Mama Bear

Our Christmas letter for 2009

What an experience Hawaii has been!! Our first months on the island were spent in complete culture shock. There is something about the Aloha spirit that grabs you, but not without first making you question its sanity. You have to get past the surface where everything in town seems to just be strewn about haphazardly and the highway system is woefully inadequate. You have to get past the meat that smells funny and is hard to eat. You have to get used to sharing your living room floor with giant centipedes that make snakes look like cuddly kittens. Or the jellyfish that can ruin a peaceful day at the beach when your husband and daughter who spotted them don’t tell you about it and you swim right into one.
As time passes, the magic of Aloha enfolds you. You start liking the rice that is served with everything, including breakfast. You find yourself going out of your way to find buses you once thought dirty to order Kalua pork, Huli chicken, or garlic shrimp; all served with rice, of course. It becomes entertainment rather than an act of horror when a centipede is trying to kill a pair of your wool slippers. Even driving becomes easier as you realize Hawaiians are courteous drivers who like to give you the shaka (hang ten sign). In a world where heritage and culture are disappearing, it’s refreshing to see that Hawaiian’s still embrace theirs.
The Hawaiian Islands are breathtakingly beautiful and the experiences are endless. The biggest smiles we have ever seen on the kid’s faces were when we threw them in the ocean with a bunch of sharks. Yes, they were in a shark cage (geez, what kind of parents do you think we are). They have gotten to go surfing, paddle boarding, kayaking, and snorkeling. They love to swim with the sea turtles and giant manta rays. Some of our favorite moments are driving along the beach at sunset listening to Reggae music or listening to the hiss as lava hits the cool ocean waters.
As the ways of the mainland fade away like currents in the sea, we are left with the question that many before us who were blessed with the opportunity to live on these islands have asked; maybe it’s not Hawaii that’s weird, but everyone over in on the mainland.