You Hoo!! Over here!! Yep, your eyes don’t deceive you….it’s a blog posting from none-other than ME!! I’m sure you all thought that I had fallen off the lip of the volcano or somehow been sucked out to sea by the Hilo Bay tides……No, none of those things have happened (Thank Goodness!). It’s just been a whirlwind couple of months, and I’m finally discovering a window of time that lets me sit and write an entry for the blog.
You know, when I announced my plan to move over here, I was told that it would initiate an endless stream of visitors, so “Be prepared.” Well, I’m so glad for the warning because it let me ‘be prepared’ with places to go, things to do, gas in the car, batteries in the camera, snacks and wine in the house. Since mid-Fall it’s been a wonderful stream of loving friends and family, and I hope they have had as much fun as I have had showing them around my new home. Visits have come from church friends, a former student who has just finished the ACC nsg program, a fellow faculty member and good buddy, and, of course, family. A couple of the visits were less than a day and involved a bit of driving around Hilo and wonderful dinners at my favorite restaurant, Café Pesto. Marnie, my teaching colleague from ACC was here a week. She got in on the end of the semester fun and even helped me proctor and grade the Final Exam. Ahhh, a teacher’s work is never done!! Even if you are on vacation! Marnie is a wonderful guest, and one of those people who looks at her watch and says “We’ve got an extra 15 minutes, what else can we go see?” So with that outlook and her detailed perusal of Island Info, we went to the other side of the Big Island and saw the Pacific Ocean from that perspective, down to the volcano area and steam vents, and up to Mauna Loa Observatory Visitors Center and several other places in between. It was fun, educational, breathtaking, and one laugh after another with two old retirement age ladies gadding about like we had some sense. Nooli, the pup, went with us of course, and that added an entirely new dimension to the sightseeing.
Then my brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Craig and Susan Jeffery, came for Thanksgiving. It was truly a time for giving thanks…..for family, new beginnings, fast friends in the new world of Hawaii, beautiful views, and most importantly, thanks that Susan fixed the Thanksgiving Meal!! It was my proportional job to ensure that the table was set JUST RIGHT…..napkins folded ever so carefully, silverware on the right sides of the plate so our mothers would all approve, glasses with water situated at the exact angle to allow for easy access but not so easy as to block the wine glass. Whewww!! It was a tough job, but someone had to step up to the charge. Craig did his part by washing dishes after dinner……are these two just the BEST guests a woman could ask for??? YES, I say!!
The highlight of the holiday break, tho, came on Christmas Day when Alisa and Kathleen flew in from Austin. It was so good to see them and to finally show off the world they had heard about but not seen. We went to many of the same places that Marnie and I had gone to in Mid-Dec. but added some new fun to the mix. By Jan. 1, lava was actively flowing near the far south east corner of the island and we were able to view it from areas set up and monitored by security. Actually getting near and standing on ‘cooled’ lava of only a couple of days age can be quite dangerous. But, trails had been marked across firmer lava that had flowed over that spot only 2 days earlier…..we could feel the deep heat through our shoes. It was incredible to watch as new earth was being created by this lava flow. Literally, the Big Island is still growing. It was almost mystical to watch steam rise, and red hot slowly rolling blobs of lava moved along. Pele is still an active goddess, and she is letting us know that.
Kathleen has been interested in Astronomy since she took a college class on it, so we headed up to the Mouna Kea Observatory Visitor’s Center for a night time ‘star gazing party’ that is held each evening. It’s staffed by faculty and students from the Astronomy dept at Univ. of Hawaii – Hilo. You may not know it but this mountain, Mauna Kea, is the tallest mountain in the world – 4 x taller than Everest. But the catch is that the measurement is from the floor of the ocean. That’s just a little trivia tip to help you on your next round of Trivial Pursuit or Jeopardy….whatever! Because this mountain is in the middle of the island, and there are only two real ‘cities’ on the island (Kona and Hilo) the night sky is easily seen without interference from urban lights. For that reason, and the thinness of the atmosphere at just under 14,000 ft above sea level, and other reasons that apply to optics, and stuff I can’t explain they put some internationally owned and run observatories up on the top. For questions, contact Wayne Schade, he will be able to explain this stuff along with the inverse squared ratio. He’s a genius science teacher. The star gazing was really fun. It was fairly cool….about low 60’s or upper 50’s, but they had set up several small but high grade telescopes so we could see a variety of things. Great lessons given in short presentations about what we were seeing, etc. It was another highlight of the trip.
