Susan Hamada Yee

Get to Know Susan

Tell us a little about yourself.

I am married with 2 grown children. I try to live young by exercising my mind by meeting and talking with people and my body by doing body pump and body combat (great upper cut and round house kick!) 3-4 times a week. I also stay active by fostering animals for the Hawaiian Humane Society x 2009. I have care for over 3000 animals and only 2 foster failure puppies and 1 foster failure kitten as I ended up adopting them. I maintain an aquaponics system because all I have to do is feed the tilapia which provides some vegetables (I just like the challenge of growing things). Have recently gotten into plants and am better at maintaining them (Bragging rights: haven’t killed my plants in the last couple of years). I volunteer at the Visitor Aloha Society of Hawaii (VASH) doing mainly medical follow ups that tourist encounter. I am brushing up on my Japanese daily via Duolingo (am very competitive, trying to get to be number 1). I lived in Nuuanu and now Hawaii Kai (first graduating class at Kaiser High School).

What did you do for work before becoming a Tour Manager?

Was a Registered Nurse for 45 years. Worked 25 years at Straub and 20 years at Kaiser. Retired in 2023.

What are your hobbies? What do you like to do in your free time?

See above.

Where is your favorite place to travel? What is your favorite thing to do there?

I love all the South East Asia countries but especially Japan and seeing all the different seasons and trying all the different cuisines from each prefecture. The culture and people are so wonderful!

What do you like most about being a Tour Manager?

I love to travel but mainly I like connecting with our Tour Members from Hawaii. I always look forward to meeting new people. After talking stories with them, you always find a fun connection from each of our past and I learn so much from them. We truly are one big ohana plus Hawaii people are so easy to relate to.