UC San Diego Pre-College GELS Hawai'i 2023

Today was a quiet day of reflection. Following breakfast, we began with our research poster presentations using various skills and information we had learned over the week. My group presented on invasive species and primary succession, which I had not learned before this week. Reflection on our journey to the drylands forest and volcano national park aided us as we did this, especially when we were asked questions. It felt like our group had a good sense of collaboration and common purpose with how well we worked on and cared about the topic. Even though we only had a week's worth of knowledge, I felt confident to share the information we had compiled with the group.  After lunch, we stopped by the beach one last time before returning to the house to complete our sand study and prepare our presentations. I noted some things that impacted me throughout the week, but I only put them together as a complete picture today. A big idea I have followed throughout the week was stepping out ...

Today was a busy day that included both work and relations. We presented our research presentations and went to the beach to complete the sand study. The first of these activities taught me and my group the importance of research and timely collaboration, as we were only given one night to prepare the presentation and a few hours to rehearse what we had to say. The sand study on the beach involved reviewing sand from three beaches and comparing them in size, shape, and color.  The question for my research group was how the Earth’s subsystems impacted the culture of Kiholo Bay. We remembered our time helping Lehua and the other volunteers at Kiholo Bay and recalled the stories they had told us. We were told about the numerous volcanoes, tsunamis, and hurricanes ravaging the coastline. During our presentation, we pointed out how these disasters had not weakened the morale of the people of Kiholo Bay and how the locals rebuilt every time. Although the topics were highly engaging, prep...

On day one of this program, I was surrounded by all new people. I noticed people starting to make connections and felt as if I was missing out. I tried talking to others using awkward icebreakers. As I spoke, I realized everyone felt the a similar uncomfortableness. If you told any of us on the first day of the trip about our experience coming on Friday, I don't think anyone would believe you. We all started as chickens, too scared to speak to each other. At midweek we did a trust circle during which we began to realize we weren't alone. Reflecting on today I realize how much my connection with the group has changed; starting with our presentations. Usually, I'm very stressed and anxious during anything in front of a large group. When I saw all the smiling faces of the people I have grown to love, all anxious thoughts left my body. Even when I was stuck on a question Susan asked me, I started to feel embarrassed, but I looked around the room and could feel the support from ...

Today was the day we headed south to the dryland forest. Even though we started the day a little rough, with two vans getting lost, we all eventually made it to the forest. Lehua, our guide, explained the rich history of this dryland forest. It was amazing to hear that her family went back 18 generations in these same lands. Sitting in this forest, in silence and with a cool breeze on my face, I felt a sense of calmness. Lehua sang us a welcome song in the Hawaiian language; this song made me feel even more connected to the surrounding area. It was unbelievable to hear how old some of these trees were. In fact, scientists couldn't even determine the age of a Lama tree through carbon dating because it was so old! In addition, this forest was also an archeological site. My friends and I discovered real goat skulls with horns and jaws! It was so wild to see this, especially in such good condition.  Seeing Lehua's emotion when explaining her close ties to the land was very special....

Today was quite an eventful day, starting with a wrong turn and a quick 30-minute detour. Our end destination was the dryland forests in Waikoloa. The forest was hidden between two-mile markers and had its own concealed beauty. Our tour guide was a very kind woman, telling us about her family history and how this dry land forest held her heart and future based on its past. The biggest things I took away from this hike were our moments of silence. In the beginning, before the Hawaiian chant was sung, we took a heavy moment to breathe and take in the air and forest around us. During this moment, I couldn’t help but hear the cars on the road directly above us. The gas engines moved up the hill, the birds silenced or moved farther from where we were, and these materialistic objects disrupted the breeze. Today was one of our last days on the island, and I realized a few things. The actions of people have disrupted the beauty of the environment as tourism, combined with the rise of technolog...

