I just got word on Saturday that I have been accepted into the University of Hawaii-Manoa!!! So, come August, I will be going on a one-way flight to Honolulu. This is my next big adventure, and it should be exciting. I'll be starting out studying secondary social studies, but have the option to switch into the elementary education program during or after my first year.
Why Hawaii you ask?
Simple. If I could go anywhere in the US to live, it would be Hawaii. I've been there once before on a choir trip, and it took my breath away. This is my opportunity in life to go live somewhere without many restrictions or possessions. I have a room full of things at Mom and Dad's house that I need to liquidate this summer, but I don't really need any of those things to make my life work. Fiji has helped me to realize this. I also love the education program at UH because it is a cohort system with high priority in experience. I'll be in the classroom 3 days a week from the start, only increasing throughout my 2 years there. Life is good.
Back in Fiji...
We just began our independent study on Monday. This is the last big task I have during my college career (before graduate school, that is). We have one month to do whatever we want, but we must turn out a 20-40 page paper in the end. I chose to study education for obvious reasons, and will specifically be studying the comparative relationship between the student and the teacher in a primary school classroom. So, I am busy right now planning all the details of this work:
-Contacting schools
-Meeting with principals
-Preparing interview questions for teachers/students
-Analyzing results
-Meeting with academic advisor
-writing a big paper (hopefully on the beach)
So, I'll be busy for a while.
In the meantime not a lot else is going on. My host family is all wrapped up in their megachurch conference. I am trying to steer clear of that business. It scares me a little bit, but they don't pressure me to go to any of the events. Actually, its kind of nice for the house to be empty and quiet for a change. Its really only me, my host sister and her baby hanging around the house until about 11pm, when the whole crew comes home. By then, I try to be sleeping. In the 2 1/2 months I have lived there, I have not been home alone one single time. It gives the Wellman house a run for its money in being hectic!
In 2 weekends, my host sister will be married. This is also big news, and I cannot wait for my handmade bula shirt to be done!! Be ready for a new Austin with many, many bula shirts (which are kinda like hawaiian shirts) when I come home.
Here are some photos, new and old, in case you want to see where I am.
This is my host sister Mele with her baby, Jannette.
Here are some of us students at Colo i Suva Rainforest Reserve. We had a picnic here one afternoon and played in the waterfalls. I think I saw 15 waterfalls that day!
A few of us went to the boxing match at the Vodafone Arena. It was pretty cool.
In case you are not on facebook, here is a video from about a month ago when we chilled with the dolphins. Look carefully! They are tricky to see. This took place during our Fijian village stay in Silana. The water really looks that blue!!
Here are some of us students at Colo i Suva Rainforest Reserve. We had a picnic here one afternoon and played in the waterfalls. I think I saw 15 waterfalls that day!
A few of us went to the boxing match at the Vodafone Arena. It was pretty cool.
In case you are not on facebook, here is a video from about a month ago when we chilled with the dolphins. Look carefully! They are tricky to see. This took place during our Fijian village stay in Silana. The water really looks that blue!!
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