5/19/2011
For Carina, and for Germany!
I don't know how many more loopholes I can get around so that my German friends can view this!
Also, WOW - I haven't published a post in half a year :S
Anyway, enjoy, and a hui hou!
11/29/2010
Big Island Trip - Part IV
Sunday (continued).
Hilo Town, approximately 3pm.
The plan was to split from the geology crew and catch a bus from Hilo to Kona. So when I was dropped off at the "gas station" with a couple of others, I was caught by surprise as I learned that the last bus to Kona departed an hour ago. This left me with a big decision to make.
Hilo Town, approximately 3pm.
The plan was to split from the geology crew and catch a bus from Hilo to Kona. So when I was dropped off at the "gas station" with a couple of others, I was caught by surprise as I learned that the last bus to Kona departed an hour ago. This left me with a big decision to make.
Big Island Trip - Part III
Sunday.
I actually had breakfast this morning. I traded a bread bun for one of Lucas' (our driver) Trail Bars. The topic of conversation was Alaska, which I think might actually be the next State I visit. We also talked a bit about Argentina, where Lucas is from.
"So, Argentina... that's near Spain, right?"
FAIL, JERRY.
I actually had breakfast this morning. I traded a bread bun for one of Lucas' (our driver) Trail Bars. The topic of conversation was Alaska, which I think might actually be the next State I visit. We also talked a bit about Argentina, where Lucas is from.
"So, Argentina... that's near Spain, right?"
FAIL, JERRY.
11/22/2010
Big Island Trip - Part II
Saturday.
We left the camp early, geared up for an adventure like no other. I didn't bother having breakfast, knowing that I had some bread in the boot of Badass Black. At around 9am we reached the lava flows at Kīlauea, where I met up again with the MIX group and retrieved the aforementioned bread. Dressed in long pants, hiking shoes and garden gloves, we donned our fluoro vests and stocked up on oranges and muesli bars. After a quick briefing from my instructor, we crossed the safety rope and entered Pele's domain.
We left the camp early, geared up for an adventure like no other. I didn't bother having breakfast, knowing that I had some bread in the boot of Badass Black. At around 9am we reached the lava flows at Kīlauea, where I met up again with the MIX group and retrieved the aforementioned bread. Dressed in long pants, hiking shoes and garden gloves, we donned our fluoro vests and stocked up on oranges and muesli bars. After a quick briefing from my instructor, we crossed the safety rope and entered Pele's domain.
11/21/2010
Big Island Trip - Part I
Friday.
It was about midnight when I decided to close my eyes just for a little bit. In about six hours I would be on a flight to the Big Island with my friends. I’d be at the airport in five hours, and leaving Waikiki in four. That meant that I had to be ready in three. Unfortunately, because I did close my eyes - even for a second - I sealed my fate to wake up two minutes before our airport transfer was supposed to leave Waikiki. Having not washed the dishes, cleaned my room, or (most importantly) packed for the trip, I was in a mad rush to get ready and shove whatever clothes I could into my bag. There was one important thing that I could not go to Big Island without: T.K.
11/17/2010
Mixed feelings
Aloha!
I'm currently experiencing a ton (notice that I avoided saying "heaps") of different and weird emotions that seem to be having somewhat of a negative impact on my studies. For example, I feel:
Relieved after completing the paper for Hawaiian Studies that I had left until, quite literally, the last minute.
[A bit too] relaxed about the assignment for Filipino that I was supposed to submit yesterday, but didn't.
Stressed about the poster draft due tomorrow for Geology, which I haven't thought about.
Unenthused by the class in which I am currently sitting.
And those are just my feelings about classes at the moment.
I'm currently experiencing a ton (notice that I avoided saying "heaps") of different and weird emotions that seem to be having somewhat of a negative impact on my studies. For example, I feel:
Relieved after completing the paper for Hawaiian Studies that I had left until, quite literally, the last minute.
[A bit too] relaxed about the assignment for Filipino that I was supposed to submit yesterday, but didn't.
Stressed about the poster draft due tomorrow for Geology, which I haven't thought about.
Unenthused by the class in which I am currently sitting.
And those are just my feelings about classes at the moment.
11/13/2010
"Heaps"
Aloha!
There's a particular word in my vocabulary that foreigners seem to always react funnily to. I never considered it a funny word at all, and it probably isn't, but I guess it's somewhat endemic to the Australian language. It's a great word, one that I happily and very frequently use.
