Tahitian dancing, I did get up there and try!! That’s what counts, right?? Please say yes to that.
They also introduced us to unusual local fare of the various cultural groups. Each was supposed to be very different from the mainstream dishes known around the world, and were said to be favorites of the ‘real’ people of those ethnic groups. We were reminded that many of these dishes came from years ago and were the outcomes from economic needs to not waste anything from an animal consumed for food. I’ll just let your imagination run with that for a few seconds………ok? Got it?? Yep….you got it. Well, they wanted a new faculty member to come up to try each dish as it was presented, and the idea was that this faculty member was adventurous and a good sport…..cuz some of these things tasted awful. Ok, I’m game for some things, and when I heard the word peanut in the name of the dish, I volunteered to try it. My first clue about this error on my part was when I got to the table, the comedian who was doing the MC’ing of the whole thing said, with a big grin, to his partner “I bet she thinks there are peanuts in this!!” Uh Oh!!! Too late to go back now. Actually, it was a piece of meat….mystery meat for sure, but it looked like a small chunk of pork, and tasted like that…..Thank Goodness! It came with a single Okra which I also ate. Got my well deserved round of applause and a nice little gift for agreeing to be a target, and finally got to sit down. Some folks had things that were much worse, like Chicken Tail and other dishes made from the far end of the animal. One woman just said “It’s an acquired taste” when asked about her taste test. But all in all it was a rare chance to learn about some innovative ways to ‘use all of the animal’ so that none goes to waste. I gained a great deal of respect for such ingenuity and perseverance in times of need. Today those dishes are family traditions at gatherings and special meals. Sort of like some of our special dishes we fix for our family gatherings….maybe my Cranberry Salad at Thanksgiving and Christmas would qualify for this sort of category.
At the end of the evening, they instructed (begged) the new faculty to take TWO of the table centerpieces home with us. Each one was different, and had fresh local flowers done in a beautiful arrangement. I took two that had such flowers as Antheriums of red and white, Bird of Paradise, and various greenery. They are still beautiful a week later. We also were given a tote bag full of lots of fun stuff along with a Tee-shirt for our College or University. I did feel welcome and appreciated at the end of the evening, and that was a first for me in any teaching setting. I love this place!!
On a more somber note, tho, at the beginning of the evening I had seen one of my students there who explained her boyfriend was a new HawCC faculty member and she had come to see him introduced. A few minutes later after going through the appetizers (pu-pu) line, I saw someone rush up to the edge of the pavilion where we were and in a clearly panic shouted that she needed a knife quickly. One was immediately grabbed from the food line nearby, and she rushed off. Seconds later, Anna, my student was at my shoulder whispering that there might be a need for medical help out in the park area. I followed her out and we walked about 20 yards to a covered picnic table area where some men were cutting down a young man who had tried to hang himself. The issue was that the rope was still too tight around his neck and they were working to loosen it when Anne and I got up there. That was successful, and they lowered him to the ground at which time the young man began to jerk and writhe and wrestle with those trying to hold him down to keep him safe. It did not demonstrate the usual seizure movements, and with his panicked look and struggling against the men it was more apparent that there was either some O2 deficit issues and/or drugs on board factors. Police and EMS had been called earlier by bystanders, and police got there quickly. The young man had no friends or family who came looking for him, but did have a wallet on him. I left when the ambulance pulled into the parking area adjacent to that spot in the park. It was obvious he would survive the attempt, but at what cost to cognition and emotional status is only a guess. This was a first for me, and I am still thinking about it a full week later. I have since learned that suicide among the youth and young adults in Hawaii is very high. It is a sad fact of living in this beautiful and caring part of the world. My hope is this young man can get the help he needs and look past the pain of the short time to a better long time in life.
Enough!! School is going well, my clinical group is doing well except for one poor soul who is just too tunnel-visioned to see the RN-level of big picture. He has not been successful in the learning lab, and is likely to not pass this semester clinically. Others in the group are not having difficulties, and are fun, funny, and enthusiastic about this new career they are starting. They make it worth my time to be on site and alert at 6:30AM…..and most of you know I’m NOT a morning person!!
With that update on some of the things in Paradise that I’m enjoying, I will let you quit reading for now. I promise to get back with a blog about my drive up to Wimea and the breathtaking coastal landscape that I drove along to get there. This island is magnificent, and I am looking forward to more exploration soon.
Aloha to all of you,
Janene
Lots of things going on here, and I’m staying in the middle of most of them. I love it here!
Let me tell you about the big party that was given for all new faculty at Univ. of Hawaii – Hilo and the Hawaii Community College – Hilo last week. There is a group in town that was formed specifically to create community links with and between the University / College and the businesses and public leadership of Hilo. One of the important areas they see in this role is that of making new faculty welcome to the community and helping us assimilate into our new hometown. With that in mind, they annually throw a party for the new faculty and have speakers, fun information about the cultures and cuisines of the area, and entertainment (what would a party in Hawaii be without Hula Dancers??) as well as a feast of local delicacies and traditional dishes that would make your hair stand on end. Speakers included the Chancellor for the University system Hilo facilities, the Community College chancellor, and the immediate past University Chancellor, along with the Mayor (he was a hoot) and other important community leaders. Several state representatives were there but, thankfully, they didn’t speak.
Now…..about Hawaiian dancing…..!! Let’s clarify something right off the bat. I can’t sing (some of you are only too familiar with that deficit of mine) and I clearly have no rhythm for dancing. Stick figures look more graceful. There were two dance groups who performed, and both pulled those of us sitting near the front up to join them for part of the …dare I say ‘entertainment’? It was hard, sad, humiliating, funny, embarrassing, and tons of fun. Swaying hips only look easy. It took me months to learn to Twist in the 60’s and about that time the dance fad passed on to other fads. But I can still Twist with the best of them…..which of course doesn’t help a bit with doing the Hula. The second group was a younger age group (young to me anyway) who had on tight black outfits with silver hanging spangles around their hips. They combined some of the swaying of the Hula, but added much in from Tahiti where fast and suggestive hip shakes are the norm. Now picture me trying to do a tamed down version of this exotic and erotic dance style……STOP THINKING, it will make you go blind. But, despite not being able to do line dancing, hula or Tahitian dancing, I did get up there and try!! That’s what counts, right?? Please say yes to that.
They also introduced us to unusual local fare of the various cultural groups. Each was supposed to be very different from the mainstream dishes known around the world, and were said to be favorites of the ‘real’ people of those ethnic groups. We were reminded that many of these dishes came from years ago and were the outcomes from economic needs to not waste anything from an animal consumed for food. I’ll just let your imagination run with that for a few seconds………ok? Got it?? Yep….you got it. Well, they wanted a new faculty member to come up to try each dish as it was presented, and the idea was that this faculty member was adventurous and a good sport…..cuz some of these things tasted awful. Ok, I’m game for some things, and when I heard the word peanut in the name of the dish, I volunteered to try it. My first clue about this error on my part was when I got to the table, the comedian who was doing the MC’ing of the whole thing said, with a big grin, to his partner “I bet she thinks there are peanuts in this!!” Uh Oh!!! Too late to go back now. Actually, it was a piece of meat….mystery meat for sure, but it looked like a small chunk of pork, and tasted like that…..Thank Goodness! It came with a single Okra which I also ate. Got my well deserved round of applause and a nice little gift for agreeing to be a target, and finally got to sit down. Some folks had things that were much worse, like Chicken Tail and other dishes made from the far end of the animal. One woman just said “It’s an acquired taste” when asked about her taste test. But all in all it was a rare chance to learn about some innovative ways to ‘use all of the animal’ so that none goes to waste. I gained a great deal of respect for such ingenuity and perseverance in times of need. Today those dishes are family traditions at gatherings and special meals. Sort of like some of our special dishes we fix for our family gatherings….maybe my Cranberry Salad at Thanksgiving and Christmas would qualify for this sort of category.
