1 month!

Aloha everyone!

It's been 1 month since we moved to Hawaii! And well, this week was very long and interesting to say the least. Work was pretty crazy- I was in meetings on 4 out of 5 days from about 8:30 to 5:30... but I always got into work at 7:30 to make sure I had an hour to get some of my own work done. And these meetings were INTENSE. I basically sat there like a sponge listening to 7 brilliant scientists from all different backgrounds debate the meat and potatos of a status review report for 82 coral species. Unfortunately, I cannot disclose any of what was discussed during those meetings, as it's pretty sensitive information (needless to say I feel pretty privelaged that I am privy to this info!) Basically the report that comes out of the biological review team (BRT) and MY report on what humanity is already doing to protect these corals will determine whether or not any of these species warrant a listing as "threatened" or "endangered" under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). Pretty serious stuff with some pretty serious implications! Yesterday after the meeting concluded, I had the privelage of going to happy hour and dinner with the BRT. It was a lot of fun having mai tai's with the guys and gals who are working to save our oceans and marine life! I feel honored to be considered apart of their team as a "management liason" ... HA! Needless to say... I'm really loving my job; especially knowing that what I'm doing is meaningful and important.

On another note, our stuff STILL hasn't arrived from the mainland. Good news though! The container ship was supposedly arriving at the port in Honolulu yesterday (Thursday Sept. 23). So they said once they get everything off and into the storage at the port, they will call us to arrange a delivery. So for SURE we will have our things by next week (and not a second too soon!) On another positive note, Daland had an interview today for a security/loss prevention job at the big Macy's here at the Ala Moana shopping center and is pretty confident that he will get the job. Apparently, this particular Macy's is in the top 20 (out of 800 in the country) busiest stores and has 30-40 incidents of theft every MONTH! The pay isn't too shabby and there are full benefits as well. This will be a great job for Daland to transition into the police force once their recruitment begins. And then we can sigh a big sigh of relief as we will FINALLY have 2 incomes!

Anyway, I think that's about all the news we have for now. So far we have been surviving quite comfortably without all our stuff. The airbed is pretty comfy and the paper and plastic dishes have worked out pretty well. More than anything, I'm missing my personal items that will really make our place feel like home... although I think I'm starting to actually feel like I live here, rather than just a visitor.

Hope everyone is doing well wherever they are in the world. We love you and miss you.

Chelsey

Moving Pains

Aloha everyone!

Sorry for the delay in an update- we've just been so busy this last week, and I've been so tired after work that I haven't had the time or energy to post anything. It's Saturday night and we're sitting at the Starbucks right down the street from our place because we don't have any internet yet! We left my boss's condo today because he gets back into town tomorrow. So we spent the entire day cleaning and moving our stuff out to our apartment. Boy was that a task. But it's all done... now we just have to unpack everything (which we've already started to do) and clean up! And because we don't have any of our dishes or cooking supplies, we got a pizza from Sam's tonight and ate it on our brand new table (which we bought this afternoon)!!! So it's all coming together- slowly but surely. I will be a happy little camper once ALL of our stuff arrives from the mainland. We're hoping sometime late this week or beginnig of next week. Hopefully sooner rather than later. But I'll be posting lots of pictures once the place is all set up and decorated.

Work is going very well. I really like it. Next week will be a bit different since my boss is back and we will be in meetings all week. Should be good. I'm learning a lot, which is always good. And I still have to pinch myself sometimes to think that my first job out of school is with the federal government. Still getting used to the idea! But anyway, aside from missing our puppy terribly, we are really settling in nicely to Hawaii and loving it. We've already decided that once we get a bit of extra money we are buying surf boards. You just can't live in Hawaii and not surf. It will be really nice once we are all settled and we can actually use our week-end for leisure rather than working on the place 24/7.

With that, I am going to turn in. Will try to update as often as possible despite not having internet.

Love,
Chelsey

Surfing and Happy Hour

Aloha!

This week-end was the first that Daland and I have had on our own in Hawaii. We decided that we would try to have a little fun since everything up until this point has been nothing but business and work. So yesterday (Saturday) we got up, had breakfast, watched a little TV and then headed out to one of the many local surf shops to see if we could rent a couple of leashes for the boards my boss has. We were able to rent the leashes, took the boards down to the beach and paddled out for the first time.

