So... It's been about 10 months now...
How has Maui affected/changed us?
- ONE: We've embraced the "maholo for removing your shoes " sign posted all over. I've embraced it far beyond the point. I'd rather not wear shoes ever. Barefeet is much more comfortable. I usually just grab a pair and walk to the car, and possibly put them on when going into my destination. I am afraid I'll forget to even grab shoes sometime, which could be detrimental depending on where I am going.
- TWO: I am more friendly to strangers. It's called Aloha. I'm not intimidated by someone I don't know looking at me, I'll return with eye contact or smile or say "Aloha, how are you?" I'm not scarred by men looking at me, a little creeped out still, but I'll smile and say "Hi." I guess I'm just more trusting here. Making eye contact with a questionable person back on the mainland could lead to them yelling "WHATCHA LOOKIN' AT?!!" Or them stalking you. Not an issue here. Everyone's got a connection to eachother here, so it'll get around if something bad goes wrong with making eye contact... And I have so many friends who I know have my back if someone tried to mess with me.
- THREE: I hate wearing a bra. I barely do. Too constricting. Uncomfortable. I WANT TO BE FREE!! :) I only bother with a bra for work or dressing up for dinner or a party. Either au naturel, or I wear a bikini top. My strapless black tube top is my go to.
- FOUR: We actually like wine now. I've already written about this in a previous blog. But we used to hate the taste, now we have a glass (or bottle) with dinner every night.
- FIVE: Our sense of adventure has been enhanced. We want to see so much more. Travel more. Push limits more. Experience more. Try foriegn foods...
- SIX: After a few months I realized I gained 5-10lbs. Apparently that is normal though. At work I get a free employee meal after my shift. It is a limited menu. I used to get chicken strips and fries every shift. Then a six piece pepperoni pizza I'd eat half of then take home and eat the rest with ranch. Then a chicken strip taco with chips and salsa. With every meal I'd have a sprite ( I hadn't drank soda in about 4 or 5 years) Suddenly it was oh-so refreshing when working outside in the heat and sun. I was much more lazy- laying on the beach, sitting around and watching TV or reading. We went out to dinner to try different foods a few times a week. I didn't restrain myself when I wanted a candy bar. I didn't have a rigorous Zumba schedule holding me back from eating whatever I wanted. I thought I could eat whatever and not gain a pound because I could while teaching Zumba 6-8 times a week. After realizing the weight gain and my bad habbits, I corrected them and exersize more. I'm for the most part back to my normal weight. Not Zumba size (that was just unhealthy and painful) but not uncomfortable with myself either. (AND see change no. SEVEN)
- SEVEN: We walk everywhere. When I'm home alone and bored I'll go on a beach walk. Or on the Coastal Walking Trail (1.76 miles) that goes across many beaches close to my house. We walk to dinner. We park many beaches down just so we can walk along the beach to get to our destination. Not to mention the hikes we go on every couple weeks.
- EIGHT: I actually LIKE food! WOAH??!? After working out and teaching Zumba 6-8 or more times a week I had to be very careful with what food I could eat. I had to eat healthier foods so that I was properly fueling myself to work off 500-800 calories each class, and many days I taught multiple times a day. I was ALWAYS hungry and didn't like any of the food I was sappose to be eating. They were plain and boring. No taste. I was always just left frustrated when I had to make something to eat. I also have an allergy to butter so I had to be careful with what food I coud eat for that reason too. If i went ahead and ate what I wanted, I'd feel under energized or sick while teaching my class that day. BUT NOW everything tastes so good!! I have so many favotires at the restaurants we frequent. So many choices. I keep finding things that I love. I'm excited for dinner now. Jonny has been experimenting with new dishes and I enjoy every one of them. I didn't used to enjoy anything different than my basic favorites. God's opened my life back up to the joy of food. I praise Him!
