It's not about how good you are, it's about how well you work together.

Since I moved to Hawaii, I have wanted to not just "live" here, but to fully immerse myself in the culture and way of life that has sustained this beautiful place that people all over the world wish to experience. So, in May, I joined Kailua Canoe Club. Growing up near the coast of Central California, kayaking, surfing, competing on a swim team, and playing water polo, I have always felt at home in the water. I had no idea how much I would fall in love with paddling! Being out in the open ocean in nothing but a small canoe, is one of the most humbling, and yet empowering things I have ever experienced. The ocean is so unpredictable, so powerful, and so beautiful- you are completely at its mercy. You must learn that fighting it will get you nowhere but swamped and defeated. You have to understand it, to become one with it. And. You are not alone. That is probably my favorite aspect about the six-man crew. The slogan for a paddling brand boasts, "Six bodies. One Mind. One Spirit". That's the beauty of it all. To be one with the ocean, you must first trust each other, and learn to blend both your power and rhythm. I am the definition of a novice paddler, and still have much to learn. Nevertheless, I think that the most important thing I can take away from this season (and from this Sunday's E Lau Hoe race. woohoo Novice A top ten!!) is that it's not necessarily about how good or experienced you are, but what matters more is how well you work together as a crew. As I continue to read more and more about the issues that our planet is facing- climate extremes, natural disasters, the biodiversity crisis, etc.- it is a lesson that can be taken and applied to so many aspects of life. The issues we face are global, they are controversial, they are complex, and they are daunting. Many of these issues have never been encountered before, and to say that we are unprepared to handle the consequences of our actions, would be an understatement. There are many who are educated, and who have the means with which to tackle some of these issues, but there are more who are not, and the issues are much bigger. However, I believe that it is far from hopeless. What we need more than anything is teamwork. Trying to take on all of these issues alone is overwhelming and depressing, but if every person picked one issue to be passionate about, as well as committing themselves to living all aspects of our lives conscious about the impact our lifestyle choices have on the world around us, we could make a really big differnce. At the end of the day, or rather when the next generation stands before us, the vast majority of our individual acheivements will have been forgotten. Surrounded by something so much bigger than ourselves, we will be remembered by how we came together, with one mind and one spirit, and in doing so began to live in harmony with our surroundings.

... of Life

After talking on the phone with my dad about the most recent events of this summer, he asked: "Wow Chelsea, are you documenting your life?!" At the time, I just laughed and thought to myself, yeah, I write in a journal frequently and take pictures when I can, but have never really considered that my life, let alone my thoughts on the experiences it consists of would be anything worth sharing. This was not the first time he has mentioned something to that affect, convinced that my journey is somehow already (and will continue to be) something worth remembering.
Yesterday was the first day of my third year away at school, and it seems that the universe feels I just might have something to say... Thanks to a class requirement, here I am, starting a blog. The class will focus on how we, as humans are connected to the environment, specifically in terms of culture and religion. Consequently, this won't just be about what I'm doing, and where I am physically, but will be a place to share where my head is... mentally, emotionally, spiritually... in the context of the places and people that surround me, in the context of life.
So, Dad (and Prof. Cruz), I give you The Encounters, Undertakings, and Adventures of my life.


encounter- to be faced with something or somebody unexpected or difficult to deal with
undertaking- task, project, or pledge to do something
adventure- exciting or extraordinary experience or series of events involving uncertainty and risk

(paraphrased from Bing dictionary)