Home again home again

. . . but not looking forward to work! Eddie and I could get used to living in Hawaii for awhile. I'd like to figure out a way to stay over there for a month. I realize that I say that every time I travel . . .

Anyway, we had a wonderful time with wonderful hosts. Arna, Renee's partner, was wonderful about helping Eddie with the boogie board on Sunday. We saw a turtle again from a distance. Renee helped, too, and she was trying to coax me a little bit further into the ocean to see the fish, but it seemed to me that the waves were a bit stronger there. I didn't quite have the confidence to go further. So, Renee gave me and Eddie an assignment for next time: learn how to swim better!

Sunday night, we had dinner with her colleagues and had an interesting discussion of things like indigenous epistemology, education, folklore, and anthropology. One woman says that "anthropology is a dying discipline; unless, of course, an indigenous person uses it". I think what she means is that the type of anthropology that grew out of colonialism is dying and the only way it can survive is if anthropologists study their own cultures. She said that when that happens, then it becomes sociology. I disagreed and said that sociology usually looks at larger social processes; anthropology's strength is looking at a micro-level - anthropologists actually talk to people. I should have also added that anthropology is more holistic than other disciplines - it tries to understand the impact of economics, politics, etc., on a group's culture and vice versa. It was a good discussion and one that gave me quite a bit of food for thought.

I caught a cold - Sunday night, I noticed a slight sore throat. Monday morning, I had to pack and I could feel of congestion. It's a cold now. Slightly stuffy nose. A slight cough. A slight headache when I woke up this morning. I took 1000mg of Vitamin C before bed and slept fairly well. I'll take more this morning and also Airborne or something else.

A big "iliGanamik" (King Island Inupiaq for "thank you") to Renee and Arna, Renee's parents, and everyone else I met in Hawaii. We had a wonderful time!

I teach today at noon ... and then a meeting at Eddie's school. Then, rest rest rest. Happy Tuesday everyone!