Ka La: the student newspaper of Honolulu Community College

A Student Publication of the University of Hawai`i • Honolulu Community College • October 2016

Supernatural: "a manifestion or event attributed to some force beyond scientific understanding or the laws of nature." The relationships of Hawaiians with the natural world bridged the supernatural world as well, and provide snippets into the past, and a connection to an older culture

that pre-dates the arrival of Westerners to the islands. The stories give us fleeting, yet tantalizing views that show the seamless melding of these worlds, seen as natural and real to Hawaiians, but fantastic, mythical, or simply unbelievable to some Westerners.

Page 3, for a few of these tales.

KaLā • Honolulu Community College, University of Hawai`i O ctober 2016 2

Ka Lā, the campus newspaper of Honolulu Community College.

Ka Lā publishes 800 copies each month during the Spring and Fall Semesters.

Ka Lā and all campus publications are funded by student publication fees and advertising.

All materials published in Ka Lā may not be reproduced or reused without permission of the HonCC Student Media Board.

Ka Lā is published under the supervision of the HonCC Student Media Board: Chairperson

Angelina Peralta Board members Alyssa Baligad Tiera Spencer

Nakemiah Williams Writers

Chanelle Amoguis Cameron Cole

Larry L. Medina

Eric Rheinheimer Steffanie Sobitz

Contact information hcckala@gmail.com

Student Media Board Building 2, Room 115

Phone: (808) 845-9213 Ka Lā invites letters

to the paper, articles,

events, advertising and classified ads. Ka Lā reserves the right to refuse or edit sub-

missions. Writers are

responsible for content,

which may not necessarily reflect the opinion of

HonCC administration, faculty or staff.

TRiO-SSS: a one-stop help center

workshops.

“We are a year-round program that provides an array of free services to program participants,” said Jolene Suda, program director for the past 11 years.

“During the sessions, students can expect to have their academic journey and educational goals be supported by TRiO-SSS," Suda said “Something for students to remember: No matter what level of learning a person is at today, support from TRiO-SSS, and participation in Summer Bridge programs not only strengthens the individuals and their own learning, but also facilitates and promotes community and collective learning programs that schools today find are invaluable,” Suda said.

Suda’s right-hand man, Marvin Buenafe said, “I enjoy helping people out.

Before I got started as a

peer tutor/coach at TRiO, I was just a participant in the program that helped out other students. They offered me a job at TRiO, and I worked as a peer tutor/ coach for two years, and our program director has allowed me to grow and learn important life skills or lessons. After the two years, I am currently working as the office manager.”

Phil Rigor, a peer mentor and former TRiO-SSS participant shared, “Use all the free time you have to go to a tutor and get answers to all of your questions based on the lesson for that day.

They can always go to the TRiO-SSS office to get help and finish the work that they started in class."

Another peer mentor and former participant, Darrel Agno, said, “TRiOSSS has been very helpful with my personal life and academic needs. TRiO has help me achieve my

academic goals to graduate with my associateʻs degree and transfer to a four-year institution. Meeting new people and going to different events are one of the many benefits TRIO offers as well. I have met genuine people who became my friends. TRiO-SSS is like a one stop source where multiple services are offered.”

Agno added, “One of the many things that I really enjoy about working at TRIO-SSS is meeting people and helping out with studentsʻ needs. I like to work where I can gain new experiences and learn at the same time, itʻs a place like home where everyone treats you like family.

Participant Kaitlen Daoang had this advice: “Take advantage of the TRiO-SSS tutors, because it is a lot of work and they really help. The tutors actually make it seem like there is less work because of all the support I received from them.”

When Buenafe was asked what he thought the biggest benefits of being a participant in TRiO-SSS were, he said, “Free services, family environment, and FOOD!” There are still spots available for those interested in joining this valuable program. The TRiO-SSS TRIOSSS office is located in Building 7, Room 319, and is open Monday – Friday from 8:00 am to 4:30 pm.

and prepare for the future.

Some of the fun things Phi Theta Kappans at Honolulu Community College get to be involved with include community beautification, such as beach and other area cleanup projects, volunteer opportunities throughout the islands; regional and national conferences – with little or no travel expense to the student -- and other college and community projects.

Scholarship opportunities also exist exclusively for Phi Theta Kappa mem-

bers.

