let me first start off with a small blurb about cleveland. i spent this past summer there, and i can't lie... i had a blast! i was so worried about moving, because everyone said it was such a crap city. one of my favorite dave matthews songs says, "turns out not where but who you're with that really matters." and that saying is so true! in a nutshell i:
- made some amazing friends (especially LA!)
- was able to reconnect with FOUR fantastic volunteers
- dated a hot guy
- took an immense trip to vegas
- turned 25!
- finally saw the bodies exhibit
- did a wine tasting
- went to a concert
- attended an indians game
- perused an art walk
- and generally made a name for myself around town :)
and now here i am. in hawaii. i can't even describe how anxious and excited i was to come here. i hyped it up in my head so much. i mean, it's hawaii!! now that i'm here i would describe honolulu in one word..... eh.
it's whatever. yes, the smaller towns (north shore, kailua, for example) are much lovelier than honolulu, but seeing as how i make it to those places a mere two/three times per month, i'm basing my feelings of apathy solely on the city of honolulu. to be honest, if something were to come up, or a better opportunity presented itself, i would leave tomorrow. for some reason, i just haven't really "clicked" here. it wasn't like australia where everything just fell into place. and it's not like cleveland, where my job enabled me to meet so many people. overall it's quite cliquish, which is probably my least favorite attribute of any person/place. plus, i've been away from home for about three years now. i miss my family and friends.... particularly my mom and lindsey. i'm sure that has a lot to do with it as well.
so now the plan is to stay here until the summer. i can't decide if i want to spend my birthday here or not. it's six months away, so i suppose i can just play that one by ear. :) either way, i'm applying to schools in atlanta. the plan is to move back sometime in june/july and get a place with the one and only lindsey atha. i'm pretty stoked on that. i miss her and can't wait to be able to hang out on a regular basis!
but hawaii isn't all bad. i've met some really great people here too. of course i already knew brittany, my friend from australia. i have another super awesome friend.... but i don't know if i'm allowed to say his name, because he's a lawyer and is anonymous in his own blog. but he's unlike any other and i love him to pieces. i have wonderful roommates too. tatiana - the glamour girl from hawaii. vicki - the indie chick from cincinnati. and veronica - the laid back skater/surfer from miami. thank goodness i found a house with them, otherwise i would probably be blogging from monroe right now.
also, i have a really chill/cool job. i work at a scuba diving shop in waikiki (the main beach). i'm getting certified this month (wa*hoo!). i don't do anything extra special... just sell/rent out equipment, sign people up for diving trips, and do some office type work. but i like it. all the instructors who work for the company are awesome. mainly i think it just sounds cool to say i work there. i'm also working at outback (again). in this city, unless you have a salary, a tip oriented job is the way to go. fortunately for me, this is the most relaxed restaurant i have every worked at in my entire life. it's such a cake job, that i don't even mind being in hospitality.
even though i'm not that keen on hawaii, sometimes (i would even say oftentimes) i take a look at my life and realize, "wow. the living is easy!" i live on the beach, meet new people, work a flexible schedule, and every day is a saturday.
as always, it remains a charmed life.
xx
ps. pictures up soon now that i have my sweet new digital care of mom and dad this christmas! :)
