Lua: Learning and Loving

Welcome to a real look at life at Brigham Young University–Hawaii.

In this podcast, we talk about how to apply, what helps you get in, and what to expect when you arrive. We keep it honest about student life being far from home, managing school and work, and adjusting to a campus full of different cultures.

We also talk about real challenges, like U.S. visa issues that have affected students from places like Tonga and Fiji, and how that impacts who gets the chance to come.

And yes, we talk about dating too. The pressure, the culture, and what it’s really like on a small campus where everyone knows everyone.

This podcast is for anyone thinking about BYU–Hawaii or already living it. It’s real, simple, and straight to the point.

Streaming now and connect with us online @thirdwatchpodcast

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Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:03

And welcome to the third one. Welcome back, everybody. Another week. Man, how was your week? How's it been since last time? Oh, it's been good so far, you know. I got a little bit rich with my together jobs. I got to purchase a beautiful uh Kingdom of Tonga. Yes. Made in China. But if you look in Sanamo, uh we're looking at Samoa. You know, we're very basic human beings in San Mora. Basic, yeah. Uh we don't worry about the materialistic things. We just got myself a fan, um, and then my salmon t-shirt. So we're we're good, man. Forget about your salmon English. Don't worry, we're happy, we're just happy people, you know. But yes, today we're gonna have some fun. Yeah, we're gonna be talking about a fascinating topic.

SPEAKER_00 0:53

Very fascinating with this with the school. There we go, yeah. School, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 1:03

