From the Owners

Noriko and I would like to thank you for your interest in our programs. We have worked very hard since 2001 to create an unforgettable experience here on Hawaii's Big Island. The school has undergone many changes since it's first class in 2002 but all of those changes have been for the better and our promise is to continually work for the betterment of our student's experience.

There are many great schools, great teachers and amazing experiences out there, and everyone is looking for something different. I encourage you to follow your passions and explore this fantastic reality within which we find ourselves, and most of all do what feels right for you.

My wife and I come from a background of spending many years outside of the United States, of pursuing hobbies (cooking, music, sports, history, etc) with passion and of taking the time to ground ourselves spiritually.

The Big Island of Hawaii offers us a location, a vibration, in which we can pursue our bliss while helping other find theirs. We married here in 1996, gave birth to and are raising our three children here, and we continue to enjoy the exploration of the island, the depth of the culture and the unique energy that flows from this amazing island.

In this setting our commitment has been to share with our students places and experiences that posses a certain kind of positive energy. We also chose carefully the people who introduce it to you. When it is all said and done the net result is a feeling of being well tuned, in harmony with the world and yourself. Learning to speak another language is to learn about yourself, to challenge what you know, to grow, to gain knowledge and experiences and friends that would otherwise be closed to you. It is an expansion of your world view and your own cultural sensibility.

Our host families are chosen carefully to reflect island hospitality. Occasionally there is a personality mismatch (to be expected) but it is rare. We want you to become family, to tap into the true rhythm of Big Island life and in so doing again experience the island in a deeper way. A Hawaii homestay is truly the best way to experience the local lifestyle in it's purest form.

We believe that English programs with no classroom time that just talk and go places are not so great...with the right teacher your classroom time makes all of the difference. Also beware of schools that focus only on the class. No matter how great a particular text book may claim to be...it is nothing if the students are not properly prepared to accept the information and apply it to their real lives.

Our training focuses on you, helps you to see clearly what tools are at your disposal and what directions your studies can take. Life is complex...every student learns in different ways and for different reasons. Ultimately you must be the manager of your own English program. We teach you how to be your own English teacher, how to take control and make English an enjoyable part of your daily life and at the same time we reinforce these ideas in real life through our activities.

An easy example is surfing. How many hundreds of students have I driven to the surfing class, white in the face nervous. Yet they reach inside and find courage, they rise to meet the challenge and are so happy when they do actually surf. By doing this they are learning or remembering important life skills that all apply to their classroom studies. Finding courage, overcoming challenges, all have real and practical applications to our English learning.

When I teach my students that they are amazing, have unlimited potential, and then they view a sky full of stars at 4000 meters or see the Earth form from molten lava before their eyes they remember these words, they experience in their body, in the language of nature, an intuitive understanding of the world and their place in it, and there is no deeper learning than this. By weaving these different forms of learning together we can create life-long change and growth and a new paradigm of second language acquisition while having a lot of fun.

I tell all of my students during orientation that this is a vacation-study program. That's 100% vacation and 100% study. Relaxed, stress free, enjoying every moment and yet with antenna up and eyes wide open to absorb the world around us. This is a philosophy, a way of thinking and living, a set of habits that support our commitment to lifelong growth and learning.

All of these larger spiritual issues are essential for sustained learning. Of course we don't stop there. Once we understand our powers then we learn specific practical techniques gathered from over 20 years of active teaching experience. We study Basics, delve into the elements of style and learn the true meaning of presentation. If you are a willing and able student we can change your English (Change your thinking about what English is...) in 2 weeks more than most schools can in years.

When all is said and done, we are growing UEA little by little, keeping our class sizes small, focusing on personal care and maintaining the original goal as reflected in our mission statement: Positively enhancing lives through Hawaiian Culture, nature and English communication.

We would be honored if you would spend some time with us in Hawaii...a time we are sure you will never forget.

with Aloha,

Matt & Noriko Carter