Nighttime is different in Hawaii than it is on the mainland. It's, well, boring. Everything on this island is meant to be done during the day, when there is light and sunshine. I've never so literally discovered what it means to live in the light, and not of the darkness.
When the darkness lifts at 6:45 a.m., it's pure perfection. Morning is the absolute best time of day. There's a certain way the breeze comes through the windows, blowing gently to wake us up. The birds are exotic and beautiful and harmonious. You can wake up slowly in Hawaii...no need for an alarm. For the first time in my life, I love rising early! I never want to miss out on the beautiful mornings by sleeping till noon. (It gets too warm to sleep past ten anyway!)
By early afternoon, you have so many options. It's either a long bike ride in one of America's best beach towns, or perhaps it's going to the beach. Or maybe we feel like grabbing a book and sitting out in the sun in front of the house. There's hiking, swimming, running, exploring, kayaking, surfing, boogie boarding, beach-walking...endless possibilities in the afternoon! I'm not saying all this to make anyone jealous- just to clarify why I've come to appreciate light more than dark.
Everywhere I've lived in the Midwest, it was the exact opposite. Nighttime was the most valued part of the day because it gave us freedom- freedom from school, from work, from doing important things. In the summers we appreciated the night because it finally cooled down and the mugginess thinned. We always wanted to stay up late to drag out the day a little longer.
Here on this island, we strive to go to bed early so we can rise even earlier. What a huge difference! A difference that I love. We don't want to be tired for a day full of activities in the sun, so retiring early is a must.
Straying from my compare and contrasts of light and dark, night and day, I'll mention some other huge differences that have taken some getting used to.
1) Geckos! They are everywhere and they make loud ticking noises! It's not uncommon to see geckos on the ceiling, on the floor, or in the windows. And did I mention centipedes? They are my new great fear. To be bit by a centipede would be simply traumatic for a girl with no insurance...that bite requires a trip to the ER! And then there are man-o-wars, jellyfish, HUGE cockroaches, and other scary things that can do serious damage should they happen to sting you. However, there are no snakes or bears. And I have yet to see a large spider...just tons of tiny little ants...everywhere.
2) Which leads me to my next big difference: we HAVE to get used to ants being in everything we own. That does not limit food, hair, bodies, or bedsheets.
3) Crosswalks. If a person is waiting to cross a crosswalk, all cars must stop and let that person cross. If the car attemps to cross the sidewalk before the person is safely to the other side, they may very well be ticketed! Us bike riders and walkers really love this law.
4) Church- so community-based, despite their interesting worship songs. I guess they're only interesting to me...since I'm the new one! It has been so easy to make friends here, especially through church. Pete and I have already made two great friends named Joy and Andrew (married) and we can really see this relationship flourishing. Literally, people in our age group just comfortably walk up to us after (or during) church, introduce themselves, and dive right into becoming friends. I think it's wonderful to have people so comfortable with socializing and building relationships so purposefully! It's a little foreign to me. I've never been approached in church like I have been here.
5) Hawaiians are just so darn friendly. Not just the church folk, but passersby on the street as well! Everyone says, "How's it" and they do the head nod. But shaking hands is different...they do it really differently here than on the mainland. I can't quite describe it. On the mainland, you show your confidence by squeezing the said person's hand with great strength. Here, it's a feeble handshake and a big smile. Which is better? Who knows.
6) Cars do not represent status on the island. Most locals have cars that have scratches and bumps on it, or a car from an older year. If you do happen to see a mustang, it most likely is being rented out by a tourist. A lot of locals are afraid of robbery, so getting a super nice car is a little like asking for someone to steal your stuff.
7) "Aloha" really isn't said that much. :)
8) Literally, this island is 20 miles by 30 miles. Roadtrips are not an option. For a couple who has spent the last 5 or 6 years roadtripping to see family and friends almost every weekend, this is SUCH a relief! For some others on the island, they feel a little trapped. They want to drive farther than three hours (which is the time it takes to drive around the entire island). For Pete and me, we're ok with staying put. We now get a little annoyed with 30 minute drives!
9) I can't seem to find Dean's French Onion Dip here for my Lay's potato chips. This is a great tragedy. What am I supposed to snack on while watching movies or scrapbooking? (Sandee, only you understand how much this truly hurts my heart!)