One of the most exciting tasks throughout the year is to implement an Honors in Action project. This project entails researching an issue related to the Honors Study Topic, "How the World Works: Global Perspectives" and organizing action and volunteer efforts to address the issue.

In order to become a Phi Theta Kappa member, a cumulative 3.5 GPA must be attained, completed 12 credits at HonCC, and be enrolled with a minimum of three credits. Members

in good standing must maintain a cumulative 3.0 GPA or better. It may sound like a tall order, but surrounding yourself with other members is an excellent way to keep your grades up while gaining valuable leadership experience.

The 2016 Fall Induction Ceremony for New Members will be held Oct. 20. If you think you qualify, but haven’t received an invitation to join, please contact our Phi Theta Kappa Lead Advisor via email (Lena Low - lenal@hawaii.edu).

By Steffanie Sobitz Ka Lā staff writer

Many students struggle with the stress of homework and other academic issues without knowing that the campus provides resources to help them throughout the school year.

One valuable program at HonCC is TRiO-SSS. The TRiO portion of the name comes from the fact that it was the third in a series of educational programs developed and implemented in the 1960s. The SSS stands for Student Support Services.

TRiO is one of the programs that originated from the 1965 Higher Education Act, which was meant to provide financial and other support services to college students and help them achieve their educational goals, as well as providing resources that strengthen higher education institutions.

TRiO-SSS is a federally funded program that is free to those who meet one of the following eligibility requirements: first generation college students, lowincome, or documented disability.

The program provides peer tutors in many subjects, including math, English, philosophy, history, and Hawaiian studies to name a few. Other services include, but are not limited to, free computer use and printing, tutoring, mentoring and coaching, as well as fun and informative

Ka Lā photo by Steffanie Sobitz Students can find a variety of help and services at the TRi0-SSS center on campus.

Honor society: more than just an honor

By Steffanie Sobitz Ka Lā staff writer

Have you been to a graduation ceremony and wondered how someone got to graduate wearing beautiful honors regalia?

Phi Theta Kappa, the international honor society for students attending community college, is one way to an honors diploma and honors graduation regalia.

But Phi Theta Kappa isn’t just for your diploma; it also provides students with a supportive community to work with, lean on,

KaLĀ • Honolulu Community College, University of Hawai`i

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October 2016

Shared tales of the supernatural

Incidentally, these hau bushes conceal sections of ancient trailways – was there a connection?

Did talking about pōpō ahi beckon one to appear?

By Larry L. medina Ka La staff writer

ʻAUMAKUA ʻAumakua are family or personal gods, who according to Wehewehe.org, a Hawaiian language online dictionary, are "deified ancestors who might assume the shape of animals like sharks, owls, or caterpillars. ʻAumakua could assume the form of plants, or even inanimate objects like rocks. A symbiotic relationship existed; mortals did not harm or eat ʻaumakua, and ʻaumakua warned and reprimanded mortals in dreams, visions, and calls.”

There was a John Keaulana on Oʻahu who had a beachfront home on the point in the Nānāikapono Subdivision in Nānākuli. According to kumu J. Kimo Alama Keaulana, this relative of his had the distinction of being the first homesteader in Nānākuli, and "would take an oil drum down to the shore, those 55-gallon drums, and pound on it, and that's how he would call his ʻaumakua. He called them - by name – and they would come." When the family would go squidding in the sea, the sharks familiar to them would circle to fend off other unfriendly sharks. ʻAumakua were not to eaten by the family. Kumu Keaulana relates a story of a 10-year-old boy in Ka'ū on Hawaiʻi island, who returned home from playing with friends, where "he got all pehu (swollen) and sick, so the parents took him to Pāhala in Ka'ū to the doctors.

The doctors couldn't figure out what was wrong with the boy, so relatives asked him what happened the day he was out playing, and he said among other things he ate loli (sea cucumber). The sea cucumber is the ocean counterpart of the peʻelua - a caterpillar - which was the family ʻaumakua." Despite attempts at mohāi (sacrifices to make amends to their ʻaumakua), the boy died.

Lennon Helekahi of Papakolea encountered a possible ‘aumakua after a mysterious family encounter on Moloka’i during his senior high school year. He travelled to the island where he stayed a week and got to talking to a relative, where they exchanged information on the family tree. However, when Helekahi went to that relative later to garner more, he mysteriously replied, "I can't tell you again - but my mom can." Puzzled, Helekahi was taken to see this other relative ("aunty S-") and as they entered the house, "lo and behold, she has

Ka LĀ photo by Kiki Williams

a binder full of names of family members and other information.

