Report on the Field Study A in Hawaii

Report from Professor : Makiko Omura 

A photo taken with the volunteer staff after visiting the HIMB

The 5th Field Study A in Hawaii

We had 16 participants this year, 11 female and 5 male students. Leaving the Haneda Airport at night, we arrived in Honolulu in the morning of the same day, due to time difference. Leaving our luggage at the hotel, we went for a campus tour of the University of Hawai’I (UH) Manoa Campus, in order to familialise ourselves to the venue we will be coming from the following day. Everyone enjoyed the English course, taught by Mr. Paul, who is extremely kind and funny. From the fifth day, lectures and field trips took place. On our first day of lecture, we had series of lectures on Greenhouse Gas Emission Policy of Hawai’i, Climate Change and Species Conservation, Bio-fuel and Eco-business . The following day, we had a lecture and snorkelling at the Hanauma Bay. Hanauma Bay is being managed successfully balancing tourism and environmental protection – a very interesting topic for economics students to study. Snorkelling at the Bay is always one of the most popular site visit programme. Students who encountered a turtle were understandably very excited.

After spending a free-day on Sunday, we had a lecture on marine resources management, then a field visit to the North Shore and the Dole Plantation. Our original plan was to visit the wind-power plant in the area, however, this was regrettably cancelled due to a fire incident at the plant. At the North Shore, we saw turtles swimming and had tasteful famous shrimp dishes for lunch. The afternoon was spent at the Dole Plantation, where we could see how Hawai’i was once upon a time, when pineapple and sugarcane production was the major economic activity. We learnt also how Japanese immigrants worked on the farm. The following day, we visited the Hawai’i Institute of Marine Biology in the morning, then had a lecture on Climate Change and Coastal Hazards. The 10th day, we took a part in a conservation activity at the Wainamea Ka’ala Kipua Restoration Site, plating endangered species under the scorching sun. The last three lectures were on Invasive Species, Terrestrial Issues, and on Economics of Climate Change . The last one was given by Prof. Tarui who is also a coordinator of UH side for this Field Study programme. We ended our programme at the UH with the reception hosted by the Department of Economics.

We faced some last minute schedule changes also this year. We were fortunate to have Ms. Tetsumura, a successful Japanese business woman working in Hawai’i and Australia, giving us a lecture on her experience on bio-fuel related eco-business. It must have been a stimulating talk for the students, to learn hands-on experiences of a Japanese person working actively in foreign countries. We were not free from small troubles and some students had fallen ill, nonetheless, we were able to complete the programme without any major problem, thanks to all the people who had kindly offered their hands to enable our Field Study. We are grateful to all lecturers, volunteers, organisers at various institutes, Prof. Tarui, Ms. Yasutake and Ms. Tokunaga, who provided their valuable assistance as an interpreter/assistant, the Economics Department who hosted our programme, the East West Center who kindly offered us a lecture room, the Outreach College who continuously provide us an English course, and Mr. Paul who gave English classes to our students, teaching also ukurere, giving beautiful wooden coaster curved with our university mark (MGU), generously inviting all students to the Yoghurt Land. We also sincerely thank our Sanken staff for their administrative support.

One regrettable thing I would like to note, and have told the students so, is that the students failed to express their appreciation to those whom they were indebted.

Programme : 2012/9/3—9/15 

Report from Student 

• Report from Student 1

• Report from Student 2

Photo Report 

Presenting their newly acquired skills! Ukurere playing and singing in English!

Lecture at the Hanauma Bay by Liz Kumade

Watching turtles swimming at the Turtles’ Crossing, North Shore

Riding on the train at the Dole Plantation to learn about the agricultural history of Hawai’i

A class room teaching at the East West Center

Looking at planktons collected from the sea with a microscope – on the way to the HIMB

Tree planting activity under the scorching sun at the Wainamea Ka’ala Kipua Restoration Site

In front of our returning flight airplane