Chinaman's Hat- March 27

Everyone that went



Tara, Eric, Mandie, Ryan, Anna, Natalie, Me, Daniel, and Jesse in front

Finals Week

Finals week is almost over!!! I only have 2 more.. I had 6 earlier in the week.

Monday-Social Studies
Tuesday- Human Development
Wednesday- Doctrine and Covenants and Biology
Thursday- Social Studies test 2, Pedagogy and Stats
Friday- New Testament

After Friday at 11 AM I can relax and lay on the beach for a week straight!

March 26- 28 Long Weekend!

We didn't have school on Friday because it was a holiday here for some prince person. So all of my work was done on Thursday night so that I could play the whole weekend. We started Friday off by going to Haleiwa which is a old surfing town. We were there for hours and got really close to some sea turtles!



The Girls


Tara, Nat, me and Justine

After spending the good part of the day there we headed home. On the drive home we saw some whales splashing in the distance so we stopped really fast and watched them jump for about 10 minutes.



That night I was a little burned so we had a lazy night and just watched the Sandlot.

Saturday was a busy day..

First we hiked Chinaman's Hat



For this hike you walk/swim to the island. Then you hike/ rock climb up to the very tip top. Then you go down and swim back to shore. I was so much fun!

Then we went to the Valley of the Temples and walked around there for a while. There is a Budist temple there that you can walk through and it was actually a little interesting.



It was such a fun weekend and a much needed break from school!

Meet Henry

This is Henry.

He is my new friend. He lives in the light above my bed and leaves me presents almost everyday. Today he wasn't feeling well because his present was a "runny tummy" present. But now he is feeling better. He is supposed to bring good luck and keep away the other bugs. That is why we are great friends.

Tsunami Warning!

So today i woke up at 5, there is a tsunami warning for Oahu and all the Hawaiian islands today. It is supposed to hit here around 11 but it could be before or after. We had a hale meeting at 545 where the hale mom told us to pack a little because we might have to leave. I guess this is more serious then normal tsunami warnings. This is exciting! I am going to flip video the day so i will try to update quick videos.

Busy...

Here is the run down of today:

5:30am: Wake up, get ready, and write lesson plan
8am: breakfast
8:20-10:40am: Laie Elementary School
11am-12pm: Devotional, finish lesson plan
12pm-1:40pm: Biology with French Guy
1:50-2:50pm: Human Development
2:50-3:30pm: Library to print and get ready to teach
3:30-5pm: pedagogy (teach and listen)
5:15pm: Dinner, study for New testament mid term
6:30pm: take mid- term
7:30pm: Basketball game!
then sleep!!

*sometime in there I will be doing my homework for tomorrow classes..

So busy but loving every second!

Saturday Feb 6

Last Saturday Tara and Nat and I decided to go to the beach and lay out for about 4 and a half hours during the worst part of the day.. the consequence of the decision...



That was only after a couple of hours after the beach so it was a little worse later, but now it has turned to a tan!

After the beach we met up with a bunch more friends and took the bus to Kanioh. I'm pretty sure that is not how you spell it but i don't know how. We went the movies to go see Dear John. I really liked the movie, and cried...a lot. I was a train wreck! I would totally go see it again thought. while most of the other girls stayed to shop Justine and I came back to go to the Basketball game. After the game we went back to our friend house and played hand and foot for 3 hours! I finally got home at 2. It was such a fun day. Hawaii is awesome!

Scavenger Hunt!

On Saturday January 30, 3 of my friends, Tara, Nat and Curtis celebrated their birthdays by putting on a scavenger hunt. It was so fun. They gave us a paper that had a list of about 30 things to do, and then on the back was international bingo. It was a grid with different countries on it, and you had to find people from that country. To prove you did it you had to get pictures so here are some of the many!

This is a picture of our group. It was me, Justine, Ana, and Paul.


One of the things was to play in a public water fountain or something like that. Paul volunteered, or was forced, I can't really remember...


We had to talk to some elderly people.. They were super nice and come here to escape mainland winters. They have been to Hawaii I think over 15 times. What a life! So we talked to them for about 3 minutes and then asked for their picture haha yes, creepers is the word I would use.


Another thing was to get five free things. So we went in for "free" ice cream! so good!

This next picture takes some explaining...Ill just start with this. Not my fault.


So I went up to them to ask them for like a card or something that I could have for free. So he found a food card or something and gave it to me, so then we were posing for the picture and right as Justine was taking it she yells kiss her! I yelled no but as you see from the picture she clearly won. Sick. But a kissing picture was on the list. We definitely one because of it. So yes i was the MVP haha.

We ended the hunt at the Lost premiere. We were at the red carpet when the people were arriving for the after party, but I didn't know who anyone was. But none the less it was really fun! This night was way more fun then I thought it would be and I have seriously funny memories from it. :)

Surprise!

The best thing happened today....