She had it out in front of her when I walked in." Did aunty S know he was coming? "No, she didn't."

They had never met before.

Aunty S showed Helekahi a page depicting the beginnings of the family tree, and tracing the pathways it was revealed to him that he was related to high royalty – a fact not known by his immediate family. “I was overwhelmed; so excited!” Helekahi was required to recite a genealogy chant at his upcoming graduation, and aunty S was able to provide this information, which was much more than what he had researched on his own. “(My family history) just opened up,” said Helekahi.” That was the special part.”

On his last night on Moloka’i, Helekahi sighted a pueo (native owl) gliding past him. A kumu told him "your ancestors are looking in on you.” After the events and revelations of the past week upon meeting his neighbor-island relatives, “it’s not a coincidence that I found them.” By fortune or fate, “ʻIke (knowledge) was shared with me.”

AKUA LELE Akua lele are defined as “flying gods... sometimes in the form of fireballs” (wehewehe.org). The fireballs are known as pōpō ahi.

This writer, over 20 years ago, attributes one such sighting as pōpō ahi. At the time, this writer worked for the Department of Health, was assigned a kid to be his “big brother,” and enjoyed taking the kid (of Hawaiian descent) out to places around Oʻahu to talk about Hawaiian supernatural.

It is believed in other cultures as well as in the Hawaiian culture that merely talking about the supernatural will attract entities from the "Other Side" (although this was not this writer’s intent).

One evening at a spot called “Hau Bush” (aka One’ula Beach Park) in ‘Ewa Beach, he and the kid was on the shore talking about pōpō ahi, and while looking out toward the ocean with Mt. Leahi and the lit Honolulu skyline to the left, a dull blue fireball, looking to be about the size a tennis ball, hissed into view about 30 feet away and about 20 feet above the waves, flying over this writer, but not before pausing for a second above him before zooming past, only to vanish into the hau bushes beyond.

NIGHT MARCHERS Boysie B. remembers little warnings from his grandmother when they lived in Kāneʻohe about not leaving clothes on the line after sunset lest the respected, yet dreaded, Night Marchers “go into your clothes, then go into you when you put ‘em on.” There were other things to heed, like keeping a clear path in the home from the front through to the back doors so any Night Marchers passing through could do so unencumbered. Boysie B. shared the ofttold advice to strip naked, lie face down, and not to look upon the Night Marchers if they were in the vicinity, “or else they take you with them.”

Night Marchers are the spirits of ancient Hawaiian warriors, who in life were dedicated to proceed and protect their ali'i (royalty) as they travelled the islands at night (doing so because ali’i were so sacred, having even their shadow fall on a commoner during the day meant death for that person), and still do so in the afterlife.

Kumu Keaulana remembers when he lived in Mānoa in his 20s of seeing the spectral procession, describing the famed torches these travelers carry as being a “muted orange; (looking) out of focus” on the ridge above Puʻuhonua St., near the Waiahole Tea Room. “I wasn’t in total disbelief,” when asked about seeing the procession for the first and only time in his life, “but I was astonished.” Kumu stated he could just make out the marchers, dressed in the traditional garb of the ancients. “The whole line appeared to walk this high above the hill, floating,” kumu indicating a height with his hands of about three feet off the ground.

According to Hawai’i’s Gardens

by Dave Choy, The Hawaiian moon cycle is divided into three anahulu (10-day weeks). The first night of the cycle is the night after the new moon. Kumu Keaulana said Night Marchers usually walked on the 27th phase of this cycle, a day dedicated to the god Kāne, between 12 midnight and 1a.m., completing their procession before the light of dawn (the same time he saw the Marchers themselves). This month, this phase will occur on October 27. Advice for encountering the Night Marchers?

“Don’t be there,” said Boysie B. “Get out of the way.”

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KaLĀ • Honolulu Community College, University of Hawai`i

October 2016

Earthʻs allies assemble and plan

The following is an excerpt from the Navigating Island Earth: The Hawaiʻi Commitments, a document drafted at the IUCN World Conservation Congress 2016:

By Eric Rheinheimer Ka Lā staff writer

More than 10,000 government and non-profit representatives and other concerned citizens from 192 different countries gathered at the Hawaiʻi Convention Center to discuss and work towards solutions to local, regional and global environmental crises.

