Ana's Hawai‘ian Adventures 🌺

This week, I got to ho‘okipa Daryl, filling this home with deep aloha and joy. Sharing some of my life from the past weeks was a delight: the morning swims, mālama the gardens ( Week 5 ), catching the bus (including getting lost and serendipitously happening upon unexpected treasures), playing with some of my O‘ahu PicklePals ( Week 4 ), learning with a walking tour of Downtown Honolulu (DoHo) ( Week 4 ), sampling yummy malasadas ( Day 4 ), and watching Patrick perform at a fantastic Thai restaurant ( Week 11 ).  We also got enjoy new adventures together: like surfing Waikīkī , snorkeling in Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve, attending live theater , celebrating Daryl's 68th birthday at an iconic  restaurant , and stumbling on a DoHo Night Market with food trucks, vendors, and local performers.  Daryl arrived on Tuesday evening! Here's a photo dump of all of the fantastic memories we made this week! My Seneca Peeps sent birthday wishes for Daryl and also an alarming image ...

This week, Hawai‘i invites me to celebrate hoʻomau (to persist or continue).  Hurricane Lowell hit the westernmost islands of the state of Hawai‘i on Monday/Tuesday. For me, it meant being prepared for tropical-storm-level winds and rain. Hurricane Lala taught me that may mean loss of power, so I let the refrigerator food run towards empty to avoid food waste.  hoʻomau Image of Lowell from a news report The storm also meant my virtual class meeting was canceled as schools and other businesses closed to help keep everyone safe and at home. Assignments were still due, but we had to pivot and record our previously-scheduled live presentations.  hoʻomau My presentation Concerned I would be stuck inside due to rains and winds, I went for a walk on Monday to Waikīkī. The clouds and wind were beautiful. No rain, but more gusty winds and a gray sky the longer I walked, so I headed home before actually reaching the beach. At home, my neighbor was swimming, even in the sprinkling r...

This week, I noticed that I am pretty isolated here. I spend most of my days on my own. My friend asked if I was lonely, and I replied, "I don’t think so. Just alone a lot. But I’m good company 😅." This week, Hawai‘i is teaching me the blessing of luana : to live in comfort and ease, be content, and enjoy pleasant surroundings or company.  Alone or with others, my life is full, and I am so happy to share my Hawaiian adventures with you - thanks for reading! I started the week with a lovely visit to Waikīkī to watch the Sun set with Ben. Sunset on Waikīkī  It seems like the Universe knew it would be good for my soul to be around people because my Monday PicklePals took me out to dinner, the University of Hawai‘i (UH) hosted three events I attended (with so many people!), and got to see my neighbor (a musician) perform at a local restaurant. ♥️ The UH resource fair (postponed due to Lala ) was scheduled in conjunction with Queen Lili‘uokalani's birthday. They presented res...

This week, Hawai‘i is teaching me the value of ʻimi ʻike — seeking knowledge wherever it appears. I started fall classes this week, continuing my journey of learning through books, research, and academics. But knowledge is found in so many other places as well... In Experience.  I've been processing the snorkeling events of last Thursday, learning what I am capable of and grateful to know that my instincts align with my values and love. In the Mountains.  I went on a 5-hour climb through the Maunaʻōahi Ridge. We eventually had to abandon the goal of reaching Kuli'ou'ou Summit because of the trail being blocked by trees felled (likely by Lala ). I learned about stepping with intention, micro spikes (kindly supplied by fellow hiker, Trina), and slowing down to appreciate the breeze and the flowers. Some pics from my Thursday hike! In Relationships.  The guide for Thursday's hike, Roland, has so much knowledge of the rocks, the mountains, ecological restoration, and Hawai...

