This is my beautiful life... Different than it ever was

Here I am staring out at Oahu from the window that spans my 26th floor apartment; green, rolling landscape dotted with houses to my right and the colossal machinery of Honolulu harbor to my left. Unfortunately, directly in front, my view is co-opted by another looming apartment building. It is roughly 40 stories of lanais and tinted glass--which means I really only see the inhabitants when they come outside to watch the sun sink into the shimmering Pacific. The best part of this panorama is the way it makes me feel: that I am living the life I always imagined, even if it's in a way I never pictured.

Quick version: I live in Chinatown, Honolulu; my family is close; I have a job I love that challenges me more each day; I live with a wonderful, caring boyfriend; I am getting a masters degree in urban planning, or as I sometimes call it "place fixing;" I have an apartment where I can host friends and family; oh yeah, and all this is in Hawaii.

Long version:
Chuck, Krista, Teldyn, and Naelahl live less than 20 miles away, and we make it a point to see each other at least once a week. I like to see the kids as often as I can since they change and grow so fast! Chuck and Krista know they've got a babysitter when they need one, and Teldyn always seems excited to see his "Auntie Nikki," which I adore.

I walk to my job at PHOCUSED where I was recently promoted to operations manager. I love the diversity of tasks and the increasing responsibility I have in helping this health and human service advocacy organization ensure that essential human services receive state funding. I recently helped design and give a presentation for the Governor who is apparently very enthusiastic about a project we're working on to increase collaboration between nonprofits and state agencies to improve service delivery.

Walking to work is not only great because I don't have to endure the traffic horrors of Oahu but because I get to go home for lunch. This means I save money, I eat more healthily, and best of all, enjoy it with Jarrett. He's an amazing cook too. Living in an apartment building with Asian families means that we often have some wonderful smells wafting through our building around meal time, and there have been a few fabulous occasions where the delicious aromas were emanating from MY apartment! That's gotta be one of the best feelings after a day at work. I love being so close to my job, campus, restaurants, stores and city life in general. I discovered a few years ago that I'm more urban than I thought.

I am enrolled at the University of Hawaii to receive my Masters in Urban and Regional Planning, and I'm really enjoying it. This semester I'm doing a practicum which is not an internship but rather a project where our class will provide research and marketing tools for the Hawaii Community Development Authority's to develop an area of Honolulu. We're hoping to construct a message that will make clear the connection that in order to "keep the country country" (a common slogan out here), we must keep the city city. We hope to present a vision of Oahu that stresses urban density as a means of preserving Hawaii's natural beauty. I will be focusing on the messaging around affordable housing.

Too often people feel that in order to live in a city they have to go without green open spaces. But one of the reasons that Jarrett and I chose the apartment building we did, is because it has a garden deck the size of a city block. There's a walking path, swimming pool, duck pond, many barbecue grills, and even a sand box. I think weekend reading sessions by the pool helped me maintain my sanity last semester. We've also had two barbecues so far for our friends and family, and Teldyn incessantly asks "can we go in the poo'"--lucky for him, the answer is usually "yes." I really don't feel like I gave anything up to live like this... well, at least until it's time to pay the rent. Haha! Still, totally worth it.

So that's where I'm at these days. And while this may not be the life I dreamed of as a kid, it doesn't get much more dreamy than this.

Better Late Than Never

For a long time now, I've been meaning to give an update of what's been going on in my life.  Unfortunately, as with so many things, the longer one waits on these sorts of tasks, the increasingly daunting they become.  Therefore, I figure the best way is to keep it as short as possible.  So obviously, for me, that means: A LIST!

• I'm still working for Gail at the Hawaii Family Support Institute and Patti at Consuelo Foundation.
• I applied to and was accepted into the UH graduate certificate program for conflict resolution.  I love it.  My last class for it is Community Economic Development, which is fascinating and engaging.
• I've taken Bikram yoga a few times; that's the one in the heated room.  I really like it, but it's expensive, so I take advantage of their 30-day-challenges--I get a discount if I go everyday for 30 days.
• I bought a used (and not so great) car.  It may shortly send me back to the bus.
• I started working with an organization called PHOCUSED.  It's a coalition of health and human service groups advocating for our state's most vulnerable in an effort to give them a much needed voice.  It's keeping me very busy.
• I had a boyfriend (David) for the first few months of the year; it didn't work out, and he moved to the mainland.
• I went back to the Philippines with the Honolulu Rotary club for a few weeks to Baguio.  It felt like a big family reunion.  I wish I could go again this year.
• I've started doing my Shabbat/Unplugged Day again.  That's 24-hours of no phone, TV, or computer starting at 6:30pm on Friday. 
• I'm still thinking about applying to grad schools in the northeast but am no closer to knowing for which program.  Public Policy?
• The biggest news is, of course, that I now have a nephew.  I love him.  I'll not say too much more about him since he has his own blog.   Click here to read it.  It's been so wonderful to have joined Chuck and Krista at the doctors', the infant care class, and now taking care of him.  Becoming an auntie was definitely the best part of last year.

2009 was really great in many ways.  And, after five years being in Hawaii, I'm happy.  After a day at work(s), I look forward to coming home and being with my family.  Weekends spent on the couch watching TV with them don't feel as wasted as they once did.  Maybe that's not the greatest thing, but it sure feels like it is.  It's taken five years, but Hawaii finally feels like home... better late than never.

Hawaii Anyone?

