Feb 8th 2009 - Full day in Paradise

Even it’s Sunday, we had to get up early in the morning, due the fact that we are so many students, the we had different groups at different times. My group was the first, 8o;clock in the morning, after an enormous and delicious buffet breakfast! I was surprised in such a good way. That’s how a day is supposed to start: very warm temperature, clear sky, little fresh breeze, a great breakfast and a surf lesson. I was truly happy!

Afterwards, we went to the beach, the water was fresh, the sand warming up, the beach empty. We met these 3 teachers, nice Hawaiian residents, which started immediately with going to the sea, waiting for nice waves to surf on. I had an immense amount of fun, even I fell over and over, it was relaxing and super fun, the sun was shinning constantly and burning on my skin, luckily there is sunscreen, even I guess some people haven’t realized that yet, as I saw later in the day.

After this fun activity, we had the opportunity to have a catamaran for us alone, twice, each time 40 students. Driving away from the island, out to freedom, beauty and peace was such an amazing feeling I missed, it was like to get something back, a reason why you worked for so long, like a dream becoming true, indescribable and great.

We had the possibility to jump into the sea from the catamaran at the end of the journey, the water here is so nice, clear and clean. It’s really comfortable to swim in it.

Then our official program was basically over, we had time till 6.30 o’clock till we would meet again for dinner. In the main time I went walking around and ate in Hawaii’s best burger place; Cheese Burger, In paradise, and swimming in the sea, just being in the salted, warm water, just enjoying it.

After this tough time doing nothing, but eating and hanging out, lying around, we had to go back to our rooms and get ready for dinner.

We met at the lobby and went to Tiki's we had a salad as appetizer and chicken with rice as main meal. After the fine and easy dinner, we sang happy birthday for Matthew and Maria in about 20 different languages, it’s great how such different cultures found each other. Dinner was over, they had their little birthday ice cream and after Raphael explained the program for tomorrow, people started going to the hotel.

I went to some little stores with some friends and ended up at the beach, talking and making jokes. At 10.20o’clock we got our snorkel equipment for tomorrow and hang out in the hotel.I guess that was it, I have to go to bed, it’s going to be a fun but long day tomorrow, I’m really looking forward to Monday, and not only I don’t have school and I’m in Hawaii, but cause I know YFU is doing a great job entertaining us and helping us to discover more and more of the Hawaiian culture!

Kevin, Switzerland