Jules Ung, IT & Events Facilitator
As we document our reflections and perceptions through time, we are able to weave a story together for future generations. With social media applications, we are creating a multitude of shared experiences, collaborative documentaries, and connections which are intuitive and seamless. Our geographic boundaries are dissolving and our ability to connect across the world is astounding.
For the UH Hilo Conference Center, this is particularly empowering as we have served as a hub of scientific and academic event coordination for over two decades! Connecting brilliant minds across continents to support groundbreaking research and scientific developments is a responsibility that we think is awesome. Additionally, it is a privilege to support the Hawaiian EDventure programs which are based in sustainable tourism and the preservation of Hawaiian culture.
I have worked with the UH Hilo Conference Center for the past nine years, and since early 2010, I have worked remotely from various locations: a year in the Netherlands; two years in Berkeley, CA; a month in Abu Dhabi, UAE; and currently in Columbia, MD. Cloud computing and social media applications have empowered me to work seamlessly while enabling mobility across continents and time zones. Regardless of my physical location, I remain grounded in Hawai‘i, interfacing with locals on a daily basis, and serving the communities in which I was born and raised. With international experience in Japan, England, Europe, and the Continental U.S., I can honestly say that while many of the places I’ve lived have been enchanting and gorgeous, nothing in the world compares to the breathtaking beauty of the Hawaiian Islands; the aloha of our kūpuna, or the “mana” (power) of the land and ocean.
There is a primal energy of Hawai‘i Island that resonates through your soul and awakens your spirit as you inhale; perhaps you are overlooking a sea cliff on the windward side of the island when a hump-backed whale breaches; perhaps you are at the summit of Maunakea, gazing at the horizon as the sun sets and the stars emerge in the crisp clear atmosphere of high altitude; perhaps you are overlooking the rim of Halema‘uma‘u Crater in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park, chanting E Ala ē to awaken the sun when an ʻio (native Hawaiian hawk) graces you with her presence; perhaps you are tasting the sweetness of an ʻulu (breadfruit) picked ripe and steamed to perfection, as you exhale into a moment of gratitude.
There are moments when the powers of creation and destruction remind us that life is short, life is sweet; Let’s write our stories and connect on many different levels as we experience this life together.
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