Traveling to the Ka'upulehu Dryland Forest was an adventure in itself. But once we arrived, the struggle of not finding the forest was in the back of everyone's minds.  Though the initial plan was to complete much more intense labor by the end of the afternoon, everyone felt proud of what they accomplished. The task was to collect seeds from a tree called the A'ali'i. At first, everyone seemed apprehensive due to the large number of pods and the lack of seeds. With the help of Lehua Alapai, a native Hawaiian, the deseeding of the leaves became a lot easier. She taught us an easy way of rubbing the leaves to crumble the pods and release the seeds into the bottom of the container. In our research groups, we realized how much easier the work became, and roughly 30 minutes later, everyone had a good amount of seeds gathered together.  We ended our day in the forest with a circle, in which everyone said a word that described how they felt after we completed the project. This...

Renewing the Earth by planting coconuts was truly an inspiring experience. We started the day by splitting into two groups, one assigned to rebuilding a wall of rocks and the other assigned to planting coconut tree saplings. In total, eight saplings needed to be planted, and our group was able to plant six of them. We created the hole by measuring it with a bucket two times the size of the bucket itself. The hole was also supposed to be three times the depth of the bucket that the sapling was in. Yet, the employees had felt that the sapling was ready to be planted if groundwater filled the hole. This whole process was strenuous and exhausting, but it was so refreshing to work with the Earth and not against it.  When we finished planting all the coconuts we could, we surrounded it with the fence that the Americorps group made to protect the saplings from any wildlife and any weather that may come to harm their growth. This experience made me feel closer to nature and that I could ma...

Our entire experience at Kiholo Bay was fascinating. I was with the group that repaired a wall in the fish pond, which was immensely rewarding, but the thing I will take away most from today was the culture and history I learned about the bay. Our tour guide, Rebecca, was knowledgeable and kind; everyone could tell she was passionate about the bay and its history. Not only did she have the dates of the volcanic eruptions that created the landscape, but she taught us many words in the Hawaiian language, which helped us better understand the culture. To help us remember the words, she provided motions. For instance, when we were learning how to build the wall, Rebecca taught us the names of the four rocks used to build the wall. "Pāpale," or top rock, went with the motion of tapping on your head like you were putting on a hat. "Alo," or face rock, went with a swiping motion over her face. The motions made the words more memorable and fun, and by the end, all of us wer...

Our morning started very early with a 6:45 am lecture on ecosystems and a review of how Earth's subsystems interact. After a quick breakfast, we drove to Kiholo Bay for volunteer work.  When we arrived, a group of people who worked at the fish pond greeted our group. Before entering, we had to show our respect for the land and set our intentions for the day. We did this through an "oli," a Hawaiian chant. The interns did the oli on our behalf, and the other workers responded with their chant. The singing and chanting were in Hawaiian, and although I couldn't understand what they were saying, I had goosebumps. I felt connected to the other people there even though we were strangers. I gained a greater respect for Hawaiian culture and the importance of passing it on to future generations. After this, we got the opportunity to "kilo," meaning to observe. We had 10 minutes to walk around Kiholo Bay and observe our surroundings using our senses. The water was cle...

  Today was a moving day. In the morning, we made our way from the Hilo Hawaiian Hotel to the Hawaiian Preparatory Academy, stopping at sites along the way. We saw Rainbow Falls and the Boiling Pots, beautiful pools, and surging waterfalls formed by the Wailuku River. We learned that in Hawaiian, the word "wai" means water, and "luku" means destruction, which gives this violent river its name. After the river, we drove over to the Kaumana Caves, part of an over 20-mile-long system of tubes formed by the 1881 eruption of Moana Loa. The caves were already spectacular from the street, sprawling ferns and lava rock lining the rim of these massive holes in the Earth, but the real beauty for myself and everyone else came from within them. The 20 of us split in half and took turns venturing into the tunnels. To my surprise, being inside the lava tubes was one of the most transformative experiences I have had for myself and this group of people on the trip. Walking together...

