There are a 1001 chores, errands and tasks that I need to do right now, but I decided to put them off in favor of writing a blog post. Well, it’s about time! I have not written a blog posts for months simply because I regarded others tasks and responsibilities more important than blogging. Well, today, blogging takes the top priority, and so here it goes.
Next week, on Sunday, I will be turning 50. FIFTY! That’s half a century old. I have been talking about this for weeks (or months). I am turning 50 and I am actually excited about it! I am hosting a celebration at the beach to thanks family and friends for being part of my 50 years on earth. #lizamauiturns50 is the hashtag. Stay tuned 🙂
22 years of my 50 years on earth were spent on Maui, and many more years to come. Maui is really my home now. I do miss my family and friends in the Philippines (a lot), but I am also thankful that I now live on Maui.
So, without further adoo… let me share with you some random thoughts I have in relation to events happening in my life right now….
Finding a close group of friends, a.k.a. OHANA is an important key to survival on Maui. I understand that friendships do not grow overnight. A relationship has to be nurtured for an acquaintance to be considered a friend, and for a friend to be considered an ohana. But you have to start somewhere. Sometimes magic happens when you simply are loved with wonderful people you feel like you don’t deserve, but most of the time, you really have to seek these friendships. You have to start being a friend to others because you are considered to be their friend. As I as I mentioned earlier – we have to nurture our relationships – we have to invest time together to make it grow.
As for me, there are several places I found these special friends: at church (Hope Chapel Maui) at work/profession (I have developed good friends in places I worked/work and though social media) through my kids friends (it’s amazing how parents of kids friends quickly become friends and bond) and last but not the least through the women’s group I joined called “Maui Women Live Out Loud”. I love living on Maui, but I certainly know that without close friends I wouldn’t have survived living here, even with all the beauty of this paradise.
These are my #MWLOL Ohana – on our first Hana Retreat. Love these ladies very much!
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School and Education for your kids on Maui – it really not as bad as they say it is. Of the many emails I get about people moving to Maui, question about the schools on Maui is one of the most asked. Hawaii do not have a good reputation when it comes to “school”. However, it really is up to you, your kids and your family to make it work. My son recently graduated from High School at Kihei Charter High School and I am telling you, their class is full of intelligent, passionate learners and doers who are destined to do something great for our community and our world. And not only from Kihei Charter but in other school private and public. So next time you hear about how terrible schools are here on Maui, don’t believe it 100%. Sure the schools are not perfect and have lots of room for improvements, but it really is not that bad. And while I am on this topic, let me share with you a photo of my son who recently graduated from Kihei Charter High School. I am very proud of this young man … of what he had become and what he will be. Exciting adventures ahead of him!
I included a family photo os us. If you haven’t been to any Hawaii graduation, this is how we do it 🙂 – Tons of leis for the graduates, including floaters and candy leis 🙂
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Ok, I think I’ve rambled enough. Two topics are enough for today. Will be back again later, but for now let me share with you some of photos from my morning walk. This beach, Kamaole Beach III, is walking distance from our house and I usually walk there on weekend mornings. Enjoy and Aloha!
Consider this blog post a reboot. I hope to blog regularly again. Crossing my fingers. A hui hou!
Aloha Liza,
Love hearing your “random” thoughts. I’m grateful for your friendship and cannot wait to celebrate you next weekend!!!
Aloha,
Jennifer
You’re absolutely right about finding a close group of friends being a key to living a good life on Maui. And to be honest, it’s challenging. But yes, actively seeking them out is how to do it. I’ve lived here for over 27 years, but only eight on the west side, and I’m still working on that. But it’s so worth it. Glad to see you back.
Thank you for this blog, I love Maui. We stay at KBH when we visit every 24 months, we have great friends that live in Kihei very special Ohana! We did vow renewal on one our visits that is one of our favorite Maui memories. Keep up this wonderful blog. Mahalo!
22 years of 50, is half a lifetime. I so relate to the “1001 chores.” Also, I notice w/ myself the pressure to blog in a way that looks very professional is very powerful – the individual “seat of the pants” blog is not as competitive as the well-presented, glossy journalistic blog. So to want a blog post to be “perfect” before posting it, is a deterrent to blogging at all.
On the other hand, I do think Maui public schools are ok but not great. I’m not saying you can’t get a great education in public school in Hawaii. I did, mostly. But there were major areas where my education was weak. On the other hand, English, History and Math departments at my high school were excellent.
A friend was talking about his high school on Maui and how the kids would throw rubber bands at the teacher from a “false wall,” and they couldn’t get a replacement teacher so the principal subbed classes and whatever the subject was – was it geometry? – everyone got an A at the end of the year, and they learned nothing except that they could goof off a lot. This would not happen in most private schools. My Japanese class in high school – the kids used to bite off gummy bear heads and spit them w/ a straw so they would stick on the ceiling. I think I learned some Japanese that year but not that much. What I’m saying is if you’re willing to supplement the weak classes, you will manage. Public school education in Hawaii is like lace – there are holes, so don’t expect it to be complete w/o additional support. (I’ve blogged about this topic too.)
Courtney, Maui Jungalow
Great post! Looking forward to reading more from you again soon! Aloha.