April 26, 2009

Today I went to Six Flags through a Fairfield University sponsored program. For transportation and the admissions ticket it only cost me $20! Because it was a school-sponsored event, the price was extremely discounted (which is great because as the year is winding down I am finding that I am running out of money!).

Living in Hawai‘i, I never had the opportunity to go to theme parks like Six Flags. So I was really excited when my friends told me about the opportunity. Even though my friends live nearby, even they were excited about the Six Flags trip!

I had so much fun riding all of those really stomach crunching roller coasters! I hadn’t been able to go to a theme park since I was really young and even then I was still too small to ride anything fun. The first ride we went on shot us up 250 feet high and then dropped us back down! I was so scared but exhilarated at the same time! My favorite ride was called “Batman” and it had so many twists and flips and turns that I thought I was going to die! Despite my feat, it was so much fun!

By the middle of the day it started to get pretty hot, but I really wasn’t complaining because I was getting a really good tan! I really love spring! But that’s when we decided to go on the water log ride! We all got so wet and it was so refreshing!

The snow cones and cotton candy as well as all the other great theme parks foods were a great treat! Especially with all of the pre-final exam tests out of the way, it was a great way to enjoy a weekend. I can’t wait tell all my friends back in Hawai‘i that I went to Six Flags and I can’t wait to go again next year!  In two weeks finals will start and then I go back home to Hawai‘i!

Aloha,

Kekoa

April 25, 2009

Today was IRHA’s annual Spring Weekend event held on Lessing Field. The weekend event concludes the weeklong spring week festivities. I woke up early to help out with the first shift to set up. I helped put up balloons and learned how to work some of the stations. Some of the stations included popcorn, cotton candy, snow cones, henna tattoos, street signs, food, bungee jumping, psychics, and so much more! Although some of the stations were run by students, the majority of them were actually run by professionals. My favorite booth was the street signs station where I made a sign that said “Biological Hazard Keep Out Kekoa’s Room”. I thought it was funny and I can’t wait to put it up on my room door next year! The biggest attraction of the event was the X-Treme Air ride that used high power fans to lift you off the ground to simulate Zero-Gravity.

Aside from the cool rides, awesome booths, and great food, my favorite part about the event was that the weather was GORGOUS! I have really been missing Hawai‘i weather lately and working at Spring Weekend today almost felt like home! While I was working, I didn’t even notice, but because I was outside, I was getting a tan! Only the next day did I notice that I got significantly darker! That made me really happy! It’s my first spring and I can honestly say it has been a great one so far!

Aloha,

Kekoa

April 24, 2009

Yesterday Fairfield held their American Cancer Society Relay For Life event on campus. The event is a walk that raises money for cancer research and started from 6:00 PM and went on through the night until 6:00 AM. For twelve hours straight Fairfield students walked around the roundabout in front of campus to symbolize the everlasting struggle that cancer patients face, day or night. Students found that even though time seemed to pass by slowly as the night dragged on and although people became tired, pressing on may be difficult, but there is always hope.

The Asian Student Association as well as nearly every other organization on campus participated in the event. A few of my friends from ASA brought tents and chairs and we camped out over night. Although the day started out nice, by the time the middle of the night came around, it was very cold. While the students continued to walk, there was a tent serving food and live music playing. There was also another tent with karaoke and video games for students taking a break from walking.

Overall, the event was great! Personally, my family has a number of incidences of cancer as recently as this year. I was really moved by all of the students and their efforts to raise money for cancer research. While I walked throughout the night, I thought about my family members who I lost to cancer and who still fight on with their cancer. I hope everyday that one day there will be a “cure” so all those who suffered or suffer from this disease will be able to rest peacefully.

Aloha,

Kekoa

April 23, 2009

Today, when I was walking back to my residential hall, I saw a side of Fairfield that I had never seen before. Because of the recent weather, EVERYONE was outside. There were kids playing frisbee and lacrosse, students tanning outside while studying, and kids just hanging outside with friends. I hadn’t seen this many people outside in so long! EVERYONE looked so happy and it made me happy and I felt really good about life. Then, as I looked around, I noticed that the trees that had been barren for the past few months had changed as well. Flowers were blooming, leaves were growing… EVERYTHING was turning green again. Not having experienced spring or any other season besides summer, I have to say that this might be my favorite season! The Fairfield campus is really transforming and coming out of a long winter and it sure feels great!

