UC San Diego Pre-College GELS Hawai'i 2023

During this trip, I learned so many important things. I learned about myself, my culture, and how the environment interacts with the natives. I found friends from all over, and I strive to rekindle these relationships if we ever meet again. Before arriving in Hawaii, I was a nervous wreck. I wanted to learn and have unique experiences but feared I would not make friends or enjoy it. I was exceedingly wrong. I made friends from all over the world, which only made my learning more enjoyable. This trip allowed me to realize most of my anxiety is in my head, and if I want it bad enough, I can accomplish it. I have had significant anxiety since I was a little girl, and I think this program helped me take the first step. I can now take control of my anxiety and do the things I want to do without fear of getting in the way. One of the reasons I wanted to go on this trip was to see the natives. My Great Grandmother passed away recently, and I realized I have never been close to the land or my ...

I have felt an intense amount of growth during this trip. The amazing people who surrounded me influenced me to become a better person. Alyssa and Riya's selflessness inspired me to do things for others, even if they're little. And Gibson's love for nature made me realize I was taking my beautiful home for granted. Recently my mom and I have been struggling to get along but hearing everyone's stories in the trust circle made me realize I was not trying hard enough to repair our relationship. But most of all, Hawaiian culture changed me. Their passion and love for their history and land opened my eyes to a new point of view. I had always seen life as eat, sleep, school, repeat. Hawaiian culture made me realize life was whatever I wanted it to be, and as I mentioned above, I wanted it to be an adventure. I wanted to make more time for nature and adventure. The story of tourism almost destroyed Kiholo Bay, but Lehua Kamaka took things into her own hands and restored the wh...

After the GEL’s week, I experienced post-vacation depression. I am truly thankful for being in this program and getting the opportunity to meet with locals who want change to happen on this small island. In the beginning, I initially thought that team building was considered stupid. As I never really wanted to rely on people. I only heard about this program because I could learn how to care for our environment and learn more about ocean life. But as the days pass, I’ve met remarkable people who make me laugh and learn. These people became like family to me when we started to show what we’ve been through. I’ve learned that I am a person who likes to plan things and has to have order when I’m around. Or that I can be boring sometimes or too stingy. I do believe that I wasn’t the same person I was before. Though I am reserved, I no longer feel like I have a pessimistic attitude toward working in groups. As this program ended, it will be one of my most memorable experiences.

Spending one whole week with a group of strangers initially seemed like an impossible task. A trip full of awkward silences was a reality I was resigned to when signing up for this program. I could not have imagined the sheer number of activities the group would partake in, allowing us to form bonds that usually would have taken months. In what seems like too short of a time, I’ve established close friendships, learning more about the nineteen other people in the course and myself. I entered this course to get a good grade and, hopefully, something I could write in my college application. However, what I’ve gotten is infinitely more valuable in that I’ve formed relationships with others that will last longer than the week spent together. Now, I have new connections not only in multiple states of the US but all over the world. Saying goodbye to a group of close friends after just a week seemed impossible; however, I got through the farewells knowing that I would be meeting these people ...

  For as long as I can remember, I've been passionate about environmental sustainability. I've done things, big and small, throughout my life that reflect this, like becoming a vegetarian or educating friends and family on how to live more sustainably.  Recently, though, I've not been performing actions that reflect this, at least to the extent that I should. The end of the school year had me slumped, and I didn't care about anything other than getting good grades. This followed me into summer break, and without school to focus on, I was sitting around all day doing nothing.  The GELS program has helped me break out of this mindset. I got to be outside in such a beautiful environment, which made me realize how much I've been neglecting my environment.  I found that anywhere we went, whether at the top of a volcano or just a quick stop on the side of the road, I could appreciate the world's beauty. Hawai'i is unique, and its environment is like no other place...

At the beginning of this week, I was afraid. I was afraid I wouldn’t fit in or make new friends. Now that this program has ended, I find those thoughts immensely amusing. I made friends with nineteen new people, and we are so close we are like a family. I never thought I could make so many friends let alone in such a short time. These people have taught me that being weird is good, such as listening to eclectic music from the 50s, that laughing so hard your stomach hurts is one of the greatest feelings that you can have, and that being vulnerable is a good thing. This program has made me a happier, more extroverted, and better all-around person, so much so that words cannot decipher the feelings I have in my heart.   Another thing that I want to discuss is the cultural pride that the Hawai’ians have in their hearts. Lehua Alapai of the Dryland Forest shared how people have left her land for cheaper living, especially in Las Vegas, Nevada. She divulged how people did not teach ...

