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!!!!!

Halloween at USDA

October 30th (Friday), we had a small Halloween lunch party!



Many co-workers were out for meetings.

Lisa (a girl) who is a high school student works for us for an internship. Mr. gorilla is my one of supervisors. Steve is my best friend and like my second father.



Who is the girl or gorilla with a pizza? I am a child of Mr. gorilla (above the picture: my supervisor, Steve)?
He and I are human beings (HOMO), of course. We borrow the mask from our supervisor, Peter.



Two witches are other Japanese co-workers at USDA. They are really hard and good workers! Mariko who wears a black hat works with our team under Peter. Yu who wears a green one works with another team but is a good buddy!




I
like this shot! A human and gorilla can be a good friend.





Ms. witch and Ms. devils are one of my lovely co-workers who support scientists and lab assistants. They do office work!
They are really warm-hearted, and I kealoha (love) them.



Again, I thank all of them being my supporters. Of course, we support each other like `ohana.




What kind of work I do? I am a lab assistant for rearing insects, especially Light Brown Apple Moth. Before some produces are shipped out of the island to other countries, we have to treat them to control its population. With Peter, my team is working on food irradiation. Mariko, Lisa, and I rear thousands of the insect for Peter who has published many researches about the irradiation test.

Does it make a sense?






The work can be a really stressful depending on what kind of personalities you have.

I had stress before; however, I have been learning how to balance myself.
The work I do can be less stress if I do not put a lot of pressure on myself.

Yes, TAKE IT EASY.

I play a lot of jokes with other workers who also enjoy humor sense, talk stories, and have tea time with my team members.



I am not a scientist or biologist (but maybe an entertainer??). I am a just a Liberal Arts student. I was fortunate to be hired.




Anyway, we had a good time on a day before the Halloween!

Happy Halloween?

Trick or Treat?

The Halloween is coming soon again!

Who will I be? I will be........?

I will let you imagine.

Shiro (one of our dogs) will be a pumpkin baby?

I will post my Halloween day!

I hope you will have something special on the day, too!

My Second 'Ohana (family)

I started working at USDA (Agriculture Research Service Center) in the end of May, 2008.

Working at USDA is one of my highlight in my life.

People there become my true `ohana....

They teach me a lot and treat me warmly with their kind eyes.

One of the photos shows my team workers.

I tell them many of my stories. I get another point of views from them and learn from their views.

In passed days, I have been gone through big changes.

My changes could be stopping working at USDA; or leaving my house for another place to stay.

My life was busy; housekeeping, taking care of dogs ('ohana), schooling, and this part-time job.

My home was not happy; my father and I were not able to be nice to each other.

I thought, some points, my life was controlled by my duties and my father.

I thought that there was no escape....(;however, I always wished to be free from the home (responsibilities and duties.)).

I am not happy in home.

I made my life complicated!

First, I chose to stop working at USDA.

Of course, I made all of workers badly surprised. (I am sorry!)

However, my second `ohana, especially my team and friend, has been helped me out to simplify my life like my parents and sisters/brothers.

I cried a lot to tell my truth and stories of my life.

The people listened to me kindly and warmly.

They worry about me and care of me.

Now, I choose to leave my home and be little away from my home.

I want to be independent and try to find a mature relationship with my home.

Mahalo nui loa e (Thank you very much for) reaching and pushing me to a big choice and an important change to make myself happier!!!!

I love the people at USDA very much, and I feel very happy to change my mind to stay working there.

I thank my supervisor who accept me to have there again.

I attach a photo of rocks.

In Japanese, we call it "ishi", which means rocks; mind. I always want to have beautiful minds....

Like these rocks, life can be really unique and beautiful.

Like these rocks, everyone is different and beautiful.

I also attach a photo of `ulu tree (bread fruit tree).

It symbolized the growth.

I need to grow and to notice it is a wonderful step without feeling fear....

I love my second `ohana!!!

I am really blessed to be at USDA and get knowing the people.

It does not matter how many time I say THANK YOU, I never feel enough how much they have done for me and helped me.

But, let me say, Mahalo!!!!!!!!!

I love Shiro!!

Every evening, I walk with Shiro. He has such a nice smile on his face.

It is too bad that I can see only his back when we walk. However, when he looks back to me, I see his happy face!

I love you, Shiro.....

I hope I can find a goooooood home for him before I leave my house.

Taking a walk with my new babies

In October 14th, New puppies become our `ohana (family)

Can you believe? When I came back from school, I saw two little puppies smiling at me.

Who are they? Where are they come from? What happened?

My father found them by internet and bought them.

He named them, a female - Mahina (moon) and a male - Ka la (the sun).

They are about 4 months old!

I take a walk with Mahina and Ka la (of course wish Shiro introducing below)!

Let me introduce one more puppy named Shiro (white) as well!

He is almost 6 months old and has a lot of energy.

All of them like to run and meet happy friendly people!

It becomes one of my happiest time to see them running at park.

They really enjoy themselves; fighting together, smelling something good, becoming dirty.....

They are my `ohana!

It is true that dogs are man's best friends.