The morning after arriving home in New York, I woke to the sounds of bird chirping. I’m sure they do that every morning, but I don’t think I had noticed before—birds just weren’t my thing. Hearing the feathered friends outside my apartment transported me back to Midway, where I had fallen in love with the thousands of albatross chicks within sight of my window at Charlie Barracks, and the little pairs of highly endangered Laysan ducks waddling by.
My experience at Midway will not easily be forgotten. I even have my own battle scar—12 stitches will leave a mark! I learned so much in so many different areas including science, history, and culture. Who knew that short-tailed albatross flirt with decoys, or that an ecosystem can be dominated by apex predators? I fell in love with the albatross chicks as I got to know those that sat in the way of my daily travels, the first time in my memory that I have demonstrated even a remote interest in birds. I profoundly appreciated the presence of so much World War II history, and imagined the young men who sat in the middle of the Pacific, understanding the gravity of their mission while shaking in their boots and hearing terns and bombs shriek overhead. I also felt the tug of the spiritual and cultural connection. Understanding the importance of the kupuna islands makes Midway even more special.
As PAA participants, it is our kuleana to remember this place, to reflect on our journey, and to pay it forward so that the lessons of Midway will be far-reaching.
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