  On the first night of the trip, I arrived long after everybody else. Susan was talking to a quiet room of other kids who silently looked up at me from the circle as I sat down. The last night, we sat on the couch encircling the living room, sadly counting the hours until we had to say goodbye. Going into the program, I would never have expected such a stark change, nor could I have hoped to grow such love for the people I would only get to know for a week. Not only did I get to grow so much in a short time, but so did everybody else. One of the things I learned pertained to one of the seven Cs, the consciousness of self. It seemed like for others, this C was learning about self-boundaries, but for me, it was about breaking through the barriers I thought I had. Knowing yourself isn't about knowing what you can do; it's knowing when that isn't enough, and you need to push yourself to do more. The seven Cs also introduced new ideas to me. I didn't know what congruence is...

This week has been one of my life's most impactful and exciting weeks. We traveled around many different parts of the big island of Hawaii, learned about native Hawaiian culture, and learned about the many different ecosystems of Hawaii and the surrounding oceans.  I especially enjoyed having the opportunity to learn about Hawaiian culture from native Hawaiians. Seeing how they honored their land and traditions was incredibly impactful. This is not seen back on the mainland, and it is essential that we take this back with us to our homes. It was also very empowering to work at places such as the Dryland Forest and Kiholo Bay and help restore the natural beauty of Hawaii.  The social connections that I made are also significant to me. While living in a house with twenty other people with only two bathrooms seems daunting initially, I am thrilled that I had the opportunity to do so. During this time, we grew our relationships more as we all lived together and constantly spent ti...

When I first arrived in Hilo, I was nervous and excited about this new experience. This was the first time being away from my home for seven days. The most I had been away was during the summer when I went to a day camp at a local college for volleyball. So saying I was scared to be in a new environment was an understatement. Living in Hawaii previously allowed me to have some cultural knowledge of the island. This trip allowed me to learn even more about the island, which I found so important to respect the island properly.  I think the seven days spent on the island, with a combination of Hilo and Waimea, gave me the opportunity to learn exponential amounts of Hawaiian culture. Traveling to places such as the dry lands forest, volcano national park, and even Kiholo Bay, I learned more about the island in itself and myself. All the places mentioned carried many great stories of Hawaiian culture told by various local Hawaiians who have had their fair share of ups and downs on the i...

Although I only spent one week in Hawaii, it feels as if I had been there for months. Not only did I get close to everyone on the trip, but I learned about Hawaiian culture and myself. I did not realize there was more to learn about myself, but during this trip, I discovered what type of a leader I am and how I need to be more honest with myself. I had always pictured myself as a very logical, independent person, yet my leadership color was yellow, which correlates more to being outgoing and a ‘people person.’ Another quality of a yellow leader is that they tend to be emotional, and I have never considered myself emotional. My mom was shocked to hear about the type of leader I was as she also saw me as independent, organized, and calm. I think I tend to hide my emotions from my family and my friends, but in reality, I am the opposite. Learning this about myself will make me a better leader and help my mental health. Knowing I’m emotional will let me be more expressive and honest with o...

Throughout this once-in-a-lifetime trip, I was part of so many things that I never thought I would get the chance to experience. I learned so many things about the earth and Hawaiian culture, discovered more about myself, and made lifelong friends. There was a great mix of people within the group of 20, which made it easier to become more like a family by the end of the week. Having close bonds with different people made the week more enjoyable and memorable. One of the biggest takeaways from this trip is that I also discovered so many different things about myself. I learned more about my consciousness of self or true identity. I learned that I like to be organized, dependable, value family, and am responsible. I also took away that for people to see the true me, I need to open up more and show sides of myself that people don’t usually see. I also improved on collaboration by working in groups all the time. An activity that impacted me a lot was the leadership colors activity because ...

As I return home from this once-in-a-lifetime experience, I can finally reflect on this past week. In just one week, I’ve gotten to know some of the most unique, caring, and fun people I will never forget. Spending so much time immersed in nature and learning has been refreshing. I feel that in such a short time, I’ve experienced so many things I never thought I would; for starters, I got lost and ended up on Maui, hiked a volcano (Kilauea), and planted coconut trees. Throughout the week, I also learned much about my personality, strengths, and weaknesses. Through the leadership color test, public speaking/presentation lesson, and many hikes, I learned that I am a yellow (meaning that I value relationships and trust), I get nervous when I have to present, and I actually like hiking!  This trip has shown me the importance of conserving and restoring the land in Hawai’i. I’m so glad to have been able to help in the restoration process at both the Ka’ūpūlehu Dryland Forest and Kiholo ...