But it'll be entertaining, yeah. Yeah, it will be. We're gonna be talking about our university, the Brigham Young University of Hawaii, yeah, and how it influences the Pacific, right, as well as the Asian room. You know, it's it's more than just an institution, it's a means whereby we can become better. Right. Because it's it it's not just uh one university. In the church, there's three universities. Well, there's actually four. There's Breakham Young Hawaii, sorry University in Hawaii, and Purville, and there's one in Idaho, and then there's BYU part of Pathways, yeah. So yeah, no, it's um it's amazing. It's amazing to be part of it, and it's not just one school, it's four multiple schools. Exactly. We're all working together to keep us together as one. But for those of you that don't know out there, Brigham Mill University is an established institution where the one in Hawaii is specifically for the Pacific people and those in the Asian rim. Right, right. Because they saw the needs of us. You know, this was established way back in the 1960s, and so we love No, I thought you were gonna make uh make a joke about my age. So I gave you the look I was like, oh no. No, no. No, but keep going, keep going, sorry. I know you were there when they groundbreaker. Uh but it was uh established with the vision from one of our uh prophets in the Latter-day Saints or the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Church and envisioned a school or university here. And so this was specifically designed for Polynesia because at the time there weren't a lot of tertiary opportunities for Polynesians. No. You know, probably most likely just New Zealand had uh a university at the time. And so there was a way for them to come here to gain tertiary education, to gain their to gain their bachelor's degrees, and then go back home and implement their skills in those communities. So that's why it was here for, and that's why it's very attractive for Polynesian people as well as those in the Asian rim to come here, gain an opportunity that they otherwise would not have, and then make their communities better. Yeah. Yeah, and I think that's why um one of the reasons why I love Biwi Hawaii because it's not just about school, it's more than that, right? It's about building our own little community and and lifting where we stand. So yeah. Exactly. So now with that background, why? Why did you choose BYUH? Um, well that that like I mentioned, that was one of the reasons I think for me as well. When I left my mission after my mission, I never had any thoughts of studying um after my mission. So but then you know, from my mission I've kind of learned about gaining education as well as um the importance of knowledge. So I naturally after like towards the end of my mission, I applied and I wanted to come school here. So me last time that I studied was was nine years before that. So last time I studied was 2020 2014. That was a long time ago. Um and then having to come back into um into school, it was a it was an exciting opportunity, but as well as a scary opportunity at the same time. Uh but B-Way Hawaii really offered the opportunity to be able to study, but as well as be in an environment that would help me strengthen my testimony, um, and and still live the gospel. Wow. And being in the same environment with other people that are striving for the same thing, of the same values, same standards as well. So what about you? Yeah, similar reasons. I besides being uh uh coerced by my uh companion over here, I wanted to strive for education in some way or form. I didn't know I was gonna come all the way to Hawaii to achieve that dream. But when I saw that it was like, you know, pretty much a full-right scholarship, if you don't know, if you are selected in the iWork program, scholarship program, you're able to have basically most of your tuition uh paid for. Yeah, covered. Covered. Yeah. Which it which you know covers your accommodation, tuition, insurance, all of that good stuff. There are certain costs that we will talk about later that you have to prepare for as well. But initially it's it's an amazing opportunity, and you are well subsidized, which is awesome. Yeah. And so I took that opportunity because my my uh monetary standards back then wasn't really high. You know, I was still kind of pretty pretty broke, and so this was kind of a you wasn't pretty broke, we were broke. Well, then to expose that my life, but uh yeah, pretty much and so this was the viable opportunity um for me. But in that same, how was it? Was it pretty easy for you to get in? Or um was very easy actually. Uh not saying that um it was an easy, you know, a few clicks here submit and then you'll give you an answer straight away. Oh, yeah, because I know they were looking for older couples. So you must have fallen on the older singles. Yeah, no. So the process is um it's not as bad as I thought it would be, but applying for it, it's it's fairly easy. I think they've made it easier for us to be able to apply, and they've considered the islands as well. Don't have much access to internet or online, so they've made it easier for us to submit an application. Once you submit the application, then you'll get an acceptance litter, letter, letter. Wow, so it's it's working universally. Uh you get an acceptance letter, um, and then from there, really just get the ball rolling, getting your visa, getting everything sorted, your plane tickets, and then you're man, just like that, you're here. You're you're in Hawaii. So it wasn't a scary process because your ward or your or your congregation back at home really helps out with that process as well. Because you have to get permission, not permission, but you have to get the um the backing of your bishop as well as your stick president. So really it just a whole process that makes it easier for us to be able to come and apply and come here to be with Hawaii. And that's made made possible through your church leaders, your community, as well as from the school as well. So Yeah, wow. Sounds like for you. It was it was pretty similar. As long as you have you know a pretty good record of achievement. Even if you uh record of achievement, okay. But even if you haven't done well in school, they still have ways for you to come to BYUH or BYUI or BYU Provo through the BYU pathways. Yeah. So BYU Pathways is predominantly an online class where it allows you to I haven't done it, you've done the pathways program. Yeah, so so prior to me coming, I wanted I didn't need a when I submitted my record of learning, like you mentioned, I didn't need to do other additional things for me to get in or to reach, I guess, the minimum entrance to BOE Hawaii. So because I've had enough credits, I just wanted to sort of do BYU pathway for me to sort of get back into the habits of studies, you know, having to spend time on a computer, having to sort of learn how to type, how to purchase a computer. So with all those things came into play. I was grateful that I was to be part of the BYU Pathway because it allowed me and took me time to get used to the different system because by then school was online, Canvas, you know, having to get used to Zoom. So really it was not only adjusting to that environment of the school, but as well as the other technologies that have come you know through since. Definitely. Yeah. So that's for those of us that think, oh man, we did terrible in school. BYU Pathways is there to help you learn the skills necessary for college, as well as to help you, you know, gain your foundational understanding of the basic subjects. So that when you come here, it's not as much of a shock to you. So for me it was pretty simple, same thing, same process. Visa is so important. Book it early and try and get it. I was like my apologies. I delayed that, I procrastinated it, and I nearly, nearly didn't make it on the plane. I lost my yes, I lost my form, my DS 2019, woof and I had to get there. But we survived clearly, we are here and we are enjoying Hawaii, yeah. Yes, definitely. Um, so going on with what you said that you mentioned before about the numbers as well as like cost. So we are