Submitted by Tykia Duffy 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…
Aloha from Oahu, Hawaii! Over the past week, I have had the amazing opportunity to get acclimated with the island by exploring with my peers from UD’s Disability Studies program. Throughout these travels, I have been very shocked by the numerous differences between Americans living on Hawaii and those on the mainland. From my first experience with Hawaiians, I was blown away by their warm, caring nature; they cared about humans and nature equally which is something that I found rare back in Delaware. Another rare fact about Hawaii is that it is a giant “melting pot” meaning that there isn’t one dominant race; Hawaii is a land built from many different cultures and that is what makes it unique. During our excursion to the Plantation Village, we were informed about Hawaiian history and how immigrants from 12 different countries were invited to work on the plantation here. Each group of immigrants brought something unique with them and have left their mark on Hawaiian culture. This week has given me a glimpse of all that Hawaii has to offer and I can’t wait to see more throughout the rest of this session! Mahalo!
