Live in the Light

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!