At the end of the evening, they instructed (begged) the new faculty to take TWO of the table centerpieces home with us. Each one was different, and had fresh local flowers done in a beautiful arrangement. I took two that had such flowers as Antheriums of red and white, Bird of Paradise, and various greenery. They are still beautiful a week later. We also were given a tote bag full of lots of fun stuff along with a Tee-shirt for our College or University. I did feel welcome and appreciated at the end of the evening, and that was a first for me in any teaching setting. I love this place!!
On a more somber note, tho, at the beginning of the evening I had seen one of my students there who explained her boyfriend was a new HawCC faculty member and she had come to see him introduced. A few minutes later after going through the appetizers (pu-pu) line, I saw someone rush up to the edge of the pavilion where we were and in a clearly panic shouted that she needed a knife quickly. One was immediately grabbed from the food line nearby, and she rushed off. Seconds later, Anna, my student was at my shoulder whispering that there might be a need for medical help out in the park area. I followed her out and we walked about 20 yards to a covered picnic table area where some men were cutting down a young man who had tried to hang himself. The issue was that the rope was still too tight around his neck and they were working to loosen it when Anne and I got up there. That was successful, and they lowered him to the ground at which time the young man began to jerk and writhe and wrestle with those trying to hold him down to keep him safe. It did not demonstrate the usual seizure movements, and with his panicked look and struggling against the men it was more apparent that there was either some O2 deficit issues and/or drugs on board factors. Police and EMS had been called earlier by bystanders, and police got there quickly. The young man had no friends or family who came looking for him, but did have a wallet on him. I left when the ambulance pulled into the parking area adjacent to that spot in the park. It was obvious he would survive the attempt, but at what cost to cognition and emotional status is only a guess. This was a first for me, and I am still thinking about it a full week later. I have since learned that suicide among the youth and young adults in Hawaii is very high. It is a sad fact of living in this beautiful and caring part of the world. My hope is this young man can get the help he needs and look past the pain of the short time to a better long time in life.
Enough!! School is going well, my clinical group is doing well except for one poor soul who is just too tunnel-visioned to see the RN-level of big picture. He has not been successful in the learning lab, and is likely to not pass this semester clinically. Others in the group are not having difficulties, and are fun, funny, and enthusiastic about this new career they are starting. They make it worth my time to be on site and alert at 6:30AM…..and most of you know I’m NOT a morning person!!
With that update on some of the things in Paradise that I’m enjoying, I will let you quit reading for now. I promise to get back with a blog about my drive up to Wimea and the breathtaking coastal landscape that I drove along to get there. This island is magnificent, and I am looking forward to more exploration soon.
Aloha to all of you,
Janene
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Update from Professor Jeffery
Aloha Y’all,
I’m sure you have all thought that I fell into the ocean one day when I was trying to find my way to a new spot in town, but, no….no such fun! Have, however, fallen into a great group of people who are working hard to prepare for a (dare I say: dreaded) accreditation survey in February by the infamous National League of Nursing. This is THE ORGANIZATION that can make or break a school’s reputation for quality and current relevance in curriculum and nursing education delivery. I’ve been welcomed into work sessions as documents, objectives, and student learning outcomes are reviewed and modified. They are open to my input, and welcome the insights I can bring from ACC, especially since we did our survey with NLN in fall of 2008. My love of editing and word-smithing is paying off. The entire group, all 10 of them, have made me feel very welcome and they have gone to lengths to help me integrate into the system and the team. I love it here.
Students are no different than elsewhere. Some are really sharp, some are experienced, some are both, and some are not either! But all are dedicated, working hard, and enthusiastic. The program format here is much….I stress MUCH less stressful on the students and the faculty. Presentation of information is not so cram packed with details. There is not a belief that if the faculty doesn’t say it, they won’t ever learn it. They have a great video program called ATI (?? What it stands for, I don’t know nor do I care.) and it has the content and videos of skills done very well and in detail. They must watch it before class, then emphasis on key points is made by faculty, and then practice is done. WOW, what a novel idea!! It’s working and working well. The students only have 2 hours of ‘lecture’ each week in the Fundamentals class, and then a 1 hour ‘seminar’ after that to do things that use the lecture topic in some interactive learning style. Then lab or clinical is on TU and Wed from 7am – to 1:30pm with an hour for lunch. Then, Fundamentals is over for the week……yep! That’s it. They have two concurrent courses, one on mental health concepts (communication, end of life, etc.) that is Thurs AM, and then an online course that’s about Ethical – Legal issues in nursing and health care. Now here is the kicker….they have lots of open lab time, esp. on Tues and Wednesdays after lab / clinical, and the school has provided for 25 laptop computers to be available to check out for use in the lab. There is Wi-Fi and a printer available so they can watch the ATI software, and print out assignments. All that is asked is that they bring the paper!! So, I’ve landed in a welcoming, warm, and enjoyable program. The students think I’m hysterical….they seem to like my cartoons in lecture, and I’ve initiated telling a joke or two before they take an exam as well as posting some Laughter is the Best Medicine jokes / stories on their announcement page of the Blackboard equivalent they use here. Feedback is positive. So, I think I’ll stay a while.
It’s been raining more frequently, but I’m told it’s still nothing like the ‘real rainy season’…..ok! I’ll be patient about that. From that incredible view of the bay that I get from my living room, I can watch the rain clouds build, and then move in. But, I also can see the cruise ships coming and going and the private sailboats as they move around past the breakwater. Oh, and I can hear the Hilo High School band practice on Thursdays too, and hear the noise of the game on Friday if played here. A Hawaiian difference tho, is that the entire stadium chants during the game. Not just some folks, but everyone in the stands. It’s a tremendous experience to hear up on my hill. I may go to a game one night just to see it all up close and in person.
Needless to say I am becoming more and more a member of the Hilo community. On the 30th of the month, the community leaders and business community are sponsoring a dinner and get acquainted evening for all new faculty at Univ. of Hawaii and the Hawaii Community College (HawCC). I’ve not ever seen Austin do this, or for that matter any other place I have taught. I’ve very excited about going and have a quite striking vivid purple and green and beige Aloha Shirt to wear that evening. Who knows who I might meet!! But they are also going to serve lots of local dishes…..that means fish, rice, and other interesting edible things not usually found in Texas. I had an early introduction to some when the 2nd year students did lunch for the 1st year class…..lots of homemade Asian and Hawaiian dishes mixed with Fried Chicken, macaroni salads, and even a traditional dish here that is Mac and Cheese with Rice. Yep, interesting, but tasty!! Seems that is a staple at all potluck dinners. So, the 30th is looking like a fun evening and a chance to really meet some new folks.
Well, enough for now. Miss all of you, but please know that I would love to show off my new home and new city to any of you who can visit.
Aloha,
Janene
I’m sure you have all thought that I fell into the ocean one day when I was trying to find my way to a new spot in town, but, no….no such fun! Have, however, fallen into a great group of people who are working hard to prepare for a (dare I say: dreaded) accreditation survey in February by the infamous National League of Nursing. This is THE ORGANIZATION that can make or break a school’s reputation for quality and current relevance in curriculum and nursing education delivery. I’ve been welcomed into work sessions as documents, objectives, and student learning outcomes are reviewed and modified. They are open to my input, and welcome the insights I can bring from ACC, especially since we did our survey with NLN in fall of 2008. My love of editing and word-smithing is paying off. The entire group, all 10 of them, have made me feel very welcome and they have gone to lengths to help me integrate into the system and the team. I love it here.
