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.

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.

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 don't know where to begin...

So I'll start with this: I'm okay - I made it home in one piece, and I'm sitting in my room with the air-con on full-blast as I type this.

A new world, a new word:

 Gnarly

[adj.] beyond the limits of 'radical' and 'extreme'; excessively good or bad.

Aloha!

Okay, so I haven't posted anything in about a week. Sorry. I have some really good reasons, though, such as my gnarly (excessively good) trip to the Garden Island (Kaua'i) over the weekend, followed by a gnarly (excessively bad) amount of homework that's been piling up and up to the point of can't-be-botheredness.

Definition of 'Lost'

[adj.] having gone astray or missed the way; bewildered as to place, direction, etc.

Aloha!

Yesterday I travelled to Oahu's North Shore for a day at the beach with friends. Click on the links for photos :)

We went to Waimea Bay. It was beautiful. I took Lucius for a swim and we saw schools of pipefish and sergeant major damselfish. People were jumping off the rocks but I was happy just following the humuhumunukunukuapua‘a (Hawaii’s state fish). The water was so clear. We took heaps of silly photos like this one, this one, and this one. Taking this photo of Angela made my ears hurt. Back on the beach I revisited my obsession with macro and action shots. It wasn’t long before I got back in the water to try and look as 'Lost' as possible. More silly underwater photos here, here, here and here. It was such an enjoyable day at such a picturesque location. We have to go back.

So that was my yesterday! Scroll up to the top of this page. Then look to the right-hand side. You'll notice that I am now counting down to my trip to Kaua'i! Twelve days, baby!

Mahalo!

It's okay. I'm an international student

a.k.a. "Cheap Week"

Wednesday night: BBQ @ The Ohia. Some of the MIXers and I were about to go for it but then didn't bother because the queue was as epic as the Kumulipo. Instead we had dinner at Chili's. Best idea ever. Upon return to The Ohia, however, the crowd at the poolside barbecue had dissipated, carving a clear and direct path between myself and the sizzling meats. Was I hungry? No. Was it free? Yes. Did I get myself a cheeseburger? No - I got myself a double cheeseburger! Did I eat it? Of course I didn't. I saved it for the next day.

It's okay. I'm an international student.

Thursday morning: breakfast. I learned from the previous day's mistake that I need to eat something before going to class. I didn't really have time, though, so when I peered into the refrigerator and saw a mound wrapped up in serviettes, the word "genius" immediately came to mind. Because I don't yet have a microwave, I ate it cold. But that's okay.

I'm an international student.

Thursday afternoon: lunch @ the International Baptist Church. This is a free weekly lunch for international students. The meals are truly filling, and the staff are incredibly nice. I almost feel like I'm taking advantage of them just by being there, but it's okay.

You get the point.

Yes, I've been living really cheaply this past week. And probably for the next couple of weeks too. I've been trying to save a couple of bucks here and there, sometimes eating $2.50 worth of a $5 Footlong at lunch and having the other $2.50 for dinner, or living off my stockpile of spam (and burning my finger whilst frying it). I think this rather stingy lifestyle will be advantageous in the long-run.

Oh, would you look at that - I just booked a trip to Kaua'i!

Mahalo!

Lost in Waikiki. Literally.

Aloha!


I went to Waikiki this morning, after picking up breakfast from 7-Eleven (kids: don't try this at home). Breakfast consisted of a sandwich and a Twinkie. I didn't really spend so much time at the beach, which at the moment is still very much packed with tourists, because I'll be living nearby during the semester anyway - there'll be plenty of time to go.

T.K. at Waikiki Beach. I could have gotten a little more creative,
perhaps a photo in front of the water itself, but meh.

And speaking of my semester accommodation, I thought I'd go looking for it since I was in the area. The address of the building is 2280 Kuhio Avenue. I started walking up Kuhio, then realised the street numbers were increasing from 2500 so I turned around and walked the other way. Fail. I got to the end of the road and started walking back towards where I came from. Eventually I found the building I was looking for, but it took forever and I needed to go potty so I didn't hang around much except to take these photos.

Hawaii has a bus system known simply as TheBus. Students flash their ID card to get a free ride, but because I don't get my ID card until Monday, I had to feed the machine with $2.50. The annoying thing is that the machines don't give change, so before catching my bus home I had to do a bit of shopping.