Today opened my eyes. We packed up at the hotel back in Hilo and visited many landmarks before reaching the Preparatory, where we would stay for the rest of our visit. On our way, we stopped by the Rainbow Falls hoping to see a rainbow, but hearing the beautiful sounds from the crashing water instead. Next, we visited the Boiling Pots. We learned that if we had come earlier, the rain would hit the pools of water, causing the illusion of water boiling. Finally, the twenty of us climbed back into the vans, eager to get to the main attraction: the Kaumana Caves. When we first got there, we noticed the Banyan trees. Sonya explained that the wild chickens sometimes climb up and rest in this tree. I was already intrigued, which exemplified my desire to know more about the ecosystem surrounding me. I first noticed the smell when we finally made it down into the caves. The air was cleaner, but the rain still lingered. As I noticed my surroundings using my senses, my group and I began to explor...

Ka’umana Cave is a lava tube that stretches 25 miles and is now open to the public! The exciting part is how it was formed! As it wasn’t formed initially right out in the open, the lava tube’s surface broke down, leading to humanity learning it exists!  We split out into two main groups. Groups A and B are to the left, and groups C and D are to the right. I was going to the right side of the lava tube. On the way down, the path became more jagged and sharp, which made me feel scared. So I ran back onto the safer ground to meet up with the instructors. So then I gave myself the job of being the light guide when they go back. I felt at peace without people talking loudly; I was one with nature. I could hear the rain pouring to the ground and into the lava tube. Being in the dark lava tube was excellent as I could observe the organisms living there. Usually, lava tubes are a dead zone as most organisms can’t live in that environment. During my observations, I saw a form of reflective ...

  Today we visited Volcanoes National Park, which was an amazing experience. Our knowledgeable tour guide, Judy, told us many cool facts about wildlife and the lava rock.  The location is beautiful, and I often had to remind myself to stop staring out at the crater while hiking, or else I would’ve fallen (I almost did a few times anyway). After eating lunch, we constructed “I am” poems, which allowed me to think about today and the trip. We all had to sit at least ten feet away from each other so that I could come to my conclusions. I took a few breaks from my poem to admire the view before me. I feel like we often take nature for granted and ignore it, but it really is beautiful.  This environment inspired me to set a goal for myself to get out in nature. I love being outside, but sometimes pushing yourself to get out of the house is hard. Being outside by yourself is a good way to relax and feel grateful; I think everyone should set time daily to reflect and de-stress. ...

  The journey we embarked on as a group had many highs and lows. Physically we started at the top of a caldera covered with lush green ferns, Māmane ( Sophora chrysophylla) trees, and the Ahinahina. As we hiked on, we got to our first big clearing. The vast caldera was two hundred feet below us, like nothing I had seen before. From afar, the people walking down there looked like tiny ants slowly crawling along the black rock. We reached our low point at the bottom of the caldera a mile or two later. Our guide, Judy, told us how different rocks were formed based on the distance from the explosion. She also had us go on a little scavenger hunt to look for Pele's hair. We had to look for a fragile piece of glass that looked like hair. I could see the sun reflecting off a stranded glass in a tiny crevice of the rock. I bent down and picked up the hair, trying not to break it. We then moved deeper into the caldera, and suddenly, I saw bushes. I thought, how could bushes grow in such a ...

Today we were able to stand on some of the newest lands on Earth. Only sixty-five years old, the lava rock formed from an eruption of the volcano Kilauea in 1958 was our destination today. We spent most of the day hiking through this dramatic landscape and learning about its creation. After our trip to Volcanoes National Park, we were also given a chance to visit the black sand beach created by flowing lava meeting the water. We ate a lovely dinner at Ken's House of Pancakes and learned about marine protected areas (MPAs) in the evening.  Initially, we planned on taking a five-mile or three-mile hike through the volcano, but after a short walk, our guide decided to take the shorter one because we were only as strong as our weakest link. While I spent some time wondering who this 'weakest link was,' eventually, I realized it didn't matter. We all struggled hiking back up from the volcano, and I realized maybe I was overestimating our ability to hike five miles through a ...