Aloha,

Kekoa

April 4, 2009

Today, Fairfield ran its annual Hunger Clean Up event. During this event, all of the clubs and organizations of the Fairfield student community joined forces and helped clean up our neighboring Bridgeport community. Every group that I was a part of on campus planned on helping at the event so I had a difficult time deciding which group I wanted to go with. I ended up going with the Asian Student Association and the event was really eye opening.

Going into the event I wasn’t really sure what I was getting myself into. I thought we would all be going to a place where we would feed the homeless. However, the event was so much more than I expected.

The day began early in the morning when all the students congregated down in the lower level BCC. There was a mountain of bagels to feed all of the hungry and tired students in addition to water, juices, and coffee. After waking up and getting everyone signed in, the leaders of the event announced the location each group was assigned to. I was surprised at the diversity in clean up sites that we were all being assigned to. The locations ranged from beach sites, to small businesses, to homeless shelters.

ASA was assigned to a YMCA homeless shelter. When we got there, the employees of the shelter kindly thanked all of us for wanting to help out and explained to us what had to be done. There were other groups from campus that were assigned to the same site and each group was assigned a different job. Our group was assigned to wash all of the walls, doors, and windows, on the fifth floor. When we first walked out of the elevator and onto the fifth floor, at first I thought, this shouldn’t take all three hours. And then, I quickly realized how wrong I was as we took a right into another long hallway that was still the fifth floor… And then another right into another long hallway, and then another left, and then up a staircase, and then a final right.

We were given some spray bottles, sponges, and towels to clean up. Together we washed the walls of the building along with the windows and doors of the hallways of the fifth floor. Then we swept and mopped the floors. We surprisingly had a bit of time after we were done cleaning the fifth floor of the building and decided to help clean up outside. I found a dead bird and several large pieces of trash. It was some backbreaking work but being with friends and thinking about how we were making a difference in the community made every second of the clean up worthwhile.

After all that work, I really appreciated how much work those community organizations do and how they are able to contribute to those less fortunate. When we came back to campus, there was food for us and we relaxed for the rest of the day. After lunch, everyone from ASA went to our friend’s room and we decided to watch a Japanese film. It was a great way to end a great day.

Aloha,

Kekoa

April 3, 2009

Today was the first time I had enough free time to go to the event on campus called “Midnight at the Stags.” My friends and I decided to go because we were hungry at night and wanted something fun to do. This event occurs multiple times throughout the school year, however I was never able to go prior to this time.

The event was held at the Stags, which is our on-campus place to buy food, late at night (as the name of the event suggests). There were free breakfast sandwiches and free soft drinks. The best part of the event was the “make your own pizza” station. At this station there was an employee that gave you pizza dough and you could put on whatever toppings you wanted! Then they made the pizza right then and there and there you have it! Your very own personal pan pizza that is truly personalized!

Aside from the food, the event was an excellent way to hang out with friends and meet more friends. I had so much fun just sitting and talking and eating in the Stags and it was a really relaxing way to end the week. I can’t believe that was only my first time! The year has gone by so quickly!

Aloha,

Kekoa

March 14, 2009

TODAY I HAD SO MUCH FUN! It was the first time I could go with the Asian Student Association to an off campus event. ASA took its annual trip down to New York City! I was so glad I had time off from swimming to go on this trip because I normally can’t participate in these events because of conflicts with swimming.

Once we got to the city, the first thing we did was go to this awesome buffet! It was called IchiUmi and it had awesome sushi and all kinds of other Japanese foods! It was 22 dollars but it was so delicious! I had so many sushi I couldn’t even count them! I also had many types of my favorite noodles ranging from udon to soba! The little deserts were also amazing! By the time we were done there I was so full I couldn’t even move!