Students are no different than elsewhere. Some are really sharp, some are experienced, some are both, and some are not either! But all are dedicated, working hard, and enthusiastic. The program format here is much….I stress MUCH less stressful on the students and the faculty. Presentation of information is not so cram packed with details. There is not a belief that if the faculty doesn’t say it, they won’t ever learn it. They have a great video program called ATI (?? What it stands for, I don’t know nor do I care.) and it has the content and videos of skills done very well and in detail. They must watch it before class, then emphasis on key points is made by faculty, and then practice is done. WOW, what a novel idea!! It’s working and working well. The students only have 2 hours of ‘lecture’ each week in the Fundamentals class, and then a 1 hour ‘seminar’ after that to do things that use the lecture topic in some interactive learning style. Then lab or clinical is on TU and Wed from 7am – to 1:30pm with an hour for lunch. Then, Fundamentals is over for the week……yep! That’s it. They have two concurrent courses, one on mental health concepts (communication, end of life, etc.) that is Thurs AM, and then an online course that’s about Ethical – Legal issues in nursing and health care. Now here is the kicker….they have lots of open lab time, esp. on Tues and Wednesdays after lab / clinical, and the school has provided for 25 laptop computers to be available to check out for use in the lab. There is Wi-Fi and a printer available so they can watch the ATI software, and print out assignments. All that is asked is that they bring the paper!! So, I’ve landed in a welcoming, warm, and enjoyable program. The students think I’m hysterical….they seem to like my cartoons in lecture, and I’ve initiated telling a joke or two before they take an exam as well as posting some Laughter is the Best Medicine jokes / stories on their announcement page of the Blackboard equivalent they use here. Feedback is positive. So, I think I’ll stay a while.
It’s been raining more frequently, but I’m told it’s still nothing like the ‘real rainy season’…..ok! I’ll be patient about that. From that incredible view of the bay that I get from my living room, I can watch the rain clouds build, and then move in. But, I also can see the cruise ships coming and going and the private sailboats as they move around past the breakwater. Oh, and I can hear the Hilo High School band practice on Thursdays too, and hear the noise of the game on Friday if played here. A Hawaiian difference tho, is that the entire stadium chants during the game. Not just some folks, but everyone in the stands. It’s a tremendous experience to hear up on my hill. I may go to a game one night just to see it all up close and in person.
Needless to say I am becoming more and more a member of the Hilo community. On the 30th of the month, the community leaders and business community are sponsoring a dinner and get acquainted evening for all new faculty at Univ. of Hawaii and the Hawaii Community College (HawCC). I’ve not ever seen Austin do this, or for that matter any other place I have taught. I’ve very excited about going and have a quite striking vivid purple and green and beige Aloha Shirt to wear that evening. Who knows who I might meet!! But they are also going to serve lots of local dishes…..that means fish, rice, and other interesting edible things not usually found in Texas. I had an early introduction to some when the 2nd year students did lunch for the 1st year class…..lots of homemade Asian and Hawaiian dishes mixed with Fried Chicken, macaroni salads, and even a traditional dish here that is Mac and Cheese with Rice. Yep, interesting, but tasty!! Seems that is a staple at all potluck dinners. So, the 30th is looking like a fun evening and a chance to really meet some new folks.
Well, enough for now. Miss all of you, but please know that I would love to show off my new home and new city to any of you who can visit.
Aloha,
Janene
Thursday, August 26, 2010
10 Things I Love About Living in Hilo Hawaii
With all due respect to David Letterman…..
10. Friendly, helpful people who waste no time jumping in to be of assistance to a new comer on the island. I mentioned the fireman and the 7-11 counter guys who helped me when I was lost. When I needed to move into the rental house the handyman, Ed Settle, was able to be quickly recruited to assist me move furniture and boxes. Several pieces were donated or garage-sale priced by Beverly. Ed brought along his son-in-law, Chris, along with a trailer pulled by his truck. Together they loaded a desk, 3 chairs, a 5 drawer dresser, a floor lamp, a glass top patio table with two patio chairs, and a large couch with love seat into the trailer and truck. These were then hauled up the front steps from street level to living room level. Additionally, they moved about 15 heavy boxes of my ‘essential crap’ which had been FedEx’d to Hilo. Thus, now I have all the boxes in the house, and basic furniture that can get me started. The dresser and study desk are especially welcome. All moving done without a scratch or injured back. Two good outcomes if you ask me.
9. Lack of poi, but presence of many new tastes and food combinations. A colleague of mine was eating his lunch yesterday, and he told me he had a burrito. Turns out it was a wheat flour tortilla rolled around strips of heart of palm, chicken sausage link, and shredded cabbage. Uh huh! A Burrito!! I just love it.
8. Guava juice for a breakfast drink. Good thing that I love Pineapples and especially love the juice. It can be mixed with guava juice, orange juice, or all by itself. I keep cans of these mixed variations in my refrigerator and am drinking less Cokes because of the great flavors I can get. This morning it was Guava and Strawberry!! UMMM, GOOD!!
7. Cool temperatures, esp. in evening and at night. I do have a fan at the house, and here in my office for mid-day, but by evening, it’s in the low 70’s or even cooler. During the night, I find I need to pull a light blanket up over the sheet I started with because it has dropped into the 60’s. The radio station, KAPA-FM, said one morning as I was driving to the campus that the day was going to be “a warm one…up to 84”. I just laughed. With my house on a hill, and nothing blocking the wind coming from the east across the Bay and up the hill, I have a wonderful airy living room where I can sit and enjoy the view.
6. Hawaiian wine…..taste of pineapple and other fruits in the wine. There are two vineyards on the Big Island. I’ve only tried one, the Volcano Vineyard, and loved the fruity flavor of their wines. They include fruits not usually found in Napa Valley or French or Italian wines. My favorite had Pineapple and passion fruit as part of the subtle flavor in the white wine I tried. The winery is located near the Volcano National Park, and is open for tours. When you all come to visit, we’ll try to add that into the touring we do.
5. A Community College that talks the talk of a ‘family (ohana)’ relationship with faculty, staff, and students, and actually walks the walk of such a promise. When I showed up for the Fall Full Faculty Meeting led by the Community College Chancellor, Dr. Noreen Yamane, I was given a permanent lei made from a ‘fluffy rope’ in the burgundy of the school colors. That way, I can keep it and wear it when school functions are appropriate for such. The nursing faculty have gone out of their way to be of assistance, and answered questions without frustration. I’m clearly being included in the small group, and was made to feel welcome from the beginning. On day one of faculty prep week, the Nursing Program Director, Dr. Elizabeth Ojilo, took me to lunch. Others have offered to have me follow them in my car as we move from campus to other locations, like the Hilo Medical Center, so that I didn’t get lost. I also have had the nursing program secretary take time out of her busy week prior to students arriving to drive me to the location on the ‘big’ campus for my keys and parking permit, and then give me a driving tour of the Main Campus. This campus includes facilities for both University of Hawaii – Hilo, and the Hawaii Community College. There is overlapping usage of buildings and classrooms, book store, library, gym, etc. It’s a huge campus, and this semester, the Community College enrollment was the largest of the 7 CC’s in the state. That combined with the UH enrollment makes it a great challenge to find parking, but, hey! It’s a gorgeous campus, and people are helpful. The maintenance man, Levi, just returned with a recycle trash can for my office because when he came to empty one earlier today, I told him I didn’t have any trashcan yet and was going to buy one.
4. Flowers, more flowers, fascinating shade trees, greenery of every kind, real bamboo….did I mention flowers? The colors are spectacular. Picture Hibiscus blooms that are 4 inches across in yellow, orange, fuscia, and just plain pink! There are trees here that I don’t know the name of, but they grow out into a huge umbrella shape. They are staggeringly large and beautiful, particularly near the bay. Behind my house is a nice stand of real bamboo. I’m told that bamboo will grow rapidly and spread into other areas if not kept trimmed back. But it is a really unique look that resembles a wall of tall bamboo shoots. If they grow forward and start to enter my kitchen or bedroom, I’ll let you know.
3. A nursing program that while similar to ACC’s curriculum is still very different in the organization, implementation, and emphasis for students. There is a newer model of “SimMan (simulation mannequin)” here, and this model can do many things our model in Austin can’t. The lab set up has an adjacent room with the computer controls for SimMan and the lab coordinator can speak for the mannequin from there. A camera system is also set up so that the SimMan area can be projected to the classroom on the other side of the wall, and then students can watch classmates as they implement a scenario or whatever. It’s a great learning arrangement for them and a creative environment in which faculty can devise new and different learning experiences. Students will also have HCC laptops to use within the lab rooms during appropriate exercises and activities.
