"Weather" or not...

I'll admit that I was a bit nervous to leave Oahu and return to the mainland for Christmas break. My initial anxst appeared when it started rainingin Laie. Not just raining, flooding. As I waded from the library to the testing center knocking out the last of my finals, I could see people frollicking in the newly formed lakes on campus. Kids in their swim trunks ran past with their skim boards and rugby balls in hand anxious to enjoy the saturated fields. I laughed as I though about the fact that this was the Hawaiian version of a snow day. Back home, My friends and I would run to the park with boots and jackets on when it snowed, but here on the island, barefoot was the way to go in the warm rain. "Are you going to play in the flood?" a passing student asked me. I was tempted to drop my physiology book and join the mud rugby game, but couldn't justify the academic expense. The rain and even the flooded campus seemed enjoyable to most at first, but when the water started invading the privacy of dorm rooms, the joy washed out.

The night before I left Oahu, a familiar but out of place voice woke me in the middle of the night. My friend and RA Phil stood calmly in the middle of my room informing me that the Hale was flooding and my roommate and I needed to get everything off the floor. While Phil continued his warnings to the rest of the unit, I got busy lifting what little there was on the floor to higher ground. Luckily, the the threatening flood never made it into our quarters. Somehow though, I knew I wasn't done dealing with the rain.

The floods on North Shore had closed many portions of the highway, leaving BYU students stranded in Laie. This wouldn't have worried me much on any other day, but I needed to get to the airport, and the rain was beginning to threaten my plans. Like some cinematic Christmas miracle, the rain stopped on the day of departure, and I was able to catch my flight to D.C. with Christy. Our friend Rhonda drove us to the airport, and as we approached Honolulu, flood warnings interrupted the radio broadcast. promises of more floods on North Shore were forecast, and I began to wonder whether or not Rhonda would be able to arrive safely home that night.

The conclusion of this saturated story is considerably more bright than its introduction. The flooding in Laie did stop, but many houses were damaged, offices closed for repair, and dorms dampened. Christy and I caught our flight and arrived safely to her family's home in Harper's Ferry. As for Rhonda, she was able to stay in Honolulu that stormy night and drive home the following morning. Thanks to a supportive community, a heroic friend, and a little Christmas magic, the weather proved less of a threat than I thought.

For documentation of the North Shore flood check out: http://kealakai.byuh.edu/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1509&Itemid=92

Artist for Hire!

This Summer I am working to save as much money as I can before returning to school in the Fall. If you are in need of any comissioned work, please contact me and I'll be glad to help. I have completed several murals, logos, and other graphic designs, and am glad to accommodate other requests. You can view some of my recent work at http://www.kentcarollo.741.com/. To contact me, just e-mail me at kentcarollo@yahoo.com. Thanks and have a great Summer!

All kinds of fun!

The BYUH "got talent" competition was a big success. Above is a shot of the clogging duo who performed as one of the acts.
This is a photo of Danni and Erica who were members of the second place act "the five talents"
My friends Rhonda, and Boon both came to watch the show.
The "Napalm Panthers of death" put on quite the show with their lipsynch to a bon jovi song.I was able to get a shot with the two winning dance groups: "Looney box" anf "the five talents"

It was a good day for Dolewhip.
Huki Lau cafe has some of the best breakfast food ever! Christy and I had to check it out.
My friend Hui Zhen is from Taiwan, and she invited me to celebrate the Chinese new year at a stake activity.
Fun at the Dole plantation.
My friend Rhonda and I at beach clean up!

The Saturday before easter, a few friends and I went to an egg hunt at Gunstock ranch. The hunt was just for kids, but the petting zoo was for everyone!
All suited up for skydiving!
Me and chinaman's hat at Kaneohe bay.
Enjoying Boba drinks from the Taiwan club at Foodfest '08.

Hard at work in the PCC.

Valley of the Temples

Last Wednesday, we celebrated Prince Kuhio day here in Hawaii, which meant no classes! A few friends and I took the bus to a beautiful place called Valley of the temples. It is in these secluded woods that a Buddhist temple was built to comemmorate the arrival of Japanese settlers to Hawaii hundreds of years ago. We all had a good time taking pictures and just relaxing in the chill environment.

Happy Birthday Kaycee!

This one is for you Kaycee (sort of a late birthday greeting)! This should help you put your birthday gift to good use. My friend Dez was happy to help teach you the art of poi. She is from Australia and performs in the New Zealand village where I work. Hope you like the poi!

Culture Night!

This was Australia club's tribute to The Wiggles, Steve Irwin, and even Kylie Manogue!
Lation club shook things up!
The Filipino club's traditional dance was very well done.
India club!

Me and two of the dancers from Thai club.
Christy (Left) and I with our friends in India club.
Heather and Hui Zhen performed in Taiwan club.
The Samoan club made hundreds of matching outfits for their number, and had a live band to back them up. It was one of the best presentations of the night!
One more shot of India club's dance number.

Every year, BYUH hosts a two night event called "culture night" where most of the different countries represented at the school perform. The display of traditional talent was amazing, and each act seemed to transport the audience to the country it represented. I snapped a few shots with some of the performers after the show and let them know how awesome they did.

Wicked-good weekend

This weekend really was pretty wicked. My friend Christy and I hit the beach, and then wandered the island for a while, looking for the next coolest thing. At Sunset beach, I enjoyed the ocean for the first time since I got here, and we even met a sea turtle! We took time to build a sand whale too which was fun. Humpbacks migrate through Hawaii this time of year, so it seemed only fitting to honor them through sand sculpture. After the beach we picked up some chocolate hapia (coconut) pie from Ted's bakery - crazy good! A friend had told us about a neat lookout point over Waimea bay, and luckily we ended up finding the place. During the short walk to the point, a full rainbow spanned the sky, and in those few seconds, we caught it on camera. We had a blast to say the least, and I look forward to what next weekend will bring!

