In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, I packed my belongings, dumped a bunch of things in storage, sold my furniture and moved out of the San Francisco Bay Area. When I landed in Honolulu, my friend welcomed me with open arms to the beautiful island of O‘ahu and I was instantly greeted with the warmth of the sun in March.
Having traveled to Hawai‘i many times before moving to Honolulu, I had preconceived thoughts of what it would be like to live here. The hot summers and humidity will eat me alive and the island may be too small for a city girl like myself who has only lived in the San Francisco Bay Area, New York City and France.
I soon discovered I was wrong. The summer never rose past 90 degrees and the humidity was minimal. One of the best decisions I made was to live in Ala Moana over Waikiki, the perfect location — away from the touristy Waikiki, the smelly Ala Wai and the annoying chee-hoo in the middle of the night. Ala Moana is the heart of everything in Honolulu. There is never a day that passes where I feel bored — Honolulu is always alive.
To fully live and immerse myself in Hawai‘i means embracing Hawaiian culture. I spent some time learning Hawaiian, how to properly pronounce words and the meaning behind them. One of the most helpful tips is understanding the ‘okina in Hawaiian, a symbol of a short sound break in the word. I also joined a hula halau to learn how to dance the traditional way.
Early on, I learned what it means to malama ‘aina: taking care of the land and giving back to the community. I spent several months with the Assistance League of Hawaii, a nonprofit in Honolulu dedicated to philanthropic programs and humanitarian needs across Hawai‘i. I helped optimize the way it runs its nonprofit and found solutions to drive significant operational cost-cutting efforts.
The beauty of this island never ceases to amaze me. Every hike I’ve gone to — both waterfalls and lush green ridges — is so breathtaking. And every time, it’s worth the hike and climb.
The water is warm enough to go swimming year round. I took full advantage of the ocean, and it encouraged me to learn how to surf and swim.
They don’t call Hawai‘i paradise for nothing. I am still chasing after sunsets and rainbows. The sunsets are incredible, the sherbert colors radiate across the sky. Hawai‘i is also the perfect place for rainbows: O‘ahu, especially, has a rainbow phenomenon. The rainbows are incredible — brilliant in color, the double rainbows, full arch, 360. I can’t get over how many rainbows there are here.
The sense of community and ‘ohana is fully intertwined in Hawaiian culture. Everywhere you go, it is very clear, the kama‘aina kokua their neighbors and strangers alike, calling them aunties and uncles. Strangers help one another to get on and off the bus. They are endearing moments to witness.
Thirty days in, soon became three months, six months and now almost one year. In the year I’ve lived here, I’ve come to the realization, the true spirit of Hawai‘i comes down to living aloha. I’ve been lucky to have met new friends and reconnected with old ones who I know will be lifelong friends. There is something magical about this island. I’ve never seen such beauty anywhere.
This has been one of the best years of my life calling Hawai‘i home. As I prepare to leave the island, I know this is not goodbye, but a hui hou, until we meet again.
Nancy Hang, born and raised in Silicon Valley, has led programs at tech organizations, including Mozilla and Google. She is currently director of product operations and program management at a tech company.
