8 Things I Love About Life in Hawaii

I was fortunate enough to grow up in Kailua, Hawaii, a laid-back and beautiful town on the east side of Oahu.
Although I'm not living there at the moment, I still have plenty of friends and family to miss and return to... and daydreaming about them and my childhood led to this post.

Turns out, growing up in Hawaii has affected me more than I could've ever thought. And for that, I'm so grateful.

From the scenery to the people, there are a lot of things to love about Hawaii. Here are some of my favorites.

1. Everyone is greeted with a hug and a kiss on the cheek.
Not too sure why this is, but the kiss on the cheek has become the preferred way of greeting in Hawaii. I'm always delighted when I return to see everyone, and the first real reminder that I'm back comes with the cheek kisses. They get me everytime.

2. Neighbors are family.
The concept of family, or "ohana", is pretty vague in Hawaii. If you know someone long enough, they're family. If you grew up with someone, there's a good chance they're your "kalabash cousin." I grew up on a street where all of my neighbors were known as my aunties and uncles. Needless to say, I have quite a few.

3. Food is communal
There are constant street parties and potlucks that happen unannounced throughout Hawaii's close-knit neighborhoods, and doors are often left open during dinner. For this reason, food is cut up into small portions so that everyone can enjoy. Steaks that would be make a New Yorker salivate are sliced into small bites and passed around. Oh, and the beer is in the cooler.

4. Nature is to be respected
There's a different attitude towards nature in Hawaii. Maybe it's our proximity to the ocean, or the fact that we are surrounded by mountains, or the many respected gods of fire and water in Hawaiian culture. Whatever it is, nature is a thing to be appreciated and loved.

I'll never forget the day my friend Katie took me surfing for the first time. At first, I was freaking out about what could be under me. She saw me, laughed and said, "Just relax and respect the ocean. This is not your home, but it will take care of you." I'll never forget that.

5. Culture is treasured
Hawaiians are very protective over their culture, and rightfully so. The language is nurtured and many are fighting to preserve the old ways of living, the native tongue, sacred areas and the art of dancing hula.
There are schools you can only go to if you can prove you are Hawaiian, and land that is alloted to Hawaiians alone.
I have seen this fight for cultural preservance in other Pacific islands as well, particularly New Zealand, where the Maoris work hard to protect their history as well.

However, it is this cultural fight that feeds the rumor that Hawaiians are unwelcoming to outsiders. I don't particularly believe that to be true, although I've been asked a million times if it is.

It's not that they are unwelcoming, it's just that, well, this is their land. And you gotta respect that.

6. That being said, we're a melting pot
There's no 'one' race in Hawaii. You've got a little bit of everything...Japanese, Hawaiians, Koreans, Filipinos, Samoans, Tongans.. you name it. For that reason, I feel like I never really noticed race until I moved away to the mainland. Actually, when I moved to Arizona I was blown away at first by the blatant racist way that Mexicans are viewed and treated here. I never really saw that in Hawaii.

7. Slippers are the preferred footwear.. and we leave them outside the house
You might call them 'thongs', or 'jandals' but in Hawaii they're called slippers. And, when you to someone's house, you leave them at the door. This makes leaving a party all the more fun. "Where are my slippers?" Sometimes they're there, and sometimes they just... walk off.

8. Common words are replaced with Hawaiian and pidgeon
When I first left Hawaii, I was eating with a friend and as we got closer to the end of our meal I said,
"You all pau?"
She had no idea what I meant, but I was asking her if she was finished. Hawaiian creeps up everywhere in every day phrases. I still find myself using it now and then. And then, of course, there is the constant, 'yea' added to the end of every question, like, "you're going to the bank, yea?" "We have cinnamon, yea?"
That never really goes away.

You know what they say.. you can take the girl out of Hawaii, but you can't take Hawaii out of the girl!

Ho brah!