Big Island!

Whew, Jenn and I did the Big Island in 40 hours, and it was crazy! I am exhausted but we saw a lot of cool stuff. My favorites were probably the LAVA from the volcano - Kilauea exploded on March 19 for the first time since 1924! We were lucky to be able to see this recent set of eruptions - and the Black Sand Beach, pictured below.




Check out the rest of the pictures here.

New Car

I haven't blogged about it, but I got a new car...


I love it! It's a 2008 Toyota Corolla and it's fabulous!

Tomorrow my roommate Jenn and I are going to the Big Island. I'm very excited. Our other roommate Candice has been there a few times and loves it. We're leaving tomorrow (Friday) morning around 5 AM and returning on Saturday at 9 PM. I can't wait! I am (gasp!) not bringing my computer. I'll have my cell on in case anyone needs to reach me, but other than that I am attempting a media blackout.

More LOST beach set pics!

Today we didn't get to see any filming (they were about to start up again in the early evening, but we have dinner plans in HNL) but we got some great up close pictures of the beach set!

Now off to dinner @ D&B's to celebrate Maggie's birthday!

See more pictures here.

Bernard waved back!

Aloha all! Spring break continues to be the BEST TIME I'VE HAD since college graduation (and Christmas of course, but that's kind of a given). A lot of the TFA people were talking, and we feel like this is the first real 'break' we have gotten. Fall break was kind of a whirlwind "what do I do next?" type of thing, Christmas was traveling, and now we finally have a chance to catch our breath. (Though we still have university coursework and classes to keep up with).
Today, Jenn & I visited the set of ABC's LOST. As many of you know, this is my FAVORITE television show (edging out "The Office," also a passion of mine) and my two goals in moving to Hawai'i were:
1. Visit Pearl Harbor
2. See LOST filming at least once

I can officially say that I have completed both of these things!
It was hugely exciting for me to watch the magic that is LOST being made. We weren't as fortunate as our roommate Candice, who met Josh Holloway (Sawyer) and some other actors and crew members last Thursday, as well as observe lots of cool things being filmed at another North Shore location. But I was thrilled to see my favorite show in action! The only actors I recognized (we had to keep a certain distance) were L. Scott Caldwell and Sam Anderson (Rose and Bernard, respectively).

When I saw Sam Anderson, I was super excited because the Rose and Bernard story arc is one of my favorites. I waved, and he waved back! He seemed like a really friendly, jovial guy. In general, the sense was very happy. No one treated us (there were a decent amount of tourists, I met a really nice German family) like we were annoying or in their way, they were really polite and just asked us to move whenever we were getting in the shots. We weren't allowed to take pictures close up, but I got some from far away. It is a gorgeous, gorgeous, amazing beach! It also wasn't very crowded, even though filming was going on. I definitely hope to get to see more LOST!

You can check out the rest of my pictures here.

spring break

All I can say is, Thank God spring break is here. It has been an intense and trying year. I am very frustrated in many ways, and it doesn't look like that is going to change any time soon. I just have to learn to make the best of it. The good news is that I'll be home in April and that is veryyyy soon. Also, my friends are coming to visit soon.


This tree-branch-looking thing is actually a Palm. In Hawai'i, for Palm Sunday apparently you get this instead of the palms I am used to. Go figure. Also it's cool cause every guy wears Aloha shirts to church.

Pre-Party [also known as My Lit Review Is Still Not Finished]

Re-arranged my room, cause I love changing things up. Realized that I have an unhealthy relationship with books. It's a sickness!



Although I only brought ONE of these books (What Video Games Have to Teach Us About Learning and Literacy) with me when I left Pennsylvania last June, I have somehow acquired this collection of books (and this is not including the ones at school). They are organized by category. Far left: current library books. Mid-left: reference books (mainly for University of Hawai'i master's classes and writing). Mid-right: books I have finished. Far right: Books I am either currently in the middle of (I get distracted easily) or haven't started yet.

Here is my Dr. Curious George Grandma & Pap got for me. He lives on my bed! Who loves my dinosaur blanket?

My roommates and I are having a party tonight! Most of our fellow Teach For America corps members live on other parts of the island, so tonight, they are coming to the Windward side for a change. It should be a fabulous time (and infinitely better than researching and composing a literature review on the impact of different types of instruction of mathematics problem-solving in students with learning disabilities)!

So Cute

Student: "I am so glad I was born in this century, because we have math and calculators and Xboxes. Well, except for that TV [points into corner of classroom, where our old-fashioned school TV is]. That is like from George Washington."

Writing a research paper...

Research papers are no fun...