1. Shave Ice vs. Shaved Ice

It’s called SHAVE Ice, not ShaveD Ice, here. And it is the top sweet treat to beat the humid heat after beach bumming all day. I still have a hard time getting used to dropping the D at the end. There are Shave Ice spots all around! I’ll share some of our favorite spots in the near future.

 

 

2. There are some intersections with diagonal crosswalks…

In Waikiki, there are a few intersections that have diagonal crosswalks for pedestrians. I was confused to see a large crowd of people scattering across the street, and then I realized the arrows painted on the road that resembled an intricate geometric floor mural. This also means that the wait time for drivers is longer. A lot longer.

 

 

3. Shoyu aka Soy Sauce

The first meal I had in a restaurant, I was so excited to see they had a Poke Bowl. I remembered their fresh Poke Bowls from the last two times I visited Hawaii. The food arrived, and I was excited to dig in, but I was stopped mid-bite when the waitress asked me if I wanted Shoyu.

“Shoyu?” I asked and looked at my partner. He had been here two months longer than me. “Soy Sauce,” the waitress answered warmly, “Soy sauce is called Shoyu here”.

 

4. Mac Salad vs. Macaroni Salad

Like Shave Ice, macaroni salad is known as mac salad. It is one of the, if not the primary, sides of Hawaiian BBQ, along with white rice (more on this later). You will find it on menus all around as Mac Salad. I was initially confused, but if you ever find yourself in Hawaii, you will have read this and won’t be lol.

 

 

5. White Rice with a side of white rice

Hawaiian food is delicious and incomparable! Hawaii is a melting pot of many Polynesian and Asian cultures. White rice is a staple here, and it comes on the side with almost everything you order, especially if you venture off touristy areas. 

Being Mexican and growing up with rice as a side to all our meals, I appreciate this, of course, but I am missing some of the sazon at times  lol.

 

 

6. Good Mexican Food is hard to come by

Sorry, Hawaii… it’s true. We have heard from some folks who have moved from the mainland and are from California that authentic Mexican Food is a rare gem. Understandably so. Growing up with my cultural food readily accessible at home, in Phoenix and San Diego, I regret becoming lazy and not learning how to cook it more seriously. But it just means I will have to step it up.

Also, there is only one Mexican store on the island, and locals have told me that family members on the mainland will ship Mexican items and tortillas!

Once we find a Mexican spot that meets our standards, I will update y’all, but if you are coming to Hawaii on Vacation from the mainland, don’t bother with Mexican food. The best way to learn about other cultures is through the melody of spices and ingredients that come together in an intricate dish that generations have passed down. So indulge in the Hawaiian, Vietnamese, Korean, Philippine, and Chinese cuisines!

 

7. More on food… Chick-Fil-A

This might not apply unless you have littles who are obsessed with it, you’re planning an extended visit to the island, or you’re moving here.

There is only one on Oahu, and it is in the Ala Moana Mall, which is gigantic. In perspective, Ala Moana Center is the world’s largest open-air shopping center, with 2.4 million square feet of retail space, attracting 53 million shopping visitors each year. It was a mission to get there with two small kids. One is being built on Beretania St., but it hasn’t opened yet even though it was set to open in July.

 

8. Any car may or may not be a police vehicle or vice versa.

Let me explain with a short story. I was driving to get my safety vehicle inspection for my registration, and a police SUV pulled up behind me at a red light with blue lights on the rooftop. I started experiencing palpitations because I had two registration tickets in California (the system never processed my renewal, so it wasn’t my fault), which bumped up our car insurance. I couldn’t afford another ticket.

The flashing red and blue lights were not on, just blue lights that stayed consistently on. After the light turned green, which felt like half an hour later, I pulled into the nearest plaza. Only to have the SUV keep driving,

In Hawaii, or in Oahu, to be exact, police officers can drive their police vehicles around as their everyday cars, or they can use their everyday cars as their police vehicles. What lets everyone else know they are on duty is the constant blue lights on the car roof. 

 

9. Microclimates

Different parts of the island have different climates. For example, the island’s west side tends to be dryer versus the north side, where it is a bit more rainy. 

Also, it’s normal for short bursts of showers to occur throughout the day and last anywhere from a few minutes to ten minutes long. No one stops what they are doing; we go about our day. So it’s a bit pointless to style my hair lol  

 

10. Kamaʻāina

Refers to residents of Hawai’i regardless of their racial background, which translates to child of the land. Isn’t that just beautiful! “Kama” – child and “aina” – land. Some businesses offer Kamaʻāina discounts with proof of a valid State ID to help locals with the high living costs. 

It’s important not to get it confused with Kanaka, the Indigenous Hawai’ian peoples of these lands. 

 

11. Paradise is truly a state of mind (Bonus**)

Everything starts within and radiates out, which creates our reality... how we perceive the world. Some days were really hard, and more will come. That’s part of life. It didn’t matter that I woke up and had a breathtaking view of the ocean and Waikiki beach from our hotel suite. The kids would fight and I would get overstimulated by them, along with the large number of people I saw every day, I wouldn’t feel good physically some days, I would have disagreements with my partner, or I would feel lonely and isolated. 

I had to (and still have to) consciously choose every day to wake up and be grateful for the beautiful blessings and abundance in my life. I started to be intentional about this mindset well before Oahu was in our realm of possibilities. After all, I’m a spiritual being having a human experience. It’s impossible to avoid negative emotions.

Living on a beautiful island doesn’t automatically eradicate all my problems, internal struggles, or worries. It just makes me more determined to stay in the present moment and prioritize my healing so I can enjoy it all.