During the program, we studied a wide range of subjects while in Hawaii; I studied marine biology, Hawaiian history, sustainable farming, leadership styles, social changes, fish anatomy, and lastly I studied the substrate of the beach we were living on as part of my science project. I learned so much at this program, but I will share the most important ideas. I learned that sustainable farming and living is extremely hard and requires hard work, but it is not as impossible as we make it seem. I also learned about different leadership styles, and how there are several types of leaders that all have flaws and advantages to them. Finally, I also learned about the importance of coral reefs and how diverse Hawaii is with their marine life. 
My first day was unique, it was as if I had landed on a completely different universe, so many strangers surrounded me to greet me and were all so friendly and welcoming. Quickly as we piled into the vans to reach our destination, Kilauea Military Camp, and I got to know everyone who was in my van in a matter of two hours. It was just mind blowing and I did not ever expect that strangers could be so affable. 

The most surprising thing is how quickly we are all bonding, it is only our third day and already we are all speaking and playing games all on our own to get to know each other even more. It is so crazy to me how I can get to know so many people in such a short amount of time and actually care for them. 
Many events impacted me while at the program. However, I would have to say the most significant was when I visited a sustainable farm by a couple named Lynn and Jeff and they had shared their story with every single one of us. It was admirable to see how they could carry about their lives in a farm absolutely every thing they ate was produced by them. They tried so many times after failed attempts to keep their farm sustainable and it was a humbling experience to see how they lived. I wish I had the strength to live my life one day like they do. 
I realized that we take a lot of things for granted and we do not necessarily stop to realize the beauty in the nature around us. It is astonishing how much we do not use in nature and how we overuse things we can never get back. The importance of living a sustainable life, and now I want to share all that I learned with all my friends to try and save the resources we still have left and create a cleaner environment for us all. 
I already have recommended this program to one of my friends because not only is it amazing because it was in Hawaii, but it allows you to learn so much you never knew you could know and even allows you to discover certain parts of yourself you never knew. It pushes you out of your comfort zone, as you will be camping with people you have never met before, use outdoor showers, use compost toilets, have no electricity, and so much more!