Let me just say up front: surfing is NOT EASY and requires a high level of fitness- not only cardio fitness, but upper body strength as well. Let's just say, I'm not quite as fit as I would like to be. Daland was a natural. When he paddled, he glided smoothly over the water making headway with every stroke. Me on the other hand... I felt like a flailing fish out of water fighting with every movement. And that's just paddling out to get where the waves are breaking! Not to mention needing enough power and strength to actually catch the wave in hopes of standing up on the board. Regardless if I was only able to catch one wave that day, it was still a ton of fun and a great work-out. So, I am now determined to make surfing a regular part of my life and get GOOD at it. AND it's a lot cheaper than diving (although I plan to do some of that out here as well once we have a little bit more play $$). Unfortunately, the backs of my legs got completely sunburnt, and while we were planning on going back out today, my skin said otherwise. Really should've thought to put sunscreen on the backs of my legs. Next time.

After getting pretty beat up by the ocean, we decided we would hit up happy hour at the "Rum Fire" bar at the Shearton Waikiki. With $5 Mai Tai's and $3 Blue Moons, we were set! Not to mention the view... can't really beat it....

Today (Sunday) we basically just relaxed and took it easy for the most part, planning out are week and making the necessary decision to begin a new exercise regime together. The plan is to get up early (before work, OMG) and let Daland do whatever he wants with me. Eek!!! Well, we'll see how it goes. But for now, we're just kicking back on the couch watching the MTV music video awards (which is hugely delayed, but oh well!)

Until next time! Aloha!
Chelsey

First day of work!

First, let me just say that since the internet at my boss's condo is not currently working, Daland and I decided to walk 5 minutes down to the Starbucks on the beach to use their free Wi-Fi... I have to say, the fact that just about everything is within walking distance is AWESOME.

Anyway- back to my first day... it went very well! Even before work we had to go back to the DMV this morning at 7:45 to re-take the written exam to get a Hawaiian driver's license (yeah, that's right... we both failed it the first time around). So I re-took the test and passed with flying colors and got my Hawaii state driver's license!!

So after we left the DMV, Daland dropped me off at work at around 9:15 (a little bit of a late start, but work is pretty flexible). Basically the first half of the day was just getting set up with computer/IT stuff and getting my temporary badge (ID) to get in and out of the office. They have to do a background investigation on me before they can give me my official badge. Then I got to go rummage through the supply closet and stock my desk. After all the setting up, waiting for the IT guys to get me logged onto my computer network and internet, and transferring all my pertinent files from my laptop and E-mail to my new computer, I finally started "working!" I met the other ladies that are working in the room with me (in other cubicles) and each of us is working on a completely separate Endangered Species Act petition. They both seem very nice and seemingly in the same age range as me (probably a few years older).

The office building (we're on the 10th floor)

My desk!

See my shout-out to RSMAS? Love you, RSMOIDS!

Overall, my first day went as well as it possibly could have. I feel pretty comfortable and everyone seems very friendly and all "very excited" to have me on board working on this monster petition response. In other news, our Honda Civic (aka Little Black Shadow) arrived at the port this morning! Yay!!!! So at some point this week we will have to go pick her up. So excited to have my little hoon-mobile back. Well, that's pretty much it for today. Is it too early to say I'm glad it's only a 4 day work week? hahahaha!!!

Love,

Chelsey

"Me and you- just us two"

This morning we took Daland's Dad (Craig) to the airport. Despite the beautiful rainbow we saw on the way to the airport (which I've always seen as a sign that everything is going to be ok) after we said our goodbye's, the isolation hit me like a tonne of bricks. It's just us two. It's never been "just us two" before, and for a brief couple of hours, I was having a hard time keeping it together. Thoughts would pop into my head like "I'm not going to be shopping at the Coral Square Mall for Christmas this year," and "I won't be spending Thanksgiving with my family this Novemeber." Not to mention, the amount of money we've had to spend just to get set up in our apartment has been significant. So all of this just kept piling up in my head and wanting to explode through my eyes.

