Submitted by Jillian Mullane on the 2019 winter session study abroad program in Hawaii sponsored by the Department of Human Development and Family Sciences and the School of Education…
One of the most impactful experiences I have had here was an excursion to Pearl Harbor and the USS Arizona Memorial. Once at the Harbor we got to watch a fifteen to twenty minute video on the events of December 7, 1941 which gave a really in depth, insightful view on the perspectives of both the American Navy and also the the plans made by the Japanese and what their motive was. Watching the video before going to see the memorial and monuments placed by the ships that were attacked was really impactful because it made one think more closely about all of the lives that were lost and also how Hawaii was impacted. We took a boat to see the USS Arizona Memorial from a far because it was under construction and also the places that the USS Nevada, Pennsylvania and Utah were attacked. The Memorial was constructed so that the ends are high and the middle is a valley in order to represent the time before Pearl Harbor, the despair and warfare and then finally the prosperity of winning the war. Also, what stood out to me during the week and a half I have been in Hawaii is how friendly and approachable all the people are. For instance, every Uber driver I have taken has given recommendations of restaurants, hikes and beaches to go to. I have come to realize this community feel and friendliness is a part of the Hawaiian culture.
