Arrived in Hawaii last Wed. evening 7:30 their time (6 hours earlier than MI, 3 hours earlier than WA) and as they opened the door I could smell flowers!! And no jet way! We just walked down the steps to the tarmac..........I felt just like the first lady so waved to everyone!! Was met by our RA, Elijah who is super nice....had a wife, Destiny and baby boy. They live here on the complex and are available for our needs. It was only a 20 minute drive to our dorm and we got unloaded. Also on the plane were 4 other new volunteers, 2 from Denmark, 1 from Germany and 1 from Korea.
I met my roommate, Yoko (she is from Japan but has been living in Ariz. for the last 13 years) who is about my age. There are two other bedrooms on our first floor (all to share the one bath) but they are not occupied at this time so it is only the two of us for the bathroom. Don't know how it will work if 4 more gals move in. We'll just have to wait and see. Yoko lost her husband and has made several trips here to Kona with Mission Builders.
Thursday was orientation, so they gave us until 9:30 am to get rested up before our regular schedule got started. We got a tour around University of Nations campus which is where I will be working Mon. through Fri. with Sat. and Sun. off. Our dorms are a short ride from the campus with shuttle service back and forth.
Friday I had to be on the shuttle by 5:50 am to get to campus for a 6:05 devotion (every M W F) then walk up the hill to get breakfast. Served in a buffet line and then to a table.............all outdoors. I report into the kitchen at 7:00 where I am on the prep team chopping veggies, making sandwiches, etc. for about 400 people (will increase to over 600 Sept. 26) I work till 10:30 or 11:00, have lunch before the rest come then off to the library to assist there until 3:00 pm. Catch the shuttle back to the dorm, crash on my bed with 3 fans blowing on me. No ac here because electricity is so expensive. Shuttle back to campus at 5:00 for dinner.
Thursday I thought I would die from this heat...........90 with high humidity! Found out that dehydration is a big problem here so need to drink at least 8 bottles of water a day. Can't drink the water at the dorms but on campus is good. I start out with a fresh bottled water on my way and then just keep refilling all day. I drank a lot on Friday but still felt wilted by end of day. Elijah says it takes about a week for your body to adjust.
Saturday was a tour to Volcano (name of city) and site of the most active volcano on the island. The crater is huge with steam vents coming out of the earth all over. They are VERY HOT, so you are careful where you view. There hasn't been an eruption for several years but there is lots of activity underground.
After the volcano, we drove down to the most southern tip of the US (no it is not Key West) where there is a 40 foot cliff overlooking the ocean. The kids had all heard about it and wanted to JUMP! It is into 20 feet of water and 14 out of twenty made the big leap. I had fun watching them. Some were able to go right away others need 30 minutes of coaxing. They said "you go now grandma" not hardly!! Maybe 50 years ago.
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