2. The view of Hilo Bay from my living room window. The view includes a clear view of the walking bridge across to Coconut Island where only foot traffic is allowed. It’s a small island, and great for picnics, and family outings. On the 4th of July, and New Year’s Eve, they shoot off fireworks from the Island….and I’ll have a ringside view for free!!
1. Did I mention the friendly folks? Actually the entire transition has begun with and at the end of my day still includes these outgoing, strong, happy islanders who want a newcomer to feel welcome and to become at home easily in a place they love. Bev Moodie continues to be my guardian angel. She likes to be the driver, and has spent hours chauffeuring me around so that I learn my way through town, find specific places I needed to get to, was able to shop for furniture and other elements for the house, and, of course, take me to different restaurants all over town. Lastly, when I bought my car from Brian Hamakawa at Hama’aina Nissan, they have a tradition of having each new car owner bang a gong which is in the showroom and came from China. This gong is symphony quality, so it has a great sound. Brian filmed my ‘gonging’ on his I-phone, and we laughed and laughed. It was much much LOUDER than I expected….of course, I took my one and only opportunity to really BANG the thing. The staff came out to watch, and cheered when I hit it. Brian also took a picture of me beside my new car in the lot before I drove off. What a delightful and fun way to celebrate the purchase of my new 2009 PT Cruiser. Ever heard of that kind of celebration or personal pleasure by staff in Texas dealerships?
So, dear friends and family, I continue to learn about my new home, and grow more and more contented with the decision to start this chapter in my life in this relaxed and wondrous setting. The exquisite double rainbows that greeted me on my first night in my new house portents the grace that God granted me in my adventure, and there have been more rainbows almost daily to reinforce His blessings.
With love and aloha to each of you,
Janene
10. Friendly, helpful people who waste no time jumping in to be of assistance to a new comer on the island. I mentioned the fireman and the 7-11 counter guys who helped me when I was lost. When I needed to move into the rental house the handyman, Ed Settle, was able to be quickly recruited to assist me move furniture and boxes. Several pieces were donated or garage-sale priced by Beverly. Ed brought along his son-in-law, Chris, along with a trailer pulled by his truck. Together they loaded a desk, 3 chairs, a 5 drawer dresser, a floor lamp, a glass top patio table with two patio chairs, and a large couch with love seat into the trailer and truck. These were then hauled up the front steps from street level to living room level. Additionally, they moved about 15 heavy boxes of my ‘essential crap’ which had been FedEx’d to Hilo. Thus, now I have all the boxes in the house, and basic furniture that can get me started. The dresser and study desk are especially welcome. All moving done without a scratch or injured back. Two good outcomes if you ask me.
9. Lack of poi, but presence of many new tastes and food combinations. A colleague of mine was eating his lunch yesterday, and he told me he had a burrito. Turns out it was a wheat flour tortilla rolled around strips of heart of palm, chicken sausage link, and shredded cabbage. Uh huh! A Burrito!! I just love it.
8. Guava juice for a breakfast drink. Good thing that I love Pineapples and especially love the juice. It can be mixed with guava juice, orange juice, or all by itself. I keep cans of these mixed variations in my refrigerator and am drinking less Cokes because of the great flavors I can get. This morning it was Guava and Strawberry!! UMMM, GOOD!!
7. Cool temperatures, esp. in evening and at night. I do have a fan at the house, and here in my office for mid-day, but by evening, it’s in the low 70’s or even cooler. During the night, I find I need to pull a light blanket up over the sheet I started with because it has dropped into the 60’s. The radio station, KAPA-FM, said one morning as I was driving to the campus that the day was going to be “a warm one…up to 84”. I just laughed. With my house on a hill, and nothing blocking the wind coming from the east across the Bay and up the hill, I have a wonderful airy living room where I can sit and enjoy the view.
6. Hawaiian wine…..taste of pineapple and other fruits in the wine. There are two vineyards on the Big Island. I’ve only tried one, the Volcano Vineyard, and loved the fruity flavor of their wines. They include fruits not usually found in Napa Valley or French or Italian wines. My favorite had Pineapple and passion fruit as part of the subtle flavor in the white wine I tried. The winery is located near the Volcano National Park, and is open for tours. When you all come to visit, we’ll try to add that into the touring we do.
5. A Community College that talks the talk of a ‘family (ohana)’ relationship with faculty, staff, and students, and actually walks the walk of such a promise. When I showed up for the Fall Full Faculty Meeting led by the Community College Chancellor, Dr. Noreen Yamane, I was given a permanent lei made from a ‘fluffy rope’ in the burgundy of the school colors. That way, I can keep it and wear it when school functions are appropriate for such. The nursing faculty have gone out of their way to be of assistance, and answered questions without frustration. I’m clearly being included in the small group, and was made to feel welcome from the beginning. On day one of faculty prep week, the Nursing Program Director, Dr. Elizabeth Ojilo, took me to lunch. Others have offered to have me follow them in my car as we move from campus to other locations, like the Hilo Medical Center, so that I didn’t get lost. I also have had the nursing program secretary take time out of her busy week prior to students arriving to drive me to the location on the ‘big’ campus for my keys and parking permit, and then give me a driving tour of the Main Campus. This campus includes facilities for both University of Hawaii – Hilo, and the Hawaii Community College. There is overlapping usage of buildings and classrooms, book store, library, gym, etc. It’s a huge campus, and this semester, the Community College enrollment was the largest of the 7 CC’s in the state. That combined with the UH enrollment makes it a great challenge to find parking, but, hey! It’s a gorgeous campus, and people are helpful. The maintenance man, Levi, just returned with a recycle trash can for my office because when he came to empty one earlier today, I told him I didn’t have any trashcan yet and was going to buy one.
4. Flowers, more flowers, fascinating shade trees, greenery of every kind, real bamboo….did I mention flowers? The colors are spectacular. Picture Hibiscus blooms that are 4 inches across in yellow, orange, fuscia, and just plain pink! There are trees here that I don’t know the name of, but they grow out into a huge umbrella shape. They are staggeringly large and beautiful, particularly near the bay. Behind my house is a nice stand of real bamboo. I’m told that bamboo will grow rapidly and spread into other areas if not kept trimmed back. But it is a really unique look that resembles a wall of tall bamboo shoots. If they grow forward and start to enter my kitchen or bedroom, I’ll let you know.
3. A nursing program that while similar to ACC’s curriculum is still very different in the organization, implementation, and emphasis for students. There is a newer model of “SimMan (simulation mannequin)” here, and this model can do many things our model in Austin can’t. The lab set up has an adjacent room with the computer controls for SimMan and the lab coordinator can speak for the mannequin from there. A camera system is also set up so that the SimMan area can be projected to the classroom on the other side of the wall, and then students can watch classmates as they implement a scenario or whatever. It’s a great learning arrangement for them and a creative environment in which faculty can devise new and different learning experiences. Students will also have HCC laptops to use within the lab rooms during appropriate exercises and activities.
2. The view of Hilo Bay from my living room window. The view includes a clear view of the walking bridge across to Coconut Island where only foot traffic is allowed. It’s a small island, and great for picnics, and family outings. On the 4th of July, and New Year’s Eve, they shoot off fireworks from the Island….and I’ll have a ringside view for free!!
1. Did I mention the friendly folks? Actually the entire transition has begun with and at the end of my day still includes these outgoing, strong, happy islanders who want a newcomer to feel welcome and to become at home easily in a place they love. Bev Moodie continues to be my guardian angel. She likes to be the driver, and has spent hours chauffeuring me around so that I learn my way through town, find specific places I needed to get to, was able to shop for furniture and other elements for the house, and, of course, take me to different restaurants all over town. Lastly, when I bought my car from Brian Hamakawa at Hama’aina Nissan, they have a tradition of having each new car owner bang a gong which is in the showroom and came from China. This gong is symphony quality, so it has a great sound. Brian filmed my ‘gonging’ on his I-phone, and we laughed and laughed. It was much much LOUDER than I expected….of course, I took my one and only opportunity to really BANG the thing. The staff came out to watch, and cheered when I hit it. Brian also took a picture of me beside my new car in the lot before I drove off. What a delightful and fun way to celebrate the purchase of my new 2009 PT Cruiser. Ever heard of that kind of celebration or personal pleasure by staff in Texas dealerships?