Over the week, we had many unique experiences you can’t find anywhere else. The big island of Hawaii is remarkable and different from anywhere I’ve ever been. The eleven climate zones all offer an interesting array of places to explore and things to do. Furthermore, the cultural connection to each place we visited was incredible. From Kiholo Bay to the dryland forest, it was clear how much the local people cared for and loved their land. The connections people there had to the nature around them were very different than how we treat nature in the mainland US. Here we are often separated from the natural world, viewing it from a distance rather than forging a real connection like the Hawaiians do. Overall, the week was a great experience for me to grow and develop as I learned about new cultures, new approaches to leadership, and scientific research methods. I have opened myself up more to new ideas and people, and that definitely was part of what made this week special. By the end of t...

As I return home, I reflect on this unique program I experienced. I made many incredible memories, especially with the fantastic group of people I met. My favorite part of this program was learning about Hawaiian culture and helping restore ecosystems. Being part of a community that all shared a common goal of helping the environment was very special. I couldn't have done this program without the amazing leaders I met. Their kindness and knowledge about the environment were so helpful. In addition, the friends I met in this program will last a lifetime because we all share similar values and views of the world. We were able to work together to achieve great accomplishments. The biggest lesson I will take away from this program is to value your ancestors and where you come from. I learned this advice from Lehua, our guide from Ka'upulehu Forest. Her passion and involvement in her home city were inspiring and made me feel more connected to my family. I am so grateful for this wee...

I am sad to be sitting here writing my final blog post. Within one week I'd made some pretty cool memories that will last a lifetime. This program has opened my eyes to many things. Before this trip, I'd never flown alone, navigated an airport alone, and lived with people I had never met. On top of it all, that week had been the longest I've ever been away from home on my own. Growing up, I never did sleepaway camps because I had bad anxiety. So just signing up for this program was already a big step out of my comfort zone. All these experiences have taught me that I'm capable. I am capable of building these bonds and relationships with these incredible people I have only known for one week. I am capable of opening up and sharing things that not even my friends at home know about me. I was taught how to be a team leader, not just individually, but in a group. I learned many aspects of Hawaiian culture, from the Hukilau, a traditional Hawaiian dance, to doing the Kilos a...

This week I learned a lot about myself and the importance of nature. Before this week, I had viewed myself as a positive person. However, this changed during the “kilo” period at Kiholo Bay. I had an opportunity to clear my mind and realized that I tend to trap myself in a cycle of negativity. The previous night, I had only slept three hours and was not feeling well. Instead of appreciating that I was in Hawaii surrounded by amazing people, I was focusing on the negative aspects of my day. At that moment, I decided I could not allow a lack of sleep to stop me from enjoying this incredible experience.  My time at the Dryland Forest taught me the importance of being in nature. Although our guide, Lehua, had only known us for 30 minutes, she felt comfortable sharing the story of her ancestors and herself. They had lived on the land many generations before she was born. She told of the struggles they faced when people destroyed their precious forest. She expressed her grief for the los...

Today was the last day together as a group, and I am grateful to say that this past week has taught me so much about myself, others, and the earth. I was lucky enough to be with 19 other kind souls, all of whom had dynamic lives and personalities working together to create our big family. Throughout our time together, we were active in the community and the earth, working at multiple sites focused on nature and cultural preservation. Kiholo Bay and the Dryland Forest were two prime examples where we worked rebuilding walls in fish ponds and aiding native Hawaiian plant growth, respectively, all while learning about the rich culture and love for the land these people have.  Throughout these adventures and more, I have learned to feel like one with the earth instead of one on the earth. From the leadership aspect of this program, I have also learned to translate these values into my interpersonal relationships. I am a very extroverted and energetic person, and since the first day hav...

This trip has been a once-in-a-lifetime experience. I have truly found a way to ground my soul and escape the hard realities of pressure and the superficiality of being on the mainland. I’ve understood how important it is to care for the environment and how it can take our bodies and minds to a new level of peace. Also, this trip has helped me understand how the Hawaiian word/idea, Ohana touches people in an interconnected community. Sitting in peace in the mindful moments or sitting in the grass to take a nap helped me feel the energy of the plants and sounds around me. It was almost as if I were to sink into the grass and take the shape of the land; I would be in the most peaceful state possible. My dad has definitely been on me about praying and reflecting on my days to accumulate happy thoughts and release the hurtful, negative ones. I never really understood why I was forced to do this or why I felt it never affected me. This was because I was doing it in a way that wasn’t effecti...