The Scene

To give you a bit of an insight into where I am working so far...

Anaeho'omalu Bay (where I have been spending half of my work days)

Eva and baby at Dolphin Quest (calf has not been named as of today)

Breakfast with an old friend and the most giant pancakes we've ever seen! (complete with macadamia nuts and coconut shavings...um yes please).

I am fortunate enough to have one familiar face with me here on the Big Island. Tori, my friend from UCSC is out here interning for a company called Dolphin Quest (yes she gets in the water with these beautiful creatures and is helping to train them and help others experience their magic as well). We have been able to go on a couple of adventures up to Waimea for those giant pancakes and to the beach today for a much needed R&R session. We both miss Santa Cruz a lot and it has been nice to share old stories and talk about people we miss from home. (We both are incredibly bummed that we are missing the seasons changing) Just knowing that she is here and literally lives less than five minutes from me (small world) has been a huge comfort to me since I have gotten here. It has been so great to have a friend here on the island to talk Santa Cruz with and share our mutual longing for Trader Joes and good burritos from La Cabana.

Speaking of my longing for yummy comfort foods, I have been exposed to some amazing cuisine out here. My co-workers have been cracking up at the fact that I have only been out here for a little over a week so far and have never been to the islands before that (some have never left the islands, some have not even traveled to the other islands, so the fact that I uprooted and moved here amazes some of them, myself included at times).

They are surprisingly accepting of my Cali nature and have included me in some beach brew fests and some of their favorite foodie spots in Waikoloa. The most recent has been something called a Poke (Poke-eh) Bowl. This little bowl is a bowl of white rice and then a marinaded raw fish of your choice. The chunks of fish are huge and the marinades have been great so far. If you're out here anytime soon I would suggest going to a local market and scoring one of these bowls as they are cheap ($3.99) and full of about two sushi rolls worth of amazing, locally caught fish.

I have gotten brief histories of the islands and gained incredible knowledge over Poke bowls sitting on the tailgate of my truck eating with coworkers watching the sunset. I would not trade these discussions for anything.

Almost into double digit days here and I have to say I am thankful for the time spent already and for the times to come. Hoping to get out on a boat this week to see the whales that are starting to trickle into the area (more sightings every day)

Sending love from the lava stones to you,

M.