Today, we broke up into small groups and talked about the literal mountains, valleys, rivers, oceans, winds, and rains in our lives (accompanying hula optional). It was a very insightful experience. In the Hawaiian tradition, health not only includes the physical well-being of the body, but also one's connections to the heavens, ancestors, and the land. Because the concept of aina is so important in Hawaii, we had a brief discussion of what these six basic elements meant to us. In essence, we "talked story." I learned that one of my classmates would hike with her parents in the mountains of Aina Haina almost everyday. Another sailed the Ala Wai. A third lived along a river in Vietnam where houses were often built from leaves. While we all have unique stories to tell, our connections to the basic elements of Old Hawaii are remarkably similar. Finding this common ground allowed us to open up to each other and communicate effectively. I hope that I am able to carry this lesson into my practice, because after all, primary care is a lot of talking story across cultural borders.