For my STEP project I traveled to the Big Island, Hawai’i with a service learning group called GIVE volunteers. During my time there we worked on a variety of agricultural related projects including invasive species removal, pond restoration, and trash removal from natural lands. There were also many opportunities to learn about the culture and the language through interactions with locals that helped us understand the importance of protecting the land.

I learned a lot about what I want to do for a career. I have recently been interested in this kind of restoration or sustainable agriculture but had not yet seen it in person. It is a form of agriculture that can help keep the earth healthy while providing food and shelter to those who live on it. Meeting all of the dedicated farmers and hearing their stories further convinced me that I want to work on these kinds of projects and farms in the future.

One of the things that really helped me see this change was just watching how enthusiastic and passionate all of the locals were. I was also able to see how willing every person in my group was to work. This reminded me that there are people who are willing to put in the work and effort it will take to restore lands like these. I was having trouble making these connections before I went to Hawai’i. A lot of Ohio State’s curriculum is very traditional agriculture focused, something I am not as interested in. Non-traditional agriculture can often be more difficult, especially with so few examples, so it was amazing to make connections with other people who are interested in restorative agriculture. We stayed at a learning farm that had a food forest during the first half of our trip. I was able to talk to the farm manager about the farm and it was amazing to see a farm like this actually making money. A lot of times the struggle with non-traditional agriculture is that it is hard to make a normal amount of money but on this trip I saw so many examples of how this could work.

I went on this trip with about 14 other people around my age but none of us knew each other before the trip started. Throughout the week I was able to connect with and have amazing conversations with all of them. It was a great way to make connections with people from many different states and even from around the world. Before this trip I would have told you I could never connect with 14 strangers in one week and I would have been wrong.

I think my mindset on this really changed because of how welcoming and open-minded everyone was. On the last day we all shared some personal reasons for going on this trip. A lot of people were at really tough times in their lives when they booked this trip and several people even tried to back out. The environment was so welcoming and we all got along so well that everyone was very glad they decided to go on this trip. I think it helped me see that everyone is struggling with something and reminded me to be kind to people because I have no way of knowing what they are dealing with.

Before visiting Hawai’i I had a lot of misconceptions about the islands. I thought about the beautiful beaches, interesting wildlife, and a very commercialized view of the culture. While these things do exist in Hawai’i it is not paradise. There were a lot of laws that tried to erase Hawaiian culture over the years; many of these only were lifted recently. The tourism that many people think is necessary for the economy is destroying the land, the most sacred thing on the islands. Hawaiians believe that the land is above all else and deserves our respect and care. It helped me look at the land I live on here and see it differently. Many of our forests in Ohio suffered from excessive logging or were turned into agricultural fields that are degrading our land. This trip gave me more compassion for the land I live on now as well as a deep appreciation for Hawaiian life and culture.

One of the things that really stood out to me about this was learning some history and learning that many natives hate tourists. We had a native Hawaiian speak with us and tell us the origin story of the islands. This is a story that was passed down through generations. He translated it into English for us. It was very impactful because it helped me understand how much the land means to the Hawaiian people and culture. Everything starts and goes back to the land whom we should protect and serve. It helped me understand why tourism is hated by many locals and why sustainable tourism is so important. I learned about one of the Hawaiian islands being used as a test bombing site by the US Navy until determined protesters were able to shut it down. After learning for a week about how much the land meant to Hawaiians this was a powerful story. Many things like this have happened in the past, oppression of culture and degradation of land. There are many people now bringing back the culture and trying to protect the land.

This trip really helped me figure out where I want to be for my future career. I want to work with people like those that I volunteered with on this trip. Protecting and regenerating the land while producing food is really important to me. Seeing that working despite the number of people who say it isn’t possible was amazing. Getting to connect with my fellow volunteers gave me friends from many different backgrounds. We plan to meet up again soon to continue what I am sure will be a long friendship. These kinds of supportive relationships are so important. Learning that my opinion of Hawaiian life and the land itself was so wrong was very eye-opening. This has helped me look more critically at the land I live on now as well as be more open to other cultures. This trip was impactful in so many ways and I am very grateful I was able to participate in it.