Honolulu...

So it’s my third day here in Honolulu, HI. The weather is amazing and there is lots of beauty around. However, it’s a very busy and loud city with tons of cars and construction. I’m also staying in a hostile at the moment and sharing a room with 4 other girls so there is not much room for privacy or quiet. I assumed before coming here that Honolulu would be a very active city. However, based on my first couple days here I’m not sure that the average person here is active. The taxi driver who dropped me off was a very heavyset man. He took note of my bike box and said to me “as someone who has been riding their bike in Hawaii for the past 30 years let me give you some advice. Here in Hawaii it is illegal to ride your bike on the sidewalk.”
“Oh ya, that’s how it is in Ottawa. I ride on the streets anyways”
“No, no. I’m not finished, he said. What I was going to say is completely ignore that law! Always ride on the sidewalk, unless you want to get yourself killed. The cars are really dangerous here. Trust me I’m a very avid cyclist.”
I glanced at his humongous beer belly and decided it was not necessary to ask if he did it recreational or competitively.
At the moment I’m living right across from the University of Hawaii. I’m not attending this University but the other morning I went to check it out. It’s a huge campus and as I walked around all the students were lined up for coffee while busy texting on their cell phones looking completely depressed. Yes, it was early on a Mon. morning but still aren’t they at least happy that they live in Hawaii? I asked myself. Apparently not. In fact many residents even seem a bit perplexed when they learn that I choose to come here. But I guess it’s like anything, when you get used to something you end up taking it for granted.
Another thing I find weird is how everybody thinks it’s weird that my current mode of transportation is walking even though everywhere I need to go is no more than a 20-30 min walk. Every time I ask for directions ppl direct me to the bus stop. Everybody in my class has a car and were shocked that I had walked ‘all the way’ to school and several ppl offered me a ride home. My campus is on top of a hill. I was at the bottom and stopped to ask where a certain building was. The person (who was part of the athletic department) asked if I was driving because the building was way at the top. I said I was walking and she said “oh dear, well good luck with that. It will be good exercise.” Clearly I need to hook up with some triathletes really soon.
Anyways, on a positive note, my University is amazing. It’s small, really beautiful, and everyone is super nice. I love my classes and professors so far. Class sizes are very small and interactive.
All for now!