This week, Hawai‘i is teaching me the importance of laulima  - many hands working together. In the aftermath of Tropical Storm Lala, I was amazed at the speed at which folks started to clear the debris and turn things to rights. It reminded me of my Tía Tina, eighty-three-years-old after hurricane Maria hit her island of Puerto Rico, bandana around her hair, trash bag in hand, ready to join in the work like so many generations before her. Islanders come together and work together. This island is the same. Even before Lala hit, people were checking on their  kūpuna (elders): filling sand bags, securing windows, making sure they had enough food and water. And the morning after, while the rain was still drizzling, piles of cut tree branches and trunks lined the curbsides, and police officers took on the job of directing traffic for multiple downed traffic lights, making sure roads were safe. Some of the damage encountered on a walk the morning after the storm. My neighborhood in ...

I got to visit Lēʻahi (a.k.a. Diamond Head), and it was so beautiful, I cried a little. The view from the top of the Lēʻahi crater This week, Hawai‘i is teaching me haʻahaʻa (humility). Not like, "how to be more humble," but more like, "how to move forward in spite of uncertainty." Work:  I am needing to pivot and use a new (to me) platform to adapt my first ethnomathematics lesson for asynchronous classes. Plan A didn't work. Plan B was better but still didn't work like I want it to. So, here we go, Plan C. Completely outside my comfort zone and I'm not even sure it's going to work! 🤪 Check out the lesson here Personal:  Ironically, I am currently working with my therapist on 'avoidance' — why I avoid things, examining my thoughts and emotions, and determining whether my concerns are backed by evidence (spoiler alert: they aren't.) Cycle of Avoidance - talk about humbling... Life:  And then there's Lala , my first tropical storm (hu...

Building new relationships, strengthening friendships, having difficult conversations -- these are reminders that I cannot do anything alone. I am interconnected with others and rely on people and the land for everything from basic survival to elevated joy. I started my week checking out a hula festival at Kapiolani Park and cried a little. I couldn't help it. When I saw the beautiful movements of the hula and even small children doing hula routines, remembering how hula was banned under the influence of missionaries who thought the dance was immoral, it gave me so much hope to see it survive and thrive. Monday I decided to tackle a (relatively easy) swim test that will allow me to sign up for a snorkeling outing once the fall semester starts. I got to explore the UH campus and revel at the beauty. It's mostly empty for summer, so the birds are out in full force: singing and just chillin'.  Pics from my walk around the UH Mānoa campus On my walk back, I passed by the Hawai‘...

This was a week of hoʻolohe... deep listening. Not listening to talk. Not listening to refute. Not half-listening. Really listening... Listening to kūpuna (elders) I know... I am an elder! But there are so many folks here who look my age and are in their 80s or older! On Monday, I walked to the post office and an ‘ elemakule (elderly gentleman) asked me a question. I couldn't quite hear him over the sound of traffic, but I told him that I was visiting, so I wasn't going to be very helpful if he needed directions. He stepped in line with me and asked how I liked Hawai‘i. I told him I loved it! I raved about the beautiful trees and the breeze and the rains, and he smiled big. I asked if he was born here on O‘ahu and he nodded. His name was Mark and he told me that he is what the Japanese call Sansei (三世) — third generation. His grandparents immigrated to ...

This week I am focusing on mālama by doing one thing each day simply because it nourishes my spirit rather than my productivity. Every morning I take time to talk with the plants, water them if needed, and admire the diverse flowers that bloom daily. Even when my energy was so low the last two weeks, these plants would nourish me and bring healing to my cells. And I love seeing which flowers surprise me each day, because every day there is a new flower, I just have to look! New flowers blooming each day! As my energy returned this week, I was able to give myself more opportunities for fun and joy. I continue to keep pono  in my heart and balance activity with rest. Sunday: I bookended the day with sweet video chats with Xandar and Nanci. In between, I visited a new store, celebrated International Ice Cream Day with a new (to me) flavor of ... well... gelato. But it's like ice cream, right? And did some grocery shopping for the week. Yummy Ube Cookies & Cream Ube  is a purp...