Additionally, the girls went snorkeling and Alisa was treated to a surfing lesson by two of my students. We also had some student company to watch the Rose Bowl on NY Day….TCU played Wisconsin just in case you weren’t aware…..shame on you!!....and TCU WON!!! One of my students was visiting family in Pasadena and saw the Rose Bowl Parade. She brought me back a pennant to commemorate the event. It was such fun having students, some of their incredibly well behaved kids, one boyfriend and more food than an army could eat all gathered at the house. I had a purple and white lei given to me by the daughters, and they wore their TCU shirts. A fun time was had by all!
Well, now the Spring Semester has begun. Same students, just different teaching content and increased pressure to perform in the clinical area (on them and on me). However, faculty is given a voucher for one free class each semester, and I decided to take advantage of it. In some fatigue induced trance –like state, I began to think that I should take an Hawaiian Language class…..sort of Hawaiian 101. Well, what do you know??? There IS a class called “Hawaiian Language 101”. A sure sign from God, you say! Well, God was joking and I didn’t see the twinkle in His eye to know that. Thus….I moved mountains to get the voucher in place and get accepted into an already full class that worked with my teaching schedule. HOORAY!! Well…. It’s eating my lunch y’all!! I mean that seriously, this is a tough language, and just because they only have 13 letters in the Hawaiian alphabet and have no silent letters in any words does not make it simpler or completely phonetic. There are okinos and kahakos and ….stuff! An okino is a glottal stop sound and looks like a backwards apostrophe but isn’t and is used to separate two vowels when they come together in a word. It’s written like you were writing a teeny tiny 6. It sounds like the break in the phrase uh-oh, almost a small hiccup type sound. So, my puppy’s Hawaiian name is Kino’ole and is pronounced Kee-no-oh-lay with the pause glottal stop sound between no and oh. Got that ? Good, cause now we’re off to kahakos. They are the line over a letter that shows the sound should be an elongation of the natural sound of that letter. So as you say a word, you slightly stretch out the sound within the full pronouncing of the word. Example: the state bird is a goose that is called a Nene…but written with a line over each of the Es. It’s pronounced Nay-nay. So, my name in Hawaiian could be shortened to Nene….which Craig immediately did. There is no J in the Hawaiian alphabet, so it becomes essentially an I. Thus Janene = Ianene with the lines over the two Es. Craig now calls me Nene, and the house Hotel Nene. I have honored his wisdom and humor by purchasing small “warning yellow” window signs that warn you not to feed the Nenes. They are very very strictly protected by the state since they are an endangered bird. But……I digress! The class is wonderfully taught by a delightful new faculty member and who is full Hawaiian. She is using the class to teach us about Hawaii, both the state and the island Hawaii, the culture, the myths, and the chants. Ah, yes, the chants!! We have one to learn and be able to do without cheat sheets…..yeah, that’ll happen in my lifetime. The chant we are learning is one of the many mythical stories of the birth of the islands, and includes names of gods, goddesses, and their children as well as each of the main 8 islands. It actually a fun chant to do, but I’m still looking at the sheet due to the specificity of the spelling of the words and names. There are even two field trips planned. The first is to a taro farm. Poi is made from taro, just in case you are wondering what the big deal about taro is. So, I’ll have to keep you posted on my ongoing language development.
I’m going to close out now. You’ve been stuck at the computer reading this blog for long enough.
By the way, the National League of Nursing Accreditation survey went very well, and we were given another 8 years which is Full Accreditation Status. It’s been a real stressor for all the faculty, and we celebrated with lunch on Thursday. Much relief had by all.
Aloha,
Janene ( Nene )
Saturday, February 12, 2011
Saturday, November 27, 2010
Letter from K'nooli Jeffery
Bark bark, ruff ruff ruff…
That means “Aloha” in Hawaiian Dog language,
I’m Nooli, well really K’nooli, but my friends call me Nooli (like Moo-lee but with an “N”) and since you are all friends with Mom, you can call me that too.
I’m the newest member of the Hawaii Jeffery clan, and Mom said that I could add a blog entry and introduce myself. So, without any formal typing or writing training, here we go:
I’m adorable!! That’s just my personal opinion, but lots of people keep telling me that, and I trust the judgment of perfect strangers as I assume you do. I am a pretty color of golden-brown, have big dark dark brown/black eyes, and triangle shaped ears that fold over at the point. With my cute little face, it makes me irresistible….at least to people. I’m still working or the lady dogs to notice me, but I remain optimistic.
