Beautiful places: Oahu, Hawaii

Aloha Falalas,

I hope the new year is treating you well. So far my trip to Oahu Hawaii has been surprisingly beautiful. Cliche perhaps, but I've been told by many that it's so built up and commercial; you can be forgiven for believing that you haven't left the mainland.

I however, feel as though Oahu has managed to preserve that 'local' feel even with the influx of tourists and their unapologetic aloha shirts. I love that shit, people flock here to relax and kick back with that 'aloha flow'.

I've been feasting on Hawaiian barbecue as well as those convenient ABC sambos when we are on the run. As soon as I left town, it felt like I was really in the islands. The coast, the surfers, front yard barbecues and sweet melodies decorating the air from those big ass trucks. Man, I love Hawaii. It really is a beautiful place and it's not just cause of the hypnotic blue waters but more so because I've felt so much aloha (love/heart) from the locals.

Our circle island tour guide Hanalei shared his sweet and spicy dried fish with this curious food-obsessed tourist (yeah man it was yummy....kinda like a fish jerky sad the Korean sauce made it!), we've had people get off the bus and physically lead us in the tight direction and today we bused it out to the west side to go visit Uncle George in a notorious part of town. A local man came up and asked my friends if they were tourists. 'Yes' they replied. 'Are you safe?' He questioned. 'Yes' replied my sister. They wandered over to the bus stop together and the man waited until the bus arrived. 'Bye' he waved as we piled onto the bus and off he went. He wasn't catching our bus like we originally thought, he was dropping the girls off to make sure they were okay.

Stuff like that is truly beautiful. Strangers chat and the younger always address older people with respect and love. 'Yes Aunty, that's what happened' she stated. Interactions so beautiful and honest, it just made me really happy and I was almost overwhelmed with respect for the cultural teachings and the emphasis on respect and family in my Polynesian culture.

Today is Saturday, my Sabbath. We had planned to visit Uncle George for our free Stand Up Paddle Boarding lessons, and then walk around to the local SDA church to fellowship with the locals, but fellowship found up. God's message was shared through the people he sent our way. It was a very special day today and it needs a post of it's own but it just made my aloha grow. I mean, I believe people are good but when it occurs consistently I'm still surprised.

I'll share a few photos from my phone but you can see most of my daily happenings on my Instagram account @mele2541

Iolani Palace

NYE feed BBQChicken 

Big aloha,

Falala Mele.

endings and beginnings

Endings

My time in Mildura. The people, my job, students, friendships have been authentic and fulfilling. I'm so grateful for the experience.

2013. For many it has been a tough year however I'm always excited at the thought of another year unfolding. A friend recently said "I don't celebrate the new year anymore, I celebrate a new day".

Be thankful & bold and seize each day.

Festive Season. Even though there's still about another week of the festive season, I'm thankful for the abundant amount of family, food and time to just stop and breathe before it all starts churning away again.

My sister is underneath this heap :)

Beginnings

2014

New Goals: Health and well-being + travel and living abroad 

Grounded in my home roots (let's see how I handle this)

New adventure.... I fly out to Hawaii tonight, so Happy New Years in advance.

Whatever your truth, seek it and live it with conviction.

I wish you all the joy, health and happiness you could ever imagine as one year ends and another begins.

Big Love,

Falala Mele.

Dear Tayla

Dear Tayla,

Today marks your 18th birthday. You've waited for this day for a while now and I guess it's because you're arriving at this checkpoint that should completely change your life. Old enough to walk into a nightclub, buy your own smokes and alcohol (I know that's what most 18 year olds are excited about). But hopefully, you're also old enough to remember that you have ultimate control over your life and future. So you're not cotton-wooled by your parents and you haven't had that many boundaries set by anyone. Sometimes (okay maybe most of the time) that hasn't been the greatest thing for you.

You've already experienced the strong ache of abandonment, disappointment, loneliness, hurt and confusion. You've crawled and scratched your way through doing whatever you can to get by to survive. Then things changed. Then I got a call from your Dad, asking us to take you for a year because he was worried about what would happen if you continued to wander down the road you were on.

 It's not that they didn't care or love you, but it's like I always say, our parents are just older versions of ourselves and when do we ever have all the answers? The whole world is marching around trying to make sense of their surroundings and situations. So take that with all the understandings you've gained throughout the year. You know you're not perfect and you know we're not perfect. We're all trying to get through this life being as good as we possibly can and one of the biggest joys I've experienced this year is watching you open up and realise that you are good and that you can do good.

So after all the screaming and banging on bench tops I'm so happy that I can remember these times on at least my both hands combined. I think one hand would suffice but you may beg to differ so I'm rounding it up just to be fair. These moments aside, this house, my classroom, our car.....everything reminds me of you and our good times. The times when we grumbled cause we had nothing to eat....the times when we fought over what movie to watch and the times when we'd sit devouring our fave bowl of noodle box......even dying while you and Theresa watched the Kardashian's wasn't all that bad because that's what you guys loved.

So me being me; never wanting to talking about my 'feelings', I wanted to write and say all the things I don't usually say.

• I am so grateful that we have had this year together to grow into our family. You're no longer my brother's daughter, you're our baby now.
• I am so happy that you have achieved the goals that you have set for yourself.
• I'm worried about you when you're not here and I'm thinking about you often even though I don't text or call (but to be fair I don't text or call many people).
• I'm glad that I know you're never trying to be rude, you just process things slower than others and you're wired differently to me.
• You are beautiful inside and out.
• You are a great big sister and you'll always be that.
• You are capable of achieving ANYTHING you care to chase and work for.
• I'm thankful for EVERY SINGLE MOMENT we've spent together.

My darling girl, or should I say....OUR darling girl (my sister has put in countless hours of conversation and reassurance and practical help with organising everyday life)... HAPPY 18TH BIRTHDAY. I want you know how important and how loved you are. You are kind, generous, beautiful, insecure, uncertain and hard to figure out....We've always said "I just don't get you" but that's what makes you and all this so beautiful.

I love you,

Aunty Mele xo