(This is a genuine offer of a little financial help for a trip to Hawaii.)

I'm a loyal customer of Continental Airlines. As thanks, they've sent me certificates towards flights. I am not planning any big trips for a while, and I'm sitting on two $100 certificates that need to be used (separately) on tickets purchased before December 2008. I am very willing to give these to friends who want to come out here and could use some financial help.

Depending on how many people contact me about this, I may have to establish some criteria for selection. I was thinking of a 500-word (minumum) essay contest describing why I'm the awesomest, but I'm considering other options.

I've been doing some research, and depending on which month and which days you fly, flights from the east coast and west coast are floating around $500 roundtrip per person. These are good prices! However, Northwest and Hawaiian Airlines have been cheaper than Continental by more than $100, which defeats the purpose of my offer. Again, depending on the dates you fly, this may not be the case.

If you're serious, shop around a bit, and let me know what you're thinking before you book anything.

I've lived here for over three years, and only a handful of friends have come to visit; therefore, I feel the need to offer a little kick in the pants... If you've never been to Hawaii, yes, it's as beautiful as you imagine. If you have, it's as beautiful as you remember. Some friends recently asked me which beach around the world was my favorite... in truth, it's Waimea Bay on the North Shore of Oahu. Even though I've been there so many times, I still marvel at it's impeccable beauty. So, I ask again, Hawaii anyone?

Fooled You!

As many of you know, when I came back from the Philippines, I made the decision to move to Portland, OR. Hawaii's been my base of operations for the past three and a half years, but it's never felt like home the way other places have. Home is where the heart is; and with my closest friends in Portland, New York, and DC, home felt elsewhere. As I've said before (see blog entry "A Turning Point"), my time in the Philippines taught me to be better at connecting with people. That improved ability helped me build stronger relationships with the people I knew in Hawaii--deeper friendships.
I spent much more time in Waikiki upon my return, which showed me that I'm a city person. I need to live where the action is. Mililani wasn't cutting it. Also, having seen a few international cities, I know how rare it is to find a major metropolis lined with pristine beaches; and this one has green mountains on its other side, just to rub it in. I fell in love with Honolulu.
After volunteering in Baguio, I saw how much I enjoy working in the child welfare field and that I'm suited to it. The past two years I've been here, I've built relationships and connections with the who's who in Oahu's child welfare sector. Without a relevant degree or specialized training, these relationships will be invaluable for providing me with at least a chance to prove myself in that field. Anywhere else, I'd have a much harder time of it and would likely still rely on my Hawaii network and their connections to open doors for me.
When I made my decision to move to Portland, I was sure it was the right one; but in the following month, my assuredness was shaken until it crumbled. There's much more of my heart in Hawaii than I thought. I'll begin my search for long-term employment and a Waikiki apartment when I come home in July.

Quick Update...

In the beginning of this month, I started another job so I'm now working for the Hawaii Family Support Institute and the Consuelo Foundation. Both are organizations that work with families that need help: one focuses on helping poor families with problems, while the other focuses on the prevention of child abuse.

My laptop suddenly died on me. This is probably a blessing in disguise, but I still want another one.

My knee popped out two weeks ago. I'm fine, but I'm no longer training for the triathlon.

We got a new puppy! Her name is Lili and she's a lab-pit bull mix. Piahi is having a tough time adjusting to the new member of the family.

I'm considering going to grad school in the spring.

I'll add more detail later...

Some photos

Two Years in Pictures

A Hawaiian Christmas

For many people, the winter holiday season is often highlighted by cozy sweaters, warm fires, and steamy drinks, but in Hawaii, where winter is defined by big waves and whales spouts, the holidays are done a little differently.
For starters, there's a phrase which some people use that's entirely unique to these islands. Since the Hawaiian alphabet, consisting of seven consonants and five vowels, does not contain the letters r, y, c, s, or t, the way they say Merry Christmas is Mele Kalikimaka. There's even a carol for it.
Also, lights are a really big thing here. The city of Honolulu, private homes-- everything is covered in tiny flashing bulbs. I think the mentality is "if there isn't going to be snow, there'll at least be lights;" so even though you're wearing shorts, you still know what time of year it is.
The most popular Christmas song is probably the Beach Boys' "Christmas Comes This Time Each Year," and the meaning of "White Christmas" for us in Hawaii is more as a descriptor of the foamy water created by the colossal surf.
Then there's the typical ways that people in Hawaii like to celebrate all holidays: family camp-outs, barbecues, and fireworks. Whenever there's time off from work, that means it's time to gather all your uncles and aunties and pitch some tents on the beach; it's not chestnuts, but rather, hot dogs and burgers that we smell roasting on open fires; and come New Year's, the smoke from all the fireworks is so thick that it can make driving hazardous, and public service announcements suggest closing the glass windows of children's bedrooms (which is probably the only time they're closed). In other words, people really like their fireworks.
So even though we are wearing bathing suits and toting surf boards, it does not mean the holiday sentiment was lost somewhere in the Pacific.
Aloha, Mele Kalikimaka, Happy Hanukkah and best wishes for the New Year.

Home Sweet Home

I'm back in Hawaii now. After five days of traveling on buses, trains, planes, and automobiles, Kris and I have made it to our respective homes.

What a great trip we had. I'm not sure where my next adventure will take me: Kenya, Canadian Rockies, India, South America... Who knows? For now, my next adventure consists of me finding a job. Got any ideas?