10) There are two mountain ranges in Hawaii- the Koolaus and the Waianae range. We live in Kailua, between the Koolaus and the ocean. The biggest island of them all, which is actually named Hawai'i, has an active volcano in the region of Kona. There are days when the smoke from the volcano (called Vog- Volcanic Fog) is swept over to Oahu, and sends a haze over the island. They call it Kona Winds. The sun is blocked and everyone's allergies act up. The Koolaus are no longer visible when the vog gets bad enough. These are days that no one really enjoys because you can't see the majesty of the mountains or enjoy the rays of the sun. Lately, it's been really bad and I'm hoping it lifts soon.
That's all I can think of for now, but I know I'm bound to discover some others!
Miss you all and hope you're thinking of moving here...that's the only way it'd truly be paradise!
1.24.2010
1.21.2010
Our first week in Paradise!
Aloha!
We have officially lived our first week in Paradise! Seven days of swaying palm trees, blue skies, warm temperatures, bike rides, the beach...I don't think I could ever get tired of this. There's a neighbor who plays the piano every night, and it flows into our house. It's the sweetest time of night. When we go to sleep, we can hear waves crashing in the distance. However, the best time of day is the morning. All kinds of birds sing us awake, and the perfect breeze comes through the windows. Maybe it's jet lag or maybe our lifestyles are changing, but we're becoming early risers! It's just so good to be up in the morning. The temperature is perfect and the house is quiet. It is the best way to wake up and the most relaxing morning anyone could ever imagine. We're on the windward side of the island, and we get to see sunrises. The sun sets on the leeward side, which is where Honolulu is, so we see brilliant colors coming over the Koolaus mountains. The mountain ranges here are phenomenal! The Koolaus (Koh-oh-louz) are so steep and majestic. Oahu has some of the greatest landscapes I've seen, and it's all on an island that's 20 miles by 30 miles.
To better explore the island, we decided to get a car. Initially, we had planned to take busses, but after a few days of that, we changed our minds pretty quickly! It's a long drawn out story- how we got our car- but we saw the hand of God the whole way through! We started out paying $900 for a Honda Civic, but that car broke right before we took it home. (Thank goodness it didn't happen after we left.) The dealer offered us a better car at the same price- a Subaru station wagon. He must not have known that station wagons are our least favorite kind of car! Nevertheless, we test-drove it, talked about it, and felt it was a good decision to go ahead and buy it- and try to sell it soon in order to get a car we really want. It is a great beach car, has tons of room, and it will more than work for the time being.
Also, we have been so blessed to find employers. Within the first six days, we were both offered jobs. Pete is working at the swap meet (a market) in Honolulu, as a representative for a traveling club. Basically, he gives tourists discounted tours. And who doesn't want a discounted tour? After three interviews in two days, I was offered a job as a server at the new & upcoming California Pizza Kitchen in downtown Kailua (also known as Kailuatown). It's going to be awesome being a part of the team that sets up a brand new restaurant, and getting to be a server in that brand new restaurant. I told myself I was finished being a server, but this experience seems different. I think I could learn a lot and maybe move up in the company to a job I enjoy even more, somewhere in management. I want to learn everything I can about leading others and teaching others because ultimately, I'll need to know the basics for our Ranch someday. The Ultimate Dream of our Lifetime! :)
The cost of living is much higher here. We're learning to cut back in new places and save, save, save. (That's so hard with Jamba Juice and Yogurt Momma's on every block!) It has been such a blessing to be offered free housing for as long as we want with our Auntie Terri and Uncle Darwin. We are thinking of staying here about a month, but that one month is going to save us about a thousand dollars. We love this time we've been given with family. It's a full house! Auntie, Uncle, Uncle Barry, Grandma and Grandpa, Jessica, Pua (the dog!), me and Pete, and for this weekend, Russ. We absolutely love it and have been soaking up every moment of it.
We love going everywhere by bike. Even though we got a car, we're only going to use it for longer trips, and for Pete's ride to work in Honolulu. I'll ride my bike to work at CPK and anywhere else in Kailua. We are a 4 minute walk to the "best beach in Hawaii" which is AMAZING! As a matter of fact, me, Russ, Pete, and Jessica are getting up tomorrow morning to watch the sun rise over the beach. It's mornings like tomorrow that makes me wish I had all my friends and family here to share in the experience. We may have a few more joining the party...Ashley and Adam, two of our best friends from Springfield, are thinking of moving here in August with their dog Rambo!! That is just the most exciting news we could imagine! We are really trying to convince them to come and they are trying really hard to be convinced!
We have already met some great people through Jerome and Rebecca (who have been so AWESOME to hang out with!) and can't wait to spend more time with them. We've started attending a newlweds bible study and I hope to get to know everyone better with time.