There's a particular word in my vocabulary that foreigners seem to always react funnily to. I never considered it a funny word at all, and it probably isn't, but I guess it's somewhat endemic to the Australian language. It's a great word, one that I happily and very frequently use.
11/10/2010
Job hunting
Aloha!
I need to figure out what to do after this semester ends. Since this is my final semester of undergraduate studies, I'll be graduating around May next year (assuming I don't fail two or more of my classes here). And then what? Honours? Master's? Master's of Education? I know for certain that if I do decide to continue studying (which I probably will) it will take place after at least a six-month hiatus. Because four years out of a minimum three was just too much.
I need to figure out what to do after this semester ends. Since this is my final semester of undergraduate studies, I'll be graduating around May next year (assuming I don't fail two or more of my classes here). And then what? Honours? Master's? Master's of Education? I know for certain that if I do decide to continue studying (which I probably will) it will take place after at least a six-month hiatus. Because four years out of a minimum three was just too much.
11/08/2010
Am I ever going to Heaven?
Aloha!
For a while I've been wanting (quite desperately) to climb up the Ha'iku Steps, also known as the Stairway To Heaven. Two weekends ago it was about to happen, but due to that week's abundance of rain it was postponed one week. Yesterday we had a very early start. Got home at about 12.30 or maybe 1am after watching Due Date, then headed to bed for an hour of sleep. Getting up would be difficult, I thought, so I put some Lost music on my iPod and set several alarms on it to ensure I wouldn't sleep through it.
For a while I've been wanting (quite desperately) to climb up the Ha'iku Steps, also known as the Stairway To Heaven. Two weekends ago it was about to happen, but due to that week's abundance of rain it was postponed one week. Yesterday we had a very early start. Got home at about 12.30 or maybe 1am after watching Due Date, then headed to bed for an hour of sleep. Getting up would be difficult, I thought, so I put some Lost music on my iPod and set several alarms on it to ensure I wouldn't sleep through it.
11/04/2010
Procrasting procrastination
Aloha!
I have a midterm tomorrow morning for Hawaiian Environmental Science, as well as some work to do for Filipino. I need, however, to do my laundry (i.e. procrastinate). And yet I find myself sitting on my bed, doing absolutely nothing productive, while my textbooks sit in my backpack and my dirty clothes rot in a pile in the corner. And on my chair. And on my bed.
I have a midterm tomorrow morning for Hawaiian Environmental Science, as well as some work to do for Filipino. I need, however, to do my laundry (i.e. procrastinate). And yet I find myself sitting on my bed, doing absolutely nothing productive, while my textbooks sit in my backpack and my dirty clothes rot in a pile in the corner. And on my chair. And on my bed.
10/30/2010
PUMPKINS
Aloha!
On my way over to Boring 101 yesterday, after finally exchanging digits with GG101L Guy, I came across an army of carved pumpkins in the lobby of the Architecture Building. There were plenty of them - maybe 20 in total - but I left my memory card at home and could only take five photos using the built-in memory. These are my favourites:
On my way over to Boring 101 yesterday, after finally exchanging digits with GG101L Guy, I came across an army of carved pumpkins in the lobby of the Architecture Building. There were plenty of them - maybe 20 in total - but I left my memory card at home and could only take five photos using the built-in memory. These are my favourites:
10/28/2010
Dins
Aloha!
This past week I have had the best home-cooked dinners of my entire stay in Hawai'i. Why? Because someone else cooked them. Of course I chipped in for the groceries, but oh my goodness it was JUST.SO.GOOD to not eat the same thing for dinner four nights in a row.
10/27/2010
Silent night
Aloha!
It's quiet in Waikiki tonight. A little too quiet.
On a normal night, or day, or span of 60 minutes in Waikiki, a loud and familiar sound can be heard. It isn't the song of the bird that likes to come into my room when I leave the lanai door open, nor is it the sound of serious study being done (as if that's familiar to anybody). It is produced every time a cat is stuck in a tree, or a couple of clear stiletto-wearing damsels engage in a catfight. Every time a tubby American's arteries get clogged with grease from their third helping of a McDonald's triple-quarter pounder, you'll hear the loud and familiar sound.
It's quiet in Waikiki tonight. A little too quiet.
On a normal night, or day, or span of 60 minutes in Waikiki, a loud and familiar sound can be heard. It isn't the song of the bird that likes to come into my room when I leave the lanai door open, nor is it the sound of serious study being done (as if that's familiar to anybody). It is produced every time a cat is stuck in a tree, or a couple of clear stiletto-wearing damsels engage in a catfight. Every time a tubby American's arteries get clogged with grease from their third helping of a McDonald's triple-quarter pounder, you'll hear the loud and familiar sound.