The weekly Sum

What a week! I wasn't sure I'd survive it all, but luckily, I made it out just fine. Our ward held a hoedown on Monday night complete with fried chicken and line dancing. It was a blast and I'm glad I was wrangled into going. I had planned to spend that entire night in the library studying for midterms, but an old MTC friend of mine convinced me to attend. I met some of the people in my ward who had been nameless to me prior to that night and we all had a good time.
Tuesday was packed mostly with studying, and Wednesday I took my math midterm. By Thursday, I was beginning to get a little nervous about my chemistry exam, so with the math exam passed, I focused all my studies on molar conversions and polyatomic ions. Between 19 hours of work and all of my classes, I somehow managed to squeeze in time for a rehearsal of my talent show number "Fever" which I performed Friday night. The talent show was a blast and I was impressed with the quality of the acts that performed. They were all very very good. The rush of performing on stage again was great, but what I did Saturday was even more thrilling. Eight of my friends and I finally coordinated and went skydiving! I jumped out of the plane with my tandem at 14,300 ft elevation. We fell at 130 mph, then accelerated to 150mph before opening the parachute. The free fall lasted about 1 minute and the memory of it will last a lifetime. It has certainly been a great week!

Sweet Job

Here are some snapshots of the shop at the Polynesian Cultural Center where I work. The tiki or "Popo" as they're called is one I started last week. I also made the two "paddles" on the right shown in the photo. The other shots are of different weapons we sell in the shop and there is really only one way to describe them- totally sweet! There are some gnarly pieces displayed and its a really cool place to work.

Second place

BYUH hosted a Founder's Day essay contest last month that I decided to enter. I'm not much of a writer, but I assembled my thoughts on "Becoming an instrument of peace" and suprisingly produced a work that was named second place in the competition. I was shocked at the news as I haven't written essays in years, but grateful for the honor. I suppose its a bit easier to articulate a point through writing when the topic is something personal.

Patterns of Peace
Kent D. Carollo
February 1, 2008

Studying how to carve traditional Maori figures has granted me insight on how to establish patterns of peace in the world. A simple curve carved on a wooden surface spreads breathtaking designs when repeated. Like strokes in the wood, patterns of peace are made in the world by learning, living, and leaving a legacy of goodness that can be repeated to create a masterpiece.
Maori master carvers pass their craft from generation to generation by teaching ancestral patterns, designs and history to young pupils. Students learn to carve basic shapes that can be repeated to generate full works of art. My apprenticeship as a cultural artisan has taught me to learn from those who are expert at their craft. Ascertaining peace-promoting qualities has been most successful when I have learned them from those who have mastered them.
Before I knew how to spell the word “honest” I knew its meaning from observing my father. He was an artisan of integrity who had been practicing the skills of truthfulness for years. I never saw him lie, cheat or steal, and if he ever caught me attempting such a scheme, he would help me understand why I should choose to do otherwise. My father’s fine workmanship etched patterns of peace in me. Because he was trustworthy he too could trust. Because he cared for others, others cared for him. Because he lived honestly, I learned honesty.
Absorbing the history of detailed Maori figures and eye-balling the intricate work of other carvers, while helpful, has not been enough to transform me into a carver, myself. I’ve had to practice the simple strokes I’ve been taught to bring patterns out of the wood.
He was the brother of a good friend, but somehow that still didn’t change the fact that I’d be lying. “If you would just write a note saying that I completed the community service through your church, then I won’t have to worry about this mess anymore,” he pleaded. I wanted to help my friend’s brother, but the truth was he hadn’t performed any of the twenty-four hours of service required for his release from probation. I knew I had to be honest. I explained my motives for rejecting his request, and apologetically hung up the phone, knowing I had lived by what I’d learned. That simple decision and others that followed engraved my identity with a design visible to those around me. A pattern of peace.
The visual legacies left by ancient and modern artisans of New Zealand are irrefutably marked in their wooden works. The skills they acquired throughout their lifetimes speak in the curl and flow of their masterpieces. Long after their departure from the world, their patterns remain to inspire and educate those following in their footsteps.
A letter came just a few weeks after I returned home, and I was surprised to see that it was addressed directly to my parents and not me. My father opened the envelope wondering, as I was, what my old companion would be writing for. “Dear Brother and Sister Carollo…” my father started. “I wanted to write to let you know what an example your son has been to me….” The words of my former mission companion were unexpected. I sat in awe wondering how anyone would consider me an example, and yet the words of the letter were clear. The marks of my patterns must have been bolder than I thought. I suppose lines of my lifestyle had been carved out as I learned from so many people in the past two years. Designs I had once studied were now emerging in me for others to draw from. Patterns of peace I had learned and lived were beginning to define my legacy.
To learn the sacred scrawls of the Maori people takes time and practice. Learning to be an instrument of peace in the world demands the same discipline. Peace is not immediate. It starts with simple behaviors like honesty, which are learned, practiced, and passed on to others, making righteous ripples in the surface of humanity. I have learned peace from those who know it. I have strived to live by the knowledge I’ve acquired, and to practice daily those attributes that will leave a legacy to inspire the hearts of those around me. I am not a master of the craft, but merely an apprentice learning to carve patterns of peace.