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Living in Hawaii

The Aloha State

By Salamasina MatavaoPublished 3 years ago 3 min read
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I lived in Hawaii from February 2016 to February 2019 because of the Army. Living in Hawaii did have some benefits. Sometimes I wish that I was back in the states because I can get on the road and drive/fly to different states. Hawaii is just a small island and driving around the island takes about an hour depending on traffic and the weather.

One thing I liked about living in Hawaii is that no matter where you are on the island there is always a beach close by. I loved going to the beach just to watch the sunset, getting a tan, having a family gathering, or just playing/swimming in the water. I love how the water is clear at the beach. I got to take my son to the beach and visit all the spots in Hawaii when I was a kid. I love the smell of the ocean every time I drive past the beach.

The weather is mostly sunny but sometimes some days can be cloudy and rainy. Most of the time it is hot and sunny. I know, if it's raining on one side of the island then it's sunny on the other side of the island. I know for a few days it was cloudy/raining. The weather isn't bad, I guess it just depends on the day or the week. If you wake up early in the morning like at 5 am, sometimes it gets a little chilly but by 6:30 am or 7 am, it is already warm. I like the weather because it doesn't change like in the states. Hawaii doesn't really have the season changes like back in the states.

Another thing I like about Hawaii is all the hikes and going to the Polynesian Cultural Center. The hikes that I’ve done in Hawaii are Diamond Head, Koko head, The Pillbox, and Manoa Falls Trail. I think the longest hike I’ve been on is Koko head. It took me about an hour just to get to the top of Koko Head, but the view is beautiful. There's a hike that I kind of wanted to do but I know I don't want to do it since I have a kid. The hike is an illegal hike but if you go the back way you will not get in trouble. I've seen people take pictures from the top of the hike and the view is beautiful. Polynesian Cultural Center is a good place to visit because you get to go to different villages to learn about the different islands. There is a night show at the Polynesian Cultural Center.

One reason why I don't like living in Hawaii is that it's so expensive. Buying a car here is expensive than buying a car in the states. I mean, either way, buying a car is still expensive. Milk in Hawaii costs about $4.00 or $5.00. The cost of living in Hawaii is expensive. Typically, for a 1 bedroom here cost anywhere between 1,300 to 2,500. For a 2-4 bedroom, it depends. Some 2 bedrooms cost about $2,675. Sometimes if you want to save money, some people would rent out a room for maybe around between $700 - $900.

For me, I like to do road trips. I can't do a road trip on an island. After the first couple of months of living in Hawaii, I got bored. It's just like I can't get in my car and go to another state and then come back. I miss going on road trips. I miss just going to visit family whenever I want. I mean, I have relatives in Hawaii, but I will rather be closer to siblings. Being stuck on an island is not the same as being in the states. Driving around the island once and you pretty much-seen everything.

I love living in Hawaii, but I think it’s time to move back to the states. There are so many things to do and so many beautiful places in Hawaii. Once I leave, I know I’m going to miss my relatives, the beaches, and the weather. Hiking is fun. I just don’t like the cost of living and everything being so expensive. I recommend anyone who visits Hawaii to go hiking and the Polynesian Cultural Center. I really do miss being in Hawaii and watching the sunset.

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Salamasina Matavao

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