Hula
Aloha!
This morning in my Hawaiian Studies class we learned a little about hula kahiko - the traditional hula dance. It was first performed by men for religious purposes - each movement told a story, may have had a hidden meaning, and was often accompanied by chants. Later on, women started to participate in hula dances. Nowadays the stereotypical image of hula is of a woman wearing a lei, a coconut bra and a grass skirt, strumming her ukelele and dancing with flowing movements on the beach with a palm tree in the background.
This morning in my Hawaiian Studies class we learned a little about hula kahiko - the traditional hula dance. It was first performed by men for religious purposes - each movement told a story, may have had a hidden meaning, and was often accompanied by chants. Later on, women started to participate in hula dances. Nowadays the stereotypical image of hula is of a woman wearing a lei, a coconut bra and a grass skirt, strumming her ukelele and dancing with flowing movements on the beach with a palm tree in the background.
10/26/2010
The Rock
Aloha!
It's been a week since I bought myself a MacBook Pro. I have christened it "The Rock" (with the help of My Swedish Friend) because, quite frankly, it rocks. I admit that I haven't fully explored the inner workings of The Rock, but am proud to say that I have taken it to school every day and actually sat down and studied on it. Absolutely nothing has gone wrong with it so far...
It's been a week since I bought myself a MacBook Pro. I have christened it "The Rock" (with the help of My Swedish Friend) because, quite frankly, it rocks. I admit that I haven't fully explored the inner workings of The Rock, but am proud to say that I have taken it to school every day and actually sat down and studied on it. Absolutely nothing has gone wrong with it so far...
10/25/2010
Hiking
Aloha!
This weekend has been exhausting. On Saturday morning I cycled over to the bottom of Lē'ahi (Diamond Head) for another Geology field trip. In reality I was only there to hopefully see GG101L Guy again, but unfortunately he wasn't there. Our task for this field trip was to map the coastline in terms of the different rock types present. It was basically another exercise in colouring-in (as if I don't get enough of that in my Filipino class - but I'm not complaining). Note to potential exchange students: bring at least five different coloured crayons from home, you never know when you'll need them.
This weekend has been exhausting. On Saturday morning I cycled over to the bottom of Lē'ahi (Diamond Head) for another Geology field trip. In reality I was only there to hopefully see GG101L Guy again, but unfortunately he wasn't there. Our task for this field trip was to map the coastline in terms of the different rock types present. It was basically another exercise in colouring-in (as if I don't get enough of that in my Filipino class - but I'm not complaining). Note to potential exchange students: bring at least five different coloured crayons from home, you never know when you'll need them.
10/19/2010
10/17/2010
The morning after the night before
Alowghvsdssa...
Put simply, I got smashed off my face last night. Not my proudest moment (and I won't go into details about it), but I did learn a valuable lesson from this experience, and that is to pay attention to emails as I receive them...
I'm adding this to my wall.
A hhuioefwh jhfioweh
Put simply, I got smashed off my face last night. Not my proudest moment (and I won't go into details about it), but I did learn a valuable lesson from this experience, and that is to pay attention to emails as I receive them...
I'm adding this to my wall.
A hhuioefwh jhfioweh
10/16/2010
A negative blanketed by positives
...is still a negative.
Aloha!
Unfortunately I didn't get this job that I really wanted and am perfectly suited for. Here's how it went down:
Aloha!
Unfortunately I didn't get this job that I really wanted and am perfectly suited for. Here's how it went down:
10/14/2010
Along the Ala Wai
Aloha!
First things first - my computer is on its death bed. For the past week or two it has been making very loud noises (on top of the loud, vacuum cleaner-like noises it already makes) and has been running exceptionally sluggishly. My roommate has noticed the sound, too - he equates it to something of a heart attack; like my computer is telling me it can't take any more and wants it to end. I have on several occasions considered throwing it off my lanai or even dumping it into the canal. The latter was inspired by some of the crazy stuff I've seen in and around the Ala Wai canal.
First things first - my computer is on its death bed. For the past week or two it has been making very loud noises (on top of the loud, vacuum cleaner-like noises it already makes) and has been running exceptionally sluggishly. My roommate has noticed the sound, too - he equates it to something of a heart attack; like my computer is telling me it can't take any more and wants it to end. I have on several occasions considered throwing it off my lanai or even dumping it into the canal. The latter was inspired by some of the crazy stuff I've seen in and around the Ala Wai canal.
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