Today’s summer school technology training debacle brought back memories of my very first day as a Kamehameha employee. Everyone remembers their first day. Mine is hard to forget….

The week before my first day, my manager (let’s call him Dan) called me. He said, “Al, I know it’ll be your first day, but would you mind flying out to the Hawai’i Campus for training?”

“No problem!” I thought to myself, I need all the training I can get. Little did I know, I was supposed to give the training, not receive it….

My first day: wanting to make a good first impression, I arrive at the airport at 4:45am. Back then, the inter-island terminal’s parking structure opened at 5am. Not knowing this, I turned around and parked in the Mahalo Airlines parking lot. I walked it back to the terminal huffing and puffing.

I sat at the gate and waited for my colleagues (let’s call them Davin & Momi.) 5:00, 5:15, 5:30, I waited. At 5:45, passesengers started boarding. I had to make a quick decision. Do I get on the plane not knowing where to go or what to do, or do I call in sick on my first day? Finally, Davin & Momi arrive as the “last call” announcement is made. Phew.

We had breakfast at Ken’s House of Pancakes. Little did I know, this was to be the highlight of my day….

We arrive at the newly built Kamehameha Schools Hawai’i Campus. The campus is grand, spacious, and pristine. We set-up, say a pule, get introduced, and then my adventure begins. Everything moves in slow-motion. My portion of the training is on Microsoft PowerPoint. Easy. Only thing, I’m a Mac guy. The Hawai’i teachers are all on PCs. They also have the brand new version. Back in the DOE, I was using the old stuff. Here we go….

“Aloha! My name is Al. Welcome to the wonderful world of PowerPoint! You and your students are gonna create amazing presentations! First, you go here….oh. Hmm. Wait. No, first you click here…. Oh? Uh, then let’s do this. Um, let’s click here…. oh. OK, here’s a trick.” (I show them something flashy.) All right, I’m good now. “Now move your cursor down here to… OH. OK, Then you do this…. oh….?” (Before OMG, I think I invented “Oh?”)

Minutes seemed like hours. Finally, like a good UFC referee, Momi stepped in to protect the beaten fighter. “Thanks Al! Can I also mention a few things?” (Everything that happened after that was a blur.) The gracious teachers at Hawai’i Campus thanked us and told me that they couldn’t believe this was only my first day. Unless my unconscious body got up and delivered a morsel of good training, I don’t know what they were talking about. Of course, they are genuinely nice people.

Through the years, it all came back full-circle today. The difference? I can laugh now. LOL….