My Mom got me about a month ago, and since I don’t remember much of that first year as a puppy, neither of us is really sure about my previous life. I just know that I didn’t spend a lot of time whith humans like Mom, so now it’s really nice to have her scratch my tummy and behind my ears. However, it seems that moving into doggy-toddlerhood, I must have missed that serious outdoor potty training ‘cuz Mom seems to be upset with me when I ‘go shishi’ (pee) in the house on the nice redwood floors. By the way, does “Bad Dog” mean what I think it means? Thought so!
But I am really good when I can go out and ride in the car or a cart at a store. I love that! Mom lets me ride in the seat next to her because she says that I’m so good to stay in the seat and just watch things go by. I’m so busy looking that I forget to even bark. And recently Mom went to a big store that had lots and lots of interesting things in it. She called it Wal-smart or Wal-art or something like that. She let me ride in the cart and I thought that was tons of fun. People seemed to think that a really cute doggy in a cart was just the most interesting thing they had seen in a long time, and I was very polite to everyone. Since that day, Mom has let me go into other stores, but she says I can’t go to the grocery store. I think that not fair. I proved I can be good, but Mom said something about food….which I think would be a great place for me to go. But, NO, not the Sack & Save near the house. Oh well.
I love going outdoors. I have to stay on this silly rope-like thing and Mom always comes along. She really crimps my style too. Just when I find a juicy bug and interesting crawling thing, she pulls me back and goes another direction. Why would she do that?? Some of those bugs taste pretty yummy. Next door to us is another boy dog, Bender. He’s bigger than I am and is part pit bull. Nate is his owner and he says Bender is very gentle. Mom tells me she’s not too sure, so I’m not allowed to play with him. Just as well, when we bark at each other over the divide he doesn’t seem to like me telling him to leave me and Mommy alone and don’t come over to bother us. We talk often so I can reinforce this No Trespassing rule. Now the two cats that live a couple of houses over are a whole different story. They like to lie out on the driveway in the daytime sunlight. It drives me crazy!! I just yell and yell at them from the living room windows, but they don’t even try to move. Sometimes I think they just stay there to bug me!! Stupid Cats!!
We had some new people sleeping at our house the past few days. I heard Mom talking about brother-in-law and sister-in-law. They might have been here trying to get away from the police.... I’m not sure what the deal was with the law, but they were really nice to me. I just loved having them here. Only they didn’t want me to jump up on their legs or to practice anything that might be handy to know if a lady dog comes around. Otherwise, the brother guy took me for walks, and once, I even pulled really quickly and my rope-thing popped out of the sister’s hand. NOW THAT WAS FUN! I made it three doors down the street, and my mistake was stopping to tell that family dog to leave me and my family alone if he ever gets to come out of the house. The brother dude caught me and made me come back. And I had some other dogs I wanted to visit!!
Well, I can’t think of much else to tell you about me. Mom leaves me at home when she goes off sometimes. She says it’s to go ‘to work’….but sometimes that really early in the morning. She wears funny clothes on those days and comes home smelling funny. It smells a lot like a Vet’s office, but I don’t think Mom works in a Vet office. Maybe it’s like that but not a dog and cat place. Anyway, I’ll probably never know….she says I definitely can’t go with her to this ‘work’ place. Soooo, I stay here and just talk to the neighbors all day. I tell them lots of things but they don’t talk back. Mom’s lady neighbor next door said that I talked all day when Mom was gone….guess she was surprised that I could have that much to say for so long. Really, I’m just making sure that bad people don’t try to come in when Mom is not here, so I try to sound really big and mean. I think it’s working; no one has tried to come near the house when I’m at the front windows watching.
We just had a holiday for something about Thanks, and so I was thinking that I should say thanks to all of you for being such good friends of Mom’s and then, of course, friends of me. She says you all support her. I’m not sure what this ‘support’ stuff is, but Mom seems awfully glad that you all are there doing it.
I’ll stop now, mainly ‘cuz it’s time for dinner, and I love dinner!! Mom says she will write again soon.
Sending you doggie Aloha’s from Hilo,
K’nooli Jeffery
That means “Aloha” in Hawaiian Dog language,
I’m Nooli, well really K’nooli, but my friends call me Nooli (like Moo-lee but with an “N”) and since you are all friends with Mom, you can call me that too.
I’m the newest member of the Hawaii Jeffery clan, and Mom said that I could add a blog entry and introduce myself. So, without any formal typing or writing training, here we go:
I’m adorable!! That’s just my personal opinion, but lots of people keep telling me that, and I trust the judgment of perfect strangers as I assume you do. I am a pretty color of golden-brown, have big dark dark brown/black eyes, and triangle shaped ears that fold over at the point. With my cute little face, it makes me irresistible….at least to people. I’m still working or the lady dogs to notice me, but I remain optimistic.
