Yuri-chan's leaving

Today, I went to one of the beaches in Hilo, called 4 mile beach.

My friend Yuri will move to O'hau island for her 4 year education at the University of Hawai'i at Manoa.

We had nice time at the beach.
We swam and slept.

There is a nice playing glass area at the beach.



It was beautiful day! It was really hot. I cannot believe that now is winter time.

Oh, the ocean was so beautiful. I recharged my energy there.


Mahalo e (thank you for) her!


I hope Yuri's future at a new place.

My Mini Garden at the lanai

I am growing vegetables at the lanai. Since the baby plants have been here for 2 weeks, they start to be green!
This picture is the most recent one!

One day, I want them to see the ocean view that I am in love with.
Please grow taller so that they can see beautiful view from here.
Now, at least, I hope they enjoy the sea winds and sounds of ocean waves....



This picture was taken one week ago.
Can you see differences from the above picture? The baby plants started to grow!




This picture was taken when the baby plants arrived to the lanai.

It is very fun to see their growth, it's it?

lunch on 12/15, 2009

At 10:00 am, the 92-year-old lady, who I am taking care of, and her sister in-law, and her day-time care givers, and I went to the early lunch at our friend's neighbor house (in the bayshore towers).

All decorations and food were fantastic!!!

Also, we had really nice talks with a beautiful ocean view.

I feel that life is really joyful.

Since I stay with the 92-year-old lady, death becomes closer to me and my life.

I want to do what I can do today and feel happy as much as possible.

Beautiful Views from the lanai

Aloha.


I want to share with you beautiful views from the lanai I stay.
Every day is different. All views are entertainers.


Especially the sun set and sun rise time has the best beauty of the sky patterns.



If I die, I want my body to be in ocean.




When I see the sky every day, it remains me the power of nature, and I realize that we are a part of nature.

My Own Laptop

I have my laptop now.
It is used one, which I like about because I like to reuse things!
I usually do not buy new stuff at stores. Many things I have are given by my friends, or I bought them at the second hand (used) stores.

The laptop is kind of new edition even though it is used.

A funny thing is that the keyboard of this laptop is European type (model), so it is different icons I have to use when I type and remember which icons should be for English version.

I like this laptop. I bought it from my money that I owned.

Mahalo! Mahalo! Mahalo!

I wish that this laptop will be the last one in my life.

It is now my partner.

A New Home from 11/22 to present

I moved to a new place, again.
I found another better potential housing near the hilo bay.
I live at ocean front, which I was dreaming of.
It is more near to my work and school. I now ride my bike to move around. Good exercise!

I am taking care of a 92-year-old lady as a night helper and given a free room with a private bathroom.

The ocean view enriches my life!

Taking care of an elderly person has a lot of responsibilities. I am learning how to deal with the lady and the dying process.

I had hard days to communicate with her. I struggled a lot.

Human's brain can work unexpectedly.

I have been learning a lot through her mind.

Still, I am learning how to deal with her mystery mind. She has rich experiences in her life, so she has many drawers and doors of her minds.

I usually get her words personally. Other her caregivers taught me not to receive her words personally. Of course, it performs every situation at the outside of the world. "Do not get someone's words personally if it makes you unhappy."

I understand what they meant through spending time with her.

Not only her mind but also all man's minds can be mystery.

She makes me re-think about how our mind and brain works.

Staying with her is not easy.

She can easily make me cry and upset.

At the same time, I am blessed to learn manners, communication skills, and a lot of things from her.

I will do my best because many people have supported me through my new changes here.

Especially, one of her sons helps and supports me very much.

What life I have now!

I used to trying to walk without thinking of what the right now moment; but, now I learn to stop to see what is happening right now. Not looking back the past, I believe that this experience I have will enrich my personality and life.

A Postcard from Hula 'Ohana

Mahalo e sharing your mana'o (thoughts) from Lana'i island.

Some of my hula 'ohana went to Lana'i island to support kumu's hula brother's found-raising event. He recently opened a museum. Therefore, kumu and they flew from here to Lana'i island for the event.

Now, I am taking off for hula with kumu hula. However, how great the 'ohana I have.
This postcard makes me so happy and special.

Mahalo nui loa (thank so much).

This card is my treasure now.

Christmas Party with USDA members!

Christmas is coming!
It is one of exciting events in the U.S. including here in Hilo.

I had a Christmas lunch at a Chinese restaurant with USDA members on December 4th.

Our top boss played guitar without hesitation, we followed him with singing Christmas songs in his funky tunes.

I was laughing about the boss who knows what party is supposed to be: joyous and happy!

Everyone ate a lot. Always, Chinese food enriches humans' appetite.

Especially, If it is a case of a buffet style.

It was buffet! I had no choice that I filled up my plate with many kinds of Chinese dishes.

We also had potluck-style sweets after lunch. People bring sweets. All sweets are no way to complain.