The event, dubbed "Planet at the Crossroads," was held by International Union for Conservation of Nature Congress (IUCN) between September 1-10, and was the largest gathering of environmentalists in the world.

The IUCN is a union of more than 1,300 national and international member organizations committed to protecting and conserving nature. Its members included large government entities such as the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the U.S. National Park Service, local groups such as Hawai’i Conservation Alliance, and the Lyon Arboretum.

The IUCN holds its congress every four years, and 2016 was the first year the event was held in the United States.

The Hawaiʻi Convention Center served as the venue, with many large and high-tech exhibits featuring LCDʻs, posters with interesting information, laptops for participants to use, and multiple virtual reality stations. The NOAA exhibit featured a six-foot sphere with multiple animated images projected onto it. There was sturdy but sleek cardboard furniture for participants to sit and work on, with many booths set up by various member organizations providing information. The pavilion was open to the public and and hosted a number of public

Ka LĀ photo by Chanelle Amoguis

One of more than 10,000 visitors who converged at the IUCN at the Hawaiʻi Convention Center shares her environmental sentiment with others. forums and activities, including a student event where over 1,000 local high-school and middle-school students participated in learning more about science and conservation.

After a week of events, workshops and high-level discussions, IUCN participants convened for four days and passed more than 100 resolutions and recommendations, setting the global conservation agenda to follow until the next congress in 2020.

Some of the key resolutions passed were with regards to creating more protected areas in the oceans, protecting forests, and developing a policy defining "natural capital" (recognizing the value of nature and assuring it is taken into account in the decisionmaking of business and financial institutions).

The congress culminated with the presentation of the Hawaiʻi Commitments. This document, titled “Navigating Island Earth,” highlights and identifies the big-

gest challenges facing the global environment and proposes solutions.

A major item listed in the document is Cultivating A Culture of Conservation. The following is direct text from the document, which appealed to the younger generation for help and hope: "When navigating Island Earth, we rely on the winds of youth to fill our sails.....The conservation community has a responsibility to help youth by inspiring those who have yet to care for nature, empowering young professionals already inspired to develop their capacities and networks, and by lending our time and experience as mentors -- recognizing that youth have as much to teach as they have to learn."

More information, including video, the full complete list and text of the resolutions, and the Hawai’i Commitments, is available at the IUCN website, www. icunworldconservationcongress. org.

"Such is the magnitude of the human ecological footprint, Island Earth’s natural life support systems are straining to breaking point, imperiling the well-being and resilience of all life. Communities are struggling everywhere to hold on to what is most precious, naturally and culturally. The forces of change can appear unrelenting. The situation is urgent and a transformation is needed in the boldness of our aspirations, the strengths of our efforts, and the weight of our investments. Acting with a sense of responsibility for our planet and in solidarity, conservationists offer solutions...

Nature-based solutions have been shown - in many different settings and in both developed and developing countries - to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions, help communities adapt to climate change impacts, reduce the risk of natural disasters, and support sustainable livelihoods. Connected systems of protected areas ... provide sanctuary for biodiversity and generate an extraordinary range of benefits for people..

Global problems are complex, values are contested, and the future uncertain. Strong partnerships are needed to implement conservation at the scales required.. The conservation community are hoping to meet these challenges emboldened by the creativity of human imagination, empowered by scientific and traditional knowledge, and inspired by the spirit of Aloha ʻĀina.

KaLĀ • Honolulu Community College, University of Hawai`i

October 2016

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Concerns: poaching, over-population

During the IUCN World Conservation Congress in Honolulu last month, Ka Lā staff writer Cameron Cole talked with Nijegorodskoe Zanolje, Central African Forests Commissioner, to ask about their biggest conservation problems facing the Congo today. Hereʻs what he learned.

Q: What is the greatest problem regarding conservation?

A:: The main problem of conservation that we facing daily is poaching. Animals are killed every day, for many reasons: for economic reasons; also for food, for consumption. Elephants are killed every day for trafficking, for the illegal market. This is our main concern.