Mom sent me a package! I was so excited and i would have gotten a picture with it but Britt was in class. But here is what was inside!



Mom sent me shirts i have been wanting and then a puzzle i can do on Sundays, lots of candy, filing folders and lots of other goodies. I was so excited! Mom you are the best and this proves i'm your favorite! :) Mom even labeled all of the contents and it just made my day. Thanks so much mom and dad. Love you!

Here is me showing off my tan...well the little tan that i do have. It will only get better!



This week has been crazy, but fun. Although i can't remmbemer alot of details right now, the main jist of it went like this.
Saturday:


Sunday: Church and fireside (story of everyday here)
Monday: classes, fhe at one of the bishopxricks house. yummy somores!
Tuesday: devotional, big presentation for the whole human devleopment hour. I think i did pretty good. it was cool to see how i wasn't really nervous when i was teaching and after and during i felt so energized..like a teaching high.. kinda weird but fun!
Wednesday: Math test and book reading for a good most of the day
Thursday:nothing exciting oh expect for the school or something like that put onthis show "late night" They had guest and just segments and a musicaly group. It was pretty entertaining but late for me. It got over at 11:15. Way past curfew.

Friday: Today I just got ready did some laundry and then went to breakfast which ws not good. Only hashbrowns that were etable. Then i went to my Social Studies method class. We did this activity where you sit in a circle and you all get 15 beans. Then when it is your turn you get to put a bean in the container after you have shared something that you think is unique about you. If someone has done that too or has it in common with you then they get to put a bean in too. The point is to get rid of all your beans. I liked it and it made time go by fast.

Then i went to lunch and they had yummy pizza. So good! and i was sitting there cause i had like 7 minutes to eat and that is not enough time to worry about who you sit by so i go to this empty table and am sitting there almost done and this chines boy coems and sits by me because he didn't want me to be alone. then i felt bad because i had to leace caue i had to go to class and leave him alone. Honestly i just wanted to finish my food without talking, but he wanted to talk so i answered questions and he was really nice i think (I could only understand some of what he was saying). I think that this is the worst school for me because i am terrible at accents.

So after math me and this boy Paul were supposed to go snorkleing. I do not like the ocean or swimming in it. I really like the beach, not the ocean. But i was going to go to be able to say that i went. But luckily it got cloudy right before we were giong to go so i said we couldnt. Anyway i ended going to Costco with him and his roommates. At this costco the food court was outside. It was a little strange so i took a picture.


Then I decided to come back home. and for the res of the night i am going to watch a movie and do some homework maybe and then go to sleep listening to the rain.

Pictures!

This picture is at the Luau that the school put on for the new students. It was on January 5th right before we went to the night show at the PCC. I don't know who the guy on the far left is but the guy right by me is Blake from AZ and the girl is Paris from CO.


This is me at the PCC. We new students got to go the the PCC for free. It was really fun but it seemed like it was the hottest day ever! i was basically sweating...


This is a Pounder Beach. We went there on Saturday the 2nd I think or sometime around then. It was a pretty beach. Mostly people go there to body surf. I just got in and got out. I find i like to watch the water more then i like to be tossed around by it. There was this really cool tree by this beach that made like a cave thing. and up on the rock was the prettiest lookout. There was also a place where you could look down and see medium size crabs. So cool.


The next picture should go before this one because this is in the Dole place. So funny story. You walk into this place and they hand you this thing that says go to the jewelry counter for your prize. So we went there and and they let us choose the paper. Mine said 40 percent of the whatever.. Anyway the lady told me to go look and choose an oyster so i did, little to know that i was being bamboozled into buying a stupid pearl. So she cracked the thing and the pearl was pinkish color and that signifies love a beauty. I was like oh thats cool, and then she goes 7 dollars.. i was like what? Then she goes 7 but you cant wear it that way so for 50 ill put it in a necklace. I was freaking out cause i didn't have 50 to spend and pearls are not my favorite so there was no way i was going to spend 50 dollars on one. so i said no just the pearl. So yes i ended up with a pink pearl that i have nothing to do with. All because i am terrible with understanding accents.. So ya this is me picking out my pearl. It was pretty fun to see.


This is the Dole Factory. The dole whips there were so so sooo good. Possibly even better then the ones in Disneyland.


Im not exactly sure what beach this is or even where it was at other then the South shore. We drove past this on our was to BYUH on the very first day into town. I just thought it was pretty. Little did i know that the north shore beaches are way prettier.

