UCSD GELS Hawai'i 2017

Welcome to Hilo!  A Lei greeting from the UHH Staff- Thanks Erika and Maddie! Demonstration of lei making by Cheyenne and Scott    Students make leis for Pele offering Leis are enclosed in larger leaves to complete the offering Offering is wrapped and tied ready for the morning

Day 1: Amuary Vazquez Arreloa I walked off the plane and immediately felt the difference in temperature, yet I did not let it ruin anything for me. I knew better things lay ahead. The day continued and we all had our fair share of dinner, but what occurred after dinner is what truly opened up my mind. I listened to a lecture on what Hawaiian culture was like. I did not just learn about interactions between people, but also with nature; we are able to connect with everything and anything that surrounds us and creates a sustainable society. “Sustainability” was a crucial word today, considering that most of the Hawaiian beliefs revolve around this idea that we must interact with others, whether ‘they’ be nature or people, in order to form stronger bonds and live peacefully. I was also enlightened by what the actual language itself meant. Common words such as ‘Aloha’ hold such deeper meaning than simply ‘Hello’. I was immersed in what rich culture and traditions Hawai'i has to off

Day 2: Veda Gujral We spent the day and night at Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park. We hiked around and saw many beautiful viewpoints, and the most spectacular part of the whole day was seeing the lava flow at night time. The steam was glowing red and slowly rising up into the sky. We couldn't see the actual lava because it was too low down in the Halema'uma'u crater, but it gave me a new bucket list item - to eventually fly over it at night to see all that is going on down there. The craziest thing is how small these natural wonders make me feel. This lava flow happens every day and night and it attracts people from all over the world, but even without all the visitors watching and taking pictures, this still goes on. It is just the Earth doing what is does naturally, and we are all watching the spectacle. Veda walks out to view the smoldering crater for her first view of the caldera and to place our offering to Pele.. Janel Pereyda On today

Introduction to the island's volcanoes at VNP Visitor Center with Judy Weitz  Steam from the vents clouded Javier's glasses  Our offering to Pele with Halema‘Uma‘U Crater in the background  Hiking across the caldera  Add caption  Tasting the Ohelo berries  "Show and tell", Judy had some great artifacts to share  Beginning our hike down to the Kilauea caldera Resting at Volcano House after our long hike The lava glow at night from Halema‘Uma‘U Crater

Day 3: Noe Cervantes Today in the morning we went to a UH facility and worked with Cheyenne Perry to put Koa nd Mamane tree seeds inside dipples so they could be planted up on Mauna Kea. The experience of being able to pack the seeds inside the dipples was very fun. It was very interesting to learn some of the tricks they use for their plants such as putting lemon grass plants near other plants to repel insects and bugs. We also learned some facts about the Ohia tree such as its scientific name and that it would grow about 15 feet in the next 10 years.  We were also told that the koa trees would be about 100 feet tall in the next 500 years, something future generations will get to see. The whole experience of preparing the seeds to plant them was very fulfilling for me. It made me feel very good to know that I was contributing towards the future of our planet by adding life. I will remember this moment for the rest of my life and I hope that I can do simila