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Hawaiian students on the mainland

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  • Hawaiian students on the mainland

    Article about Hawaiian students adjusting to the mainland:

    http://www.cnn.com/2005/EDUCATION/04....ap/index.html
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    That's my story, and I'm sticking to it.

  • #2
    Re: Hawaiian students on the mainland

    A neat article. Though the CNN posting doesn't include the byline, it's by Jeannette Lee of the AP. The Star-Bulletin ran it yesterday. I thought this comment was interesting:
    And however much fun Hawaii students might have hanging out -- "cruising," in island parlance -- most try to use the clubs as a bridge to the wider mainland culture. "A lot of parents encourage their kids to stay away from other Hawaii kids, to branch out and meet different folks. I think it's great to have both worlds," Toyama said.
    I love that islanders come together and form "outposts of Hawaii" wherever they go... but I think it's a valid concern that one might go too far and simply coccoon themselves within the familiar, missing out on all the opportunities that a new place can offer. As long as these clubs embrace the "bridge" model, though, they'll be doing good for those kids who show up in Chicago without anything warmer than a long-sleeved shirt.

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    • #3
      Re: Hawaiian students on the mainland

      An extremely valid concern. I remember Hawai'i students who never made friends outside the college Hawai'i Club, only ate local food, only listened to their C&K and Kalapana (damn, I'm dating myself here), and might as well have never left the islands. Sure it's comforting, but one of the things about college is it's supposed to push you out of your "comfort zone", at least a little bit.

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      • #4
        Re: Hawaiian students on the mainland

        I purposely chose a college where there were very few (I think there were maybe only 4 or 5) kids from Hawai'i. That in itself was a mixed blessing. For one thing, it did force me to interact with non-local people. Not having any locals to relate to also made me realize that I was different, so that was a little bit of an adjustment.

        The reason the Hawai'i clubs are important for kids today is so their weaning away from local things is more gradual. I would even encourage that kind of belonging because it might make more local kids who are studying up here want to return to the islands to become the teachers and other skilled workers Hawai'i needs.

        If people get too far away from their roots, they may look back fondly at their formative years, but it's more difficult to lure them back to Hawai'i as permanent residents.

        Miulang
        "Americans believe in three freedoms. Freedom of speech; freedom of religion; and the freedom to deny the other two to folks they don`t like.” --Mark Twain

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