So, dear friends and family, I continue to learn about my new home, and grow more and more contented with the decision to start this chapter in my life in this relaxed and wondrous setting. The exquisite double rainbows that greeted me on my first night in my new house portents the grace that God granted me in my adventure, and there have been more rainbows almost daily to reinforce His blessings.
With love and aloha to each of you,
Janene
Sunday, August 15, 2010
Week One in Hilo
Aloha again,
One week as a new resident of Hilo, the time went quickly. Of course time always does when you are out and about especially out and about spending money! Personally, I think the Better Business Bureau of Hilo should name me “New Shopper of the Year”. How did I come to earn such a prestigious and competitive title, you ask. Frankly, it was pretty easy. You start by finding the perfect house to rent which is UNFURNISHED! OK…..now let’s prioritize the essential elements needed for establishing residence in said perfect rental house.
Bed…..anyone want to debate that one? If so, you can sleep on the floor when you come to visit me. So off Bev and I go for a full day of sightseeing all the possible furniture stores, thrift stores, mattress stores, and any other stores that seem logical. My best bid was from American Mattress which sells Serta. Maybe it was all those cute sheep everywhere in the store, but I was able to get a good deal on two Queen beds….you read that right….two (2) so that I also have one in the guest room for all of you. I was just kidding about making you sleep on the floor.
Now in the search for beds, we found some living room things that were on really good sale at a high end furniture store. Their mattress bid didn’t even come close, but the coffee table, end table, and sofa table set met my needs quite well and are new at that. They are heavy oak, with slate tiles on top. Very attractive, and the coffee table is on rollers! Ah Hah! Big bonus those rollers will be for large gatherings or just small groups who want to shift things around.
For those of you now worrying about my budget with the first two purchases, let me assure you that the next purchase benefited both me and the Salvation Army. An orange wood and bamboo details desk simply called out to Bev and me as we wandered the Sally Shop in downtown Hilo. The shop fronts the bay, so it’s fun to wander that long strip shopping area. But, back to the desk. Did I mention it’s orange? Yes, but it has personality! It also has 3 drawers on the left, and a center drawer in front of the seating spot. AND it comes with an orange chair and cute seat cushion that has palm trees as a design on it….the cushion, not the chair. It’s a large enough top (45’ x 22”) that my lap top and a printer will fit fine and still leave me room for papers to read and type from or whatever. I’m going to leave it orange for now. It’s really more of a coral orange.
As the week wore on, we also found two nice high arched back solid wood chairs, think dining room type chairs, at the Habitat for Humanity Recycle Shop. They will make great extra seating where ever we need such.
After much debate with myself, we headed to the COMPETITOR. While thinking good thoughts about all the lovely people at Lowe’s that Kathleen works with, I had to deal with Home Depot. But, let me explain…..the closest Lowe’s is across the island in Kona, so at present I have no choice. Feel free to write Lowe’s corporate headquarters and beg them to build a Lowe’s store in Hilo. However, facts as they are, I had to look there for some specific things, and also on a lark slowly meandered down the lighting aisle. Lucked into two lamps that match, but one is a floor lamp and the other is a table lamp. Both will go well with the new living room table arrangements, and offer good reading light. They are a simple wrought iron design without looking too western. I only need a couch now.
The house?? The house, you ask! Oh, yes…..the house. Rental proposal is in, and will be addressed by the realtor tomorrow after her long weekend vacation. She had already talked to the owners about me, and they were satisfied with my description. I think she painted me as too old for loud parties, no biker friends yet, and the perfect picture of a dottoring old college professor lady. Whatever, it worked. They even came down on monthly rent and kept the yard maintenance provision in the deal. The house is about 5 blocks from the grocery store, about 8 blocks from the Bay, and the entrance street to the one the house is on dead ends (pardon the pun) at the Veterans Cemetery). The house it’s self sits at the end of a long street (named Ala Muku) which ends in a cul de sac, and this house is at the direct end of Ala Muku on this sac. From the front of the house you can see down Haili Hill to the Hilo Bay, Coconut Island, and where the cruise ships dock. The house has all the living area on one level and the living room wall that fronts the house is all glass. It has those louvered panels that let you open to a screen and get air flow, so the “Trade Winds” will come sweeping down the plain…O-K-La-homa…..opps, sorry, got metaphor crazy. Seriously, the way the house is designed the cross air ventilation is excellent, and the view is outstanding. It has three bedrooms and two full baths with the guest bath having two sinks!! Is that heavenly or what? Kitchen is a bit of retro - early 60’s, but has lots of storage, a window over the sink, new range, fairly new refrigerator, and a spaciousness not usually seen in kitchens today. The living room and “L-shaped” dining room area is newly carpeted, and the hall and bedrooms are all done in real wood floors. Still has the 60’s dark paneling in the living room, but that’s not a problem….I’m used to that. Bed rooms all have good size closets. Now down at street level, the car port forms the left hand end of the house foot print, and to the right it opens out as a large ‘basement’ like area where the W/D are, a work sink, and a clothes line. Could put a ping-pong table there or whatever. The car port is necessary because of the high humidity, and ease with which mildew grows. You almost never see garage doors here. Now the really fun part….there is a laundry chute from the hall bath upstairs which lands the clothes right in front of the dryer. Big catch basket is the only addition needed. But then, on the sad side, I will have to carry the clean stuff outside and up the front or back steps to the house level. Tuff, huh?
I’m out of news for now. School starts for faculty tomorrow, so I’ll let you all know about that when I have something to report. It will be an exciting and interesting time. Thanks for all your notes and well wishes, I appreciate them a great deal even if I don’t get to answer each one. Please keep me and Alisa and Kathleen in your prayers as we continue to adjust to my new move and life in the Islands.
Aloha,
Janene
One week as a new resident of Hilo, the time went quickly. Of course time always does when you are out and about especially out and about spending money! Personally, I think the Better Business Bureau of Hilo should name me “New Shopper of the Year”. How did I come to earn such a prestigious and competitive title, you ask. Frankly, it was pretty easy. You start by finding the perfect house to rent which is UNFURNISHED! OK…..now let’s prioritize the essential elements needed for establishing residence in said perfect rental house.
Bed…..anyone want to debate that one? If so, you can sleep on the floor when you come to visit me. So off Bev and I go for a full day of sightseeing all the possible furniture stores, thrift stores, mattress stores, and any other stores that seem logical. My best bid was from American Mattress which sells Serta. Maybe it was all those cute sheep everywhere in the store, but I was able to get a good deal on two Queen beds….you read that right….two (2) so that I also have one in the guest room for all of you. I was just kidding about making you sleep on the floor.
Now in the search for beds, we found some living room things that were on really good sale at a high end furniture store. Their mattress bid didn’t even come close, but the coffee table, end table, and sofa table set met my needs quite well and are new at that. They are heavy oak, with slate tiles on top. Very attractive, and the coffee table is on rollers! Ah Hah! Big bonus those rollers will be for large gatherings or just small groups who want to shift things around.
For those of you now worrying about my budget with the first two purchases, let me assure you that the next purchase benefited both me and the Salvation Army. An orange wood and bamboo details desk simply called out to Bev and me as we wandered the Sally Shop in downtown Hilo. The shop fronts the bay, so it’s fun to wander that long strip shopping area. But, back to the desk. Did I mention it’s orange? Yes, but it has personality! It also has 3 drawers on the left, and a center drawer in front of the seating spot. AND it comes with an orange chair and cute seat cushion that has palm trees as a design on it….the cushion, not the chair. It’s a large enough top (45’ x 22”) that my lap top and a printer will fit fine and still leave me room for papers to read and type from or whatever. I’m going to leave it orange for now. It’s really more of a coral orange.