We created protected areas, to allow animals to cross easily without fear. This is part of our fight against poaching. Many elephants are killed because of ivory. We need enough resources, technical and financial. We are here in the United States to share what we know, but especially to enlarge our portfolio of partners and our donors to support our foundation.

Ka LĀ photos by Chanelle Amoguis

The IUCN conference gave local visitors a chance to experience many new things, like a virtual reality coral reef, and to meet like-minded people from all over the world.

That is our main agenda.

Another challenge, a problem, is population growth. People need more space to live, and there are impacts on the forest spaces, habitats and so on. We take into account population interests, but also conservation interests through land-use planning.

There are also climate change effects. Forests play an important

role in climate change effects. And because of illegal activity of deforestation, we (have to) attend to the negative impacts on the forests.

We have a communications strategy to achieve. People don’t know their role to conserve these forests. They don’t know that when they’re cutting trees, it affects the world. To limit the access to the forests, we promote non-

timber forest activities like farming.

But we have hope, because the Congo basin forests have one of the lowest deforestation rates in the world. That is the hope. But even though we struggle, we should want more, we should work together to conserve the forest, to conserve this resource for the whole humanity.

their dreams, despite the difficulties they will face. Stick with it, she says. It won’t be easy but you will be happy with yourself.

She relates some of her reasons for hope, including social media and its potential in spreading information, the strength of nature, and the strength of the human spirit.

She talks about how upset she is by economic interests and the me first/immediate interests being prioritized over future planning and the selfish/greedy/materialism and lack of spirituality spreading across the world. She mentions how we need to work towards alleviating poverty so people aren’t making so many of their choices due to lack money.

She carries the stuffed cow as a conversation piece to bring up the topic of meat and factory farming.

She is a vegetarian and emphasizes that eating meat is not worth it.

Even if you put aside the horrific cruelty of slaughterhouses, the forests being destroyed for grain growth combined with the cost of storage and transport or feedstock and meat, the methane the livestock produces and the antibiotic resistance issues from industrial livestock production make our current meat consumption practices unsustainable environmentally.

She also relates the story of the

other stuffed creature she carries, Mr H, a plush gorilla she got from Gary Horn, a USMC who lost his sight in a helicopter crash and then became a magician. He performs in front of kids without telling them he’s blind until the end of the show. The lesson he relates to them is to not give up, no matter what happens. Bad things may happen, but if you don’t give up, you can find a path forward.

While she is world famous for it and her name will forever be linked to chimpanzees she related that she just wanted to study animals and it just so happened that her opportunities lead her to chimpanzees. In closing, she mentioned that change is gradual, and to keep changes in historical perspective, don’t give up and keep moving in the right direction!

For this reporter, her call to action hit home. Am I truly doing everything I can to make this world a better place? We all need to look into a mirror, because true change starts with us. Do everything you can in your own home and community to make the world a better place. If all of us insisted on sustainable, biodegradable products made with fair labor, if all of us ate less meat and attended local park and beach cleanups, the world would be a much better place. Let’s get to work.

An inspiring hour with Jane Goodall Eric Rheinheimer Ka Lā staff writer

The room goes silent as we wait for Jane Goodall. She enters, walks in, and sits down amid a crowd of reporters. She is a slender but healthy looking old lady, with her white hair in a pony-tail wearing a button up green shirt and tan pants, two purple leis and two white leis around her neck, holding a stuffed cow and stuffed gorilla.

Considered to be the world's foremost expert on chimpanzees, Goodall is best known for her 55-year study of social and family interactions of wild chimpanzees in Tanzania and has worked extensively on conservation and animal welfare issues, including founding Roots & Shoots, a worldwide program that educates and connects children with nature and trains them to be the next generation of environmentalist leaders.

She speaks softly but the whole room is hanging on her every word, so it’s not hard to hear her.

She starts by saying how happy she is to be there but the world is in a bad state and we have a closing window of time to turn things around. She’s dedicated the rest of her life to doing everything she can to help and is travelling around the world 300 days a year

At 82, Jane Goodall is one of the worldʻs most famous conservationist and animal rights activists. because it’s important to spread the message that every individual can make a difference.

She urges everyone to think about the consequences of their little choices. Where does what you consume and eat come from.