Once we got out and about running errands (Home Depot, Wal-Mart and Sam's) I started feeling better. Once we got all our shopping, we headed over to our apartment and started filling in the empty spaces. We now have a couch, chaise lounge, bookshelf and lamps set up- and it's starting to look quite homey if I do say so myself. We still need to set up the TV stand and get a kitchen table, but once it's all finished I'm pretty sure I will be quite happy and comfortable in our new home. It has been a lot of fun playing around with the furniture and imagining where certain things will go once we get all our stuff over here. I am also definitely looking forward to having my little Civic here as it's the perfect island car- small, compact, has a great turning radius and most importantly... AIR CONDITIONED! It's also perfect for all the parallel parking that's necessary in Waikiki.


Anyway, after a long day of running errands and doing home improvement projects, I'm pretty wiped out. Tomorrow is Labor Day... the weather for the beach is supposed to be gorgeous. Still haven't really played in the ocean yet, so I think I might take a surf board down tomorrow and try to catch a few waves. Then, on Tuesday I have my first day of work!

Aloha nui loa, (with much love)
Chelsey

Ps: If you are reading this blog regularly, please feel free to leave comments. As much as I love writing and keeping you all connected to what's going on in my life, I would love your feedback to feel just as connected to your lives as well. Don't be shy!!

Mountains on the western coast of Oahu

First Impressions (and some overdue pictures)

Aloha everyone!

Well, it's been 1 week and 2 days since arriving in the Aloha state, and so far things have been crazy busy and exhausting. As you know from my last post, we signed the lease to our apartment this past week-end (which officially went into effect on September 1). For the past 3 days we have done nothing but cleaned and painted our place since the previous tenants left the place absolutely filthy. Today was the first day we decided to take a break and just relax.

I thought I would give some of my first impressions of Hawaii as I had read a lot of mixed reviews before moving here (many of which happened to be negative). As most of you know, Daland and I honeymooned here 2 years ago, so while it's not our first time visiting Hawaii, it is our first time actually "living" here. One of the biggest complaints of people living in Hawaii is the cost. There is no escaping this reality: Hawaii is EXPENSIVE. Apartments are smaller and rent is higher; gas is more expensive, and groceries are definitely more expensive. On the bright side though, groceries at Sam's club are not much different than on the mainland (at most a couple dollars more). And to give local residents a break, you can get a maikai card that gives you pretty good discounts at participating stores. The high price of living is often called a "paradise tax" ... meaning, if you want to live in paradise, you have to pay for it!

One of the other big complaints I often read about was traffic. Well, if you've ever been in a big city, then this is nothing new. After commuting to Miami every other day for 2 years in rush hour traffic, Honolulu traffic is a breeze. People here drive slower... because the speed limits are much lower. On one of the main highways for example, the highest speed I've seen is only 55 mph. And throughout the city and Waikiki areas, the average speeds are between 25-35 mph. So, while people here move slower, it's better than the aggressive maniacs I've driven with for so long in south Florida in my opinion!

And finally, the other big issue I read about (and was most concerned about) was the discrimination of whites and/or mainlanders by locals. Locals have a term that they use for mainlanders and/or white people: haole (how-lee). This is apparently a derogatory term, but the first time I heard it (and only time thus far) I was having breakfast in a cafe and I heard the waiter ask a patron: "Are you a haole?" and the patron said "Well, I'm American, so I guess I'm a haole?" In this instance... there was no offense meant, and none taken. I think some people are just overly sensitive to the term. Would people be as upset if someone asked them "So are you from the mainland?" Or "Are you white?" Of course, I'm sure this term has often been used in a derogatory manner; but I'm also sure that there are probably many instances when it is probably deserved. The good thing about Hawaii though is that while white people may be a minority, there is no majority. So far, I haven't had any problems- and I'm as white as they come. As long as you go in with a big smile on your face and an open mind, you will be treated with the same attitude that you project. You just can't come here and think you own the place... you have to have a little bit of respect for the people here and their way of life, and try to fit in with it.

Still, even with all of the negatives that may come with living in a place like Hawaii, you certainly can't beat the weather, scenery, or beauty of this place. The atmosphere pulses with life and nature. It truly is gorgeous here. So anyway, those are my first few impressions so far. I'm sure I will come up with more as time goes by. See below for before and after photos of our new apartment!