As the week wore on, we also found two nice high arched back solid wood chairs, think dining room type chairs, at the Habitat for Humanity Recycle Shop. They will make great extra seating where ever we need such.
After much debate with myself, we headed to the COMPETITOR. While thinking good thoughts about all the lovely people at Lowe’s that Kathleen works with, I had to deal with Home Depot. But, let me explain…..the closest Lowe’s is across the island in Kona, so at present I have no choice. Feel free to write Lowe’s corporate headquarters and beg them to build a Lowe’s store in Hilo. However, facts as they are, I had to look there for some specific things, and also on a lark slowly meandered down the lighting aisle. Lucked into two lamps that match, but one is a floor lamp and the other is a table lamp. Both will go well with the new living room table arrangements, and offer good reading light. They are a simple wrought iron design without looking too western. I only need a couch now.
The house?? The house, you ask! Oh, yes…..the house. Rental proposal is in, and will be addressed by the realtor tomorrow after her long weekend vacation. She had already talked to the owners about me, and they were satisfied with my description. I think she painted me as too old for loud parties, no biker friends yet, and the perfect picture of a dottoring old college professor lady. Whatever, it worked. They even came down on monthly rent and kept the yard maintenance provision in the deal. The house is about 5 blocks from the grocery store, about 8 blocks from the Bay, and the entrance street to the one the house is on dead ends (pardon the pun) at the Veterans Cemetery). The house it’s self sits at the end of a long street (named Ala Muku) which ends in a cul de sac, and this house is at the direct end of Ala Muku on this sac. From the front of the house you can see down Haili Hill to the Hilo Bay, Coconut Island, and where the cruise ships dock. The house has all the living area on one level and the living room wall that fronts the house is all glass. It has those louvered panels that let you open to a screen and get air flow, so the “Trade Winds” will come sweeping down the plain…O-K-La-homa…..opps, sorry, got metaphor crazy. Seriously, the way the house is designed the cross air ventilation is excellent, and the view is outstanding. It has three bedrooms and two full baths with the guest bath having two sinks!! Is that heavenly or what? Kitchen is a bit of retro - early 60’s, but has lots of storage, a window over the sink, new range, fairly new refrigerator, and a spaciousness not usually seen in kitchens today. The living room and “L-shaped” dining room area is newly carpeted, and the hall and bedrooms are all done in real wood floors. Still has the 60’s dark paneling in the living room, but that’s not a problem….I’m used to that. Bed rooms all have good size closets. Now down at street level, the car port forms the left hand end of the house foot print, and to the right it opens out as a large ‘basement’ like area where the W/D are, a work sink, and a clothes line. Could put a ping-pong table there or whatever. The car port is necessary because of the high humidity, and ease with which mildew grows. You almost never see garage doors here. Now the really fun part….there is a laundry chute from the hall bath upstairs which lands the clothes right in front of the dryer. Big catch basket is the only addition needed. But then, on the sad side, I will have to carry the clean stuff outside and up the front or back steps to the house level. Tuff, huh?
I’m out of news for now. School starts for faculty tomorrow, so I’ll let you all know about that when I have something to report. It will be an exciting and interesting time. Thanks for all your notes and well wishes, I appreciate them a great deal even if I don’t get to answer each one. Please keep me and Alisa and Kathleen in your prayers as we continue to adjust to my new move and life in the Islands.
Aloha,
Janene
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
The Adventure Begins
Aloha from Hilo! I’m here and happy. Cool temperatures, breezes at night through open windows, and breathtaking views from any point of view. I believe I have, indeed, landed in Paradise!
So, how do you learn your way around your new Paradise?? Now, with a cap tip to Sir Shakespeare, THAT is the question. How about using maps? Sounds logical; gather several versions of the said map that covers desired radius of need (city of Hilo) and set out in your newly rented car. Maps….hoooey! no help whatsoever! Some have too many streets with odd names and similar spellings; some are too vague with only small snippets of area shown or major roads indicated. And finding a main road in the general vicinity of desired destination while driving and hoping to cross it is not a satisfactory compromise either, believe me. Calling your friend, Bev, however will get you out of that mess and allow you to arrive almost an hour later than had been generally agreed upon….but arrive you did. Mean time I’ll let you explain to Bev how you got all the way into downtown Hilo instead of about 6 or 8 miles west from the Bay where Hawaii Community College was located.
I suggest the best way to at least START learning your way around is to ‘get lost’ as kids say today! I took that retort literally yesterday, and had a most lovely 2 hour drive over an area no more than about 10 miles by 10 miles – actually 3 hours if you count the morning sojurn. Luckily I had my camera. Stopped periodically to get pictures of the bay, the statue of King Kahmehameha which is covered in gold, and beautiful trees and flowers. Saw many of the same areas and buildings that Bev had shown me on Sunday when she was driving, so I knew I was still in Hilo…..you never know when I’m behind the wheel if the location of destination is still an option. Thank goodness for hazard lights and designated uncurbed areas on the sides of most streets that allowed me to pull over and fruitlessly peruse the said maps before blindly heading off again.
Some observations that I made while driving in my new city of residence from about 3pm to 5pm include:
Their idea of a rush hour traffic problem is waiting for 2 minutes at a STOP sign so a line of about 6 or 8 cars from the light up the hill can pass you.
The people of Hilo are patient people. There were no friendly single finger waves like in Texas from those who finally saw a chance to pass me while I rubbernecked and drove slowly. (I really am becoming an old lady driver….gasp!)
Pedestrians have complete and non-debatable Right of Way. Bev mentioned it on Sunday, but I saw it in practice on Monday. Drivers stop and allow folks to cross the street at any point in the street and particularly, allow for pedestrians in and around parks, stores, or other community gathering locations.
There are wonderful community resources here. I found the YMCA, the Hilo Hospice Association, Community Centers scattered over much of the town with signs about classes and activities. Many open parks and soccer or baseball fields are available. Family picnic areas in and near these parks are also available. There is a new Veterans Retirement Facility next to the Hilo Medical Center, and the community is very proud of it. I also drove by the Public Library which has two massive ancient volcanic rocks in front of it that are said to include the one King Kahmehameha turned over to be declared King (think Arthur and the Sword in the Stone test). It’s just down from the United Methodist Church where I will visit soon. There is no Presbyterian USA church in Hilo, so it’s back to my childhood roots as a Methodist. On Monday, there was a group of kids doing a game on the front lawn….maybe Bible School?
One last observation is that the people of Hilo are just as friendly as I have read and been told they would be. One stop in my meandering adventure was a 7-11. There I got a “real” Coke (the Pepsi obsession here is for another posting) and visited with two nice Hawaiian gentlemen manning the check out desk. They looked at my maps, discussed between themselves my location in relation to Bev’s house/my lodging site, and then gave me very specific directions to follow. With a profuse mahalo (Thank you) to them I again set sail in my intrepid little car. I was able to follow their directions fairly well, and got to the point where they told me to turn left, and I did so. Continued a while but just wasn’t sure I was where I needed to be to get home, so I stopped again for directions. This time the poor unsuspecting victim of my naiveté was a lone Firefighter who happened to be out by his truck when I pulled behind the station and parked. Fortunately I have never met a Firefighter I didn’t like, and this continued in that tradition. He knew immediately where I was headed and where I was in relation to that destination. Anyone surprised? No, turns out Bev’s home was in this station’s ‘area’ and he knew exactly how to send me on my way with simple instructions (emphasis on ‘simple’). He also took time to go into the station and retrieve a spiral bound book of detailed maps of the East section of the Big Island. A West Island version also exists he assured me, and told me where I could get the latest copies of these two Rand McNally-type references. I will do so today.
So, I did make it back to my temporary home; exhausted and excited and very happy to be here in Hawaii. This morning is absolutely gorgeous, my lanai ( luh-neye or deck) overlooks the Bay and lots of tree tops which gives me a wonderful breeze and view to sit here and type by. Who needs Air-conditioning???