Does your food come from factory farms or industrial agricultural facilities and is it shipped thousands of miles? Do your consumer products come from companies that utilize child labor or other terrible labor and environmental practices? She urges us all to pay attention to how we treat people and how we treat animals and nature. She urges all young people to find their passion and follow

KaLĀ • Honolulu Community College, University of Hawai`i

October 2016

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Adriatic summer: people, places, insights

By Cameron Cole Ka Lā staff writer

Well, the weather in Croatia…

Well, er,” Igor hesitates, looking warily back at my mother, the only woman in the car. Evidently deciding to brave onwards, he continued. “We say the weather in Croatia, it is like a woman, it can never make up its mind!” He laughed heartily, deep from the belly of his imposing frame. We laughed along with him, comfortable by now with his casual joking demeanor.

My family had started this summer adventure on a cruise ship in Venice, Italy, had travelled to three separate countries, crossed the Adriatic Sea twice, and had finished in Igor’s cab.

Igor was our cab driver, my family having been wooed by his offer to drive us all day around Split, Croatia, to see the myriad landmarks displayed on his taxi card. As he talked to us about the people, economy, and lifestyle of Croatia, we soon realized, that the true attraction had become Igor himself.

Never at a loss for a “Here in Croatia...” joke, we soon found ourselves diverging from the standard topics and into more personal territory, such as his wife and children, and his time in the Croatian Army during the Croatian War of Independence in the 90’s, with Igor acting as a capstone to a trip that had provided a unique cast of characters from cultures very different from our own.

In Hawaii, we fancy ourselves a “melting pot” of many different cultures and beliefs, but it is on trips like these that I realize how little we actually understand of the people who share this planet with us, Cruise ship travelling is very similar to road tripping - if your car was nautical, stocked with bars and pools, and could also seat hundreds of strangers.

We met another couple that had missed their 6pm departure time and needed to buy last minute plane tickets to the next stop.

Our cruise ship, the Norwegian Jade, was formerly the Pride of Hawaii. Still sporting all of the original Hawaiian decor, the ship felt like a home away from home.

I shared a cabin with my Uncle Dave, and though it ostensibly featured a window for us to gaze thoughtfully out of, offering the considerably less romantic view of the well-lit side of a lifeboat.

Workers on the ship are a truly dedicated people, often having to double up on jobs, such as dancers and chefs having to also clean cabins or host activities for guests.

I gained an intense appreciation

guished from the surrounding city when viewed from above, is a walled-off section of the city that once served as a defensive stronghold. The exterior, still foreboding hundreds of years after its initial construction, contrasted with its quaint interior that was nonetheless filled with clotheslines and noisy windows, clearly still home to many residents of the city.

Ka LĀ photos by Cameron Cole

Santorini, Greece, at top, is an island of whitewashed buildings and a rich blue sea. Venice, below, is filled with canal-side cafes perfect for people watching and enjoying Italian cuisine. for their work ethic and positive attitudes.

VENICE, ITALY Venice is a convoluted, cramped, bustling city, completely free of roads and cars. Everything is transported by boat, be it people, mail, or garbage. With a population of 10,000 and a daily visitor count that routinely breaks 50,000.

As my family exited the train we purchased a map for $2.50, which would prove next to useless, due to the lack of proper city signage and haphazard layout of the serpentine, bordering on claustrophobic, streets. We gleaned that looking at the large canals crisscrossing the city was a much more effective way to gain our bearings.

Cafes dotted every street corner, constantly barraging passersby

with fragrant displays of Italian treats. While taking in the sights, We wandered the side streets, appreciating rooftop gardens and the antique doors that lead out onto the canals.

DUBROVNIK, CROATIA Our cruise took us around the Adriatic Sea, so I deduced Croatia must be coastal. We were greeted by a small army of cab drivers, each trying to cajole passengers into their taxis. We decided on a fashionable-looking gentleman named Otto, who took us expertly on a rocky and occasionally onelaned mountainous road, stopping at castles constructed and ruled by personas like Napoleon Bonaparte.

Before long, we made our way to our last stop, known as Old Town. Old Town, clearly distin-

ATHENS, GREECE One of the most well-known of our stops, Athens was beautiful. TOur main stop here was the Acropolis of Athens, an ancient ruin even among the surrounding antiquity, with its oldest pillar dating back to the Bronze Age. Nursing a sunburn from the previous day, I scurried between shade as we made our way up towards the Acropolis itself, above the rest of the city. The ruins here stood out in a sea of urban development, and the employees here were armed with whistles, to be blown with extreme prejudice if any tourist seemed like they might be about to ignore the clearly posted “Absolutely No Touching” rule.

