world travel: Random Days in Hawaii

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!

world travel: errands

It's summer here even don't feel it. It's rainy and temperature's up n down. But I'm sure, in next days it gonna be hot summer n we all can gonna swim n be sun kissed!

Time is running, countdowning, flying ... decisions, results, errands and many more are upcoming.

Last Tuesday got result of written exam, didn't expect I got fantastic grades! Was overwhelmed and I'm still because it makes my plan (after my trainee) more realized. But it isn't finished yet, two exams are still coming: a ten days-project exam n another one (short one). Last two weeks have been focusing on practical things: wrote 20-pages concept for a website and then realized a website in html with css from concept. A good practice for upcoming project! I'm crossing fingers, will have awesome ideas for project. Next Tuesday it'll start.

Beside exams, I'm busy also ... painting plans in my mind what I gonna do after summer. One thing is for sure: to be away from Europe for a while and spend more time with my aloha, Trey! A gap year! Destination has been blurry ... Southeast Asia, Southern America, Australia, New Zealand ... Hawaii ... the decision still depends on exams and time ... For sure destinations New Zealand and Australia won't be crossed out, the question is point of time. Hawaii seems to be first destination.

Just see world and give my body, soul, mind n heart time and happiness. What I wanna do in next steps are taste a new lifestyle, kinda non-european lifestyle. I'm curious to join some new lifestyle which Europe doesn't have, it probably sounds little weird. I try to interpret my mind ... wanna to join a place where doesn't have many of metropolises around, less trains or metros, European food, old beautiful buildings in European style, our philosophies. 

Long time ago every summer my parents and I explored different countries (in Europe only) with our caravans for less or more one month ... have been to many places in countries. Also backpacked around with friends on own lots. Visited around 30 countries in (geography) Europe .. Three years ago have been outside of Europe for first time, it was United States of America. Not a big experience but somehow learned their culture, attitudes and thoughts lots and looked back to my culture. Few years later visited Hawaii n West Side of usa. From those places can see different lifestyles. I think because NYC is a metropolis like London, Paris, Amsterdam or Berlin ... Hawaii hits me lots with its lifestyle, food, nature, ... It makes me curious also. Cali was so different also.

Gap year for me it shouldn't be travelling only, wanna work or volunteer also. I think travelling all time might be boring. Maybe I might be wrong. But for sure wanna make my gap year awesome and it gonna be! Wanna spend more time in ocean with surfboards also, surfing is fun! It doesn't cost, just need to buy a surfboard ... surfing in ocean is free (compare to my passions biking and snowboarding, I have to pay lift tickets and pistes or trails).

Took pictures and wrote also what I have been preparing n doing before my gap year ...

world travel: to-do-list

6 months to go until I'll be on islands, Hawaiian islands and follow my best friend Krissy's wedding! now its little hard to realize that I'm going to be on their islands soon. My great friends M&M, with whom I gonna travel around in California after Hawaii, have made my day yesterday and me to realize more that the things with Hawaii gonna be happened. They both sent a cute card and wrote how they're looking forward to sharing time in Cali with me - we gonna do roadtrip. From days to days the things will make me realize that its for real! Few days ago I have ordered guidebooks 'Hawaii' and 'Califorina Trip' from Lonely Planet, few weeks ago booked tickets and ordered new passports. And there are more to-do's before travel, I love to prepare for it. Here I would love to share to-do's:

- book tickets
- order passport
- buy guidebooks 'Hawaii' & 'California Trip'
- read the guidebooks!
- help best friend Krissy for preparations for her wedding in Honoulu
- try the bridesmaid-dress
- find a nice shoes or flipflops for bridesmaid-dress
- new bikini for Hawaii
- keep in touch with people who I know from Hawaii / Cali
- apply international driving lisence (Marte has to do it too)
- get along with my canon eos more cuz gonna shot pics for Krissy & Kevin the day before wedding 'engaged-couple-project'
- check all cool spots and surf/skate-shops out
- apply eta-visa online
- bring a receipt for muffins for xmas with M&M! (case of emergency: address of good muffin's store)
- bring small xmas-gifts
- ...

it gonna be a long list - will update it later.

Here an illustrator, I heart it so much - on first sight I always love that. And now its a perfect moment to put it to that post cuz that lil girl got flower on her head which I gonna wear some flower on my head at Krissy's wedding. She got summer-dress and flipflops... perfect style for Hawaii! And a photograph in her hands, yes! I gonna take A LOT of pictures... Maria does too, I know!

project: turquoise cupcakes

yesterday when got home and my to-do was making cupcakes! colorful cupcakes. dave came to my house n i asked him for helping me to bake cupcakes. we baked them... decorate them. we are falling in love with them! they have pieces of famous chocolat raffaelo... we definitely wanna make cupcakes again!