It begins...

E komo mai!

Akwaaba!

Bienvenidos!

Welcome!

I don't really know why I decided to start a blog on this random late Saturday night deep in the depths of February '06. I guess I desired contact with the outside world while living here on the rock a.k.a. Maui, part of the Hawai'ian cluster which incidentally are the most isolated islands in the world. Marinate on that for a minute.

Work work work. It takes up 75% of my time and 95% of my energy and mental activity. My eyes sting from all the salt water we splashed through today on the boats. Winds were coming in from the north so Molokini crater (submerged caldera if you will) was totally blown out. Turtle Town on the south shore was also out because they just had a shark attack, no one's allowed in the water. So we had to take our snorkel passengers to Coconuts along the West Maui Mtns, which is cool because the reef's healthy and the turtles are abundant. I chickened out and didn't give the reef tour, even though I've been studying my fish. I know my butterflies, puffers, triggers, wrasses, and parrot fishes- still shaky on my eels and sharks. I narrated a whole whale watch the other day! I'm finallly feel less like a tool at work, I'm catching on to everything and learning the ropes. My co-workers are super cool but super science-y, not like me. Highlights of my day include free diving for the moorings to tie up the boat, kayaking/life guarding the snorkelers, and giving the keiki or kids talk at the end of the day before we head into the harbor.

When I am not working on the boats or making mochas at the coffee shop, I am sleeping, writing letters, missing friends, making new ones, hiking with Ryan, and taking dance classes. I am desperate to take hula but I'm not quite looking hard enough for halaus or kumus (schools or teachers). Give me one more week and I think it will happen. Waiting for the DAMN FULBRIGHT letter to arrive and decide my future. Wondering what I can do while I'm here to help the cause, promote social/environmental goodwill, further world saving, etc. Just because I don't have ECOS or JB doesn't mean I can't still be a positive force, right?

That's all I got for now. A hui ho. Yebeshia bio. Hasta luego. Peace out.

xoxoalohakai

KaiLea ----> Translation: ocean goddess of the sea canoe