HAWAI’I Study Abroad

Hawai’i is a destination not often considered for study abroad. Here are five reasons to consider this beautiful island for study…

“The peacefulest, restfulest, sunniest, balmiest, dreamiest haven of refuge…the surface of the earth can offer.” Mark Twain

1. The Climate

Let’s get the obvious out of the way, right off the bat. As Twain and hundreds of other observers have reported, Hawai’i is a very beautiful place with a balmy climate year-round. It’s true, you’re going there to STUDY…but what a nice place to do so!

2. The Natural Beauty

“The land quivers…with living elements of the ancient past.” John Dominis Holt

Hawai’i offers an amazingly diverse set of natural environments to explore: rainforest, desert, the world’s most active volcano (Kilauea, on “the Big Island”), mountains, and of course, the ocean.

Sunset over Waikiki

It is also a place where you can see things you can’t see anywhere else on earth: more than 90% of the flora and fauna native to Hawai’i are unique to Hawai’i. (Sadly, of approximately 2400 native plants, nearly half are either extinct or endangered. That still leaves a lot to enjoy and protect!)

Although Oahu is the most populated and developed of the islands, even on Oahu there is much natural beauty to be enjoyed. There are many places and ways to explore both land and water, and lots of local businesses that can help you do so safely.

3. A great place to learn about Past, Present and Future

Maori wood carving

“Honolulu is both inescapably impregnated with a sense of history…and…an archetypal city of the future, empowered by the new mingling of all our races…given an altogether new significance by its extraordinary place on the map.” Jan Morris

Reading about Hawaii’s history and culture—and learning about it from the people who live there and love to tell their stories—you will develop an appreciation and understanding of not only Hawaiian history, but U.S. and world history as well. For in Hawai’i, indeed, East and West have met, and people have come from all over the world to create out of their diverse heritages and traditions, a rich and unique culture.

4. A great place to learn about multicultural harmony.

“I realize how truly lucky I was to have been raised [in Hawaii]…Hawaii’s spirit of tolerance might not have been perfect, but it was—and is—real. The opportunity that Hawaii offered to experience a variety of cultures in a climate of mutual respect became an integral part of my world view, and a basis for the values I hold most dear.”

Barack Obama

Hawai’i really is in many ways a wonderful model for the world, a place where people from all over the world have learned to not only live together in harmony, but to truly appreciate and celebrate ethnic and cultural differences rather than being divided by them.

5. A great place to learn about and explore Hawaiian culture.

Listening to Palakiko tell tales of ancient Hawai'i

Do you know what aloha means? (Hint: It’s much more than just “hello.”)

Did you know that hula is a complex form of storytelling?

Did you know that there is a very vibrant, robust renaissance of Hawaiian arts and literature, currently in full bloom?

Did you know that Hawaii’s people are among the most friendly and welcoming in the world?

You can learn the answers to all this, and much more in Hawai’i. Hawai’i is so much more than a place with wonderful beaches and balmy weather most of the time!

Tourism is the second biggest industry in Hawai’i, after the military, and Hawai’i has been hit hard by the recession. You could even consider going to Hawai’i a patriotic act!

And you would still have exposure to a part of the world that is very far away from the Mainland, and to a culture that is rooted not in America but in the Pacific Islands, with major influences from Asia, Europe, America, and other parts of the world as well.

So as you consider the possibilities for study abroad, why not think about spending some time in Hawai’i?

Posted by Janet Hulstrand. Dr. Hulstrand teaches “Hawaii: Island Paradise Where East and West Meet,” and “Paris: A Literary Adventure” for Queens College, CUNY. Applications are now being accepted for the Hawaii winter intersession, from January 6-27, 2011.