SANTORINI, GREECE Santorini, Greece, is the kind of setting romantic comedy movies take place in. The city stands out boldly in its strikingly uniform white and blue coloration on the ridgetop. There were three options to get up to the ridgetop. The last option was a cable-car ride, which would take mere minutes. It did bump into several obstacles on the way up, causing me to frantically calculate some conversions and hoping that the 375kg limit wasn't surpassed by our five American bodies.

KaLĀ • Honolulu Community College, University of Hawai`i

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October 2016

Graphic artist got her start at HonCC

By Chanelle Amoguis and Justin Baptiz Ka Lā staff writers

“Guess What?” is a common question used by many people to share news of happiness and mirth. But in the case of graphic designer Lori James, “Guess What?” is also the name of her design studio business in Nuʻuanu.

James creates card designs for events such as birthdays, graduations and weddings. She was a student of Honolulu Community College’s communication arts program, but took a roundabout path to get there.

After graduating from Hawaiʻi Baptist Academy, James attended Oregon State University for two years working on a liberal arts degree. Then James returned to UH Mānoa with intentions of obtaining a degree in art, but instead took up business for two years at the request of her parents.

In 1996, James graduated from UH Mānoa with a bachelor’s degree—in music—instead of business or art. But art kept calling her and eventually she decided to attend HonCC and study communication arts.

“I really enjoyed my experience

Lori James used her time studying communication arts at HonCC to start her own graphics business. at Honolulu CC,” she said. “I loved the smaller, more intimate classes. You really build a camaraderie with your classmates and professors.” James also said that although she was a few classes shy from completing the communication arts program, being at HonCC contributed to her suc-

Student news briefs School information goes mobile

Honolulu Community College now has its own app.

The app, which can be found on the Apple Store and Google Play Store, will allow students to keep track of their class schedules, find their way around campus, and have contact information at their fingertips to student support services.

Still time to make your voice count

Itʻs not too late to register to vote in this yearʻs local and presidential elections.The deadline to register is 4:30 p.m. Monday, Oct. 10.

And you can register online at https://olvr.hawaii.gov/ You will need a current Hawaii Driver's License or Hawaii State ID card, and Social Security number.

The stakes are big this year with elections for a new president and Honolulu mayor, among other offices.

Students offered $45 stand-by fares

Interisland air carrier Island Air is expanding its program to offer $45 one-way standby fares to all college students in Hawaii.

To qualify for the College Student Standby rate, students must present a valid University of Hawai‘i, Hawai‘i Pacific University, Chaminade University or Brigham Young University-Hawai‘i student identification to a customer service agent at any Island Air ticket counter.

Changes made to FAFSA process

Several important changes have been made to to the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) process. Starting with the 2017­–18 application cycle: * Students will be able to a 2017–18 FAFSA as early as Oct. 1, 2016, rather than beginning on Jan. 1, 2017. The earlier submission date will be a permanent change, * Students also will be required to report income information from an earlier tax year.

cessful career path. “It broadened my knowledge of design and gave me the confidence and inspiration to pursue a career in the creative field.”

The beginnings of Guess What?

Designs started when James designed her daughter’s first birthday party invitation and cake.

James received so many positive comments and encouragement from her friends and family that in May of 2008 she decided to submit her designs to Minted, an online website dedicated to stationery designs and invitations. James’ first design submission won fifth place in Minted’s monthly challenge, earning her prize money in return.

Getting an early start in graphic design at HonCC really helped James. “The learning was very practical and hands on,” she said.

“The professors were great. They were very supportive and encouraging, and they were all industry professionals who either had their own business or had a very successful career in the creative field.

They were able to give us a lot of valuable insight into the world of design.”

“The thought behind Guess

What was like, ‘Guess what?

We’re having a baby, guess what?

We’re getting married.’ So it’s kind of like a happy surprise,” James said.

At home, James works on her own schedule, creating designs based on requests sent to her through her website at guesswhatdesign.com. Most of James’ clients come from outside of the islands.

And so far, all of her clients have been satisfied with her work, she said. Guess What? Designs has been in business for eight years.

