A Whole New World

you wouldn't think that one would have so much culture shock in Hawaii. i mean, it's a part of the US...but even though it's technically a state, it's got its own culture, language, and people. in fact, Hawaii is probably the most unique state in the US due to its diverse population and mix of cultures. it would be a culture shock coming from any other state, but coming from a year and a half in Tokyo, Japan, life couldn't have been more different. as i compared in a previous post, Tokyo and Hilo have almost nothing in common. not only is the size of Hilo miniscule compared to Tokyo, but the pace and way of life are about 50x slower.

some culture shocks/surprises of Hilo/The Big Island:
- it usually rains around 5-6 times a day
- people greet you with a hug and a kiss, even if they're just meeting you for the first time
- people don't wear shoes, they wear "rubba slippas" (rubber flip flops)
- people rarely get dressed up, wear jeans or heels
- it is not uncommon to see cockroaches chillin' in your car
- spiders are ginormous
- people are SUPER friendly
- peanut butter is just as expensive as in Japan
- stores open around 10 am and close around 4:30 or 5 pm
- there are no highways
- all the beaches on this side of the island are volcanic rock
- if you're "kama'aina" (live on the island) you get special discounts
- it's ALL about connections, and everyone pretty much knows everyone
- people actually do the shaka (Hawaiian hand sign) - ALL the time
- sometimes locals speak so much pidgin it's difficult to understand them
- hula is a lot more intense than in looks
- you can drive to the other side of the island in less than 2 hours, and we're on the BIG Island
- beaches are either green sand or black sand (though there are a few small yellow sand beaches on the other side of the island)
- The Big Island is the ghetto of Hawaii, and Hilo is the ghetto of The Big Island
- Panda Express closes at 8 pm
- while driving around the island, you can see all types of "____ Crossing" signs, including mongoose crossing and donkey crossing
- there are no squirrels in Hawaii
- frogs are the loudest creatures on the island
- you can actually see stars! in fact, the island is the world's best stargazing site
- while driving around the island, you can find almost every location from Lord of the Rings
- The Big Island is the world's largest active volcano