After waking up in Maui and starting the day at 3 am, I was excited to get to Hilo and meet everybody. Once I made it to Hilo, we went to Coconut Island to have lunch (pizza), snorkel, and observe different fish species. After completing our swim tests, we split into smaller focused groups and assigned roles such as the identifier, the searcher, and the recorder. My research group particularly saw a Reef Triggerfish and a school of small fish. Then, after spending some time in the water, we had a group discussion with Nicole about what we noticed about the fish we saw. I learned a lot about the significance of why fish are shaped and colored the way that they are. For example, the fish we saw tended to stay closer to the rocks and were more vertically flat. We learned that these features benefit them because their predators are usually bigger and can’t swim through the rocks to catch them. After that, we washed up and visited the University of Hawaii in Hilo to learn about invasive spe...

Today was a very busy, full of many fun and exciting activities. We got to use thermal cameras to spot the different temperatures of organisms in the tide pools. We also went out to Coconut Island, where we created a mini research project, went snorkeling, and identified different types of fish in the water. We were also lucky enough to go to the University of Hawaii Hilo and meet a professor who showed us the amazing tools he uses in the field. Even though the day was super packed, it was so much fun, and I took away so many things from our different activities.  The main events that stood out and had an impact on me were the discussions and activities we did in the beginning and end of the day. They both taught me about self-discovery in different ways. During our discussion about the earth systems and how they affect each other in the morning, Susan, our instructor, read John Muir's quote that “when one tugs at a single thing in nature, he finds it attached to the rest of the wo...

Dr. Ryan Perroy of UHH explains his mapping research work using drones. A visit with Dr. Ryan Perroy of UHH Students performing thermal transmission studies of tide pool organisms Students do richness and abundance counts of fish and then have a few minutes to free snorkel.   Evening leadership activity in which students discover their own leadership personality and who in the program is similar to them.

  Today was our first full day together in Hawaii, with all our group members finally arriving. Most of us got a well-deserved night's sleep after all our traveling. Even though we were still tired, we all managed to get downstairs at 7:00 AM sharp for our breakfast, and it was still so surprising to me how comfortable and chill we were with each other.  Our first activity was to use thermal cameras to view the wildlife and environment and eventually to snorkel at a nearby park with our new research groups. After a short break, we went to the University of Hawaii at Hilo to meet a professor who specialized in mapping and environmental issues named Dr. Ryan Perroy. He spoke well about his craft, and it really interested me how he could use something like mapping and drones to step up and do something to relieve some of the environmental issues in Hawaii. It was incredible to see someone who was an expert in this field and learn more about the specific threats to Hawaii and what...

Spending time with Kupuna After a long day of travel, we met wonderful Hawaiian elders known as kupuna . They greeted us with homemade eyelash leis and taught us about Hawaiian culture and language. We learned the Hukilau hula.

  I've been utterly ousted and shunned from my comfort zone. While I was nervous about what the summer course would hold, today's activities exceeded my expectations in quantity and diversity. It has been a packed day, ranging from standard icebreakers to learning Hawaiian dances. However, despite all the missteps along the way(quite literally while dancing), I end the day satisfied by all the new friendships I've formed and my experiences. If I had to pick a specific "highlight" of the day, it would be the Hawaiian "Hukilau dance." While the prospect of having to dance was initially a bit terrifying, interacting with the Hawaiian elders, or Kapunas, and learning the simple movements that culminated in a full dance was surprisingly interesting. The Kapunas also gave us a taster of basic Hawaiian phrases and their meanings while dancing. Their love for the islands really stood out to me and made me reflect on my appreciation for my country. It made me won...

 

All aboard and ready for Hawaii! (L-R: Karar, Haydee, Sonya, and Nicole)  

  Welcome to UCSD GELS Hawai'i 2023 BLOG!   We invite you to read about the experiences and the impact this program has on the students throughout our week-long Global Environmental Leadership and Sustainability program on the Big Island of Hawai'i. June 24-July 1, 2023