Aloha everybody.
I applied to study at The University of Hawai’i Hilo Campus for spring semester of
this year. I was encouraged by some of the staff of The School of Māori and Pacific
Development for this exchange. My exchange to Hawai’i started on January 1st 2013
with excitement of being in a new country for my education. It was an easy 9hour
flight from Auckland to Honolulu Hawai’i, and then making the 1hr flight to Hilo
Hawai’i was fast li’dat (as the local would say). Once I touched down I got in and
amongst the culture of the local lifestyle. The first few days were mind blowing; the
weather was great, beautiful landscape, fresh ocean breeze. Luckily for me I had
family living in Hilo and being with them helped a lot. This made the transition easier.
Being an exchange student opened up a wide network of friends from all over the
world and that shared the same interest. Living on campus for the 5 and a half month
semester I quickly learnt that if I needed to get around the island, I need to make
connections with the local people. So that’s what I did.
Being Māori and of the similar origins as the Hawaiian people meant more than just
an exchange but re-connection with the likes of similar cultural stories about the old
Polynesia that have the same values and understandings as Māori people. I was
captured by their narratives. Manaakitanga (or ‘malama’ in Hawaiian) was a custom
shared by both peoples who pride themselves on hosting, and with that I was well
looked after by Hawaiian families. It was important for me that I took in as much of
the culture and experience as I could in the 5months I was about to live in paradise.
The lifestyle in Hilo was typically an island life, easy going and the illusion of having
no worries, loving aunties and uncles as every elder was address too. Walking down
town to the local market hearing the local pidgin dialect, everything you can think of
but could not remember the name of was referred to as ‘da kine’, a language which
still amazes me. Youth making a rush to catch the morning swell at local surf spots
along the coast and even a game of rugby played at the local park of the bay front.
Life in Hawai’i was awesome.
Every weekend there was always something to. I loved going to the beach although I
had to find time to do it with my packed schedule, but I was determined to make it
work. The University of Hawai’i held weekend programs for international students to
explore what Hawai’i had to offer, and let me tell you it did not fail. With everything at
your fingertips, a quick trip to the beach was only a minor 10minutes away from the
upland water falls. This can also turn into a 2hour drive to Mauna Kea - a beautiful
volcanic mountain which Hilo town is nestled under.
Then it was time for schooling, which I actually had time for. I found the teachers at
the university very helpful and the assisting staff members were second to none.
Later on I was to find out that most of my good friends I made there were actually the
contact people I work through to get on my exchange, so mahalo to them.
Being in this country and adapting to a different schooling schedule kept me on my
toes but I coped with an unfamiliar timetable and worked through it all. I was also
lucky to have chosen my electives as my education options with the likes of marine
studies, P.E, Hawaiian language and customs. I was also a member of the Hawaiian
College, Ka haka ‘ula ‘o Ke’elikōlani, much the same as the SMPD department at
Waikato University and it was to my benefit to have had the experience of being part
of Ka haka ‘ula, who helped me in learning the history of Hawai’i.
Now here hits reality: funding for this exchange was not easy on the wallet. Not to
worry however, The University of Waikato gave their assistance, helping me in
paying my accommodation and meals. All I had to pay was my flight to Hawai’I and
my application for a student visa. Studylink covered my fees and living costs, travel
and medical insurance (which I would highly recommend anyone before getting on
the plane). Be sure to start on the Studylink process early whatever the semester
may be. Luckily I had help from my parents, the loving people they are.
I highly recommend anyone to hop on this awesome exchange program which The
University of Waikato runs with The University of Hawai’i. I would like to take this
opportunity to acknowledge The University of Waikato and to Dean Professor Linda
Smith and her staff and also, International Market Manager, Shannon Mackey, from
The Student Recruitment Office for helping me along the way. “Mā tōu raurau, mā
taku raurau, ka ora tātau katoa” - without your help I would not have been able to
experience a life time opportunity.
Mahalo nui.
Ahuihou.