Day 278: Kauai Trip and First Week of School.

I'm baaaaack!

As everyone who follows or talks to me knows, my family came here for Christmas. I saw my family around 7 the night they got in and we left for Kauai the next morning. The flight from island to island is seriously soooo short. Like, half an hour. You get up in the air, listen to 2 songs on your ipod, get some juice, and land. I went to Kauai when I was like 4, so it was like going to a place I have never been to before.

Kauai is very country. Not a lot of people are there, and it's just really relaxing. We stayed in a resort and spent a lot of time at the pool and laying out for the first few days. We did hit the north shore there (although I must say, Oahu's north shore is my favorite. I might be biased tho) and the beaches are super pretty. I went snorkeling and it was so unreal how many fish were around me. There were so many, it was insane. There were so many pretty ones, and there was seriously hundreds of them. Probably my favorite part of Kauai.

For Christmas, I got a flip video camera which I am so stoked about. I also got final cut to edit it in. I also got some new clothes, movies, and yes, I finally found a place to fulfill my craving of my peppermint chocolate chip shake craving.

We flew back to Oahu, and spent some time in Waikiki, the beach, shave ice, and we shopped a lot. I got a lot of new clothes for this semester and I got really tan this break. Pirates of the Caribbean 4 is being filmed here in Oahu, and I actually saw the Black Pearl in the marina next to our resort. One of the workers told us about it, and it was fun walking over to see it. Now I just need to find Johnny Depp and Orlando Bloom.... My family was here for 15 days, and it was a blast being able to show them around my island and just being together again.

My family left me monday night, and classes started on Wednesday. Can I just say, I ALWAYS get laughed at on the first day of class? Don't ask me how, but for some reason, it always happens to me. It's a curse. It's never anything crazy, but I'm always noticed the first day. Which could actually work out in my favor. Anyway, my history class was calling roll, and I am used to being one of the first names called. So I heard, "Lindsay" so I raised my hand and then I heard him say "Bush" and I saw him marking down my name on the roll. I turned to the person next to me and said, "uh, that wasn't my name." He kept calling names, but no one was responding. After a few more names, he was like, "oh, this is the wrong class roll." And then picked up our class roll and looked at me, along with everyone else. I said, "Oh, I don't know why I raised my hand." Everyone and the teacher started laughing at me. He then called my name, and I raised my hand once again, and everyone started laughing again. Not totally embarrassing or a big deal, but still. Every single semester something happens I swear. Keeps life interesting for sure.

I'm really excited for my schedule this semester. I'm taking 12 credits which consists of a World Music class, History 201 (one of my last GE classes left!), Intro to Anthropology, and Intercultural Peacebuilding. I'm actually excited for most of them and I already have quite a few friends in each class, so that will make class more fun. I'm also still working for the campus news shooting videos of events around campus.

One of my old roommates transfered out here and is now my roommate! I have missed her terribly, and I am so happy that everything worked out and we are living together again. It's going to be quite the semester. We always have so much fun together, and now that we are in Hawaii, we are seriously going to have a blast.

I seriously got so dark this break. The first few days on campus, everyone was saying "Wow, you got some SUN!" I guess that's what happens when you spend your whole break laying on the beach. If school doesn't work out, I know I have a future in becoming a professional beach bum. I'm well on my way!

Just a reminder, in 2 days it's 1/11/11. I'm pretty sure that's a powerful wish day and whatever you wish for will come true if you wish exactly on 11:11. Of course, it doesn't measure up to November, but it doesn't hurt:)

listening to: bob marley-one love/people get ready.

Day 166: First Week of the Semester.

so I have been SUPER busy with moving in, starting up a new semester, getting adjusted to the time difference, going to the beach, etc. to update my life. or take pictures. I know, I'm SUPER LAME when it comes to pictures. BUT I'm hoping to get better at taking them this semester.

so i flew in on sept 11 (dun dun dun) and stayed the night in Honolulu with my dad who came with me. we hung out and ate a lot of good food and moved me into my house. i knew all of my roommates but one and i think it's going to be a really fun semester. i love my roommates and i'm so lucky to be back in my house because there is a shortage of houses here right now. it's kind of outrageous.

my schedule is full of GE classes that i didn't take before I came out here. except History. American Heritage does not transfer (asdfjlk;) so I took that class for nothing. i hate that it didn't transfer. ohhh well there's nothing i can do about it now.

i am in the same ward that I was in when I left. It's an awesome ward and there are a lot of new people that I'm excited to get to know. i just hate that it starts at 8:00 am. God is testing me. For real. I've had this time for over a year now. Not okay.