Our first week in Kailua has brought us so much joy. I have much more to write- and some not so fun things to write about- but I'll save those for a later time. Even though this week has been amazing for Pete and myself, there are families that have fallen apart in the same week, thousands of people in Haiti have been killed by an indiscriminate earthquake, and hearts have been broken by thoughts of divorce. All in the matter of a week. All I can think to say is- Jesus could have divorced us when we wronged him in all ways possible, but instead, he gave His LIFE for us.
And I'm so grateful for that.
We have officially lived our first week in Paradise! Seven days of swaying palm trees, blue skies, warm temperatures, bike rides, the beach...I don't think I could ever get tired of this. There's a neighbor who plays the piano every night, and it flows into our house. It's the sweetest time of night. When we go to sleep, we can hear waves crashing in the distance. However, the best time of day is the morning. All kinds of birds sing us awake, and the perfect breeze comes through the windows. Maybe it's jet lag or maybe our lifestyles are changing, but we're becoming early risers! It's just so good to be up in the morning. The temperature is perfect and the house is quiet. It is the best way to wake up and the most relaxing morning anyone could ever imagine. We're on the windward side of the island, and we get to see sunrises. The sun sets on the leeward side, which is where Honolulu is, so we see brilliant colors coming over the Koolaus mountains. The mountain ranges here are phenomenal! The Koolaus (Koh-oh-louz) are so steep and majestic. Oahu has some of the greatest landscapes I've seen, and it's all on an island that's 20 miles by 30 miles.
To better explore the island, we decided to get a car. Initially, we had planned to take busses, but after a few days of that, we changed our minds pretty quickly! It's a long drawn out story- how we got our car- but we saw the hand of God the whole way through! We started out paying $900 for a Honda Civic, but that car broke right before we took it home. (Thank goodness it didn't happen after we left.) The dealer offered us a better car at the same price- a Subaru station wagon. He must not have known that station wagons are our least favorite kind of car! Nevertheless, we test-drove it, talked about it, and felt it was a good decision to go ahead and buy it- and try to sell it soon in order to get a car we really want. It is a great beach car, has tons of room, and it will more than work for the time being.
Also, we have been so blessed to find employers. Within the first six days, we were both offered jobs. Pete is working at the swap meet (a market) in Honolulu, as a representative for a traveling club. Basically, he gives tourists discounted tours. And who doesn't want a discounted tour? After three interviews in two days, I was offered a job as a server at the new & upcoming California Pizza Kitchen in downtown Kailua (also known as Kailuatown). It's going to be awesome being a part of the team that sets up a brand new restaurant, and getting to be a server in that brand new restaurant. I told myself I was finished being a server, but this experience seems different. I think I could learn a lot and maybe move up in the company to a job I enjoy even more, somewhere in management. I want to learn everything I can about leading others and teaching others because ultimately, I'll need to know the basics for our Ranch someday. The Ultimate Dream of our Lifetime! :)
The cost of living is much higher here. We're learning to cut back in new places and save, save, save. (That's so hard with Jamba Juice and Yogurt Momma's on every block!) It has been such a blessing to be offered free housing for as long as we want with our Auntie Terri and Uncle Darwin. We are thinking of staying here about a month, but that one month is going to save us about a thousand dollars. We love this time we've been given with family. It's a full house! Auntie, Uncle, Uncle Barry, Grandma and Grandpa, Jessica, Pua (the dog!), me and Pete, and for this weekend, Russ. We absolutely love it and have been soaking up every moment of it.
We love going everywhere by bike. Even though we got a car, we're only going to use it for longer trips, and for Pete's ride to work in Honolulu. I'll ride my bike to work at CPK and anywhere else in Kailua. We are a 4 minute walk to the "best beach in Hawaii" which is AMAZING! As a matter of fact, me, Russ, Pete, and Jessica are getting up tomorrow morning to watch the sun rise over the beach. It's mornings like tomorrow that makes me wish I had all my friends and family here to share in the experience. We may have a few more joining the party...Ashley and Adam, two of our best friends from Springfield, are thinking of moving here in August with their dog Rambo!! That is just the most exciting news we could imagine! We are really trying to convince them to come and they are trying really hard to be convinced!
We have already met some great people through Jerome and Rebecca (who have been so AWESOME to hang out with!) and can't wait to spend more time with them. We've started attending a newlweds bible study and I hope to get to know everyone better with time.
