Pearl Harbor

Aloha! Today is Thursday April 11th and we had another amazing day in paradise. We went to Pearl Harbor and we learned a little bit more about World War II in the USA. It was pretty cool because most of the students are learning about that on American history, it was nice to have the chance to see it and to understand the American pride. It is a serious place because it means a lot to Amerca and the history of the world. We had the chance to go to the USS Missouri battleship and to see how the people worked on the ship and how they fought for their country. We also had free time to go shopping or to the beach which we enjoyed a lot.

After this amazing day we ate dinner at the top of the hotel with a view of the whole beach of Waikiki and it was one of the most beautiful views we have ever seen.  We ha a lot of fun hanging out after dinner.

After this incredible day we are looking forward to tomorrow which is gonna be our last day here in Hawaii and we are not ready to say goodbye!

Mahalo and see ya tomorrow!

Luisa - Brazil
Pamela - Colombia
Ragnhild - Norway



Still living the Hawaiian Dream!

Our day today was more or less a fun and relaxing one; in the morning, we separated into two groups and went either snorkeling at Hanauma Bay or hiking Diamond Head. During our time at the beach, everybody enjoyed observing beautiful fish and even turtles, swimming through the reef right at the beach. And whenever one needed a break, working on a nice Hawaii tan sounded like a great idea. Meanwhile, the other half of our group walked up Diamond Head and enjoyed the breathtaking view on Oahu. After everybody returned to the hotel, we had some free time to prepare ourselves for the evening trip to the Ala Moana Center, one of the largest open air shopping centers in the world. A lot of us went crazy over the about 300 shops and bought quite a few goodies. Afterwards, we had an amazing shrimp dinner at “Bubba Gump”, which is a very authentic restaurant about the movie “Forrest Gump”. All in all, we had another wonderful day on the dream island Hawaii.

Svenja from Germany



Another Day in Paradise!

Today we went to one of the most beautiful beach in Hawaii and maybe in the world! Awesome is not an enough strong word to describe what we saw. It was so beautiful that there is no picture that can show the beautiful landscape! Today was the third day and we still meet new people and had new friend! Tanning, swimming, laying or playing never felt so good. It wasn’t so hot, it was perfect!  Seeing what we saw today will be ingrained forever in our memory! I never saw a blue water like that with those waves they were so high, warm sand under out feet, the wind just enough to keep us fresh! And going to Hard Rock Café was also an interesting experience, never forget about that! The atmosphere was incredible. We couldn’t ask or expect more about today, it was awesome, nothing more to say!

Kevin, Belgium

Exploring the North Shore and Polynesia!

Today was an amazing day!

Today was only Tuesday and we've done so many exciting things. We did some sight seeing today of different places in Oahu. We saw the Iolani Palace and State Capitol Building. After that we headed over to the Dole Plantation. Here we got our Hawaiian names engraved on bracelets and tried the Pineapple Whip. It was so yummy!

After we headed to a surf town called Haleiwa where we got to shop around and eat lunch, then headed over to the beach. The waves were so big that they had caution tape all around the beach!

Lastly, we headed to the Polynesian Cultural Center. This was my favorite part of the trip so far! We learned about different islands of Polynesia and watched different shows at each island. There was also ukulele lessons and boat rides! We ate dinner at the buffet here and tried different Hawaiian foods.

After dinner we watched the show 'Ha' The Breath of Life. There were hula dancers and crazy fire dancers. They were the best fire dancers I've ever seen! They even sat on the fire!

All I can say is that today was the best experience ever and I can't wait for the rest of the week!

Jessica - USA

Sunny Sunday!

Our first day in paradise was incredible. After yesterday`s long plane-rides, we were all ready to get on and about with our day and explore the island. Some of us woke up early to get our breakfast and bring it on the beach, while others ate by the pool on the hotel. After a breakfast consisting of fruit, muffins, and Hawaiian-flavored yoghurt (coconut, papaya, pineapple…) 90 excited teenagers were ready to hit the beach. We were divided into smaller groups to do different activities. While some participants tried to ride the famous waves of Hawaii, others spotted octopuses, dolphins, whales, and sea-turtles on a catamaran trip. We spent the day changing between these activities so that everyone got to surf the waves, ride the catamaran, and just tan on the beach. After a looong day swimming in saltwater, everyone was ready to get in the shower and wash off the sand. Several of the Scandinavians got a reminder that applying sunscreen here is extremely important because the sun is actually a little bit stronger here than up in the cold North. We ended the day with delicious pizza and some evening shopping. I think we all had a fun time talking about experiences from our exchange years, and making friends from all over the world.

Kristin and Marielle from Norway

Ale from Mexico

ALOHA!

ALOHA! 

Get ready for a week in paradise...the Hawaiian Expedition is here! With its breathtaking natural beauty, its never-ending list of fun and exciting things to do, and its spirit of "aloha," Hawaii is a dream destination for anyone!

We will be staying in beautiful Waikiki on the island of Oahu, and we will spend each day exploring a new and fascinating aspect of Hawaii's unique culture.

Join us as we test our surfing abilities, celebrate in a traditional luau, and hike to one of the island's best-known lookout points. We'll come face-to-face with Hawaii's rich history...and maybe even a sea turtle or two! And along the way, we'll get to know each other, forming friendships to last beyond our week together.

This will be our day-to-day journal... each day, you'll get news, information and pictures from the students. Join us on our adventure!