i made it to the beach almost everyday i've been here. that's good news. i love and have deeply missed the beach.

it's been pouring off and on over the past 2 days and it's kind of been annoying because i wanna go to the beeeeach. but that's island weather for ya.

as far as clubs go, I joined the Tahitian Club, Samoan Club, and New Zealand Club. i'm really excited to see what we will be doing this semester.

my sleep schedule is still way off, but i know i'll get back on it within a week or two. for now, i'll just have to deal with being a morning person.

along with my sleeping schedule being off, so has my eating. i'm just not hungry. which i hope will kick in soon enough too.

other than that, it's been GREAT being back. I love hawaii and I love being back. how i have missed it and everyone in it. also, my roommate and i have been learning to rap Love The Way Lie by Eminem and Rihanna and I must say, we are getting really good at it.

listening to: Eminem feat Rihanna- Love The Way You Lie.

Day 119: Statistics is now my life.

How I have missed the sun!!!!

Last week was the first week of school. I'm taking Stats and Fit for Life. I'm excited to get in shape for Fit for Life and I can tell that I've already lost some inches from doing Jillian's 30 Day Shred, which is good news.

I am NOT excited for Stats.

Can I just say that my Stats teacher is quite possibly the WORST teacher I have ever had? Ever? And that's saying a lot. I've had some pretty terrible teachers in the past.

I'm not good at Math. It just doesn't click for me. I need to be taken step by step to understand the problem. He just assumes we know it all already. He throws equations up on the board and thinks we know what they are meant for and how to use them. He also says he's too lazy to explain. What the eff...

Also, did I mention that I have homework due every day for this class? Including Saturday? I never get a break. I guess that's what I get for taking a term class.

So this whole week has been full of Stats. I've spent who knows how many hours trying to learn on my own because he doesn't teach in class. At least I have a friend who helps me. Thank Goodness.

Friday was the first sunny day we've had in 2 weeks. What was I doing Friday? Stats. asdfjkl;

But Saturday came and I spent 3 hours at the beach soaking it all in. It was there that I forgot about Stats. My stress went away. I was lying there listening to the ocean, getting tan. I didn't have a worry in the world. I came home a lot darker and a lot happier than when I left. The beach is quite possibly my favorite place in the entire world. It's this place where you can go and just forget about everything. You can look out and see nothing but blue. It looks like if you went as far as you can see, you'd fall off the earth. It soothes me and takes away all my stress.

I'm not sure how I lived without it. And I'm not sure how I will when it's gone.

listening to: Taylor Swift- Untouchable.

Day 14: First Two Weeks in Hawaii.

I have made it to Hawaii. And it is not at all what I thought it would be like. I spent my first week in Honolulu with my family, which was a total blast. We went to the beach everyday where we snorkeled, ate lots of good food such as Zippys, Leonard’s Bakery, Giovanni’s Shrimp truck, and Hukilau Café. We went to the PCC, the Swap Meet in Aloha Stadium, and Pearl Harbor. I moved in on the 4^th and school started on the 6^th.

The first 2 days were difficult in learning my way around (even though this campus is super small) and figuring out my schedule. I felt like I was a freshman all over again. It’s like I’m relieving it in a way. I have already become good friends with some people and my roommate is awesome. She’s from Japan and is very reserved, but super sweet and nice. I’ve been going to the beach with friends and eating a lot of shave ice. 

I’ve been so busy these 2 weeks just soaking in everything Hawaii has to offer and I wouldn’t have had it any other way. I have been getting up really early and it’s crazy how much has happened in this amount of time. I have gone to the PCC twice, along with the Swap Meet and Pearl Harbor. I have eaten at 3 different luaus and have gone to a lot of beaches while working on my tan. I’m trying to get the most out of this experience and still find time to do my homework. I need to remind myself that’s why I’m here, but it’s so hard. There’s so much to do!!

The ocean is so amazing any time of day. The waves are huge this time of year, so I’m hoping to go to some surf competitions because that would be tight. My goal is to write in this blog every Sunday, so I can write about the week. For those who have been texting and writing me about how everything is going, thanks. It’s been a really big transition and it helps to know that there are people who care about how I’ve adjusted.

So to sum it up:

Week 1- Awesome. Hawaii is beautiful. There is so much to do and see and I loved my family being there with me.

Week 2- The first week of school. A little overwhelming, but I’m starting to get a feel for the culture and customs that go on here. I’m so glad that I’m here to experience it. The friends I have already made are so rad and I’m excited to meet many, many more. Been super busy, but very happy.

listening to: Lady Gaga Feat. Beyonce- Telephone.