After an absence of 5 years due to the pandemic, our KS EdTech Conference finally relaunched! It was held on June 4th-5th at the Blaisdell Center, and it was a blast! Got to be the morning emcee and donned the “Wings of Innovation.”
We collaborated with HSTE to bring back Edcamp Honolulu as our pre-conference event. How cool is that?! It was great seeing all the familiar faces and reconnecting with great friends.
Photo credit Chris Kwok
The energy this year was amazing! Keiki Breaks opened our conference with street dancing.
We added a few new wrinkles to this year’s conference including Dj Jem spinning the music🎵 and having food trucks outside🚚 It was a nice treat!
Photo credit Chris Kwok
One of the overall highlights for me was the participation of the Kaimukī High School W.O.R.M.S. Club. Very inspirational kumu. Here is the list of the other sessions.
I was also able to give a presentation on language learning and tell my personal story in the format of a TED Talk.
There was a great vibe and great moments throughout the 2½ days. This impromptu jam sesh consisted of former KS Designer Gavon, Abe from The Ukulele Collective, and Kona and Cory from our AV Dept. Check out Twitter at x.com/ksedtech for more. #KSEdTech
Photo credit Chris Kwok
Love the friendly, intimate, cozy feel of our conference. Learned a lot and had an amazing, amazing time. See you next year!
Definitely not a fashionista haha, but there is one clothing brand that I do like. Ralph Lauren.
Travel wardrobe: Polo overshirt + Polo brushed cotton jeans.
Way, way back in college (photo unavailable,) Polo shirts became the in-thing. I had a few in pastel colors that included “plum” and “salmon” haha. Much, much later, a big factor in this affinity was due to living near the Waikele Premium Outlets. Bought my first navy blazer from the Polo Factory Store.
Now I have Ralph Lauren t-shirts, chinos, and socks. The t-shirts were all at half-price at TJ Maxx in the South Shore Market.
I also got a sport coat (for 帆花’s graduation,) a Herrington jacket, and a hoodie from Macy’s sales.
I even have a denim jacket, a flannel shirt, and a pair of black jeans. Everything I’ve ever purchased over the years was on sale (except for the socks and some of the chinos.)
The one mistake purchase was this alligator belt. I bought it when I was skinny🤣 I also bought it at regular price😭 Now it doesn’t fit, but I can’t toss it out either.
One of my best purchases was this RRL workshirt that I found on ebay at a great price. RRL (called “Double RL”) is Ralph Lauren’s western style clothing line.
And coming back full circle, I currently have a few Polo shirts. No pastel colors tho…
Stumbled upon a local, Japanese NPO that does a monthly beach cleanup at Ala Moana Magic Island. Thought it would be a great opportunity to make friends and practice 日本語、so I volunteered.
Walking over from home would also be great exercise. What a nice way to spend a morning enjoying Hawaii’s beauty & nature! Mālama da ‘āina!
Unfortunately, I slipped on the rocks and scraped up my elbow! I learned a new word, ころんじゃった🤣 As I was receiving first aid, the children lined up (walking sidewards) to get a glimpse of my injuries🤣 “Ojisan, daijoubu?” I said, “daijoubu” (I’m fine.) Unfortunately my first day was cut short, and I walked home covered in mud and Band-Aids.
Fortunately, I was able to get all of the stains out! Being that it was Patagonia, I couldn’t toss it. First, I scrubbed it with Dawn dishwashing liquid. Then I rinsed it and scrubbed it with Tide laundry detergent. This took nearly half-an-hour. Then I tossed it into the washer for a normal wash cycle. よかった！
Been enjoying my time helping out and making friends. Now if I can only stay upright…
Travel is my passion. And packing light is my mission. I only fly with one carry-on. So I guess you could call me, “a man who packs light.”
This is an update to my post from 2021. Not only have I refined my packing, but I’ve also narrowed down my destination to just Japan in the Spring and Fall seasons.
Why pack light? 1. To eliminate the possibility of lost or stolen luggage. I never check my bag. I just bring one carry-on. Because my vacations are usually short, losing luggage on Day 1 would pretty much ruin the trip.
