One of the interns and part of my new staff team, Steven, picked me up and we got thai food, my first meal in Hawaii. My long time friend and Cru big brother, Gen, joined us. It was great to hang with them again- but for the first time, not as a visitor to Oahu, but a new resident. After we ate, Steven drove me to Aunty Kamilla's and Uncle Steve's house, my new home (for now until I find my own place). It's nestled between the mountains of Pololo Valley, and from their lanai I can see the sunset over the ocean. It's wonderful. I've got a room and bathroom annex on the bottom floor, spacious and comfy. They have two wonderful dogs, Hui and Hana, who have taken a liking to me. And Aunty and Uncle are some of the most hospitable people I've ever met. It's been the perfect place to adjust to Hawaii. They know everyone and are more than willing to help me with whatever I need. It couldn't be better. My first night after getting organized, Steven and Gen picked me up and we went to Bubbie's, the best ice cream and mochi on the island. There I reunited with some of the Cru students and met Andy, another one of the new interns.
Thursday I met a potential roommate over crepes, then Gen and I went to lunch/Starbucks to get work done and start looking on Craigslist for a truck and an apartment. Later that night we all went out again to Shokudo, a place famous for their honey toast. Oh I've missed honey toast. I'll have to be careful to not go there too often. Friday I spent most of the day on the lanai hanging out and getting work done, then Andy, Steven and I drove to Spitting Cave and watched the sunset and got dinner. Spitting Cave is by far my favorite place on the island for now. It's possible I'll find somewhere I like even more, but for now this is it. Saturday I woke up at 5 am to go surfing with Uncle Steve, who has gone surfing with the same gang for decades. Even though the waves were small, I was really proud of myself- it's the first time I've been since I blew out my knee over a year ago, and I was able to stand up and ride out every wave except the first two. Even Uncle said he was surprised how good I was, so that was exciting. Afterward we all went and ate breakfast at Rainbow Drive-In, a super famous local place, where I met the rest of the gang and the owners of Rainbow. After that, Uncle and I went to look at a couple trucks (no luck), then I had a mini-USC reunion with Gen and our mutual friend Justin and his wife over some acai bowls at Jewel or Juice- my first acai bowl ever. After that, Gen and I went to Walls in Waikiki for a Cru BBQ and I reunited with several of the UH students I'd met in April and met some new ones. After that, Uncle Steve picked me up and we went to Uncle Hubert's house, who owns the surf rental/lessons shop by Canoes in Waikiki. Basically spent the rest of the night getting to know Uncle's surfer gang and eating amazing amazing pupus, poke, sashimi, salmon, and everything else under the sun, not including the 5 or 6 desserts they had.
Even though it hasn't even been a week, I feel like I've already experienced more of true Hawaii than most people do in months or even years. It's been a really great week so far, and made me excited to explore more of the island and meet more people. It's almost easy to think I've lived here for awhile already, but I've already been told by several people I need to work on my Hawaiian pidgin, so that's been humbling. No matter how much I think I've learned, Steven will probably always make fun of the way I say "hooo brah." Oh well. One step at a time.
Tomorrow we start 4 days of staff planning for the new year. It's going to be a lot of work, but I'm super stoked to get started, and to just have some good bonding time with my new staff team.
Dear Lord, give us wisdom, creativity, joy, patience, and love during this week of planning, and may your will be done here in these islands and the world!
Here are some pictures from the past week- enjoy!
My new room
Sunset from my new house
My first breakfast of delicious crepes
Sunset over Diamond Head
First acai bowl- delicious!
Cru BBQ on the beach
Some of the deliciousness from dinner at Uncle Hubert's
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