The summer was full of ups and downs and I don’t know if I could’ve gotten through it without being at Ho’okua’āina three days a week. Uncle dean and Aunty Michelle, as well as the staff, provided a welcoming place of learning and growth, a community, a family. They understand that mental, physical, and spiritual well-being are equally important and it shows in their values. I thought I was going to learn how to cultivate kalo, which I did, but more importantly, I learned how I can better grow as a person. I couldn’t be more thankful for this opportunity and place.
How to harvest and clean kalo as well as plant and fertilize. How to balance important aspects of my life such as spirituality, mental, and physical state of being. How connection to place allows for a deeper connection to self. I gained strength, physical and mental. When to focus and work hard and when to engage with those around you. All of these things have helped me in my everyday life.