We exchanged a Christmas gift. We brought a $5 gift.
My surprised gift I got was a silver gecko bookmark.

A big strong-looking man got a Hello Ketty calculate from me....
Life is funny sometimes.

For around 1 hour, we ate endless food, sang Christmas songs with the funky boss, and enjoyed surprising gifts!


Mahalo for organizing such a fun lunch time!!!

Thanksgiving Day in 2009

In November 26, I was invited to my supervisor's house for a thanksgiving dinner.
Her wife has prepared a lot of dishes for the day.
Thanks to her skills, all food was fantastic!

People usually eat turkey, potato, cranberry source, and pumpkin pie.

American Indians celebrated on the day for blessed food they had.

Not only turkey meat makes people sleepy, but also eating a lot of food makes us more sleepy. Many people take a day off on the next day, so they have no choice of excuse, "Eat and sleep well!"

After I come home from my supervisor's house, I had more dishes of thanksgiving. I hardly ate after that.

Thank you for all food! I was blessed!!

How my supervisor cooked the turkey??
He wrapped it with ti leaves, which has good smell, and steamed in a barbecue grill.
Yammmmmmy!

I tried to eat less because I did not want to be sleepy.


Anyway, my thanksgiving day ended happily in Hilo.

Creating my life.

I have been walking on a created life. I have never thought of creating my life.



My 'ohana (my supervisors and co-workers at USDA), my hula kumu (teacher), and my friends teach me an importance of creating my life.

Mahalo (thank you).

While I am looking at these photos, I am thinking about my important people and my future life.

The cat seems to enjoy her life.

I worry about the puppies....... at my father's home.

They are my 'ohana.....

I pray for their happiness and joys.....

I shall pray that my love for them leads to a good future....

Aloha, Papahanamokuakea on 16th of November!

We had a guest speaker at USDA today.
His name is Yumi-san. He is really nice speaker!

I met him at Mokupapapa Discovery Center at the downtown Hilo.

People can learn about the Northwestern Hawai'i Islands (they are also parts of Hawai'i) at the center. If you want to find out more, please google it. (everything seems to search through it.)

I used to volunteer there ( I will re-volunteer sooner.) since I love ocean.

Yumi-san has been to the Papahanamokuakea National Monument as a NOAA staff by the ship for almost 1 month. The monument is protected by the U.S. and only allows scientists, researchers, religious practitioners, and the people who have permission to enter the monument.

I invited him to share his knowledge about there with us at USDA.

He is a really good educator.

All of the pictures were taken by Yumi-san when he was on the Northwestern Hawai'i islands for research.
One of his job, I believe was counting fishes. I am sure that he has encountered many sea creatures and new things each dive. The research has been done once a year.



I am very interested in the marine debris.
Many pieces of plastics are floating on, in, and under oceans for years.

We are creating other massive landfills at oceans.

I say we have waterfills (trash areas in oceans).

The Hawi'i islands have had impact of marine debris from all over the world. You can see trash on beaches and at oceans. I picked up the trash written in Japanese at the green sand beach, one of the Hawai'i island's beach. It was come from Japan! The industrialization seems to create the plastic dream ocean.
The sea birds, sea turtles, fishes, and jelly fishes are eating pieces of plastics and trash because they are similar to their food....

Plastics never be composted but remains their forms.....becomes smaller pieces until we can not see by our vision.....but, they are there.....will be never disappeared........

I want to know facts at oceans.
Yumi-san is one of the people who can educate us to be award of the truth.

All pictures we saw from his presentation made us felt as if we were on the Northwestern Hawai'i islands. The islands become more closer to us.

I am very glad to have him at USDA.
Mahalo nui loa e (thank you very much for) coming! We kealoha (love) you!





Hope, we have much better future for our future keiki (children)!!

Storm in Hilo from 13th of Friday to today.

It has been rainy for days! It seems never to stop blessing so much u'a (rain) in Hilo.

My new host family, Linda-san, took me to the Boiling Pot park near her house.

The water is not hot but looks like boiling because massive water comes from mountains and falls into the deep area. As a result, it creates white bubbles similar to real boiling water.

Linda-san told me that it is usually dangerous to swim there.
People died. It makes sense that the water usually runs very fast and strong.



The water was brown mixed with dirt. This color reaches to the ocean called Honoli'i beach, a Hilo's surfing spot!

Hilo's surfers usually go there; I am also learning surfing there.

Almost every time, I have been beaten up by the waves and round rocks underneath at the beach. However, it is super fun!

Catching and riding on the waves is like a life lesson. You can learn many things from nature!

I think that today's brownish Honoli'i ocean is lonely. I do not expect to see many surfers there.

We have been having stormy days. The rainy days seems never to end. I miss the blue sky and the sun...