But when we finally decided to leave the next stop on our agenda was karaoke. I really, really, really don’t like karaoke because I don’t like to sing! I remember my whole time in school this past summer in Japan my friends were always trying to get me to go with them to karaoke and I would always make up some kind of excuse to not go. But this time, since I had no where else to go, I had no choice but to go… HOWEVER once we got into the huge room with the big screen TV with catalogues of literally thousands of Japanese, English, Filipino, Korean, Chinese songs, I was so into it! I have never gone Karaoke before, but it was so fun being with my friends from ASA that I totally forgot I hate singing and I was just laughing and having an awesome time with everyone! On top of that, when the lady told us that our 1-hour time limit was up I was actually REALLY sad!

After karaoke, we started to head on down to China Town. It was so Asian! It was my first time I had ever been to China Town and it had a completely different culture compared to the rest of the city. I would have never known I was in New York City if I hadn’t already known where I was. Our goal in China Town was to go to a bubble tea restaurant! I haven’t had a bubble tea drink since I was back in Hawai‘i! Along the way we went through many thrift stores that were selling different kinds of Asian paraphernalia. I bought some gifts for my friends back at home that reminded me of them. After I got my bubble tea, which was SO DELICIOUS, we made our trip back home.

That was one of the most fun experiences I have had at Fairfield and I was glad I finally had time to do an activity with the Asian Student Association outside of campus. I really can’t wait until next year’s trip!

Aloha,

Kekoa

March 17, 2009

Now that the swim season is over, I have so much time on my hands. But, I have to use some of that time to do some kind of exercise otherwise I will start to get out of shape! So yesterday my friends asked me if I wanted to go running this morning.

As we were walking out of our dorm, I noticed that they weren’t stopping to go into the RexPlex. Confused, I realized that while I meant I wanted to go running on the treadmills, they were going to go running outside! I thought to myself THEY MUST BE CRAZY!!! IT’S FREEZING OUTSIDE!!! After a little pep talk from my friends, I decided to run around town with them IN THE FREEZING COLD!

The funny thing was that while we were running I remembered a time when I was running around my town in Hawai‘i at it was really humid and hot. I remembered at that point I was so hot I thought how nice it would be to go running on the mainland during winter when it was cold so I could wear warm running clothes but keep cool at the same time because of the weather. Laughing to myself, I continued on with my friends and thought of all the new experiences I have gained from coming to school on the East Coast. Throughout the run I did get warmer and it really wasn’t that bad!

We ran a good 4 miles or so this morning before classes. It was so nice to have friends to exercise with! I feel better about my health and it was really fun! I want to do that every week!

Aloha,

Kekoa

March 11, 2009

Today a traveling chef came to Fairfield to do a special food service!!! Of all of the foods, guess which food he specialized in?!?! Food from HAWAI‘I!

I was so excited when I saw the menu! Kalua Pig, Lomi Lomi Salmon, Haupia!!! I was so surprised! The best part was we got good rice! I miss eating rice every meal back in Hawai‘i! There were also some other non-traditional Hawaiian meals that are local to Hawai‘i like chicken long rice! It really made me think about my grandmother’s cooking! I can’t wait to go back and eat that everyday!

All dinner long my friends were asking me if the food was really what we eat at home! It was funny to see their expressions on their faces when they saw the names of the foods. I never really thought it was that strange until my friends told me how strange it was. When you grow up with something you don’t really think it’s weird until you go to somewhere else that’s different!

Aloha,

Kekoa

January 31, 2009

I started my first day of work this week!  I am working with one of the biology professors on campus!  She is doing really exciting research and watches over upperclassmen as they continue their independent research projects.  I hope that one day I can conduct my own research or be able to help out in one of the labs at Fairfield!  There just so many opportunities to get involved with in science and it gets me so excited.  I am so excited to be working especially because I am in a laboratory setting.  Just being around people with lab coats who talk in scientific code that sounds nothing at all like English makes me so excited!  Although I mostly do lab maintenance, just being in the lab makes me happy!

The students that are working in the lab are hoping to get their research findings published soon too!  I wish them the best of luck!  The opportunities at Fairfield are truly endless!

Aloha, 

Kekoa