West to East

Since my last entry, my parents have gone back to Connecticut, while I went on to Santa Barbara to visit my long-time friend (since high school), Kevin. After having stayed in a different hotel every night when traveling with my parents, being able to stay in one place for a week was fun and relaxing. Kevin and I used our annual Six Flags pass (yes, we have annual passes) to enjoy the Magic Mountain amusement park and its glorious roller coasters. Kevin especially needed the distraction considering he just finished the most intense test for his graduate English degree at the University of California in Santa Barbara. In fact, his continuously talking about the test was not only understandable but contagious. I think my friends in Portland know much more about the graduate English program at UCSB than they want to.

Portland has been great. It’s really the only place where I have so many friends, in close proximity who also know each other. Considering that I lived here and try to visit every year, I have a good contingent of people to hang out with and always have fun. My friends received some tragic news while I was here, and I was glad that I could be here for them. Despite the bad, there’s been plenty of good, and I should have even more people to see next time.

Hanging out with Kevin and Marah in their and their friend’s apartments, I’m getting a glimpse into what I want and can expect when I start my own search for a place in Honolulu. I love living within walking distance of restaurants, shopping, and friends, I can’t wait 'til it's my turn!

I’ve decided to forgo the cross-country bus trip. A flight was only $50 more than the bus, and I’d prefer to spend the few days with my friends rather than on a bus. I still like the idea of a trip across the US, but it will have to wait.

Next and last stop: New York/Connecticut. At the moment, I have a return flight to Honolulu dated for July 13^th. By the way, I'm looking to use my annual pass again, so anyone who wants to go to Six Flags New England or Great Adventure, I am so down.

Oh Beautiful! (Revised and illustrated)

Since May 27th, a satellite radio-equipped rental car has been motoring Mom, Dad, and me through the national parks of the Southwest US. Road-tripping through expansive deserts and mountains with few signs of modern development seems uniquely, and therefore classically, American. Vast landscapes unfold as the black ribbon of road winds through them, granting us access to these rugged wonders. (See? It makes me wax all poetical!) From California to Arizona, Colorado, Utah, and Nevada--we're getting a solid sense of what the Southwest has to offer, and we are thoroughly impressed. In fact, all of us like the idea of moving to Colorado.

We've visited more than 25 natural parks in 12 days, and each was uniquely beautiful. This trip has been filled with contrasts: only 3 hours of driving took us from the highest elevation (Mt. Whitney) to the lowest (Death Valley);

seeming contradictions: the Mohave Desert was filled with life and color; and diversity as revealed by the towering sequoias, the Dr. Seuss-like joshua trees, and delicate aspen groves.

We've learned how the 50,000 year old Meteor Crater was formed, how trees became rocks at Petrified Forest, and how ancient peoples survived these climates. We've also discovered that in this part of the country, a population of 50 or even 1 is sufficient to put a town on the map.

As expected, we've paid some dues to the travel gods: I have a nasty cough (again), I left my soon-to-be-retrieved ipod charging in a hotel room, and our Garmin GPS took us on an off-road-vehicle-only road almost stranding us in the forest--but all small prices to pay.

Easily exploring these natural and ancient spectacles, and learning of the efforts to preserve them, lead me to an (unfortunately unusual) declaration: I love this country! Anyone else feel like singing "America the Beautiful"?

After a few more days of nature-gawking (Grand Canyon and Zion to come), my parents head back east, and I make my way north along the west coast where I'll then bus it to the east coast. I've been to 32 states so far (this trip added 3), and I'm hoping that the cross-country journey will get me close to, if not over 40. Whoo hoo!

Fijian Lemonade

In a few ways, my family trip to Fiji had a theme that could be summed up by the phrase: when life gives you lemons, make lemonade.

Lemon: On the last family trip with Mom, Dad, Chuck, and Krista (to Alaska), I felt like the rotating third wheel, so this time I invited a friend to balance the group; but my friend didn't come, and I was on my own again.
Lemonade: I had a cabin room all to myself, and I spent more time with the crew and other passengers than I would have, making a bunch of new international friends.

Lemon: My mom changed the type of cruise to a more expensive cultural/historical trip that runs only four times a year. This new price made things harder for my friend to join us.
Lemonade: We visited schools, villages and areas rarely seen by tourists and were treated to traditional shows by Micronesian and Polynesian tribes as well as the expected Melanesians of Fiji; a much more special experience than a normal beach-hopping trip.

Lemon: Our tour bus's tire needed to be changed.
Lemonade: A good excuse to stop and visit the local markets and shops.
Lemon: After we were underway, that same tire spat off all of its nuts which a passenger noticed just in time before the tire came off the moving bus.
Lemonade: We all got off and enjoyed our cruise-provided morning tea of fresh fruit and finger sandwiches on the shaded side of the road overlooking the sea until a new bus arrived.

Lemon: I had a dramatic spill on slippery rocks near a cascading waterfall and badly sprained my ankle forcing me to limp on a cane for four days.
Lemonade stand: Large, well-muscled crew members supported and carried me on their arms and backs; I experienced local Fijian medicine first-hand; and a crew member picked and guided the hermit crab representing my cabin in the ship's crab race and won me a bottle of champagne.

Lemon: My underwater digital camera broke (again). This is the third time I've found myself mid-trip without a camera.
Lemonade: I'm now used to this occurrence and nearly expected it to happen. Now I have less to carry and worry about as I gave Chuck the (paper-weight) camera and charger to bring back to Hawaii. Fortunately, the memory card wasn't damaged, and we have some great underwater shots.

I really don't expect sympathy or praise; after all, how hard is it to make the best of a Fijian cruise with my family? I had a fabulous time, and honestly, the "lemonade" tasted more like champagne.

(Next stop: National Parks of the Southwest including Yosemite, Sequoia, Brice, Joshua Tree, Grand Canyon)

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.