10 Things I Miss Most About Hawaii As Someone Who Grew Up There
Hi, I'm Jen! I was born and raised in Honolulu, Hawaii. I lived there for the first 18 years of my life, until I moved to Los Angeles for college, and then New York City for post-grad. Reflecting on it all, moving to the mainland was definitely a change of pace from what I was used to.
While I love living in the bustling city that is New York, there are definitely times I miss home. That being said, here are 10 things I miss most about the islands:
1.Poke is sold in grocery stores, and it's delicious.
For those who aren't familiar with poke, it's raw fish — usually tuna or salmon — marinated in seasonings and sauces like shoyu (soy sauce) or gochugaru (red pepper flakes). In Hawaii, it can be found in grocery stores, and the quality of the fish is always amazing. It's always cut into thick pieces and usually served over rice. I've noticed on the mainland, poke can't be found as easily as walking into a supermarket, and the pieces of fish are depressingly small.
2.People are generally very friendly.
There are friendly people and not-so-friendly people in every city, but I have a strong feeling that Hawaii is one of those places where the former outnumbers the latter by a lot. I mean, they don't call it the Aloha State for no reason. People are generally very friendly and are instilled with a kindness difficult to find anywhere else. I can't count the number of times I've been short by a few cents for bus fare, and a kind stranger covers the rest of the fee for me. Or, when the cashier at the grocery store strikes up a conversation with me about something random. Or, when I'm driving, and people actually stop and let me merge into a lane — although, maybe that last one is a normal thing and I'm just an unlucky driver.
3.It's warm all the time, even in the winter.
It wasn't until December of 2021 that I experienced my first east coast winter, where the temperature dropped to about 10°F. It was then that I realized just how lucky I was to never have to experience that growing up. In Hawaii, the lowest the temperature would be was in the mid-50s, and even then, that would be considered a pretty cold winter for the islands. (PS: I know that 10°F isn't that cold compared to places that are more north, but hey, you definitely can't wear shorts at that temperature.)
4.Beaches are oh so blue!
The ocean is unbelievably stunning in Hawaii. In it, you can find nearly every shade of blue, with all kinds of fish and marine life swimming around. It's not uncommon to see a turtle when you're at the beach, or even a monk seal laying on the shore if you're lucky.
5.The dress code is always casual.
The dress code is usually always casual in Hawaii, even in work environments and fancy restaurants. Aloha shirts, or Hawaiian shirts, are the norm in most office spaces, and it's not uncommon to wear slippers (or flip flops, as mainland people call them) everywhere. People wouldn't look at you funny if you were to go into a grocery store in a bikini top and shorts, they'd just assume you came from the beach. I've noticed that's not really the case in other places.
6.The rain is nearly always pleasant.
In Hawaii, it rains a good amount, and the rain is usually warm and soft to the touch. It'll last a few hours, and then go away completely after that. I remember the first time I experienced rain on the mainland, and it came as a shock to me to experience a rain so cold and harsh, almost like something sharp was hitting me. It also lasted for days on end, which was so strange to experience.
(Also, just to be clear, the "pleasant rain" I'm talking about here is the normal, day-to-day rain. I'm not talking about the rain that pours down during a rainstorm or hurricane warning, which happens semi-frequently in Hawaii, too.)
7.With the rain always comes a rainbow.
The other great part about rain on the islands is the nearly inevitable rainbow that ensues. It's really kind of poetic...like, there really is a rainbow after the rain, how sweet!
8.There are so many kinds of fruit available.
The picture above is a bowl of fruit I purchased at a local farmers market. It contained slices of guava, watermelon, mango, pineapple, oranges, calamansi, and papaya. I don't think I'd be able to find half of that selection in any other state. Even when you're not at a farmers market and just at a normal grocery store in Hawaii, it's pretty common to find a wide variety of locally grown fruit and vegetables.
9.The state is a huge melting pot of cultures.
I grew up with a very diverse set of classmates. Many people, myself included, were mixed-race, and some were even born in different countries before moving to Hawaii. According to the 2023 state census, 25% of people identified as two or more races, and 37% identified as Asian. On the mainland, it's definitely harder to find such a diverse community of people.
10.Everyone's always on island time.
I recently went to visit my family at home and noticed that people really are always on island time, which may sound negative, but I think it is really admirable. People are walking and driving slower, taking time to appreciate the beauty around them. It's not at all surprising to me that Hawaii is consistently ranked one of the happiest states in the country, because people aren't rushing to be anywhere and take their time to do things they need to do, meaning they're less stressed.
What do you think? Let me know in the comments!
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