part of the iWork Scholarship. For those that don't know, do you want to give a quick rundown of what iWork Scholarship is all about and what it kind of entails and like school fees as well in general? Yeah, so the iWork Scholarship, as I said, is uh those that are selected as most predominantly international students. Well, actually, it's only international students that come from the Asian Rim and the Pacific. So Asian Rim, Philippines, Japan, Indonesia, countries like that, as well as in the Pacific, Tonga Tuvaru, Samoa, all of those countries can apply for the iWork scholarship. And if they uh reach the criteria or the requirements for the scholarship, then you will have your tuition pretty much paid. Yeah? Yeah. The only uh as part of the conditions for iWork, you have to work for a minimum of 19 hours a week. So you're part-time, and part of that pay will come towards paying your tuition off. But the portion that is sponsored and paid for is way larger than our contribution ourselves that we work for. So IWork, we are required to work 19 hours during the semester per week, and then we can work up to 40 hours if your job allows it in the breaks. And as I said, a portion of your pay will be paid off, but they still leave you enough to buy your amenities and your groceries and things like that that are not covered by iWork. Yeah. Um because of the because of it, there are definite restrictions for certain things in terms of travel, like you have to give a lot of notice. And I believe the only the maximum you can leave is about two weeks at a time for iWork. But for what it pays for, for what it provides you, it is uh it is worth it. Yeah. And then one thing I'll add into that is the family contribution part as well. I think it's very important when you when you come to school, it's not just a you thing, I think it's a community thing, it's a collective thing with your family. So there is a part that your family can contribute to that cost, and like you mentioned, it comes nowhere near what the university offers. I think when I looked at it, it was like a hundred and eighty thousand dollars all up for us to be here. Um that's the cost of you know, scholarship, um, tuition, food, our accommodation, everything that is so they've really the university has made it easier for us to be here so that our focus really just goes straight to our studies rather than worrying about the financial part. So your family really can contribute to uh that family contribution, but there's also other opportunities where you can work and pay off that family contribution. It is divided up into three semesters because that's how many semesters we have, um, and that's how you know how how it is. So for example, if someone is paying a thousand dollars a year, let's say for example, it's a thousand a year for your family contribution. That thousand dollars is divided up into three uh different semesters for the year. So you're not paying a whole thousand and and one semester. I mean you could, but you didn't have to. They've kind of divided up for you. So that's what quick math, how much is that? 333 um per semester. So so yeah, and that's it. And it depends on your family situation too. If your family have certain things, like a lot of people on the mission or someone may be on medical leave, then they'll consider that in your application. So some of us may have a thousand dollars a year, some of us may have more, may have less. Yeah. But it's all dependent on your situation and they preferably consider that stuff too. And that's why I think for me it's important to be here in Hawaii and and just the expectation that I've had uh since coming to school. I've lowered my lowered my expectation of of what I need and just live, you know, through basic things. We don't need a lot of things, right? We don't need a fancy watch here and there, we don't need, you know, things that others can afford. Yeah. Where us we're here just to really basically live in accordance with what we have, and as well as support from the school. Man, there's so many support. Uh what do you think? There's a lot of resources around the school, or is there not a lot of resources for the school? Oh, there's heaps. But I think as students we just don't like to use them. Like the library, there's so many resources here reading, writing lab. You have your faculty that are always there to help you with your studies, a lot of TAs. And there's so many different nights. There's grad school prep night, there's internship night, there's all of these clubs that are wanting to help you succeed. So there's a lot of there's a lot of support, but whether we actually utilize them is the is where the discernment is. But our work is amazing. Like I remember when I came and I thought it was just a bunch of rules, and I felt so limited. Yeah. I felt like I was in a trap, you know? But uh when I thought about it and realized, wow, this is actually a serious commitment to actually come here and having other sponsors or as well as the church help prov subsidize my education, it allow it allows me and it and it motivates me to become better, to study harder, so that I can then be an asset to my community back home. Yeah. Instead of being that mum. That kind of brings me to the next question um that I was thinking about um going from a religious school versus a public or private school. Is there any difference in in the two? I mean, obviously there is in terms of religion and but what is the fear because you've been through public as well as private school, and in now religious schools, so how does it I guess what it differ from the other two? Yeah, I mean that's a big question, you know. A lot of people hear BYUH and think, oh, that's the that's the Mormon school, that's the Mormon university. But it is not, it it's definitely uh sponsored and and was founded by the Audius Church, but its resources aren't limited just to its members. Yeah. There's a there's a lot of students here that are not members of our faith but choose to come here. Um but the only thing that differs is the expectations. So with you know, your public school, every every uh institution has their own different rules. Yeah. And public school is more like, you know, don't do this, don't do this, don't do this, respect this. But with uh this uh unique uh BYOH uh school or university, it's a lot of uh bigger principles that they are trying to teach you to become uh a better person, not necessarily you know, become a member of the church of the of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It's just to become a generally better person. You know, to conduct yourself in a better way. So we have something called an honor code where you know they they set out specific rules and ways to help teach you respect of other people's privacy, of other people's cultures, it uh and a lot of it is influenced by the doctrines of the church. But the doctrines of the church aren't unique to the church, it's more so that it's uh teaching principles that we all should really learn to love one another, to support one another, and things like that. Yeah, and I think to add on to that, I think to r standards that are really we are really keeping as church members. So I think it's it's nothing new, it's just that it's just been enforced in a university um space where a lot of our students have to kind of abide by, right? And I mean, I agree with some, I don't agree with some. Um but we're not gonna go into the details of what, you know, which one I agree with. But there are some that I definitely think is there for a reason. Reason of safety, not only physically, but as well as spiritually, um, and as well as making sure that we're we're in a safe environment, not only for ourselves, but for others as well. We come from different countries, and like we've heard before, it's the only school where you study and travel at the same time because you're learning from other students around, right? And if I'm studying, I'm in the class with people from the Philippines, from Mongolia, China, Fiji. So we may not have the same background upbringing, but we have the same church or the same