My Mom got me about a month ago, and since I don’t remember much of that first year as a puppy, neither of us is really sure about my previous life. I just know that I didn’t spend a lot of time whith humans like Mom, so now it’s really nice to have her scratch my tummy and behind my ears. However, it seems that moving into doggy-toddlerhood, I must have missed that serious outdoor potty training ‘cuz Mom seems to be upset with me when I ‘go shishi’ (pee) in the house on the nice redwood floors. By the way, does “Bad Dog” mean what I think it means? Thought so!
But I am really good when I can go out and ride in the car or a cart at a store. I love that! Mom lets me ride in the seat next to her because she says that I’m so good to stay in the seat and just watch things go by. I’m so busy looking that I forget to even bark. And recently Mom went to a big store that had lots and lots of interesting things in it. She called it Wal-smart or Wal-art or something like that. She let me ride in the cart and I thought that was tons of fun. People seemed to think that a really cute doggy in a cart was just the most interesting thing they had seen in a long time, and I was very polite to everyone. Since that day, Mom has let me go into other stores, but she says I can’t go to the grocery store. I think that not fair. I proved I can be good, but Mom said something about food….which I think would be a great place for me to go. But, NO, not the Sack & Save near the house. Oh well.
I love going outdoors. I have to stay on this silly rope-like thing and Mom always comes along. She really crimps my style too. Just when I find a juicy bug and interesting crawling thing, she pulls me back and goes another direction. Why would she do that?? Some of those bugs taste pretty yummy. Next door to us is another boy dog, Bender. He’s bigger than I am and is part pit bull. Nate is his owner and he says Bender is very gentle. Mom tells me she’s not too sure, so I’m not allowed to play with him. Just as well, when we bark at each other over the divide he doesn’t seem to like me telling him to leave me and Mommy alone and don’t come over to bother us. We talk often so I can reinforce this No Trespassing rule. Now the two cats that live a couple of houses over are a whole different story. They like to lie out on the driveway in the daytime sunlight. It drives me crazy!! I just yell and yell at them from the living room windows, but they don’t even try to move. Sometimes I think they just stay there to bug me!! Stupid Cats!!
We had some new people sleeping at our house the past few days. I heard Mom talking about brother-in-law and sister-in-law. They might have been here trying to get away from the police.... I’m not sure what the deal was with the law, but they were really nice to me. I just loved having them here. Only they didn’t want me to jump up on their legs or to practice anything that might be handy to know if a lady dog comes around. Otherwise, the brother guy took me for walks, and once, I even pulled really quickly and my rope-thing popped out of the sister’s hand. NOW THAT WAS FUN! I made it three doors down the street, and my mistake was stopping to tell that family dog to leave me and my family alone if he ever gets to come out of the house. The brother dude caught me and made me come back. And I had some other dogs I wanted to visit!!
Well, I can’t think of much else to tell you about me. Mom leaves me at home when she goes off sometimes. She says it’s to go ‘to work’….but sometimes that really early in the morning. She wears funny clothes on those days and comes home smelling funny. It smells a lot like a Vet’s office, but I don’t think Mom works in a Vet office. Maybe it’s like that but not a dog and cat place. Anyway, I’ll probably never know….she says I definitely can’t go with her to this ‘work’ place. Soooo, I stay here and just talk to the neighbors all day. I tell them lots of things but they don’t talk back. Mom’s lady neighbor next door said that I talked all day when Mom was gone….guess she was surprised that I could have that much to say for so long. Really, I’m just making sure that bad people don’t try to come in when Mom is not here, so I try to sound really big and mean. I think it’s working; no one has tried to come near the house when I’m at the front windows watching.
We just had a holiday for something about Thanks, and so I was thinking that I should say thanks to all of you for being such good friends of Mom’s and then, of course, friends of me. She says you all support her. I’m not sure what this ‘support’ stuff is, but Mom seems awfully glad that you all are there doing it.
I’ll stop now, mainly ‘cuz it’s time for dinner, and I love dinner!! Mom says she will write again soon.
Sending you doggie Aloha’s from Hilo,
K’nooli Jeffery
Saturday, November 6, 2010
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
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
Saturday, October 23, 2010
THINGS THEY HAVE IN HAWAII THAT ARE NOT IN TEXAS
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
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
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
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