Happy 6 Month Anniversary!

HAPPY 6 MONTH ANNIVERSARY, HAWAII!!!

Today is February 23, 2011 - Daland and I moved to Hawaii on August 23, 2010 - making today our 6 month anniversary of moving to the Aloha state! I have to say, the last 6 months have gone by in the blink of an eye. I can't believe we've been out here that long. It really doesn't feel like it. I have to admit, the first couple of months were a complete whirlwind, and frighteningly challenging to say the least. There's nothing more exciting and scary (at the same time) than dropping everything and everyone you know, and moving to a completely new place. You have to adjust to the new faces, new places, new paces, new cultures, new foods. Luckily for me, Hawaii is part of the United States (as much as it feels like another country sometimes) and I can still get just about everything I'm used to (with the exception of good Mexican). Overall, moving to Hawaii was one of the biggest decisions I've made in my entire life. But, after 6 months of living here, we're starting to make friends, we're finding our "local" hangout spots, we're discovering our favorite eateries and happy hour locations, we're recognizing the faces at our grocery stores and establishing familiarity with neighbors in our building. Our dog knows their dogs, they bring our packages to our door if they see them in the storage closet. The local news no longer feels foreign. We're starting to find the short-cuts and back roads to places. So at first, Hawaii was a little bit intimidating... but now, it's home.

The best part is, there's still sooo much to see, do, and explore. I just bought two new books from Barnes and Noble- a hiking guide and a snorkeling/shore diving guide for Oahu. Now that we're settled and have a somewhat recovered bank account, we are determined to get out to different areas of the island and really start taking advantage of where we live. One of these days we'll be able to afford some island hopping, but for now, we're perfectly happy on Oahu. Honolulu is a lively place to live, but I am continually amazed at how polite people are here. People actually smile when you pass them by, drivers actually merge, change lanes, and give way politely, and above all else, I think the level of happiness here is simply higher. That's not to say there aren't the occasional bad eggs, but for the most part (in comparison to south Florida anyway) people here are pretty cool. I feel like a big dork saying this, but anytime I get a shaka from a local, I feel privelaged. Ha!

Anyway, to put it simply, while the last 6 months have been quite the rollercoaster ride, I am very excited to see what the next 6 months have to offer!

Aloha nui loa, Hawaii!
Chelsey

Life in Paradise

Aloha!

And Happy February! I can't believe it's already 2011, and February to boot! Come the 23rd, it will have been 6 months since we moved to Hawaii. I just can't believe how fast the time is flying by. Apologies for not keeping up with this blog as I originally planned. Since the last time I posted in November, quite a bit has happened. The holidays came and went, I went home to Florida for 2 weeks (which was very much needed), Daland took the written entry exam for the Honolulu Police Department, and I am still loving my job. Everything seems to be a lot more settled now than before I went home. It's not surprising that its taken us 6 months to really start feeling comfortable and "at home" here. They say you either love Hawaii or you hate it (in terms of living here) and I definitely love it. It's still uncertain as to what the future holds with this job. Right now, the federal government is under a continuing resolution, which means we don't have a budget, and we're almost half way through the fiscal year! But anyway, I'm sure it will all work out.

This year is a big year for me... I'm turning 25 in a couple of months! I honestly don't know what has happened to 22, 23, and 24... everything since 21 seems like a blur! I'm hoping that my parents will be able to make a trip over for a couple of weeks for my birthday. That's really all I want. On another note, Daland is turning 28 this month on the 11th! Can't believe I met him when he was 23! Life just has a way of slipping away from us doesn't it? Anyway, for Christmas I got some money from my Uncle to buy a surfboard, but I have yet to make a purchase. I've been doing a lot of research but I need to actually get out to some shops to talk to some people who know what board would suit me best. Daland wants to get one too, so that we can share a new hobby together.

So back to the realities of living in Hawaii. It certainly is paradise, with the palm trees, gentle breezes, mountains and blue ocean (the beautiful scenery never gets old). But there are some very difficult aspects about living here. The cost is the obvious hurdle: everything is more expensive. But, if you know how to budget what you've got (that is, if you have a job to begin with) you can certainly live pretty comfortably. Daland and I certainly aren't struggling, but of course, more money would be nice! The next difficult thing is finding a decent place to live, and THEN, a place to park your car! The standard of living here is lower, and the cost is twice as high. Therefore, it becomes very hard to find a suitable place within a suitable price range. You could be paying $1200 a month for a crappy stuido apartment! AND, you might not be guaranteed parking at the building, as was the case for me and Daland. Up until this month, we have been parking at another building down the street for an extra $85 a month! We FINALLY got a parking space at our apartment building (for the same cost). Groceries are also more expensive. I've come to the conclusion that everything we buy at Sam's Club is on average $2 more than back in Florida- which may not seem like a lot, but trust me, it adds up! So far, we've had no problems with locals or discrimination. I'm sure it's out there, but we definitely haven't experienced it.

Anyway, that's really all I can think of at the moment. There are other little issues, like smelling pot everywhere, prostitutes in Waikiki, the crazy amount of homeless people, etc. But honestly, as my Dad says, it's all part of the experience. Hawaii is a colorful place, both literally and metaphorically speaking. And so far, I'm proud to call it home.

Aloha!
Chelsey