Dear Reader,
So, I grew up in Hawaii (“Ha-Va-ee”, if you’re curious!). Everyone always asks why I left when I tell them that, and my answer is simple: Couldn’t find a job. I didn’t get my first job until I was maybe 21 or 22— well, my first official job, anyway. I did some tile work with my uncle’s business for a month (which was really fun, and I wish I was able to work more with my family like that). Regardless, that’s why I left!
If you’re wondering what Hawaii is like: in a word, it’s awesome. Everything you heard is true, and I miss my home! I miss the days I sat on the bleachers with the entire gym class because no one wanted to play dodgeball with giant Samoans (you had to be there; it was genuinely a health hazard for us much smaller boys & girls!). I miss being able to walk out into the rain and not freeze to death because the rain in Hawaii has no temperature. Imagine my surprise when I moved to Texas and went out in the rain for the first time! Hawaii is great: the people are full of love, trusting, chill… It’s such a unique place.
One of my favorite stories from my childhood is from my history teacher, Mr. Mitchell. He used to be a lawyer, and switched careers at one point before moving to Hawaii. Well, he had a lot of road rage (or perhaps he truly was a mainlander and just drove differently). He was cutting people off, using the limit as a guideline, honking— Man was going places, and he was impatient. He stopped at a gas station… well, out of nowhere: the biggest man he had ever met (at the time) walked up to him and said, “Ho, brada, you can’t drive li dat.” Mr. Mitchell was wide-eyed and terrified; he just nodded with a “Yes, sir” to everything this local said. He said the guy was just tryna explain you cannot drive like a madman on the road in Hawaii… Chillax, take it slow, be respectful— There’s aunties out there, and they gonna get scared if you cut em off. Needless to say, he drove real polite afta that!
Hawaii is awesome. Bring money, haha!
Missing the Fun in the Sun (and the luau!),
Clay Tarlton-Hensley
Image Credit: Haunama Bay, Hawaii by “photosforyou!” via Pixabay