CURRENT MISSION

Live Laugh Love

ABOUT ME

They would smile and laugh, for starters. It's the kind of pleasant atmosphere I set with friends, colleagues, strangers.
I've come to realize that governments have become far to adept at finding ways in which we are different, when humanity cries out to find that which makes us the same.
I always try to relate with people, on their terms. I draw from my diverse heritage in trying to relate. Whenever possible, I try to speak with a person in their native language and I appeal to the values of their culture or respective nation. This allows for a person to express themselves in a way not otherwise possible and you get a glimpse of the person that they would not otherwise share. After building rapport, I share a bit of myself with them by means of anecdotes and humourous recollections of my life. Much of this humour comes from memories with family. Family, especially in extended family, is a source for endless entertainment with vivid characters, hardships, tragedies, and triumphs. All in all, with the help of great food, family makes for a great team which fails and succeeds as a collective.
I am someone who, as stated above, loves to laugh. I believe that we live in a time that is difficult with the ongoing pangs of war, of economic uncertainty, distrust and instability of politics around the world. Laughter is not simply an escape from reality, but an appreciation for the little things in life and a defiance. In true humour, one is able to acknowledge ill-natured reality and laugh in its face.
Also mentioned earlier was my value for family. This means that I have a strong sense of collectiveness and this extends to friendships and partnerships in education and business. Friends and colleagues are very close to me and in these group settings I try to foster a sense of ʻohana (Hawaiian for "family")
My friends remark on my quick wit and sagacity and possessing a sarcasm dished only in fun.
I am fun-loving and border on mischievous
I am artistic, speaking in terms of the abstract and lofty, the metaphysical and the spiritual. I am as comfortable in this realm as I am in the objective and apparent and feel that the spiritual is just as real as the physical. I am no medium or psychic but one who believes that many social ills reflect an illness of spirit and that we are all the same at our core.
I am also self-conscious when speaking about myself. For the most part, I feel it makes me seem pretentious and haughty even if it is not at all the intention.

PHILOSOPHY

LiVe...LaUgH...LoVe

I live to see people united in love. No, everyone does not need to hold hands and dance in a drum circle. I just hope that every man, woman and child has an opportunity to speak. I hope that all have food in their bellies, dreams in their heart, and power in their hands. I hope that one day everyone has not only a house, but a healthy, happy home. I hope that everyone has walks with shoes on their feet and that one day those shoes will be that of his neighbor...

Interests

Well, I, like many nowadays, spend far too much of my time in study and work. However, I highly value people and make sure that time is still made for socialisation and checking up on those I care about.
One of my primary interests is travel. My travel experiences have been predominantly in visiting family and close friends. I have family on 4 continents and in excess of 10 countries.
I love travel because no matter how familiar a place has become to me, there will always be something to surprise and amaze - whether pleasant or unpleasant. I have spent 2 months in Brazil over the course of multiple trips now and I have still seen only about 4% of the country. The country still has many more people to meet, beaches for bathing, places to eat, and futsal and volleyball games to join.
I also love small travel - going to the beach, going on mountain tracks and visiting family who live nearer me. I am as comfortable in the countryside as I am in the metropolitan megaopolis. I have roots in both worlds and I wouldn't be the person I am without the two.
I love the arts. I enjoy going to museums, to art galleries, attending opera theatre and watching works in independent film. I come from a musically-inclined family and as such I grew up constantly hearing singing, both solo and choral performance. Again, having an international background I was exposed to a diverse range of cultural musical traditions from ancient Hawaiian chant to soulful Portuguese fado.
My father was also a consummate athlete achieving high marks in wrestling, American football and judo in the States. I participated in football, basketball, volleyball, swimming, wrestling and American football. I follow closely with European and Latin football teams and New Zealand's rugby scene as well. Since 2006, I have also participated in New Zealand's pioneer American football programme.
I cannot speak about my interests without saying a piece about FOOD.
Food is a divine thing, without a shadow of a doubt. It is something that people gather over. It is synonymous with good company and good times. Food can nourish, but can in its own right, be nothing short of an art. Food can also be a science with precise measurements and careful methodical process. With its symphony of spices and layered flavours or its remarkable simplicity, it can also be music. Food is wonderful. The varied culinary background of my heritage is also inspiration for my interest in cooking and gastronomy. A common Hawaiian adage says that "If you enjoy eating, you will be a good cook. Don't trust a skinny chef."

