When your dreams ACTUALLY come true

Now that we've found ourselves comfortably situated, I'm finding it difficult to describe how I feel about all of this. For the most part, a lot what we expected has actually, surprisingly, come to pass. It was one thing to fly to a Hawaiian island with the expectation of living by the beach, swimming with sea turtles every day and and waking up each day with no more responsibility or concern than to consider whether we should go snorkel or find some other adventure. But that is EXACTLY what each day has been like for us. There is a saying, "Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you'll land among the stars." But we hit the moon. It's insane.

That's not to say that everything is perfect. We have already had our first centipede in the apartment. For those of you unfamiliar, centipedes are just about the worst insect you can come across on the island with a bite that will send you to the hospital for the pain alone, and they are pretty poisonous too. Needless to say, I was not pleased. Our landlord talks without a filter or pause button. Seriously, I have never experienced an individual so oblivious to my many attempts to subtly blow them off. To paint a picture for you, watch the movie Extract. Our landlord is like Jason Bateman's neighbor Nathan, only older and more forgetful.

But those are just small, insignificant specks amongst all of the wonderful that has been happening around us. It is like the Island wants us to be here. People everywhere are constantly finding ways to make us feel welcome and at home. Even now I'm sitting at a nice restaurant/coffee shop called Lava Java, and Joe, a fellow we've seen here a few times before, has been back and forth giving us info on concerts coming up and regaling us with stories of swimming with sharks. He only met us once and as soon as we returned he was welcoming us with with hugs and smiles. And then there is Nick and Bandera, our next door neighbors. Nick is a Wave Photographer who actually has a gallery on the main strip in Kona. I don't need to tell you he is very good at what he does. Bandera, Nick's girlfriend, works down at an aquarium and also helps Nick with his photography. They are about our age and we've hung out on the patio a few times, maybe even had a few too many drinks with them the other night while we swapped stories. We've made friends, which helps the most during our transition here, because the hardest part about all of this was having to leave our friends behind. We both miss everyone a lot, and it's nice to know we aren't alone out here.

Well, I'll call it for now we can call this a blog post and not a short story. But first, a quick few updates: I start officially serving Sunday, Lauren has an on-the-job interview tomorrow and a place called Splashers, and guy at a local market may start trading materials to Lauren for her to paint and may even sell some of her stuff AND hopefully before the 6th we will have internet set up in our apartment so you won't have to wait a week for us to post an update. That is all. Have a good night.


~Tyler

...And we are here to stay

Wow I cant even believe how much has happened since my last post! Time really does go slow on the island, but seems as though we have been here a while with all we have accomplished but it hasnt even been a week!   So first off we got a place of our own!!!  Yesterday we met with the landlords of our apartment and THAT evening we moved in!  I know its not a house like I wanted but honestly compared to the places we were looking at in our price range, this place is soooo nice! Plus we're literally right across the street from the beach!! and only 2miles from the main town of Kona (cant wait to start running everyday into town) Also we are walking distance from a market and can buy all out fresh fruits and veggies there! (going to start eating very good here!) So the place is only $900/ month and that includes EVERYTHING! water, electric, garbage, ect AND they spray for bugs every month for us so we dont have to worry about that!

I was so excited unpacking last night it was laughable! Now, mind you, I have never lived on my own and never got to decorate anything more than my room! So Tyler gave me full rains to go crazy and hang everything where I want it, and its just the most fun thing ever! If you have ever seen my room, you know I've got crap covering every inch of my walls, and now I can finally spread my shit out!   :)
So that was yesterday and TODAY we accomplished the next thing on our list...TYLER GOT A JOB! whoo-hooo at Bubba Gumps as a Server. Which is so so awesome cuz it is one of the busiest restaurants right on the strip! Tips Tips Tips baby!   In 5 days we have managed to nail down a moped, house, and job! We were told by some friends that the Island must like us because everything is working out so easily for us :)
Today was quite eventful in itself besides the job. We decided to make a trip out to Costco, about a 20min drive on the moped. Got a membership and a little to many groceries for out little moped. So picture both of us on our moped plus "Costco sized" groceries (these included a Mr. Coffee maker, 3pk ketchup, 2pk mustard, giant box O trash bags, giant canister of coffee, bread, eggs, a tub of butter and a Britta water filter!  OMG bad idea, hahaha about halfway home the little moped was burning to much gas and decided to run out on the highway!  well no worries, the people are just the nicest ever and within 5 min had two people stop for us. we ended up getting a ride to the gas station and all in all finally made it home!

After that we walked across the street to a small little beach and got to swim with some sea turtles! they just came right up to us, so amazing! 

All in all life is good. We have all the hard stuff figured out and now we can really play and just relax in paradise. Days and nights are beautiful. The land is beautiful, and we have only made friends, never enemies with the locals. Next week I will start looking for work and hopefully find a bar tending job. The language and wordage I'm slowing starting to pick up, but you dont want to sound dumb or insulting talking to locals like you know everything. And best of all, me and Tyler are gettin super TAN, we will both be blending in just fine in no time :)  Also wearing makeup or doing your hair is a huge joke! haha no more mascara for me if im going in the ocean everyday, and your hair dries so fast and gets that "wind blown" look on the moped that you just have to roll with it :)  I do miss everyone, start booking your trips to see us please, we have plenty of room! The mainland just cant compare to the Big Island.  I can officially say Im in love with Hawaii and so so in love with the best part of this trip, Tyler. He has made this transition so easy and fun, I dont know what I would do without him in my life.  For now Aloha and more to come soon. 

  

Love, Laur

Arriving in Kailua-Kona!

ALOHA!
So its day 3 in Hawaii and I still cant believe we "live" here!  The two ladies we are staying with are awesome! They have put us up in a big tent in the backyard and have been so helpful in showing us around and driving us wherever we needed to go. We are 3 hours behind you guys which is actually nice because we have been going to bed early and getting up early, which is a big change for Tyler haha

Yesterday we bought our moped! It is our baby! its so nice not to rely on someone for transportation. We bought it basically brand new with only 14 miles on it, and it fits both of us! PLUS since its under 50cc's we dont need to have it licensed or insured! not to mention the gas gauge has not even moved since yesterday! So glad we dont have to fill up a car for 4.60 a gallon! 
In the tent at night your laying there and feel like your in the middle of the jungle, there are so many different noises i dont even know what's out there.  But no encounters with big spiders or roaches yet, so thats a relief :)   Mongoose and wild turkeys are very prominent here, though. Pretty cool to see like ten turkeys just walking around in the yard :)
Me and Ty took a bottle of rum and some POG juice down to the beach today and laid out on the sand. Poor Tyler was walking out in the ocean and stepped on a sea urchin! Apparently the only way to make the pain stop is to pee on it! I promptly began referring to him as piss feet, it was all very pathetic :)  But he is better now and after some lunch we are getting ready to go out to look at some places. I dont think it will actually feel like we live here until we get a place of our own. cant wait to find something!
We both had to get tested for TB in order to get a job here, so we did that yesterday as well. tomorrow we get the results, and then Tyler has an interview at Bubba Gumps! I have a good feeling he will get it! cross your fingers for us! 
I guess thats all for now, update you guys more later! 
loves, 
Laur