Oh, and by the way, my visit to HCC yesterday was a great start to my faculty experience. Got HR stuff done, and headed over to the Nursing Dept. which is 3 blocks away. The Program Director was there, and she gave me a tour of the nursing area, found my office with the three cubbies that I could choose from for my own area, helped me rearrange furniture to get the pieces I wanted from the other cubbies and get them set in a layout that would work for me. She then took me to lunch and I was able to really learn about the program during the time I was eating Chicken with Papaya Soup. Later she took me along to tour the new classroom and lab facilities being completed on the main campus. Many things are different from ACC, and many things are the same. I am very excited about being part of a different program and different atmosphere. This is a small program with 30 students in Level 1 (first semester) in Hilo and about 8 in Kona via teleconference. Once more, friendliness is a clear requisite for employment at HCC.
Enough for today.
I bid you Aloha nui loa,
Aloha with love, Janene
So, how do you learn your way around your new Paradise?? Now, with a cap tip to Sir Shakespeare, THAT is the question. How about using maps? Sounds logical; gather several versions of the said map that covers desired radius of need (city of Hilo) and set out in your newly rented car. Maps….hoooey! no help whatsoever! Some have too many streets with odd names and similar spellings; some are too vague with only small snippets of area shown or major roads indicated. And finding a main road in the general vicinity of desired destination while driving and hoping to cross it is not a satisfactory compromise either, believe me. Calling your friend, Bev, however will get you out of that mess and allow you to arrive almost an hour later than had been generally agreed upon….but arrive you did. Mean time I’ll let you explain to Bev how you got all the way into downtown Hilo instead of about 6 or 8 miles west from the Bay where Hawaii Community College was located.
I suggest the best way to at least START learning your way around is to ‘get lost’ as kids say today! I took that retort literally yesterday, and had a most lovely 2 hour drive over an area no more than about 10 miles by 10 miles – actually 3 hours if you count the morning sojurn. Luckily I had my camera. Stopped periodically to get pictures of the bay, the statue of King Kahmehameha which is covered in gold, and beautiful trees and flowers. Saw many of the same areas and buildings that Bev had shown me on Sunday when she was driving, so I knew I was still in Hilo…..you never know when I’m behind the wheel if the location of destination is still an option. Thank goodness for hazard lights and designated uncurbed areas on the sides of most streets that allowed me to pull over and fruitlessly peruse the said maps before blindly heading off again.
Some observations that I made while driving in my new city of residence from about 3pm to 5pm include:
Their idea of a rush hour traffic problem is waiting for 2 minutes at a STOP sign so a line of about 6 or 8 cars from the light up the hill can pass you.
The people of Hilo are patient people. There were no friendly single finger waves like in Texas from those who finally saw a chance to pass me while I rubbernecked and drove slowly. (I really am becoming an old lady driver….gasp!)
Pedestrians have complete and non-debatable Right of Way. Bev mentioned it on Sunday, but I saw it in practice on Monday. Drivers stop and allow folks to cross the street at any point in the street and particularly, allow for pedestrians in and around parks, stores, or other community gathering locations.
There are wonderful community resources here. I found the YMCA, the Hilo Hospice Association, Community Centers scattered over much of the town with signs about classes and activities. Many open parks and soccer or baseball fields are available. Family picnic areas in and near these parks are also available. There is a new Veterans Retirement Facility next to the Hilo Medical Center, and the community is very proud of it. I also drove by the Public Library which has two massive ancient volcanic rocks in front of it that are said to include the one King Kahmehameha turned over to be declared King (think Arthur and the Sword in the Stone test). It’s just down from the United Methodist Church where I will visit soon. There is no Presbyterian USA church in Hilo, so it’s back to my childhood roots as a Methodist. On Monday, there was a group of kids doing a game on the front lawn….maybe Bible School?
One last observation is that the people of Hilo are just as friendly as I have read and been told they would be. One stop in my meandering adventure was a 7-11. There I got a “real” Coke (the Pepsi obsession here is for another posting) and visited with two nice Hawaiian gentlemen manning the check out desk. They looked at my maps, discussed between themselves my location in relation to Bev’s house/my lodging site, and then gave me very specific directions to follow. With a profuse mahalo (Thank you) to them I again set sail in my intrepid little car. I was able to follow their directions fairly well, and got to the point where they told me to turn left, and I did so. Continued a while but just wasn’t sure I was where I needed to be to get home, so I stopped again for directions. This time the poor unsuspecting victim of my naiveté was a lone Firefighter who happened to be out by his truck when I pulled behind the station and parked. Fortunately I have never met a Firefighter I didn’t like, and this continued in that tradition. He knew immediately where I was headed and where I was in relation to that destination. Anyone surprised? No, turns out Bev’s home was in this station’s ‘area’ and he knew exactly how to send me on my way with simple instructions (emphasis on ‘simple’). He also took time to go into the station and retrieve a spiral bound book of detailed maps of the East section of the Big Island. A West Island version also exists he assured me, and told me where I could get the latest copies of these two Rand McNally-type references. I will do so today.
So, I did make it back to my temporary home; exhausted and excited and very happy to be here in Hawaii. This morning is absolutely gorgeous, my lanai ( luh-neye or deck) overlooks the Bay and lots of tree tops which gives me a wonderful breeze and view to sit here and type by. Who needs Air-conditioning???
Oh, and by the way, my visit to HCC yesterday was a great start to my faculty experience. Got HR stuff done, and headed over to the Nursing Dept. which is 3 blocks away. The Program Director was there, and she gave me a tour of the nursing area, found my office with the three cubbies that I could choose from for my own area, helped me rearrange furniture to get the pieces I wanted from the other cubbies and get them set in a layout that would work for me. She then took me to lunch and I was able to really learn about the program during the time I was eating Chicken with Papaya Soup. Later she took me along to tour the new classroom and lab facilities being completed on the main campus. Many things are different from ACC, and many things are the same. I am very excited about being part of a different program and different atmosphere. This is a small program with 30 students in Level 1 (first semester) in Hilo and about 8 in Kona via teleconference. Once more, friendliness is a clear requisite for employment at HCC.
Enough for today.
I bid you Aloha nui loa,
Aloha with love, Janene
Thursday, August 5, 2010
Musings on Packing Up 25 Years of Nursing Education at ACC
Well, this move to Hilo is now a reality…for sure. Today I filled the last box of …? …. What? Treasures, Memories, References, Honors, Humorous looks at Nursing and Education, Practical Tools of the Trade, and just plain One of a Kind “things.” What in the world could all this stuff be that has been gathering dust in my ACC office since 1985 and, more importantly, why was it kept for all these years?
Hummmm!! Let me think….
Pens, Pencils, Markers, Highlighters:
Apparently as a child I was deprived of writing utensils, and as a direct result of that abuse and degradation among my peers, I seem to attract and retain writing utensils of every ilk. Some advertise companies, hospitals, physician groups, organizations; some are the same make and model but in extremely diverse colors. Purple pens are the dominant ones, but then that is my signature ink color for care plan grading, therefore generous students have kept me well supplied over the years. Markers have taken more of a back seat in the classroom presentation of late, due to my growing ….dare I say, expertise with PowerPoint. But the day existed when illustrations were part of my normal style. With horrible drawing skills, I just told students that I was considering a career in art when I retired, and asked their opinion on that. It was always good for a relaxing moment of laughter in the midst of complex topics. But, how many pens does a lady really need??? That is the question! Hundreds if I am any example.