Indeed, how powerful the nature is!
When I visit the Boiling Pot park for the first time, I was amazed by the power of water.

Nature is strong as creature's wisdom.

Water is powerful as creature's minds.

I was excited to see the park.

When we have a nice sunny day, I will visit there again.

My Walking Story

I walked and walked for hours to downtown, school, and my friend house. It was a nice day!

Plants are growing on a roof. I could not tell an original color of the roof what was used to be. Time is moving and new things are coming.

In Japan, we say "Itadakimasu" before we eat food.
People have different beliefs and its translations into English.
Some people say;
"it means thank you for food."
"it means thank you for preparing food and its growers, packers, and transporters."

I was learned that it means thank you for giving us other lives.

I think every meaning is all true.

While I was walking, I saw a newly created bare ground that was used to be surrounded by many trees like jungle.

People cut trees, and the land will be built a huge rain-catchment water tank.

"Itadakumasu" to trees, plants, and soils.

We are having many lives not only food but environments, resources and materials from nature.

"Itadakimasu", I do not want to forget this word.

How are you, dad...??

I left letters to my father and housemate in 11/6 and moved to a new place (life).
Did they read the letters? What did they feel about me?

I did not tell my father that I was planning to move the house.

I told my housemate; but I did not tell him when.

I wanted to tell my father and discuss what I was thinking; but, I decided not to do.

I might be scary what would happen if I have told him my moving.

I do not know it was a right choice how I left the house.

How are you, my father?

How are you, my 'ohana (pets): Shiro, Ka la, Mahina, and FeiFei?

I miss my 'ohana very much. I want to know how they are doing now... Are they happy? Do they miss me? I have not taken a walk with them for while...Have they got enough walks? Have you petted a lot? Have you loved a lot?

How are you, my housemate?

Questions do not seem to be ended.

One of my friends hated what I did to my father and housemate. Just letting them know my moving by letters was not what a mature human should do.

I know I am childlike; I have to grow up and am already 24.

Sometimes, I hate myself and try to find my happiness that make me feel better; but, that causes other people into some troubles.... hard....

What and how can I start to be like a mature person??
My personality is mostly built already; where to change it?

I am thinking and thinking to find something that can be my answers.

What do other people think about my choice.........? What I could have done?

Living at a NEW home

In November 6th, I moved my house to a new place on the Ainako Ave. I stay with a nice and kind family.

It is wonderful for a starving student like me to stay in the house.

So now,
I am taking care of an elderly gentle man at night time to make sure he is all right; the family is giving me a free room including utilities and free meals.
If something happens to him during nights, I can contact the family who sleep at another house.

It is too good to be true!

I really want to help the family because It is again too good to be true!




A cute cat is sleeping on my bed. The family has three cats; and she is one of them. Other cats sleep with another house where the family sleep. However, she stays with me and Mr. gentle elderly man.




Isn't it beautiful?? We can see an ocean view from where I live! Sunrise and Sunset time are the most beautiful moment!!!
Where I live now is higher elevation. It is hard to go up the hill by my bike. Weekdays, the family gives me a ride to get my work and school!
During weekends, my exercise days start. I either ride my bike or take a walk to downtown or meet friends. It can be a long way, so I have built my legs stronger for my future activities!

Again, the new family is really nice; I do not know how to thank them!

Halloween at Home

October 31 (Saturday), 2009, the Halloween party was held at my home for short hours.

Mahalo (thank you) for coming to here!

Mr. White was one of the Nitto family's housemate.
Ms. Pink is my father's great friend!


Ms. Beauties are one of my father's IEP classmates. They are sexy and pretty!!




Mr. Scary is really scary! I took a lot of picture of him because his face came out really good in shots.
Ms. Yukata wears a special yukata from Japan. It was passed down from her mother and re-arranged for Ms. Yukata done by her grandmother.




They are the best couple!

All together look at my camera! Again, thank you very much for bring yourselves, decorate nicely, and bring food!

Happy Halloween, everyone!!!!

My Father

I want to share with you my father with the pictures that our friend took. (looks happier in 2007!)

My father was at graduation party in Fall 2007. He has been still a student at IEP (intensive English Program) where you can learn academic English. At the end of each semester, the IEP students have graduation ceremonies.


My father and I are international students and go to Hawai`i Community College. The college is pretty small but filled with aloha.

He is sitting on the chair at classroom with a nice smile.

I hope he has been enjoying his school time and being in the island....

The 2007 Halloween party was held at IEP (every year, of course)!

He made his own outfit. He sticks many of his hats together to be....what was he??

Maybe he was Mr. Hat? Anyway, he invited a lot of laughs and smile from his classmates!

My father decided to live in Hawai`i with me.
He is 63 years old, and I do not know (cannot feel) what kinds of feelings have been gone through in his life here. I know he is a fearless person who can make his dreams come true.




Good luck on his journey and life in the big Island!!!!!