Our first week in Kailua has brought us so much joy. I have much more to write- and some not so fun things to write about- but I'll save those for a later time. Even though this week has been amazing for Pete and myself, there are families that have fallen apart in the same week, thousands of people in Haiti have been killed by an indiscriminate earthquake, and hearts have been broken by thoughts of divorce. All in the matter of a week. All I can think to say is- Jesus could have divorced us when we wronged him in all ways possible, but instead, he gave His LIFE for us.
And I'm so grateful for that.
1.04.2010
Some thoughts on obedience & other ignored ideas
I've been doing some thinking. Actually, I've mostly been doing some listening and that listening has provoked some thinking. So watch out.
Philippians 2:3-4 says, "Don't be selfish; don't try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others." This verse tempts my case of Squeezers vs. End-Sitters. Just keep reading...I'll explain.
But before I explain, I've got just one question. Why is it that when I walk into church every Sunday, I always have to squeeze past people sitting on the ends to find a seat in the middle? Granted, I'm usually late so all the end seats are taken, but why can't people and their families just sit in the middle in the first place to allow easier access for those who come in after them? This has been a battle since the beginning of my church-going days. It's a very petty battle and not one that I'm going to get angry at anyone about, but doesn't it strike anyone else as funny that the one place that is full of people who are told to put others before themselves...Don't?
Don't get me wrong. In my younger and more prompt church-going days, I've been guilty of this crime just as much as the next person. Welll, maybe a little less so because my church was small and only five people fit in a pew...but I bet you anything that if I grew up in a big church with long pews, I'd be an End-Sitter. I'd be ready to get up and run out of church to socialize with my friends and go to places that were way more fun. Isn't that why people sit on the ends? Now that I've married into a family that can't seem to get to places on time (I actually really love the inability), I'm on the opposite end of the spectrum. I'm now a Squeezer. And I hate it. Especially when you're in a church where you don't know anyone but the people you're with- and you have to squeeze past all these annoyed strangers. Just like in a movie theatre, but at least those people aren't assumed to be Christians.
I really love taking small scenarios like this and expanding them into a bigger picture. Maybe it's dramatic of me, maybe it's not. Maybe it's entertaining for you, or maybe you're an End-Sitter so you think I'm annoying. Maybe not. In either case, I think that this time, I have a valid point that maybe us Christians should be a little more obedient, and start thinking about others as more important than ourselves.
Obedience. I think that this is how we show our love for the Lord. By being obedient to Him. Isn't that what Jesus did? "He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross." (Phil. 2:8) And because of His obedience, God "highly exalted him, and bestowed on him the name which is above every other name" (Phil. 2:9).
Now if that's not a reward, I don't know what is. No one is asking me to meet my Maker face to face today, but when I do, I hope he doesn't ask me why I couldn't move to the middle.
Philippians 2:3-4 says, "Don't be selfish; don't try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others." This verse tempts my case of Squeezers vs. End-Sitters. Just keep reading...I'll explain.
But before I explain, I've got just one question. Why is it that when I walk into church every Sunday, I always have to squeeze past people sitting on the ends to find a seat in the middle? Granted, I'm usually late so all the end seats are taken, but why can't people and their families just sit in the middle in the first place to allow easier access for those who come in after them? This has been a battle since the beginning of my church-going days. It's a very petty battle and not one that I'm going to get angry at anyone about, but doesn't it strike anyone else as funny that the one place that is full of people who are told to put others before themselves...Don't?
Don't get me wrong. In my younger and more prompt church-going days, I've been guilty of this crime just as much as the next person. Welll, maybe a little less so because my church was small and only five people fit in a pew...but I bet you anything that if I grew up in a big church with long pews, I'd be an End-Sitter. I'd be ready to get up and run out of church to socialize with my friends and go to places that were way more fun. Isn't that why people sit on the ends? Now that I've married into a family that can't seem to get to places on time (I actually really love the inability), I'm on the opposite end of the spectrum. I'm now a Squeezer. And I hate it. Especially when you're in a church where you don't know anyone but the people you're with- and you have to squeeze past all these annoyed strangers. Just like in a movie theatre, but at least those people aren't assumed to be Christians.
I really love taking small scenarios like this and expanding them into a bigger picture. Maybe it's dramatic of me, maybe it's not. Maybe it's entertaining for you, or maybe you're an End-Sitter so you think I'm annoying. Maybe not. In either case, I think that this time, I have a valid point that maybe us Christians should be a little more obedient, and start thinking about others as more important than ourselves.
Obedience. I think that this is how we show our love for the Lord. By being obedient to Him. Isn't that what Jesus did? "He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross." (Phil. 2:8) And because of His obedience, God "highly exalted him, and bestowed on him the name which is above every other name" (Phil. 2:9).
