Submitted by Zane Fracek on the 2022 winter session program in Hawaii sponsored by the Alfred Lerner College of Business & Economics…
I had one of the best days of my life a few days ago, crossing off multiple bucket list items. I woke up, ate a delicious lunch on the north shore, then accidentally found a surfing competition. I was within 10 feet of Bethany Hamilton. The drive home was a great time: listening to music, watching a red sunset at Sunset Beach, and watching a full moon take its place. Truly, an incredible experience that I won’t forget.
To make my trip even bolder, I went on a hike that others have not come back from. In fact, while we were hiking, someone had to be rescued after falling off another peak. So, after hiking I would say I had confronted fear. But the most interesting part is as Will Smith said, “the best things in life are on the other side of fear.” And amazingly, “the moment of maximum danger, is the point of minimum fear” when it comes to activities like this. This idea was true in my experience rock climbing or staring down fourteen thousand feet. The thought is also very comforting. Revisiting the people who have died on the same hike, or had an unlucky parachute, in their last moments I don’t think there was as much fear as we would expect. I think and hope that there was at least as much joy.
Hawaii has a way of pushing you beyond comforts because when you think you are daring, you see that someone is not just walking, but running down the steep hill past you, or that the person leaving the water who just surfed 15-foot waves is a child.
On to lighter topics… I’ve spent a lot of money; more than I am used to spending. However, every cent is worth it because this program always reminds me that life is about going outside of your comfort zone and trying things you like, or don’t. A stranger in the elevator must have read my mind because unprovoked, she told us to treasure each day.
Everyday has continued to offer something new and exciting: company visits, hiking, surfing, you name it. All the while the locals are very nice. They remember your face after just one time at a restaurant and offer you free food. You can count on Uber drivers sharing their knowledge of the area.
Many people are quick to share about the culture of Hawaii. I think there is a lot of pride in it. Some pillars I have learned are that there are two types of Aloha, giving and receiving. Everyone is to respect the elderly. Children are taught that anyone about 8 years older than you is to be treated like an uncle or aunt. So, locals actually call strangers uncle if they are older than them.
There is a huge Asian culture on the islands. Don Quijote is a great example because it is a giant Japanese store which is like a Walmart where you can buy everything. Everyone describes walking in as “overwhelming.” My friend went in with me, exclaimed “I am getting this” and picked up a jar with unknown contents entirely covered in Japanese writing.
Between the weather, sights, and activities, I see why one of the hardest things for businesses over here is convincing people to stay in an office all day.
