Two weeks ago I moved to the beach town of Kailua, Hawaii. While I have great respect for those brave souls who book one-way tickets on a whim and jump to the calling to live life to its fullest, you should know, I am not one of those people. For context, in the short time I’ve been here, I turned down opportunities for hang gliding, snorkeling with sharks, and horseback riding. Horseback riding doesn’t seem that scary, but the thought of the horse getting spooked makes me spooked, and that’s just too spooky. Instead, I find myself on the shores of beautiful Oahu for no reason other than love. My boyfriend was transferred here for work, and moving across the world to be together is my type of thrilling adventure! I am overjoyed and immensely grateful for this experience to live and breathe a new place with the love of my life. For the upcoming year and a half that we’ll be in Hawaii, I plan to eat, read, hike, swim, volunteer, catch rainbows, meet people, photograph and document the journey as much as possible.

Unfortunately, I still must work. They’re not lying – the groceries here are expensive. While I may be used to the inflated prices of the Connecticut suburbs, I’m not too keen on paying $20 for the frozen berries to complement my morning oats. Friends who went to school in Hawaii told me that being on campus as broke college students was the best diet around! All jokes aside, I’ll be needing to adjust my tastes and work to support my non-negotiables, like kombucha and chocolate chips for my yogurt. Although I organize spreadsheets and hope that my emails find others well by day, I will explore Oahu by night, and still get to bed by a reasonable hour.

I’m getting around town on a cute bicycle that I found through Facebook Marketplace. I was a late bloomer in the bicycle community. I didn’t learn to ride until I was seven years old, and I owe it to my mom for staying by my side for the entire day it took me to find my balance. Now I’m 25, and I haven’t been on a bike since my tween years. Let me tell you what a harrowing experience it is to have your boyfriend and several store cashiers watch you shakily test-drive bicycles down a 20-foot aisle. I decided that purchasing a brand new bike from the department store was not for me; that’s right, I took control of the narrative. Instead, I found a nice woman on Facebook Marketplace selling her bike, and I purchased it sight unseen. 7th gear may not work and the nuts and bolts may be rusted, but it’s turquoise and came with baskets! Kailua drivers, please watch out for me – I don’t have health insurance yet!

It takes a lot of willpower not to spend all my money on food and clothes in such a vacation destination. So far, my favorite free activity has been the Lanikai Pillbox Hike. The views are spectacular! And I actually enjoyed sliding in the dirt on the way down. I find it incredibly accommodating that ropes are installed in those slippery spots to help hikers avoid a dirt-covered slip ‘n slide. Not to mention, among the best parts of hiking in Hawaii is not having to fear bears! If there’s anything I should be fearing instead, please don’t tell me – it’s best I don’t know. I am also fortunate enough to live in walking distance to the beach, and there is nothing better than clocking out after a long day to read a book to the sound of the crashing waves! Even if I did step on a bee during my last visit, my excitement over the shoreline beats steady, much like the sting on my foot.

So much to look forward to! Until next time!