Starting Out

I've been in Hawai'i for a while now, and have meant to start a blog for just as long. Today, with a test looming tomorrow afternoon and a paper due tomorrow night, I've decided to start the blog. I'm not procrastinating, I'm just trying to still live my life in the midst of obligations. Or so I'll tell myself.

Background: After graduating from University of Iowa and working/traveling for a few years, I decided to return to school, to get my Masters in Global Leadership from Hawai'i Pacific University. I live in an apartment in Honolulu, near Chinatown, in a semi-rough neighborhood (lots of homeless, which most of you know is right up my alley), and I feel very much at home. There's a little dispute over the lease right now, so pray that I can stay here. I love my place--it's small and homey, and I have the best roommates ever. I live with a married couple and another grad student. I'm the only native english speaker--the husband is Mexican, the wife German, and the student is from both CapeVerde (Africa) and Sweden. Makes for some great conversations.

Lately I've over-commited myself, which is one reason I'm starting this--because I decided that I should live my priorities rather than other people's priorities. It rained for over 40 days and nights when I first moved here, so I haven't gotten out and around the island as much as I'd like. And I'm still really white. But I'm determined to do more stuff now that it's nice and sunny. Or, at least not rainy.

There's a lot more I could say, but I should really get started on school stuff. I might go to my favorite study spot for a while. It's sort of gloomy today, so it's a good day to drink coffee and listen to jazz.