Now if that's not a reward, I don't know what is. No one is asking me to meet my Maker face to face today, but when I do, I hope he doesn't ask me why I couldn't move to the middle.
1.02.2010
Days 1 & 2 of the Aloha Aloha Tour!
"Aloha Aloha!" That's the theme of our whirlwind tour around the Midwest for the next two weeks- "Hello Goodbye!"
We celebrated the last day of 2009 with good friends in Highland, Illinois and got up early the next morning- in the wee hours of the New Year- to load up the rest of our belongings and to start our journey from Southern Illinois to Northern. If you know anything about my husband, you know he's all about saving money...so it should have been obvious to me why he drove a mere 55 miles per hour all the way to the Quad Cities! He drove the Penske and I drove behind him in the Tiburon...and spent the drive honking at him when he rode the center line. 200 miles took about 5 hours and let me tell you, I was bored out of my mind. I think I sang just about every musical soundtrack that I own. I won't list them for you...that's how many I went through. The farther north we went, the more snow we saw, which was exciting since very soon, our lives will be void of the fun white stuff. And may I mention, I have no problem with that.
We spent the night with his Aunt and cousins- played a game of Tripoly, visited his grandma Van, watched some Frasier...all in all, finally relaxed after 3 straight days of packing, loading, and most of all, not sleeping. Also, add to our to-do list: FREEZE. These northern people are TOUGH! When we woke up this morning, it was -20 degrees. Did you catch that? Negative Twenty!!! What in the world? My body does not even know how to comprehend that! The high today was 8 degrees. 8. I can't reiterate my shock enough. For the rest of our time in Des Moines, the high temperatures are single digits. Who in the world would choose to live in such a cold place? Crazy people! These temperatures and wind chill only strengthen my desire to get to Hawaii as soon as possible!
As for New Years Resolutions- they are cliche but we all must have them, so here we go. I might add that I never actually plan mine- I make mine up when someone asks. So here's what I came up with at 11:59 last night: 1) Go to the beach every day. Don't hate me. 2) Be more patient with my husband and a better wife in general. 3) Find a job that I actually REALLY enjoy (or can get great benefits from).
So many people have asked why we're going to Hawaii and what we plan on doing when we get there. Do we have jobs lined up? No. Do we know where we'll live? Nope. What we do have is family and a ton of opportunities. On top of that, we have youthfulness, no kids, and lots of dreams to fulfill :)
Aloha for now!
We celebrated the last day of 2009 with good friends in Highland, Illinois and got up early the next morning- in the wee hours of the New Year- to load up the rest of our belongings and to start our journey from Southern Illinois to Northern. If you know anything about my husband, you know he's all about saving money...so it should have been obvious to me why he drove a mere 55 miles per hour all the way to the Quad Cities! He drove the Penske and I drove behind him in the Tiburon...and spent the drive honking at him when he rode the center line. 200 miles took about 5 hours and let me tell you, I was bored out of my mind. I think I sang just about every musical soundtrack that I own. I won't list them for you...that's how many I went through. The farther north we went, the more snow we saw, which was exciting since very soon, our lives will be void of the fun white stuff. And may I mention, I have no problem with that.
We spent the night with his Aunt and cousins- played a game of Tripoly, visited his grandma Van, watched some Frasier...all in all, finally relaxed after 3 straight days of packing, loading, and most of all, not sleeping. Also, add to our to-do list: FREEZE. These northern people are TOUGH! When we woke up this morning, it was -20 degrees. Did you catch that? Negative Twenty!!! What in the world? My body does not even know how to comprehend that! The high today was 8 degrees. 8. I can't reiterate my shock enough. For the rest of our time in Des Moines, the high temperatures are single digits. Who in the world would choose to live in such a cold place? Crazy people! These temperatures and wind chill only strengthen my desire to get to Hawaii as soon as possible!
As for New Years Resolutions- they are cliche but we all must have them, so here we go. I might add that I never actually plan mine- I make mine up when someone asks. So here's what I came up with at 11:59 last night: 1) Go to the beach every day. Don't hate me. 2) Be more patient with my husband and a better wife in general. 3) Find a job that I actually REALLY enjoy (or can get great benefits from).
So many people have asked why we're going to Hawaii and what we plan on doing when we get there. Do we have jobs lined up? No. Do we know where we'll live? Nope. What we do have is family and a ton of opportunities. On top of that, we have youthfulness, no kids, and lots of dreams to fulfill :)
Aloha for now!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)