HAWAII!!

Hi everyone!

Today I am going to talk to you about Hawaii. I lived there for 7 years, from the age of 6 to 13 and that's how I learned English. When my dad announced to us that we were going to go live in Hawaii it was very unexpected. He showed us on the globe where it was situated. We could barely see it in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. Of course my brother and I started crying like babies because it was absurd to go live somewhere totally isolated from everything. But we didn't have a choice. We made our suitcases, packed up everything and left. We were only supposed to stay there for 3 years but it didn't feel long enough. 

First let me tell you a little bit about Hawaii. You guys probably think directly that over there they don't have internet, that people live in teepee huts and that they go to school by the beach with those little skirts made of leaves, coconut bras, and flower necklaces. Well that isn't totally it, so sorry if I killed your stereotypical Hawaiian life thoughts. 

Let me tell you how it really is. Hawaii is made up of 8 Islands:  Niʻihau, Kauaʻi, Oʻahu, Molokaʻi, Lānaʻi, Kahoʻolawe, Maui and the Island of Hawaiʻi. The most famous is Oahu where the capital of hawaii is, Honolulu. That's where the series Hawaii 5-0 takes place. All the Islands have their specialties. I went to visit Kauai, Oahu and Maui. Ni'ihau is forbidden for all non Hawaiian people and over there they don't have electricity still and Kaho'olawe is forbidden for everyone too because thats where militaries go to test there new bombs and stuff. However, Oahu is beautiful and has gorgeous beaches like Waikiki Beach. Over there some beaches are great for surfers like North Shore or Waimea Bay, but not for beginner surfers because the waves are massive like 5 meters or more. It's very dangerous even for professionals because by the shore there are a lot of rocks so the water is very shallow so some surfers come out with bloody backs, arms and legs.

Anyways, after there is Kaua'i that has beautiful tropical forests with huge trees. Its very wild life over there, but there's a lot of mosquitoes because it's always humid. Then lastly there is Maui, it's a very nice island with beautiful hikes to do. There is the Haleakala volcano and to visit the crater is great even though sometimes breathing gets hard.

       

North Shore in Oahu                                                        Waimea Bay in Oahu

Waikiki Beach in Oahu

Haleakala Crater in Maui

Now let me talk to you about where I lived. I lived on the biggest Island called Big Island or Island of Hawaii. It is the oldest Island. It has one of the biggest volcanoes in the world called Mauna Kea. In the winter it snows on the top of the mountain and the view is beautiful. To me Big Island is the Island with the most diversity. It has it's wet side with tropical forests on the east coast and it's dry side on the west coast. Big Island has beautiful valleys like Pololu Valley or Waipio Valley. It's beaches are beautiful my favorite was Mauna Kea beach. Some beaches are made to go snorkeling because there are tons of fishes, and all different. Some hotels on Big Island are just gorgeous especially the Hilton, it's so big that there's a train and a boat inside for the clients and visitors to go from one side of the hotel to the other. And the pools are gigantic with waterfalls and slides, it's just awesome. Big Island has tones of things to visit but after seven years you sort of get bored of doing the same things over and over. It has it's negative sides too. There are only 3 cinemas on the Island, the weather is often rainy in Waimea, there are insects like centepides that makes you sick for weeks but I have to say that in general there are more pros than cons. 

  

Sunset at Mauna Kea beach 

   

Helicopter tour in BIg Island

  

I just want to say that Hawaii was a great experience, it's the most beautiful place in the world. And people there are really nice, it's a small community like if we were all part of a big “Ohana” (=family).