Death Themed ‘Stuff’:
Some would say that my interest in and long time teaching about death and dying, grief and loss is macabre or maybe that it is just sad. But that love of the subject content and my willingness to discuss hard topics has been a pivotal part of who I am as an Educator. Well, Janene, what exactly DID you have in that office regarding The Long Sleep? Fair question! I’ll start with one of my favorite excuses for a party: Dia de los Muertos or Day of the Dead. It is a wonderful Mexican cultural celebration about family and friends who have died. During this time in late November parties abound around cemeteries, town squares, homes, and any other place it seems right to honor ancestors. I have calendars, posters, magnets, and knick knacks all illustrating the theme which is illustrated by skeletons dressed as every day folk. If you aren’t familiar with this festival, google it, and google images for a fascinating perspective on Mexico. Additionally, I have beanie babies of ghosts, skeletons, Tombstone S&P shakers, a bumper sticker posted with magnets that says “I break for old cemeteries”. And last, but not least, I have photos that I have taken in these ‘old cemeteries’ around Central Texas, especially many with Bluebonnets! I’m looking forward to adding Hawaiian cemeteries to my collection.
Pictures Galore:
Speaking of photo’s, there is also my obligatory photos of Alisa and Kathleen…..a veritable scrapbook of them at different ages and doing different things. One is a wonderful photo of Alisa carrying the Olympic Torch for the Salt Lake City games in 2002. Another is of the three of us in nice casual clothes but wearing white hard hats that was taken just before we toured the still under construction Eastview Campus building where Nursing moved in Fall of 2003. Besides lots of pictures of the four paws family members, I also have the only picture that has survived from 1969 and confirms my completion of TCU’s Harris College of Nursing. It shows me in my blue striped dress uniform with an overlaying white pinafore and, of course, my unique TCU Nursing Cap. I am standing beside my, at that time, future husband, Kirke, in front of my dorm. It’s a great shot of me when I weighed…..less than I do now….HA, thought I’d give that number away, did you???
Evidence of Personal Beliefs and Interests,
Lastly, we packed up symbols and items that reflected the Janene outside of ACC. The ties to TCU, Univ. of Texas and Univ. of Nebraska are obvious. There has been a prominently displayed sign saying “TCU Parking – All Others Will Be TOAD”…a little play on the horned toad mascot there. A Christian cross or two are visible to those who actually look at my office. Over my desk hangs a framed copy of a large poster from an art gallery in Honolulu. It has hung over my desk in every office at ACC that I’ve had since 1990 when I was a participant in the Great Teaching Workshop near Hilo. It shows a view from lower down in a crater with vivid colored flowers and the rim and mountains of the surface higher than the viewer. A four hour walk with others from the workshop took us down into the dormant Kileua crater, and looked remarkably like this picture. There are also plaques that attest to my commitment to nursing and education, such as my Teaching Excellence Award from the college, and my certification as a Thanatologist. Additionally, there has been a sticker of the logo for the Human Rights Campaign in view on the file cabinet. It has been instrumental in helping some students realize they had a safe place to go if they needed to talk. And lastly, an old wrinkled and frayed poster of a really cute kitten perched on a stack of old books and giving the viewer a quizzical look. The caption reads “Test? What test?”
So why would the therapeutic activity of cleaning up and throwing out the detritus of a quarter of a century of my life be so emotional? I think that it’s a matter of resurrecting many wonderful memories of students, colleagues who are now friends, and even the growth in my own teaching skill. While leaving ACC closes one extremely large door in my professional and personal life, it also reinforces the sometimes scary recognition that another door has been opened. The only thing now left for me to do, is to walk through that new door. I won’t be taking my ACC office with me, but will begin the evolution of a new office at Hawaii Community College. I firmly believe it will be as rewarding as these past 25 years at ACC have been.
Aloha,
Janene
Hummmm!! Let me think….
Pens, Pencils, Markers, Highlighters:
Apparently as a child I was deprived of writing utensils, and as a direct result of that abuse and degradation among my peers, I seem to attract and retain writing utensils of every ilk. Some advertise companies, hospitals, physician groups, organizations; some are the same make and model but in extremely diverse colors. Purple pens are the dominant ones, but then that is my signature ink color for care plan grading, therefore generous students have kept me well supplied over the years. Markers have taken more of a back seat in the classroom presentation of late, due to my growing ….dare I say, expertise with PowerPoint. But the day existed when illustrations were part of my normal style. With horrible drawing skills, I just told students that I was considering a career in art when I retired, and asked their opinion on that. It was always good for a relaxing moment of laughter in the midst of complex topics. But, how many pens does a lady really need??? That is the question! Hundreds if I am any example.
Death Themed ‘Stuff’:
Some would say that my interest in and long time teaching about death and dying, grief and loss is macabre or maybe that it is just sad. But that love of the subject content and my willingness to discuss hard topics has been a pivotal part of who I am as an Educator. Well, Janene, what exactly DID you have in that office regarding The Long Sleep? Fair question! I’ll start with one of my favorite excuses for a party: Dia de los Muertos or Day of the Dead. It is a wonderful Mexican cultural celebration about family and friends who have died. During this time in late November parties abound around cemeteries, town squares, homes, and any other place it seems right to honor ancestors. I have calendars, posters, magnets, and knick knacks all illustrating the theme which is illustrated by skeletons dressed as every day folk. If you aren’t familiar with this festival, google it, and google images for a fascinating perspective on Mexico. Additionally, I have beanie babies of ghosts, skeletons, Tombstone S&P shakers, a bumper sticker posted with magnets that says “I break for old cemeteries”. And last, but not least, I have photos that I have taken in these ‘old cemeteries’ around Central Texas, especially many with Bluebonnets! I’m looking forward to adding Hawaiian cemeteries to my collection.
Pictures Galore:
Speaking of photo’s, there is also my obligatory photos of Alisa and Kathleen…..a veritable scrapbook of them at different ages and doing different things. One is a wonderful photo of Alisa carrying the Olympic Torch for the Salt Lake City games in 2002. Another is of the three of us in nice casual clothes but wearing white hard hats that was taken just before we toured the still under construction Eastview Campus building where Nursing moved in Fall of 2003. Besides lots of pictures of the four paws family members, I also have the only picture that has survived from 1969 and confirms my completion of TCU’s Harris College of Nursing. It shows me in my blue striped dress uniform with an overlaying white pinafore and, of course, my unique TCU Nursing Cap. I am standing beside my, at that time, future husband, Kirke, in front of my dorm. It’s a great shot of me when I weighed…..less than I do now….HA, thought I’d give that number away, did you???
Evidence of Personal Beliefs and Interests,
Lastly, we packed up symbols and items that reflected the Janene outside of ACC. The ties to TCU, Univ. of Texas and Univ. of Nebraska are obvious. There has been a prominently displayed sign saying “TCU Parking – All Others Will Be TOAD”…a little play on the horned toad mascot there. A Christian cross or two are visible to those who actually look at my office. Over my desk hangs a framed copy of a large poster from an art gallery in Honolulu. It has hung over my desk in every office at ACC that I’ve had since 1990 when I was a participant in the Great Teaching Workshop near Hilo. It shows a view from lower down in a crater with vivid colored flowers and the rim and mountains of the surface higher than the viewer. A four hour walk with others from the workshop took us down into the dormant Kileua crater, and looked remarkably like this picture. There are also plaques that attest to my commitment to nursing and education, such as my Teaching Excellence Award from the college, and my certification as a Thanatologist. Additionally, there has been a sticker of the logo for the Human Rights Campaign in view on the file cabinet. It has been instrumental in helping some students realize they had a safe place to go if they needed to talk. And lastly, an old wrinkled and frayed poster of a really cute kitten perched on a stack of old books and giving the viewer a quizzical look. The caption reads “Test? What test?”
So why would the therapeutic activity of cleaning up and throwing out the detritus of a quarter of a century of my life be so emotional? I think that it’s a matter of resurrecting many wonderful memories of students, colleagues who are now friends, and even the growth in my own teaching skill. While leaving ACC closes one extremely large door in my professional and personal life, it also reinforces the sometimes scary recognition that another door has been opened. The only thing now left for me to do, is to walk through that new door. I won’t be taking my ACC office with me, but will begin the evolution of a new office at Hawaii Community College. I firmly believe it will be as rewarding as these past 25 years at ACC have been.
Aloha,
Janene
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