Marissadventures: Venture Hawaii

Feed Your Shining Soul

Home - by Tara Morgan Photography

12:12:00 PM

Venture Hawaii

Surprisingly Sober Halloweekend

1:10:00 PM

Military

Friends Who Hawaii Together, Stay Together

1:51:00 PM

So, one of the worst things about living in Hawaii is the turnover rate. Hawaii is a place for wanderers, students, and military families, all three of which are temporary. As someone who's had the same best friends since middle school, losing friends is not something I take lightly. Before I had even lived on island for a year, I had already made lifelong friends that were moving off-island. See, here in Hawaii when you find a friend that you vibe with, you don’t let them go. Unless you were born and raised here, you are a transplant that is far away from home and their comfort zone, so finding your “tribe” is one of the greatest moments.

Nine months into my life in Hawaii, and five months into Nate’s first deployment, two of my greatest friends on island had left to go back to their home states. This was a bizarre feeling for me because I’ve known most of my best friends from home since I was 12-13 and I got to hang out with them every day as much as I wanted. Moving to Hawaii I started finding these people that I loved dearly and that were changing me in great ways… and then THEY LEFT. YEP. Just picked up and moved and I wasn’t ready for it AT ALL. Like Wait, what? I met this new person that I love and they’re just GONE!? HOW IS THIS FAIR?!

Well it’s not fair and it sucks. There are some friends that I’ve made on island that I know for a fact I will never see again after we are separated. Then there are those friends that I’ve known since the beginning that they were life-long, and they don’t have a choice when I’m knocking on their door other than to let me in. Sorry beezys! The most beautiful thing about these friendships being separated is that we can continue to see each other forever in fun ways! We can plan trips to see each other (once I’m back on the mainland) and I can’t wait to grow old having girls trips with my friends all over the country. I know forever that I will have a person to see when I’m in Michigan, or California, or on the East Coast. I know it’s cheesy but not all friendships need a 10 year start, to live next door, or to talk every day. All I know is that if Kayla or Amanda – my greatest transplant friends, ever called me in the middle of the night, I would be there in a heartbeat.

Maybe I’m still a little salty that you just left me high and dry… but I’m so proud of you guys and I love watching your lives progress even if I’m not always around you, or texting you, know that I’m HERE and I love you forever and ever. Hawaii changes a person. We may not have all changed in the same way, but we all understand what it feels like to have lived here. That will always tie us together because friends who Hawaii together, stay together.

With that being said, last weekend Amanda came out to visit us in Hawaii one last time before I’m off this little island for good. I got to meet a handful of her new friends and spend some time with her at her favorite spots!

I like to think one day in 50 years we will all meet back on this island and watch the sunset at spitting caves… remembering way back when we were all so damn lucky to live Hawaii.