For more than 20 years, I used to teach veterinarian assistants how to do blood analysis. Yet, since 2003 my husband and I come every year from Switzerland all the way to Oahu. My husband followed his dream to do research on the herpes virus that causes the tumors in honu, the green sea turtles. Meanwhile, I hiked quite a few hikes and visited the botanical gardens. But once I had seen all the beautiful beaches of Oahu, I was happy to do something else and learn something new. Thus, since 2008 I enjoy the opportunity to being a volunteer on Coconut Island. The volunteer work gives me the opportunity to meet great people, being part of them and their interesting work.
On one of my tours in January 2011, I was leading a group “Diagnostic Treatment Facility Clients”. A man, approximately 30 years old, did neither ask one single question nor did he speak to anybody on the tour. Frankly, sometimes I thought he was bored. But then, on the boat trip back to Lilipuna, he sat next to me and after a while he looked at me and said: “Thank you very much for spending your time with me.”
That’s what makes volunteer work special and worth doing it.
I love Coconut Island and the people there. Thank you very much for letting me be a part of you.
I will come back!
Silvia
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