values, values of of spirituality. So because of that, it it kind of allows for the environment to be able to facilitate not only to me but to other people as well. So I think for me, yes to some uh well yes to honor code, but there's some that I disagree with based off different I guess situation. Yeah, it's not it's never um a one size fit all kind of thing. I mean one size We know Tanoa goes big size over there, but it's it's about uh being able to sort of look at it you know through different situations. So I mean something that would applicable to me as a salmon from Australia is different than what it would be for someone from the Philippines from from Mongolia. So again, it's one of those things where I agree with some, but I don't agree with some. Which ones? To be continued, cancel his visa, everybody. Um, yeah, man. So given that we have so many cultures, so many countries or streams from different countries, what do you think of the recent band uh by the US government? I mean, not to sort of get into politics or anything, even though I love politics. But what do you think of the band um that was imposed by the US government? It's interesting. I I was talking to a few Tongan students, um, because Tonga is on the ban list for certain specific visas. And Fiji as well? Fiji, I think Tuvalu is. Those are the only Polynesian countries that I know of. There might be more. Yeah. Or the status may have changed by the time we implement this video. But right now they've they've banned uh J1, I think F1 students as well from coming into the US because of the overstayer rates. Yeah. Now it's a classic stigma. Overstayers, it's the same predicament back at home in New Zealand back in the day with the dawn raids. Right, right. And and now, you know, with ice and everything going on, it's quite a touchy subject. But for me, there's there's two perspectives that I see. Right? There's a ban, it's easy to label Tonga and Fiji as, oh, they're just a bunch of students that didn't want to leave the country. They just run off and marry a pa lung and go have a family. Right. And although there may be cases like that. Oh, there's definitely cases like that. Especially for the 'cause we can run. But for it's easy to label us as that. But if you look at the actual statistics, Dong A, Fiji, Tuvalu, they're a very, very small percentage of the whole population are overstayers. Yeah. But because it's in relation to our population within the US, our percentages are higher. Higher, right, right. Um and uh one of the I can't remember which I'm talking about. Inokize Inoke kind of gave a presentation on that. Yeah. Just because we may have, I think, around 6.5% that are overstaying, which is over the threshold in the US, it's a very, very small number, I think 150 to 160. But if you look at other countries, they may have uh a million of them here, but only maybe nine thousand of them. Yeah. Like say for France, I'm pretty sure they have like over a million people here, but there's about nine thousand five hundred overstaires. Which is a smaller percentage of the actual. Which you if you make it in percentage. But nine nine. So there's this distortion that is putting this image on Tonga as people just wanting to stay and use illegal resources and things like that. So I want to clarify that that it's not just the numbers, there's a lot behind it. But also what I feel of it for for Donga in a sense, what I felt was it was an opportunity for Donga to fight its uh monarchical and its parliamentary system to come together to to fight for Donga's stance here. You know, to have more uh political activity with the US. Now I keep up to that with Tonga's politics. I know I think they've already had meetings about it, about the ban and things like that. But what I heard from the uh students as well was that this is a time for Tonga to process what it can do as a country. Okay, here we are, this is the consequences of some people's actions. What can we do to hold ourselves high, to generate our own educational systems to have the same opportunities as America so we don't have to keep shifting all of our, you know, uh good students and those that all can be an asset to society away from us. How can we keep them there? How can we learn from our mistakes and become a better society as a whole? So those are the things that I learned from it. Yeah, and and I think this is the consequence of uh of that policy, right? So now future students are not able to come and study here at BOE Hawaii. So really it's just emb you know it's stopping and and preventing some of those students, and it cover kind of infringed onto the mission of the church as well as the mission of the school, providing quality education to the Pacific as well as Asia Room of students to develop their own country. So by all means, I I don't I don't disagree with America and their stance on on their borders and as well as um this band. I think I would agree with it as well if I was American. Um but I think at the same time we as Polynesian islands need to do more, like you mentioned, in terms of government. So we need to do more and ensuring that when our people come here, they have an incentive to come back to these islands and to have a job, better opportunity to be able to develop their country as well. So so by all means, I don't I don't disagree with the ban. I if anything, I would support it. Others may say otherwise. Um we're just trying to get rid of other talkers. So there's a middle name I no, but as a as a political science chair, um I think if it's you know uh um America's doing what it's best for its people and for its country, so I don't I don't see it as a that's more of a realist overview over here. He's a realist, I'm more of a liberal myself. Oh, but look, it's it's one of those things where that our islands need to do more. And and I think that's such a true statement. Not only for Tonga, but like for other islands. I think we need to step up. I think we've contributed a lot to getting people here, getting people here, but not getting them getting them back. Get them back. So providing jobs, opportunities, infrastructure, infrastructure. So we're not developing our country enough to for them to come back. Yeah. Um so that's what I think of the whole ban and everything, and kind of fringing onto that. So but you did mention about marriage. Did I? I think you did. Um so a lot of our students, you know, they've come and they've dated and um and they're married off to pretty much anyone here. So what do you what do you uh what do you think of the dating scene here in America or maybe Hawaii? Oh, it's weird. It's weird. How's it weird? Well, uh to compare, I feel like in New Zealand in general, when you take someone on a date and you're dating to marry. Once you're in that stage, you pretty much want that boy or girl. Yeah. But over here in the US here in the US, they date for the sake of dating. And so there's a conflict of interest, especially when an American is dating a Polynesian, you know what I mean? Right. Um, but um I it I guess it works, really. It's it's yeah, it's weird, but it works. There's a high rate of marriages that I have been in pretty quick. Yeah, and what's the uh what's the title? The fastest I've seen is within two months, you know what I mean? They've proposed uh after the one month and they got married in the second month. Nah, I think you're right. Uh the dating scene is different here. And I because of the different perspectives and the different cultures of dating that we grew up in, more old school, yeah. Well, I'm more old school in in in terms of the approach to dating, right? So I prefer to sort of approach them in person. Um I would prefer to sort of, you know. Take them, gauge the room. Uh sculpt the scenery actually. But that's the more of the old I I guess the old way of dating. So but it's definitely different. For America, it's become more of a cultural thing that everyone just goes on date for the sake of getting a meal in the house. You know, to the point of like I've heard some girls say that you know they've scheduled different dates for other week so they can get a meal.

