Wellll... If you haven't heard the news already (or figured it out via Instagram, Facebook or Flickr) I'm back on the mainland and no longer in Hawaii. Bummer, right? Not really. I had an enjoyable time on the island of Oahu, saw a ton of neat things, learned alot, and learned even more about myself.
I came home late, late Saturday night, early Sunday morning. Was in Baltimore all day Sunday. Then spent the rest of my week running around central Pennsylvania hanging out with friends, cruisin' with my family, and visiting all of my favorite spots. Tomorrow, I'll be in fancy Washington DC with some friends. Friday, I'm moving back into my pretty house in Berlin, MD. Busy bee, this little one.
Why am I back? Seems like the question I've been getting about 20 times a day. My answers?
- Hawaii is expensive. Expensive rent (triple that of what I pay in MD). Expensive to have my car shipped 8,000 miles (approx. $2,000 not to mention that my classic '67 Saab and Japanese scooter would have to stay on the mainland). Expensive to have Sandi and Slater shipped 8,000 miles (We're talking about $900 for the both of them plus the chance of 6 months quarantine at the airport. Yikes!). Worst of all? The average job I could find paid $11 an hour. Id' have to work 3 jobs just to afford to move some (not even all of) of my belongings across the country and the ocean. Don't forget about my other monthly bills on top of just moving expenses. Doesn't quite sound economical, does it?
- I'm really attached to my 'stuff'. While in Hawaii, I found myself purchasing exact duplicates of things that I already had in my MD house but couldn't bring with. Jewelry boxes. Kitchen supplies. Bedding. Furniture. Beauty supplies. & More. Stuff that I worked hard to buy and collect. It really stinks knowing that you're beloved little items (that come in really handy) are sitting in an empty house collecting dust. I hated knowing that I was re-splurging on items that I already splurged on before. Now at least I have 2 of some times. That could be a bonus.
- I missed my family, friends & pets. So much. So, so, so much. Even though I was only living in Hawaii for 5 weeks, the simplest things made me miss my loved ones. My parents visited me while I was living in Ewa Beach. I cried like a baby when they left. The thought of being so far away from the people that care about me the most really upset me. Even though it sounds rather easy to do, it's not. I thought that I was going to be fine just packing up and moving. I thought I'd meet knew friends everywhere I went. It's harder than it seems. Lesson learned. It really made me think about how blessed I am to have such a supportive group of loving individuals in my life. Mahalo.
That's my Hawaii story... included with every other Hawaii blog post I've written. I am a little sad that I'm not there anymore, though. It was beautiful and refreshing to be someplace new. I have a whole new outlook on the Pacific islands and my life. Never thought I'd be able to say that I've stayed in Hawaii for 5 weeks and was ready to come back home. Here are some islandy things that I'm really, really going to miss:
 |
| (Beautiful blue waters with sandy cliffs everywhere. Perfect temperature. Perfect for snorkeling. Perfect for seashell collecting.) |
 |
| (Seeing things like this sunbathing beauty! A seal at White Plains Beach, only 3 miles from our house. They hang out there often.) |
 |
| (Finding neat old abandoned buildings. I can do this in MD & PA, too... but the ones in Hawaii were a little different.) |
 |
| (Being out in the water for hours upon hours everyday. Keep in mind that I wasn't really working. It was possible for me to surf everyday all day.) |
 |
| (Lovely views of Pacific from every corner of the island. Blue skies meet blue waters.) |
There 'ya go. I never knew that I'd love living on the eastern shore as much as I do. You miss it when you least expect it. With all of this on the table I can say that I'm super excited to be home again and beyond excited to see what's in store for me now. Next adventure... you can feel free to start anytime you'd like. I'm ready for it.
