Post-trip: Tegan Inns

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 whole land into a turtle sanctuary made me realize anything is possible as long as you try. I never would try; I would say, "Oh no, I can't do that." I was always lazy and would only do something if it did not take effort. Even thinking about social media after hearing about Lehua's struggle seems stupid. Now if I want to do something, I will try as much as possible. On my tree, I made it my goal to never take home for granted, whether that was family or location. Once I get home, I plan to take risks and adventures because you only get to live life once. I will always appreciate every relationship with my family and friends who support me. I have also realized some of my friends have been holding me back from things I want to do; they almost talked me out of this trip. I will no longer allow their comments to affect how I live. 

 

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