• arts
• culture
• poetry
• singing
• performing arts
• beauty
• perfumes
• dancing
• education
• dining
• cooking
• athlete
• flying
• politics
• traveling
• drawing
• music
• opera
• skiing
• basketball
• wrestling
• american football
• soccer
• rugby
• track and field
• volleyball
• swimming
• business
• teaching
• science
• beaches
• lakes

Music, Movies, and Books

I love movies, music and books that inspire, incite, ignite and invite!

If it's art, I like it...but "What IS art?"
Asking that question is just one more reason I love "art" ;)

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

From the sun-kissed shores of Hawaii to the gargantuan monuments to the gods, my ancestors have always loved the sun. I am near-obsessed with sunset scenes. Every time I travel, I enjoy watching the sunset and awaiting the poetry it recites to me. I have yet to see a sunset that is exactly the same as another.
One of the best sunsets was one that I saw while in Bora Bora, Tahiti. What made it so beautiful was that it was a moment comprised of many elements. I was swimming in the cool, tranquil waters of Baïe de Fa'anui and the sky was ablaze with pink, orange, lavender and gold. The clouds were a combination of high, wispy clouds and rolling billows. And the combined mountain and sea breezes made the bay awash with the fragrance of jasmine, vanilla, tiare, and frangipani.

Another moment that left me awestruck was watching the sunrise from the summit of Mauna Kea Hawaii's Big Island. After taking the track up with some friends at 4am we went tramping and stargazing. The air is so crisp, clean and COLD there - one of only three places in Hawaii where there is ever snowfall. As the sun rose, the colours were layered with green, gold, red and orange and it was beautifully reflected in tinges in the clouds. The cold eventually was eventually lessened as the first of the day's sun rays peeked out. I must remark again about the beautiful air quality and serenity of the summit. It is so clear and clean that you can almost hear the ice crackle with the sun's rise and layers of different shades of blue throughout the day once the sun has risen. It is quite an experience.

Another moment that left me awestruck took place in Gunma, Central Honshu, Japan. This moment is particularly interesting and comical in a sense because it is seemingly sandwiched between two moments that were rather harrowing. I had gone out skiing one morning and had to cross one slope to get to another. As I was crossing, my skis slipped and I found myself going downhill at a grade far steeper than I intended to ski. I was flying down a black-diamond slope when I had intended to be on a leisurely red-diamond piste. Fortunately a trainer/attendant came and helped me. Later, after skiing on my intended red-diamond slope I sat on a hillside, admiring the beauty of the Japanese pine forests. It was beautiful with its contrast against the white peaks and lakes of deep blue. The second unfortunate bit was when I became disoriented during a sudden blizzard. It was but a brief time, but it was enough to catch me off guard and shake me up a bit, as I was quite some distance from the resort.

In an artistic and metaphysical way I like to find moments that are truly significant and then "forget" to capture it on photo - it adds to the mana (Hawaiian for "spiritual power or energy") to the moment and artistically then it is "lost" and therefore remains in the memory forever. It also gives me an excuse to make repeat trips or, pilgrimages, rather.

Teach, Learn, Share

I can teach and I can learn.
By spending time with me you will learn that you are a teacher, you will learn about who you are as a teacher. I will teach you about who I am as student.

Countries I’ve Visited

Brazil, Canada, French Polynesia, Japan, New Zealand, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Spain, United Kingdom, United States

Countries I’ve Lived In

Mexico, New Zealand, United States