At the risk of sounding like captain obvious, I have to say it's pretty damn exciting to be back. Unlike the anxiety and stress of my first arrival last August, stepping off the plane this past Sunday in the warm, humid air felt remarkably like I was returning home, or at least to a place that I knew and loved. Putting my toes in the water and looking up at the southern starry sky, I thought for sure I was dreaming. After talking with a few of the other students who are also returning for a second trip, it seems like I'm not the only one to feel this way.

It's been a whirlwind week, as all 17 students arrived and settled in. Our classes in Tahitian oral traditions and knowledge systems started, and the planned excursions helped acclimate us to the city of Papeete and our own Punaauia neighborhood. A lot is familiar, places and faces I've seen before...

But the rules have changed this second time. I won't be the wide-eyed newbie I was last time. We'll have the chance to experience new things for sure, but I'll also get to re-experience activities and lessons through the eyes of others. What attitudes and perspectives will be challenged and changed throughout the quarter? What assumptions do we make about Tahiti, it's culture, people, and traditions? In what ways will what we learn here influence who we are when we return home? I've just begun to draft answers to some of these questions for myself; what can I learn from listening to the unique perspectives of some of the other students, not to mention the teachers and friends who help shape our experiences? There are so many questions rattling around in my head, but there's also a great deal of excitement.

In fact, I don't think there's anything I'm not excited about: to come back and see some of the amazing friends and teachers we met during the last trip; to get to know the other students better; to practice my video and photo skills; to learn a little more about research the the specifics of writing a proposal; and to spend as much time in the ocean, learning and exploring, as possible.

It's truly an amazing opportunity to participate this quarter, one that I am daily grateful for. It's gonna be awesome... :)

Up next -- First Impressions and the Unexpected