Honolulu--amazing race style :)

Yesterday morning I set out for a big adventure. I had to go into Honolulu to take a test to see if I can get into the school of education. The test was at 9 am and I was supposed to be there at 8:30. The bus ride from Laie (where I am at) to Honolulu takes about a hour to two hours. So the day before e the test I called the bus people so they could tell me what buses I needed to get on. They told me to catch the one that was supposed to come around 5:55 am and ride that into town till I get to the Honda dealership, then get off cross the street and either take the 20 or 19 to the place and get off at home depot stop or best buy. What awesome directions they gave me…

So early I get up at 4:30 and get ready and am out my door at 5:35. It is super dark and no one was around so it was kinda creepy. I walk to the bus stop, a stop I have never been before. The light across from it would go off and on every 3 min or so. So at this bus stop there were 2 weird characters one boy one girl. The girl was talking on the phone asking the person on the other line where he was and the boy go up to go look. I was scared out of my mind so I just sat there minding my own business and then another guy in an old car shows up and they all three go into the dark scary house right behind the bus stop. After a good 30 min they start coming out and walking really weird and go to their cars and drive away. It was crazy.

Meanwhile the bus was supposed to be there and it eventually came at 640… ya really late. Basically I thought that there was no way that I was going to make it to the test, but then the amazing racer came out in me. So I get on the bus and the locals were all sitting by me and so I tell them where I was going, but not exactly where I was going because me being silly forgot to write the exact address of the place. Anyway thanks to Kathleen who gave me the address, so then the locals could start debating where I should get off. I could barley understand them cause they talk so fast and with lots of vowels but in the end they told me to just go with what I already had.. Thanks.

So I get off at like 8:05 thinking that I could possibly make it. I find the other bus stop and stand there looking at my direction paper when this guy comes up asking if I need help. I show him the address and he thinks he knows where I should go…great. Oh side note he also told me his name was Irving and that I should put his number in my phone in case I ever needed any other direction. Kinda nice but creepy. So the bus 19 gets there first so I get on and go sit by this nice looking lady. I ask her if she knew where the place was and she didn’t , so then I ask the bus driver and he says he will let me know which stop. So after going through the rough downtown, we get to the stop and thank goodness for big addresses cause I easily found the place and with time to spare! I got there at 8:20 and was so happy and relieved.

I go into take the test and it seemed really easy, and I found out I passed so I was happy. I asked the lady there how to get to the closest beach and she said Waikiki. So I run, literally, to catch the nest bus and it was so packed that I was standing up by the driver. His name was Jake and he was very nice. Not creepy just a local that had kids older than me. He didn’t make me pay which was very nice because the bus is like 2.25. Expensive! Then he even gave me at transfer ticket. I was feeling so lucky. The ride to the beach took about 30 min and the whole time I was chatting with the bus driver and this German guy who lives in California. I realized that I probably should find out how to get home so I asked Jake and he gave me 2 more transfer tickets, and told me what I am going to start calling “local directions”. Local directions aren’t very clear and if you don’t catch what they say the first time, they don’t like repeating it or they repeat it in a different way making you more confused.

At Waikiki, I just laid on the beach for 4 hours. But I wasn’t impressed with it at all. The sand was not has fine and the water was like a lake. Very little waves. And the beach was very populated. So n ot like the North shore. At 5 I decided to go try to find my way back. Anyway the nest part is boring so I sit on a bus and then go to the big mall in Honolulu which is the big transfer part for buses. Below is pictures of Waikiki beach, and this really cool tree right in front of it.







When I get off the bus this old Chinese guy starts talking to me and then told me he recognized me form the beach…CREEPER! After that guy left, these guys my age sarted talking to me. They were nice and it turns out they are the army. They are stationed at the base in Hawaii until they are deployed in June. They are very excited about it though. We were on the same bus for a while. After they got off I asked the bus driver how much longer to Laie and he said a hour and a half. Woo hoo I was on a roll. I got off at a different stop then the one I got on at and walked home.

It was a very eventful day. Lots of crazies, but there were lots of nice people too. Oh and I didn’t even get burned at the beach..Just tan!

My First Post

Hello everyone!
I have just created this blog for a couple reasons
1. for entertainment purposes
2. for my journaling purposes
3. so you all can know whats going on with me in Hawaii

I will go back this weekend and write about my first couple of days here and add pictures, but for now i will tell about today.

Today was my first day of school at BYUH! It is so pretty and a really nice campus. I had two religion classes first. One is Doctrine and Covenants, and the other is the second half of the New Testament. I really like both of my teachers and feel that they i am going to enjoy those classes. After that i had a lunch break, then i went to my math class. wWhich is dun dun dun dun...STATISTICS!!!! I was so nervouse and got there early and got the best seat in the classroom. I am determined to do good in that class even if i have to be the nerd that sits up fornt and askes alot of questions. I was feeling good about it after class until i tried to do my homework and basically failed, luckily i get two chances. After school was out i went to the beach with my friend Paris. Now i'm going to go to dinner! I hope its good but probably not. they have rice for every meal even breakfast. Its a totally differenet place here but really pretty and the weather is awesome. I miss you all but i am adjusting well. I think i can last a year, maybe if i survive till april.

PS. This is my blog which means that it will have grammer and spelling mistakes so sorry if it drives you crazy. I can't help it because mom isn't right beside me to spell check it. :)