Submitted by a student on the 2020 winter session program in Hawaii sponsored by the Department of Biological Sciences…
Hawaii is a popular tourist destination. Even with this knowledge before landing, I was surprised to see the proliferation of tall, tan buildings – some of which blocked the breathtaking views of the horizon and wildlife. I also found it interesting to see the contrast between wealth and poverty. There are condos and houses reaching millions of USD and yet there are rundown homes with homeless people walking the streets. I paid to come to Hawaii to experience a bit of paradise and the culture and learn about the wildlife. And yet, a lot of the wildlife and locals have been wiped out and displaced from Honolulu and replaced with high end shops and beachfront restaurants. It bewilders me to think that the tourism industry must be raking in money, yet there are broken down cars and stray animals around town.
My class rented snorkel gear for the two weeks in Waikiki, Honolulu. It is breathtaking to see schools of fish from childhood cartoons in real life. I found out there is a brightly colored fish called a Christmas Wras and I got to witness them in their natural habitat. Although I am lucky to be in Hawaii, I pictured more sun and heat. We are currently in the rainy season when waters can be rough and there has been heavy winds and rain nearly everyday since landing. We Blue Hens did not let that get in the way of enjoying our time. We played volleyball on a sandbar in the middle of the ocean, even though it was raining and windy. Ironically, I went to an aquarium to look at fish while the ocean was yards away during a rainy Sunday afternoon. I have learned that, like animals in the wild, I have to adapt to my conditions and make the most of my winter session adventures.