As the owner, James is responsible for high-end custom event stationery, pattern designs, art prints, etc.

A mother of two children, Rebecca and Ethan, James is a stay at home mom, working straight from her desk filled with paint brushes and pens neatly organized in cups.

“The best part? Well I work from home, so I get to see them, you know? I get to spend time with them when it’s vacation time, I don’t have to find someone to babysit or find someone to watch them because I’m home. It’s nice and it’s filled with inspiration from my kids,” James said.

KaLĀ • Honolulu Community College, University of Hawai`i

8

October 2016

Ka LĀ photo

by Larry Medina

Ramen: It's not just about noodles

By Steffanie Sobitz

Steffanie's Dressed-up ramen

Ka Lā staff writerS

Many college students today are feeling the crushing pressure of financial burdens that seem impossible to surmount. Between the lack of affordable housing and rising food costs, it’s a wonder that anyone can survive.

HonCC has no student-run food bank or other means of nutritional assistance. The lack of affordable, healthy food options should be of concern to all students. However, there is good news for those struggling to find healthy, affordable food options while juggling school, work, and other obligations: Dressed-Up Ramen.

Like many people in Hawaii, I grew up eating ramen noodles.

I was a latchkey kid often left to fend for myself, and ramen offered an option that was everything I wanted: a hot yummy meal that was easy to cook and tacos

Ingredients: 1/2 cup each chopped white 1 pack Nissin Ramen (chicken and green onion. flavor) 2/3 cup dried mushrooms (any 3-4 cups water kind) 1/2 cup Chinese or Napa cabLots of siracha-- about 3/4 cup bage Directions: Boil water, white onion and cabbage. Once boiling, add noodles and seasoning. Add mushrooms. Cook for 3-4 minutes. Dump it all in a bowl coated in siracha. Lace with chopped green onions.

Stir well and eat. within my meager budget.

Fast-forward to adulthood, and I find myself living on a strict budget and eating copious amounts of pre-packaged ramen.

Ramen doesn’t happen to have a ton of nutritional value, but there are several ways to make it a little healthier without breaking the bank. The first time I decided to add a litttle something

extra to my noodles was after having fish tacos with a friend.

She had used cabbage instead of lettuce to add a little crunch.

I remember thinking that the crunch lasted a long time – into the next morning when I was rummaging through the icebox for more. Lettuce goes bad quickly; even when I buy it from the farmerʻs markets it just isnʻt

worth it. I decided to research the benefits of cabbage instead.

I learned that cabbage has a lot of healthful properties, so I made a plan.

My ramen had been missing nutrients , so I bought a head of cabbage for about $6 and chopped a little to add to my noodles along with my go-to Siracha and BAM! I had a new concoction.

It was good, but it still needed more. I added a little chopped white onion the next time; I included chopped green onion the after that. I was on to something but wasnʻt sure where I was going with my new ramen bowls.

This past summer at work we had a hotpot. A friend added dried mushrooms, chinese cabbage, sprouts, thinly sliced meat – things I could afford, along with other grocery items that had a fairly long shelf life and nutritional value. It was all that was needed to kick my ramen noodles up a notch or two.

Five things you need to know about ramen

1

It would be cheap to consume ramen for every meal. At around 29 cents per package, ramen could theoretically sustain you for 365 straight days at a cost of only $317.55, assuming you donʻt add any extras to the package.

2

Ramen wasn’t always dirt cheap.

In fact, when it was introduced to Japanese supermarkets in 1958, “Chicken Ramen” (as invented and named

by Momofuku Ando) was six times the cost of fresh udon noodles.

3

Ramen noodles were the first ever noodles consumed in space.

Andoʻs parting gift to mankind was the “Space Ram,” a vacuum-packed ramen with smaller noodles and a thicker broth.

Japanese astronaut Soichi Noguchi feasted upon these vac-packed instanoodles while aboard the space shuttle Discovery.

4

One pack of ramen will bring you well over half the daily recommended amount of sodium. Yikes.

A package of Nissin Top Ramen Chicken Flavor contains 1,820 mg of sodium. To put this in perspective, the FDA recommended daily limit is 2,300 mg.

5

Prisoners. Love.

Ramen. Instant ramen is the best-selling item at the Rikers prison commissary in New York City, outselling coffee, candy, and Coke.