2. To be mobile. As soon as I deplane, I’m out the terminal. Because my bag is a backpack, I don’t need to drop it off at a hotel or locker. I can go straight to the museum or café. I also do not use a “rolly” bag because of stairs in train stations.
How does minimalist packing work?
Two words, merino wool. Pricy upgrade, but merino wool eliminates the need to actually do laundry. It’s a magical fabric. This allows you to pack less clothes. Still, I bring more than enough outfits because of Instagram. I found a discount code on YouTube and bought the bundle to save money.
The Bag:
I’ve downsized to the Osprey Porter 30 travel backpack. It’s a little bigger than a ランドセル。The 46 liter one that I had previously (largest allowable carry-on at 22″ x 14″ x 9″) became too big and bulky for my needs. I like that the Porter opens fully, allowing access to all of your contents. Comes with stow away shoulder straps. I found a great deal on eBay, new w/out tags.
Packing Cubes:
Packing cubes help keep you organized. They compress your clothes and save a lotta space. I used to place a Bounce dryer sheet into each one, but heard that it’s not recommended for merino wool. And as you can see, I do like Osprey…
Travel Wardrobe:
I wear my bulky clothes on the plane. I rotate two pairs of dark jeans for short trips and three on longer trips. I’ve discovered that light wash jeans are a bit too casual for someone my age in Japan. I also wear my baseball cap on the flight to save space in my bag.
Shoes:
I only bring one pair. I know that this is the deal breaker for some. Although white sneakers would be best for a minimal, capsule wardrobe, I’m afraid that they can get wrecked on a trip. And because I walk about 9 miles per day on average in Tokyo, I opt for a comfortable pair of New Balance “dad shoes.”
Jacket:
Japan is quite comfortable in October, so I usually just bring two overshirts (see top photo.) March, however, is still cold in Japan. I’ll wear a light jacket and layer with Uniqlo HeatTech. I recently scored a Patagonia Nano Vest on eBay at half-price.
Dopp Kit:
I finally downsized to a sleaker toiletry kit from Aer. It has great organization and enough room to keep medicine and vitamins all in one place. This kit has a hook for hanging in case there’s no counter space.
Daysack:
I pack a light, collapsible daysack inside of my backpack. I always have an umbrella with me. I hate rain. The external water bottle compartment doubles as storage for a wet umbrella. I also carry toilet paper, just in case…
Tech:
My iPhone is the only device that I travel with. (And I work in tech!) No need for AC adapters in Japan. The only other “tech” I bring is a bottle opener.
The 3-1-1 Liquids Rule:
For carry-on luggage, you can only bring one quart size bag with travel-size containers up to 3.4 oz or 100 ml. Anything larger will need to be checked-in or be confiscated.
Tips & Hacks: • I print a copy of my passport for my bag, and I also email a copy to myself. • I have the AT&T International Day Pass for my iPhone. It costs $10 per day. • Fill out your travel information on Visit Japan Web and save time at Customs & Immigration. • Bring extra sanitizer wipes for the flight and instantly make friends with the passenger sitting next to you. • I have the electronic Suica IC Card on my Apple Wallet. Highly recommend! • I bring an ample supply of Airborne vitamins to stay healthy. • I pack spare disposable masks in my backpack and daysack in case the one I’m wearing breaks. • ChapStick & sunscreen are must-haves. Don’t forget the imodium! • No need to bring a water bottle or heavy flask. Vending machines are available everywhere. • Notify your bank that you’ll be using your ATM & charge cards abroad. • TSA pre√ is well worth the money. Take the express line and never take shoes off again.
Minimalism: Part of what makes you a minimalist is “doing without.” I do sacrifice a few things that a lot of people wouldn’t. I don’t bring slippers, shorts, or an iPad on my travels anymore. I also don’t go shopping on my trips. I’m too poor. All of my spending money is for food.
Conclusion: This kind of packing is not for everyone, but it does work. It’s so “freeing.” You should try it. Pack light…
Alan Tamayose 