world travel: First Stop

Aloha friends, family and people! Since two weeks and one day I am in Oahu "the gathering place" ... one of eight islands of Hawai'i! Almost in middle of beautiful pacific ocean. Right now I am in famous american chain cafe starbucks and using the famous free wifi 'attwifi'. Before I write more, wanna put some facts about island Oahu:

- third largest of the Hawaiian islands
- capital: Honolulu
- population: almost one million
- almost big same as twice Berlin
- has Royal Place, the only Royal Palace in the United States (!)
- second most expensive city of United States (first one is Anchorage, Alaska)

... will try to put more facts cos its so fun to know abt Oahu more. The first three things of Hawaii in my mind are palms, surf and summer. It sounds like paradise? I won't call Hawaii is a paradise but it has some paradise spirit. I am enjoying my time here but on another side I need time to be used to live in American ways. Climate, spirit, people, food, sport, weather, flowers ... are paradise! But other ways like structure of life, transport, service ... are american, those I really need time to accept them. Sometimes I feel bad in those ways, I call it culture shock also. It makes me realizing that I live or lived in another world, grew up in different way. Even America and Europe are not developing country, it's still big different here. It makes me wondering if I gonna have more culture shocks when travelling in Asia. Well, probably not because on holiday I kinda use "pink glasses" ... like at my first and second visits in Hawaii I didn't see the real world ... my mind, eyes, emotion ... were on holiday. Right now I am settling down in here and can compare lots. I do compare probably too much but it makes me seeing myself lots where, in which way I was growing up. Definitely good challenge for me. Life isn't about finding yourself, it's about creating yourself! :))) will find more ways to where I wanna go.

Before I write the details about different (culture) ways of living in here, wanna write what I have been doing and enjoying here lots. The first thing I have to write is I have tried to surf shortboard! Big different than longboard! And I surfed during full moon at night, really awesome ... so dark outside but there are lights of city (Waikiki) and full moon ... we used plastic neon lights on our body. It was so fun! Definitely repeat it on next full moon day! Bought rack for surfboard for bike so that I can bring surfboard on bike anytime :) haven't bought surfboard yet but better buy one soon and plan to paint surfboard also! Went to North Shore with two friends last Sunday, watched polo game ... good time there and most interesting experience was riding bus home. A lot of local people inside in bus, makes me feeling we were three whites only. Watched two contests in those Trey participated. Was a vip guest at hard rock cafe, delicious food and free drinks! Mahalo to Trey for bringing me to Hard Rock Cafe :) notice, forgot most important thing to write about it here: my surprise for Trey worked! :D would love to see his face again, he was so surprised when he saw me (he thought I would arrive one day later haha). Yesterday went to watch Volleyball game (Punahou school vs Maryknoll school), Trey's dad is coach for punahou team who won that game.

Let me stop writing here as I have to leave for meeting Trey for lunch and will visit Sea Life Park! Promise, will continue writing here in next days! And put some pictures, too!

Aloha :))) and good night, my beloved Europe!