Island Night Show

Hi Everyone! I have posted a video clip from the Island Night Show. To view it, click on the first link on the right-hand side of this webpage. Be sure to turn your volume up in order to hear the incredible drumming in the background. I hope you enjoy!

Good-bye, Island Paradise!

Needless to say, we were all sad to leave Rarotonga the following morning, especially since we had to wake up by 5 AM. Nevertheless, I had the most incredible time there and I would love to go back one day. It was definitely my island paradise.

Sun Worshipers

On our final day in Rarotonga, we spent the entire day lounging on the beach. We couldn't have asked for a more beautiful day!

Whale Research Centre

Among the lectures that we attended while on the island was one given by Nan Hauser. She is one of the world's premier scientists in the marine biology field. She studies the behavior of humpback whales along with other marine life including dolphins. She's a phenomenal woman who studied everything from art to medicine in school and not until later in life did she find her passion for marine science (she really gave me a sense of hope that I too will figure out what I want to do some day). Nan is an American, originally from Maine; she moved to Rarotonga in order to learn more about the migration patterns of humpback whales that frequent the island's coast during the winter. Here is a picture of her Whale Research Centre.

Thanksgiving...Already?

Later that night, we were treated to an island night feast and show. It was a highly commercialized and touristy event, as most of the people in the audience were visitors from New Zealand and Europe. The food and performance were good nonetheless. Dinner that night was buffet style and everything was yummy including the taro (an indigenous potato) and rukau (a spinach-like dish made from the leaves of the taro plant). However, dessert was the crown and glory of the event. Any and every kind of dessert you could image was there. By the time we all finished our two platefuls of food that night, most of us could have been rolled back to the hotel. We were stuffed, uncomfortable, and getting an onset of the sleepies. It was just like Thanksgiving and it really made us sentimental for the holidays.

Colonel Sanders

Roosters are in abundance on the island. As a matter of fact, we were all awoken to the cock-a-doodle-doos of a rooster at 5:18 AM the morning after we arrived. Needless to see, few of us received an adequate amount of sleep that night. Anyways, on our hike to The Needle, we encountered a random foul who literally guided us to the to the top of the mountain. I dubbed him Colonel Sanders.

A View from the Top

Once we reached the top, the views were incredible - we could see the entire island and the coast on either side of us. Here I am with Sass (aka Jessica) who is also a native Floridian hailing from Boca Raton.

Tramp-tastic

Thankfully this tramping trip was a breeze compared to the first one I did at the beginning of the semester. My group and I hiked to the base of The Needle, Rarotonga's highest point. We were taken on a guided tour of the island's jungle by Gerald McCormack, Director of Natural Heritage Project. He gave us a lecture on the island's geological and ecological composition (as impressive as that all sounds, I don't remember any of it). The paths were treacherous at times yet nonetheless doable. Once we reached The Needle's base, we ate lunch and also had the option of climbing to the very top of the rocky structure. I valued my life too much so I decided to stay behind along with a few other wise people.

Shake What Your Mama Gave You!

The following day, my group and I attended a beginner's dance class for kids and adults seeking to learn traditional Cook Island dancing. Boy, was it difficult! It was amazing to see children as small as six years-old who were capable of shaking their hips as well as the older dancers (that's about the age that kids begin to learn these native dances)! They did it with such ease while I, along with the rest of my friends, frantically tried to keep up. Some of the little girls were so good that they actually taught segments of the class. I learned that the rapid hip movements are not made by shaking your hips wildly but by bending your legs forwards and backwards in a swift motion while simultaneously shaking your butt. The goal is to keep your entire upper body isolated. Of course, it is not nearly as easy as it appears (or sounds). I certainly have a newfound appreciation for those who master that type of dance.

Cultural Exchange

On our second day in the Cooks, my group and I were treated to a traditional Cook Island dance performed by local school children. The dancing was very similar to the hula dances seen in Hawaii; the costumes were vibrant and colorful and the kids were amazing dancers. And they were only 13 years-old!

Island Paradise

Rarotonga is one of the most beautiful places I have ever visited. It's the quintessential tropical paradise - clear skies, warm, sunny weather, white sand, and the bluest water I have ever seen. We spent most of our first day lying on the beach and soaking up the sun.

Paradise Inn (No, Really)

Our hotel, the Paradise Inn, was a quaint and charming beachside resort. The property was actually managed by an American couple who moved to Rarotonga from Michigan. Foreigners, by law, cannot purchase land in the Cook Islands; it's the governement's way of preventing the privitization of land. Land is actually handed down from generation to generation and foreigners may lease property from locals for up to 60 years. One would be surprised to know that there is a large population of foreigners living in the Cook Islands, many of whom are from Europe and New Zealand.

Kia Orana, Rarotonga!

Upon arrival in the Cook Islands, our hotel staff greeted us at the airport with "a kaki" (Maori for lai) made entirely of gardenias, which smelled incredible. BTW, Kia Orana is a Cook Island Maori term for "live long" but it's also used as a greeting for good morning, good evening, and hello.