We had a potluck lunch at the Zoology class at noon. Today's lecture's topic was about Molluscs, such as octopuses, squids, and cuttlefishes.
The classmates brought a dish related to Molluscs.
I brought a dish something out of the topic.
I had an interesting day It was something that I could experiece only here (a small and freindly class)!
The trees give me a cool and big shadow.
We had a Tsunami Alert in Hilo.
The power of 8.8 magnitudes earthquake in Chile was going to threaten us...
The Earth is so dynamic and powerful!
The news and radio stations were our main sources to get updated information.
The warning sounds for Tsunami started from the early morning around 5 (0r 6am).
For lunch, we (the lady and her son) went to the Mexican restaurant at Pahoa that is located within 15-20min drive.
Her son really helped us. Mahalo (thank you).
Almost everything, including seven-eleven stores, was closed in Hilo.
It was such a nice and hot day! I felt something strange.
It seemed that nothing would hit Hilo. It was just so peaceful day!
How peaceful it was! How terrible Chile is now!
In Japan, we have a word to describe such a situation: "Arashi no kurumae no Shizukesa." It means that there is silence before a disaster/trouble (something bad) will happen.)
We are turly little creatures.
By the way,
Humans (Homo sapient) have only a spice even though other creatures have diverse spices..... The population of Homo sapient is way over. How the Earth will shift?
What happened to this area?
In the history, many immigrants from other countries came here for new jobs, such as working at plantations and cattle.
As you can see the area becomes so dry and brownish...due to the cattle business in the past.
Over 100 years, people made money out of this land.
We need to care for at least 150 years to re-grow the area.
Still, some cows are left behind and telling our ancestors' history.
They eat mamane trees.
There are cow-free zones, and people re-grow mamane trees.
I went to Mauna Loa (the world highest mountain if you measure from bottom of the ocean floor).
Mauna Loa is located to near the Kilauea (Volcano national park).
This area were used to be a cattle area as well.
The area once became bare and naked due to the cattle business.
However, many koa trees and mamane trees have been growing back quickly by keeping wild pigs out. The pigs like to eat these baby plants.
This area suffers from alien plants as same as the Mauna Kea area.
I was shocked and disappointed a change of the area.
There are seawater tide ponds that have beautiful coral reefs and clear seawater with abundant marine creatures.
Even though the seawater tide ponds are surrounded by private houses, the area for snorkeling is open for public.
At my first time visit, one of ponds only I swam was so beautiful. I was like at a heaven welcomed by many marine creatures.
However, at my second visit, this pond becomes lifeless. The water was yellowish and brownish, and the temperature was very warm. A sudden big change made me so sad.
What happened to this pond? I want to find out!
The islands are considered as one of the man's heavens.
Now, many people can easily access to many areas of the Hawai'i islands.
Tourists enjoy making their sweet memories here.
However, we should not forget how much impact we can leave on these Hawai'i aina (lands).
We need to go back to preserve these remote islands as much as possible.
We should not destroy the islands we call "heaven"......
It takes around 1 hour from Hilo to get the park.
You can see the birth of the earth including the birth of the Hawai'i islands.
You will learn that the Hawai"i islands are chains that go to the northern West.
Here is a Native plant, an Ohia tree. The trees create soil by cracking the lava rock.
They are one of important roles in Hawaiian ecosystem.
The flowers are red (sometimes, we see yellow flowers).
The red color represents The Big Island where I live.
There is a myth about the trees.
The flower represents lehua, a female.
Pele falls in love to a man, but he loves lehua.
Pele turns her into a flower and him into a tree.
If we pick lehua flowers, it will rain.
They cry because they are separated.
Volcanic activities destroy and create new lives. Every thing changes its forms, but nothing will be gone.
I realize that life takes time to grow. Forest was born after many many years later.
The Volcano National Park is a special place.
The Hawaiian people used to live in the park and practiced their culture.
However, they had to move and leave the area because government owned the area.
Sometimes, I feel that reserving the place and educating visitors are important but protecting the Native culture are also important.
For the practice reasons for the Hawaiian people, the park opens for free.
The visitor have to pay an entrance fee.
I had good time with my friends! Thank you for taking me there!
She and I had a small conflict.
I was so tired and sleepy to be patient and kind to the lady during night time.
I have not slept enough for several nights becasue of her irregular sleeping pattern.
I expected to wake up and help her for bathroom for 3-4 times per night.
However, my situation was unexpected.
She belongs to the hospice program that is for people who gradually progress to die. The program offers them medical support to let them die peacefully.
My environment needs a lot of responsibilites and work for her sickness.
I did not realize how hard it was!
She sometimes asks me things during mid night, such as making something to eat.
I was stressed out.
She expects me to smile and talk softly and nicely no matter what time it is (The middle of night won't matter for her).
When I show her my sleepy face and speak loudly, due to her hearing problem, she does not like it.
She thought I was mad at her.....or unhappy that made her feel hesitated to ask for my help at night.
She speaks in her own language (Korean, she is originally from Korea) at night time. Of course, I cannot understand what she says. If I ask her to speak in English or Japanese (she can speak both), she gets mad. She thinks I am Korean and cannot accept that I am Japanese.
Therefore, it was hard to communicate with her, sometimes.
I needed my own peaceful time....
She thinks that I am no longer nice to her at night.
For her, my character changes at night, but for me, I was just sleepy and cannot control myself during midnight.
I could not say the word easily because it has big meanings for me. If I say it, I have to keep smile and be nice and patient to her all night even though I cannot sleep or do something I want to....
I did not have confident to do all commitments for her...
I could leave here and find a new place. It was too much for me to manage this life with my college study and my part-time work.
However, I think about her and her family.
All her family members are nice, and I can feel that they need a caregiver for night.
She gives me many hard lessons but accepts me as one of her family member, sometimes depends on her mood (she told me that she felt I was her daughter).
I was amazed when I saw his coffee farm.
He makes a really wonderful farm on his own. Two varieties of his coffee trees grows happily as if they are his children.
He takes care of them very nicely.
I have never seen it until I came to Hilo. I just bought a cup of coffee or a bag of grounded coffee beans when I was in Japan.
When the fruits become red, it is time to harvest them by man's hands.
The fruits are pretty. Also, its flower is white and has sweet taste.
The original beans are small, but when they are roasted, they will pup out and become bigger. The smell and the color of black coffee come up as we know.
With Steve and Linda's loves, the coffee becomes delicious taste.
In the future, Brown Coffee will be sold in the public.
It will be a Hilo's famous coffee because I know the coffee beans are happy. Their happiness will make not only our mouths but also lives happier!
I like home-made products. They have something special.
I believe that it comes from people' loves.