I bought a shell from the market, thinking that when I receive my change I could request some coins. Fail. The people before me who made a purchase from the same stall took the lady's last coins. So I went to Jamba Juice to get nice cold drink to survive the hot sun and some freaking quarters.

"Can I get a mango smoothie?"
"Do you want mango, or mango a-go-go?"
"...Mango a-go-go."

I eventually got back to the hostel and had a refreshingly cold shower. I don't know if the shower I used has a hot water tap, and I spent a minute trying to figure it out, but I guess it doesn't matter since it's hot enough outside anyway. For the past hour or so I've been in the lounge area, discussing Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows with some transferring grad students. Most of the people at this hostel are students, and many of them grad students. Apparently to them I look older than I actually am:

"So are you doing your PhD or Masters?"

*BLANK STARE*

I just heard someone's phone go off, which reminds me that I wanted to find a solution to my long-distance telecommunications problem at some stage. Back to 7-Eleven I go.


Mahalo!

45 things to do in a 44-hour day

Part 1 - Sydney chapter

1. Wake up early (= 9.30am)

2. Eat leftover KFC spicy chicken

3. Finish packing (didn't happen until 3pm)

4. Call Optus

5. Go to the bank

6. Update Facebook status

7. Photocopy all travel documents

8. Repeat #7

9. Eat chicken casserole

10. Feed dog an English muffin and rub his belly
11. Purchase birthday present(s) in advance for brothers

12. Wrap up aforementioned present(s)

13. Hide present(s) in place(s) aforementioned brothers would hopefully never look

14. Repeat #6

15. Say goodbye to bedroom, pets and house

16. Travel by car to grandma's place

17. Wish grandma a happy birthday :)

18. Eat chicken salad sandwich

19. Purchase new Matthew Reilly books for flight and, secondarily, as a "part of my culture to share"

20. Proceed to check-in counter F at Sydney International Airport

21. Promise self not to cry while passing through gate

22. Chase after the sun in a Boeing 767 Jet


Part II - Honolulu chapter


23. Travel backwards through time
24. Regain consciousness with airplane breakfast on tray table (not chicken)
25. Clear customs confusedly
26. Look for person holding sign with my name on it
27. Receive welcome package including snacks, toiletries, University of Hawaii campus map and a pillow
28. Get dropped off at hostel and check in with nice lady who hasn't had her break and therefore cannot calculate
29. Freshen up for yet another Friday the 13th
30. Phone home, and then get disconnected due to lack of quarters
31. Report to International Student Services office in Queen Lili`uokalani Center
32. Meet Mr. MIX
33 Take a shot of Tuberculosis
34. Have first local lunch - Subway grilled chicken 6-inch sub
35. Consider whether or not I'm supposed to tip
36. Return to hostel and take advantage of free Wi-Fi
37. Repeat #6
38. Sort out stuff that needs to be sorted out
39. Stroll past a black cat. Look it in the eyes and walk away
40. Consider what's for dinner
41. Consider going to Waikiki
42. Phone home again
43. Have first dinner - chicken-flavoured ramen... Followed by chocolate for dessert
44. Wash dishes alongside German girl while chatting about how snobby Sydney Uni is
45. Publish this post

You only need seven shirts. Max 10...

...said the lady who packed twenty pairs of socks into a Space Bag for me, knowing full well that I'm travelling to a place where 90% of the time I'll be wearing my Havaianas. As my suitcase slowly fills up with clothes, my wardrobe gradually empties. It has come to my attention that I don't wear a lot of the clothes that I own, which isn't many to begin with. Most of them are, as mother would kindly say, "from when I was bigger". But over the past few years - and especially after my trip to the Philippines last year - the number of shirts in my closet has increased significantly, and I can't decide which 7-10 to bring with me to Hawai'i.

Perhaps one for every colour of the rainbow?

In other news, TWO DAYS... (and 20 hours, but still!) I'm a bit worried because I don't yet have a place to stay when I arrive in Honolulu. If it comes down to it, I may just have to camp on the beach for a bit. The thing that worries me about that is the number of, you know, b-o-d-y-s buried in the sand. Most horrifying is the idea of Nikki and Paulo emerging from out of nowhere as if they've been there all along, begging me for diamonds, acting terribly... If there's anything I've learned from Lost, it's that a gun can sometimes be your best friend.

*shoots Nikki and Paulo dead*

Mahalo!