Temika Tales

This past March I had the opportunity to go to Moloka’i through a spring conservation trip offered by Atherton YMCA.

I was intrigued at the thought of going after hearing stories from Kai (a friend I made through Team Hale) and I wanted to experience it for myself. Throughout the process of getting ready for my trip, I was really excited! I adore traveling, and it was my first time traveling inner island. I was putting together all kinds of pictures I wanted to take, foods I wanted to try, and things I was going to do. But on the other hand, I was also really nervous. I was the only student from my university, I only knew Kai and Wolfgang (another friend from Team Hale) so I was uneasy about getting along with others, and I didn’t know how I would handle being in such a rural area considering I’ve grown up in the city all my life. Luckily, I had nothing to worry about because not only did I have a blast, but met some great people on the way!

We stayed in Moloka’i for a week and it really did fly by! Doing service work and caring for the land made me feel so important as I learned a number of new skills. I shared and listened to various stories and gained knowledge on the importance of culture and conserving what can be lost. Having that hands-on experience gave me a completely different point of view of society and how our actions and words make a difference. It was even better having other people to do it with! People laughed, sang, danced, and showed so much gratitude. It’s a time of my life I want to cherish for a while.

Many people have asked if I would ever go back to Moloka’i. Despite the little to no WiFi, lack of traffic lights, rough terrain, and barely any public bathrooms, I would a thousand percent go back. I was able to analyze myself more without distractions and appreciate the world around me. I was at peace without the hustle and bustle of everything. Yeah, there are things that I missed about the city, but who said I can’t live a double life?