- NINE: We use and understand Hawaiian slang and lingo:
Pidgin/Hawaiian Slang 101
Generally speaking
"a" usually is not pronounced by saying it's name. It's usually "ah"
If there is an apostrophe in between a word seperating two of the same vowel, you resay the vowel. Example: "Honopi'ilani" (hoh-no-pee-EE-lani"), Hawai'i (hawi-EE), Ho'okipa (hoe-OH-keepa)
W sometimes is pronounce V. Example: "Kawika" (Ka-VEE-ka). Tricky
There are only 13 letters in the Hawaiian alphabet
Aloha- obvious: Hello/GoodbyePau (pow)- Means done, or finished. Used most often in computer use at work "are you pau?" Also after eating, drinking, doing an activity... anything really
Pau Hana (pow hah-nuh)- Means after work but mostly used to refer to the after work drink.
Mahalo (mah-hah-low)- Means thank you in Hawaiian
Stoked- psyched, excited
Bruddah- brother
Hana Hou (hah-nuh hoe)- Once more, again. Used a lot with musicians like an "encore!!" Hana Hou!! was shouted at Evan
Haole (how-lay/lee)- Refers to us. White folk. Can be used to explain what someone looks like, or shouted as an insult. Usually not a nice thing to say/be. But I refer to myself as haole
Ono (oh-no)- delicious. It is also a Hawaiian fish. Ono is ono!
Kine (rhymes with mine)- Means kind. that kind. Small kind, large kind. etc. used usually in a short phrase. "have a big lunch?" "eh, small kine"
Da Kine- this phrase means virtually anything. We don't use it much, sounds odd coming out of our mouths. Think of it as "thing". "Go get da kine" " Do you have da kine?" "Where's da kine"
Grind- Means to eat. Also used as a noun as grinds reffering to your food. Also too local sounding for us to utter.
Shi-shi (she-she)- pidgin for urination. Kind of a child's term, like potty
Keiki (cake-ee)- kid/child
Aina (eye-nuh)- meaning the land
Pupu (poo-poo)- means appetizer. Easier to say than the 4 syllable word "appetizer", but scares some people when you ask them if they want some pupus. Cute side note. Pipi (pee-pee) refer to meat/steak dishes. So one could order some pipi pupus if they so desired...
Cruisin'- used in many ways. "Cruisin'" at work- everything is going smoothly, good tables, good food, pleasant people, no problems. "Cruisin" in a car- obvious. "Cruisin'" at a party- just walking around, enjoying ppl, minding own business. "Cruisn'" in life- smooth sailing, enjoying life, everything is going good.
Ohana- Family. Also refers to a small apartment.
Lanai- porch, outside area underneath an overhang of some sort. Also an island across from Maui (Lana'i)
Obviously there is much more but those are the most common
- And TEN: We enjoy life more. There's so much to smile about in Maui. Everything is gorgeous. I thank God for where I live everyday. I appreciate so much more now. Moving to Maui was probably the best decision we have made.
Along with making the most of my life, I've been modeling a bunch. My girlfriend Cassidy is an experienced model and aspiring photographer. Also a great photo editor. So we go out and snap some shots here and there.
House Party
Shot and Edited by Cassidy
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| Cassidy and I jammin |
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| The Throwdowns playing at the house party |
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| Not too sure what I'm doing... attempting to dance? |
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| Umbrella UNDER the shade of a tree... tourists.. |
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| Romantic aftermath of a recent wedding at the Ritz Carlton. White flower pedals, flowing white linens, crystal glassware set ups for refreshments, beautiful beach/cliff view |
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| Relaxing on a hammock along the Ritz property |
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| We tried to get a picture of us, but with his relaxing body position, he was shoving his armpit in my face. Hence the laughing |
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| AAAAdoreable bumper sticker |
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| My new bumber sticker. That's what I've been learning here in Maui. No matter the circumstance... "It's all good" |
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| Cool logo for my chiropractor's office :) |
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| What I received along with a generous tip from a customer. <3 <3 |
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| Afternoon lunch with some girls from work at Honu. Honu is a new restaurant along Front Street in Lahaina. GREAT view. By the way, Honu means turtle :) |
Speaking of Turtles...
We discovered two giant turtles while snorkling at Black Rock.
It was breathtaking.
How large they are, friendly, calm, cruisin'
I apologize for the shakey middle. I think I was suffocating...
Maui No Ka Oi
