Comments on: Tourists vs. Natives http://holoholowale.com/2010/02/15/tourists-vs-natives/ Wandering around Hawaii Tue, 22 Jun 2010 04:48:09 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: admin http://holoholowale.com/2010/02/15/tourists-vs-natives/comment-page-1/#comment-80 admin Tue, 16 Feb 2010 23:33:28 +0000 http://holoholowale.com/?p=273#comment-80 @Kristen Thanks for adding more insight to my questions. I suppose ideally, the volunteer opps should also offer the chance to connect with locals in a meaningful way, to trade stories and to bridge gaps. It's a good way to build connections, working together on a project of any kind, and it's becoming a more attractive option for tourists looking for a bit more meaning out of their visits to the islands. Thank you for taking time to sound off here. @Kristen

Thanks for adding more insight to my questions. I suppose ideally, the volunteer opps should also offer the chance to connect with locals in a meaningful way, to trade stories and to bridge gaps. It’s a good way to build connections, working together on a project of any kind, and it’s becoming a more attractive option for tourists looking for a bit more meaning out of their visits to the islands.

Thank you for taking time to sound off here.

]]> By: Kirsten Whatley http://holoholowale.com/2010/02/15/tourists-vs-natives/comment-page-1/#comment-79 Kirsten Whatley Tue, 16 Feb 2010 23:20:20 +0000 http://holoholowale.com/?p=273#comment-79 Aloha -- Just wanted to comment on the nature-focused volunteer projects Hawai'i has to offer ... in my experience, what seem like solely "environmentally" focused activities typically end up being more about the people you meet and interact with -- the sense of 'ohana, or family, that's created by the end of the day. When people work together toward a common goal, racial divisions disappear and shared passions take their place, and a lot of learning from each other becomes possible. For the visitor, this way of spending one-on-one time with locals results in a more authentic experience of Hawai'i and its people than the limited interactions that often take place within the hotel resorts. In the words of the late cultural and environmental leader Ed Lindsey, who worked passionately to restore native forests of West Maui with the support of volunteers, "It's important for visitors to feel a part of us, the Hawaiian community, to see Maui from the inside. Then when they go home, it's not just the sun and sand and sea they remember, but the people and our culture." I truly hope this is the experience of many who volunteer for Hawai'i's environmental projects, as there is so much to be shared with and learned from each other ... Aloha — Just wanted to comment on the nature-focused volunteer projects Hawai’i has to offer … in my experience, what seem like solely “environmentally” focused activities typically end up being more about the people you meet and interact with — the sense of ‘ohana, or family, that’s created by the end of the day. When people work together toward a common goal, racial divisions disappear and shared passions take their place, and a lot of learning from each other becomes possible. For the visitor, this way of spending one-on-one time with locals results in a more authentic experience of Hawai’i and its people than the limited interactions that often take place within the hotel resorts. In the words of the late cultural and environmental leader Ed Lindsey, who worked passionately to restore native forests of West Maui with the support of volunteers, “It’s important for visitors to feel a part of us, the Hawaiian community, to see Maui from the inside. Then when they go home, it’s not just the sun and sand and sea they remember, but the people and our culture.” I truly hope this is the experience of many who volunteer for Hawai’i’s environmental projects, as there is so much to be shared with and learned from each other …

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