Let's go on a Luau! Hale Aloha!!!

Ladies and Gentleman.  When you come to see us, you can go to a Luau!  

We work at a luau about two times a week as a volunteer.  Missionaries take tickets, give directions, take care of the exits, helping people find where they go and above all, keep a count so the kitchen knows how many people are coming through the door.  You will go to the luau and enjoy the music, the dancers, great food (including pig from the pit!), get "leied,"and have a great old time.  Tempt you yet?  Come on down!

Hale Aloha!  One of the three in the Park!

Are you ready to party!

Don't forget to get your Aloha lei...

Mary Jane applying the lei action! It's supposed to be for the customers!

Plenty of food for everyone...

Drummers are ready.

The King of Hawaii made an entrance...

About 500 people a night here.

The band is ready.  This still guitar player is missionary and one of the foremost Hawaiian guitar players.  Steve Cheney.

Panorama view of the luau.  Mary Jane in her place for the night.  She tells people where the bathroom is!!!

Lots of Dancers.  All good.

Let Them In!!! The First Week of New IWORK Students...

Well, the Students have arrived!  They arrived over the weekend and they started a series of informational meetings this week to get them started.  When you pull together 110 students, from over 30 different countries, you are bound to have a lot to do!  We had to get them first ready and into housing.  That is where the Packages came into play.  When they arrived at their Hales (Dorms), the bag was waiting for them.  Make your bed, put your things away, and get to know one another.  The Philippines has the most number of students; over 25 and then there are a handful of countries where just ONE person came in.  Can you imagine being from the Cook Islands, and being one of three people.  The startling fact is, they all knew each other.  Check out the Cook Islands and see how small that is!  One of the students told me she was so happy to be here on such a big island! (Oahu!)

Getting to know each other!

Excited to say Hello!

There was lots of paperwork to fill out and then the second day became a time of finding a job.  All the students work at the Polynesian Cultural Center.  So, they interviewed for the jobs of performing at an island, to taking reservations, waiting on tables, and washing dishes.  They also received job training for the Center.  There is a certain Ohana (family setting) to the Center, and they had to understand that.

Can you "Dance Tongan?"

Dancing auditions for the Show in the Evening.

Samoan dancers

Evening Show, Part Deux...

At the end of the week, we had a "One Stop Services" Event, where all the clubs and services at the University came together so the new students could meet them.  IWORK was well represented.

The Hostesses...

Signing up the "The Drawing!"  

  

This has been a very fun and busy week.  Try to remember the names of 110 new kids.  Now, figure that their that many of their names are not Larry and Sally, but Mukbintar and Celeste, and you understand the real challenge!  Tomorrow school starts!

About once a month, they have a concert at the Laie Temple.  The Temple is the center of Laie life.  All things point to the temple here.  This is the focus.  Last week we had another concert in the Visitor's Center.  The Sister Missionaries that serve there, collected their talents and put on a concert. There is a lot of talent as well.  The program was wonderful, inspirational, and worthy of the beautiful grounds upon which the concert was offered.  If, and when, you come to Laie, do not miss a tour of the beautiful Temple grounds.

The Sisters are from all over the world:
China, Korea, Japan, and the United States, to name just a few.

Where Have You Been???

Exciting times, Ladies and Gentlemen.
We have been running all week.  In just two weeks, we will be receiving another 140 new students to the iWork Program.  They are coming from all over the world.  You say China?  Right!  Samoa?  Yep!  How about Vanuatu?  Check.  I told you, from all over!  Some of these places they come from are VERY SMALL.  Most of them will come with a small suitcase and that is it.  No bed items, sheets, etc.  No pillow.  Probably not personal articles either.  What do we do?  We put together a Starter Packet for them.  Pillow, sheets, blanket, toothpaste, toothbrush, detergent, TP, etc.

We have driven to at least four Walmarts and raided them for supplies.  And don't forget the two

Costcos in the meantime...

Ever tried loading 140 blankets at once?

140 deodorants...and don't forget, have enough men's and women's...

These are the Mabeys.  They are from Arizona and in the Program with us.  Great people.  Now our friends.

Individual packets...

How about 140 new pillows from Walmart....Two trips!

Oh yeah.  140 bath towels!

You get the idea.  140x all the items!

Laundry soap for marrieds only.

Dish soap.  Marrieds.  Singles eat in the cafeteria.  

Our storage area is FULL!

Who are the students you are helping?

The Polynesian Cultural Center has a very special Sprit to it too.  In fact, the whole Laie area has a very special Spirit to it.  It is due partly to the Temple being here and everything pointing to it; the BYU Hawaii and the Polynesian Cultural Center.  When you walk the area, you feel it.

This is the view walking outside my office on a daily basis and what I see.  Beautiful.  This is a beautiful place.

The students are beautiful too.  Most of the students working at the PCC are iWorks.  As you look at the Canoe Pageant shown below, keep in mind that most of the students are ours.  They work three years to obtain their degree, and then return home to their country and invest at least three years to the building of their homeland with their newly acquired talents.  As a result of going back; their education is paid.  Not to say it is easy.  They don't return home in the three years there and they continually go to school until finished.  Probably the biggest shock is coming to Hawaii after growing up on an island for most of them.  You have to admire them. They are a determined, focused, studious group, that also like to have fun and show off their talents at the Polynesian Cultural Center.
  

Spam A Lot!!! You hungry, Mon?

Welcome to a typical Hawaiian Market.  Now, when you go into a market in Hawaii, you will see a LOT of different food.  After all, this is an international place!  You will find all kinds of different foods!  However, there is one very unique item found in Hawaii; SPAM!  It is known as the "Hawaiian Steak." It was introduced when the soldiers were here during World War II and it has just stayed.  In fact, there is more, per capita, consumed here than any other place in the United States!  Question of the Day:  What do the letters SPAM stand for?  Put your answer below.  Let's see what we get!!!