Island in the Sun: Hawaii

I just got home from a week in Paradise, a place my friends Nicole and Courtney call home, the island of Oahu. It was a Disney reunion of not seeing my friends for a year. The girls showed me their island and I must say God gave this place great beauty and wonder.

To start I want to mention how I came to the island with no expectations. My eyes were wide open to all aspects of the state of Hawaii. The common question I received from people was how expensive it was, but I had the help of my friends who knew how to have an amazing time while not breaking the bank. We did tons of sight seeing without spending crazy money. We checked out Pearl Harbour and Dole Plantation, we hiked Pillboxes, experienced great weather at Pali Lookout, and of course spent plenty of time at the abundance of beaches. I went to five in total!  The most expensive activity we did was the luau at Paradise Cove for $65, which was pretty reasonable because there are other shows that can be almost $200 a ticket! Maybe when I make my marvelous six figure salary working in corporate America, but for now this college student is ALL about a great deal.

Originally I was going to blog each day about our adventures, but by the end of each day I was completely and utterly exhausted. So instead I will highlight the moments that truly made our Disney reunion special!

1. THE REUNION: Seeing my friends after leaving the Disney College Program last year was magic. We told each other we were going to see each other again and after months of planning it happened. Seeing them was surreal and yet it was like we had just seen each other a week or so ago. It could not have been a year since we left Florida! I also reconnected with a old tennis mate from high school. We had come to the conclusion that we had not seen each other in over six years because we both moved away from the school. Of all places and people to meet again it was Jeremy and me!
2. Staying at Ko Olina Marriott Beach Club: I am so glad we decided to stay near the city of Kapolei over Waikiki Beach. The entire Ko Olina area was majestic and hidden away from the hustle and bustle of Waikiki and Honolulu's hecticness. The hotel was a paradise in itself. It was also on the same street as Disney's Aulani Resort. (In my opinion Marriott Beach Club was nicer than Aulani especially for people without small children: nicer beach area and better hotel room). 
3. Leonard Jrs Hot Malasadas: Portuguese originated heaven!! I ate them like water!
4. Driving to North Shore: You leave the city and drive through the mountains into the countryside. No buildings no traffic lights just the open road (and a slower speed limit than the mainland that's for sure!) Being at North Shore was where I felt like I was living like a local. 
5. Jumping off a 30 foot rock at Waimea Bay: If it were not for my friend Alika, I would not have had the courage to jump off not once BUT TWICE! I just learned how to swim about two months ago and my biggest fear was not the jumping off the rock but the water below. I overcame the fear with his help and I feel I can conquer the world, literally! 
6. True Aloha Spirit: Courtney and Nicole's family and friends welcomed me with open arms and an Aloha spirit. They let me into their homes and into their lives and I am truly grateful because they have forever made a lasting impression about what Aloha spirit is! Both ladies parents showed my such generosity and I gained so much knowledge about the culture of the island and the people that call it home. Also their friends I met, both Laurens, Tiffany, Nick, and Danielle, Dylan, and Chris, the sweetest group of friends! The way you guys look out for each other, to say you guys are friends is an understatement. You guys are a beautiful blending of cultures, Ohana! And you took me in as part of it. I loved it! I even left the island with a nickname, Professa! 
7. Food: I was NEVER hungry during my trip. From Red Velvet Macadamia Nut Pancakes at Cinnamon in Kailua to Pork Hash from 7-Eleven to Acai Berry Bowl in North Shore, there was always delicious food around every corner.
8. BEACHES: How could I not fail to mention the beautiful beaches of Oahu! I visited 5 in total, with my favorite being Waimea Bay. I also visited Ala Moana Beach, Ko Olina Beach, Lanikai Beach, and Waikiki Beach. 
9. Windows down, cool breeze blowing, blasting our favorite tunes! There is something about singing aloud with your friends to a song on the radio. Spotify is like God's gift of music with the abundance of songs at our fingertips. There were moments in the car that stuck out to me the most: singing along to Island in the Sun-Weezer as we drove home from North Shore and the night drive from Waikiki  while we did a quartet to Buffalo Solider-Bob Marley. 
• Speaking of music, Nicole+Me+Bag of Godiva Chocolate=Pure Madness!! We were on a sugar high for Christ that Sunday night! We walked around Waikiki Strip singing Christian songs like the Holy Spirit himself! We did our best renditions of songs from Hillsong, Chris Tomlin, and many more!! That was a great moment in itself.

I left my friends Nicole and Courtney on Monday night, along with their friends and family and their paradise called home. It was not until I got to the airport that I felt emotional about the departure. In the end though we know this is not goodbye, but instead, in the words of Mickey Mouse, See Ya Real Soon!

Now the moment you have all been waiting for....PICTURES!!