Personal Narrative: My Experience With Pacific Islanders

To fully explain my experience with Pacific Islanders, and specifically the people from the nations within the reigion of Micronesia, I have to give some background on myself. I grew up in Hilo, Hawaii and attended Kamehameha School Keaʻau. I moved to Oʻahu as soon as I graduated to gain work experience in the health care setting. Luckily, I got a night job at the Queenʻs Medical Center (QMC) which allowed me to work on my BA in Public Health. About a year ago I left QMC and began to work at Straub Doctors on Call, a clinic that provides after hour urgent care services in Waikiki. When I left QMC as an employee I was able to start an internship in the Native Hawaiian Health Program at the Queens Medical Center. Through work, school, and

Iʻve done service learning projects with Kamehameha schools in Lanaʻi, Molokaʻi and Hawaiʻi. The kupuna that lead and taught during these service learning projects were diverse in ethnic origin. A common theme was that Hawaiʻi was never alone in the Pacific. Hawaiʻi has influences from other nations within Polynesia, Melenesia, and Micronesia. I wouldnʻt say this is where I got hands on experience working one on with people from the nations within Micronesia. Nevertheless, this where I learned a lot of my own cultural values about Native Hawaiians. At this time I also worked with alot of Native Hawaiians as I danced Hula at school and outside of school with Hālau Nā Lei Hiwahiwa ʻo Kuʻualoha. One of my highlights while dancing Hula was performance that we did for a large group of Māori visitors that was touring the Islands. When they shared their own Waiata I was shocked because I could understand snipets because of the similarity in language. In highschool I really developed the mindset that Pacific Islanders are a just a large family. Non-Hawaiian Pacific Islanders were just cousins, nothing more or less that what we were, speaking from a Native Hawaiian

I really miss my old job at QMC, helping families get back onto their feet. Even if Iʻm just watching children in the shelters, I would be happy to be a part of assisting these families in getting to a better place. I have heard about these experiences of being in homeless shelters from my patients at Queens but now Iʻll actually be able to see for myself what it is really like in those shelter. So far, my interactions has been professionally based in educational institution or a health care facility. I may have a difficult time connecting with individuals because I will actually be going to their home, and I donʻt have experience with that. In terms of prospective service learning in this class I want to work at the Homeless Shelter in Kakaʻako. When I do go to the Kakaʻako homeless shelter, I plan to introduce my respectfully and kindly to the families. When introducing myself iʻd tell them my name, where I am from, my status as public health student, and my future goals of improving the health and well-being of everyone in our community. I think when they introduce themselves to me they may be hesitant to do so because of who I am, what I look like, and my position as someone helping them. Therefor, I may not ask a lot if they donʻt seem comfortable sharing, and if they do not