SPEAKER_00 27:29

Like, it shouldn't have to be a meal when you're like if you want to meal you, it seems like you've been in a lot of dates.

SPEAKER_01 27:42

I think it's it shouldn't have to be about the meal, it should be about the person. I think you're right as well. Because we already know of each other because we're sort of in a similar island, so we kind of know the group of friends that we're in. So because of that, it kind of leans straight to married or dating to be married, right? So because it's bold to be public about yourself. Oh I'm very bold. Because either you you know get it right or get it wrong, and then you're gonna lose a friend. That's a big thing that once you go public, D, good luck with your life, right? Because you better go through, otherwise everyone's gonna talk about you. Um speaking for prisons, no good. The day is good. I think both are good in their own way, yeah, and they relate to the environment that they're in. Yeah, yeah. But when it comes to people UH, I think for boys, well, talking to a lot of girls, yeah. You talk to my girls. Um, so for those that look at them. Sorry, babe, I love you. I'm just saying But like talking to a lot of women, yeah. Let me change it to women. They always say that the men don't want to approach them. Yeah, they're too scared to ask them out. Like, oh, usually we get recommended, like, oh man, hey, uh so-and-so likes you over there. And and then the girls are like, Well, then tell them to come ask me. I'm not gonna go after him, you know what I mean? Yeah, to the point where it annoys them. I feel like the boys here need to kind of step up their game. See, but this is where I come from a different approach. I would say the girl needs to also do the approaching. I I see that. Like, yeah, I think I think you know, sometimes right we we've learned on the mission, Revelation is a two it's a two-way thing. It's not just a one-way thing. If you felt something and if you've you know you've been inspired to ask me out on a date, let me know.

