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    I.C.E. Internships

WEEKLY GOALS, ACTIVITIES, AND ASSIGNMENTS

Week One
Our group will meet in Hilo and set up a base camp between the city and Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. During our first week, we will cover a variety of topics aimed at introducing you to the Hawaiian Islands. An initial emphasis will be put on building group community and teaching various camping skills. This will be followed by day hikes and scheduled lectures on Hawaiian customs, geography, climate, and volcanoes. We will split our time between Hilo and the Park, utilizing the resources of both places.

Academic goals:

Geology and volcanism in the Hawaiian Islands

Hawaiian mythology, including modern Pele belief systems

Group living and problem solving skills

Introduction to Hawaiian human history

Geography of Hawaii

Modern Hawaiian cultural study

Outdoor living skills

Week Two
Continuing our stay at Volcanoes National Park, we will embark on a backcountry trip to a coastal wilderness site. Participants will continue to investigate Hawaiian oceanography and the effects of human impact on island biogeography. Archeological studies will focus on the petroglyphs of Pu'u Loa, the most extensive rock art site in the Hawaiian island chain. In addition, we will practice nature observation and discuss indigenous perceptions of the natural world. Following the backcountry hike, we will take a day off and set aside time to do laundry.

Topics of Study:

Human history of Hawaii

Petroglyphic art forms of ancient Hawaii

Backcountry skills

Introduction to oceanography

Nature observation

Week Three
This week takes us to the Kona Coast and several sites around the dry side of the island. Together we will study coral reef environments with a university-trained marine biologist. You will have a chance to learn about the symbiotic nature of corals, reef fishes, and the surrounding ocean substrate. Ample opportunity will be provided to snorkel and swim in Hawaii's offshore waters.

Topics of Study:

Archaeology of the Kona district

Ethnobotany

Threats to Hawaii's native ecosystems (feral pig, invasive plant study)

Wilderness philosophies

Weeks Four
Our final Big Island hike takes us into the backcountry to visit Waipio and Waimanu Valleys. Specifically, we will consider the impact of the feral pig on Hawaii's endangered ecosystems. Land managers and pig hunters have long been at odds over the role of the pig in Hawaii's forests. For some, pigs are an important cultural link to old Hawaii; for others, the ecological damage they inflict makes them destructive aliens to the native landscape. Supplementing our inquiry will be an overview of Hawaiian literature.

Topics of Study:

Island biogeography

Threats to Hawaii's native ecosystem (feral pig, invasive plants)

Wilderness philosophies

Nature observation techniques

Hawaiian literature

Weeks Five, and Six
During this time period, participants will take part in an internship in one of three fields: 1) marine biology (assistance with cetacean--humpback whale and dolphin--shore-based research with a reef ecology component); 2) children's advocacy (work with underprivileged children); or 3) rainforest reforestation (tropical forest rehabilitation).

Week Seven
After the final week of internship study, Semester in the South Seas officially closes its door, or tents (as the case may be) for 8 days. This is a period for individual exploration prior to the final weeks of field study. In some instances, participants may choose to continue in their volunteer effort, if available. In the past, others have chosen to become dive certified--I.C.E. can set this with a popular dive company in Kailua-Kona. Or, participants may travel to different islands to see the sights. Usually participants wait until they meet new friends on the program before deciding where they will go and with whom. For participants or parents uncomfortable with this much freedom, we can suggest hostel/hotel accommodations in Hilo. (As our office is located in Hilo, we are nearby in cases of emergency.) All costs associated with transportation, housing, and/or certification during the week must be budgeted for separately, as there are no official I.C.E.-sponsored activities. I.C.E. will provide 2 inter-island tickets to continue with the program itinerary: one to get to Kauai, and one to fly back to Honolulu for return flights home. During this "off" week, you may choose to embark on extended travel, using one of the tickets to fly to Oahu or another island, and the second to get to Kauai to resume the program. However, if you utilize this option, you will be responsible for your flight from Kauai back to Honolulu.

Week Eight
Participants arrive on Kauai to camp at one of the state's most impressive beach parks. Here, an introduction to the geography of the island will be presented. Next, we move inland for a workshop and volunteer effort in Koke`e State Park. Overlooking Waimea Canyon, the Grand Canyon of the Pacific, students will lend a hand in an invasive species eradication effort high in the rainforest. In the evenings, individual presentation sessions allow participants to share and receive group feedback on their internship experiences.

Academic goals:

Geography of Kauai

Rainforest preservation effort

Group living and problem solving skills

Student Presentation of Internship Experiences

Week Nine

We will embark on a 5-day backcountry trip along the famed Na Pali Coast Trail. This remote area of Kauai contains numerous archeological sites, as well as extensive stands of lowland tropical forest and pristine costal environments. This experience of wilderness travel, coupled with a study of ethics and the wilderness preservation movement, sharpens the academic focus of the course.

Topics of Study:

Hawaiian religion and mythology

Ethnobotany

Basic lowland botany

La`au Lapa`au (Native uses of Hawaiian plants)

Backcountry travel and living skills

Wilderness philosophies

OPTIONAL WEEKS: Ten to Twelve
As the course winds down, participants will have a chance to reflect upon their growing comprehension of the complex ties that bind the natural environment to Hawaiian culture, ecology, and political/sovereignty issues. Planned activities wrap up this intellectually and physically intense educational experience. Participants' developing capacity to synthesize theoretical material with applied approaches, practical understanding and group cooperation will continue to serve them in their academic and employment endeavors.

Course Conclusion
I.C.E. has an agreement with Koke`e State Park and can arrange for a volunteer effort in the Park for participants wishing to stay on beyond the program's end. This is a low cost option that features 4 days of forest restoration work during the week. The work is physical and takes place deep in the rainforest. You may opt to volunteer for 1-3 weeks. This is a great way to contribute to saving Hawaii's forests. I.C.E. will do the set up for this option free of charge.

*PLEASE NOTE
The above schedule is subject to change. We rely on university instructors and outside speakers, and their dates of availability may change from one program to the next. We will cover the majority of topics listed above during each course. However, you should allow for some flexibility as to the order in which these topics are presented.