SPEAKER_00 29:51

Like, let me know. Like Please! Like, here's my number.

SPEAKER_01 29:59

But like, I think you know, girls need to sort of do the same as well. Now, I do think it's a whole cultural shift. It's a whole cultural shift, you know. Y'all want equality, you gotta but it's it's something that I think, you know, it's a it's a collective thing. We need to we need to do this together. If you're gonna ask me on a date, it's nothing, you know. I mean, it's gonna boost our ego a little bit. It must be, you know, it must be something I'm doing right or I look a bit different. But in saying that, I think girls should do the approaching as well, not just the men. So, but in saying that, hey, dating is dating, man. Dating. Whatever works for you, you know, works for you as well. So Well, I would say, I would say that the the boys need to have more courage to ask the girls. Yeah, because in in Bi Way Hawaii, there's actually more female than the male. So we should be dating two girls at a time. And how many that you dating? No bad. Anyway, that's enough talking for today. And and it just that that is be why you wait, and uh that is what it offers. It's a fun environment. Your lover here, it's not going to be the easiest thing because your family aren't here, and we're such community-based people. Yeah, but when you look around to your neighbors, you realize they're all suffering together, and there's something beautiful about suffering together, it makes it a lot easier. Yeah, so realize that you don't have to carry your burden alone if you do come here, and the opportunities that will arise because of you coming to Hawaii is amazing. And if not, the bare minimum, you get to be in Hawaii. Yeah, I mean, being here in paradise is another I guess incentive and part of the the privilege that we get to study and be Hawaii. So if anyone that wants to come to school or not sure about it, just come. Like, I mean, if you don't like it, you can always go back home. You don't have to stay here. But if anything, apply, come and check it out for yourself. And if you like it, you like it. If you don't, it's all good. Book a trip, man. Come to Hawaii, come and check it out for yourself first. And if you like it, you like the environment, then hey, by all means, come and stay and get an education, I guess. Come and date. That's the first one, yeah. Get an education. But even more important than that is we're becoming better people. Yeah, we're becoming better leaders and disciples of Jesus Christ. If we can do that, then the school has served its mission for us. Otherwise, come have some fun at the Polynesian Cultural Center. Both of us work there. Yeah, portable guys. Yeah, we're both tour guys. We're both working at the Polynesian Cultural Center. So, and that's another thing about being a student, right? You get to work at the Polynesian Cultural Center. You don't have to, but you can work at the Polynesian Cultural Center. So about 85%, 80 to 85% of the workers that are students. And you have different jobs, man. I love I don't know about you, but I love being a tour guide. Wow, you really do, eh? I think because I because I study political science as well as Pacific Studies, it kind of offers me an opportunity to share what I've learned in classrooms. So and I love it. I mean, I love people, so hopefully that will sort of turn into a different care uh to into a career, uh, whether it be with I don't know, running as a politician. Oh, breaking news. Oh breaking news, you'll be walking as a politician. That's all the time we have here for today, but yes, we are talking guys. That's all the time we have. We have a lot of time. Sorry, yeah. No, um, thank you for being here, man. I mean, if you have any questions, let us know in the comments. Um, anyway, please follow us on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, YouTube. We have all these platforms we can come and enjoy some more cool content where we laugh and we talk about things that are important to our people, yeah? Yeah, and if you have any topics or anything that you want us to discuss or want our perspective on, let us know as well. Happy to sort of talk about anything church related, culture related, related to school, whatever, food related. Ooh, he got so excited. Look at him. Anything that you know that you want us to talk about, we'd love to talk about those things as well. But apart from that, I lover. Yeah, Malo Abito.