I’ve visited just about every state in the western half of the US, but the place that most touched my heart was the Hawaiian island of Oahu. From the recurring rainbows to the rooted history, Hawaii was so much more than just a vacation.

My family, whom were the reason I got the opportunity to visit the island in the first place, had lived there or a few years prior to my visit and had explored practically every inch of the island. When I arrived my aunt had a plan set to provide us with the best experience she could of the island, in the six days we were to spend there. This included exploring the mountains, visits to multiple different beaches, a night at a legitimate luau, and an eye opening and an informative visit to Pearl Harbor.

One of my biggest interests, no matter the location, is the diversity of cultures in our ever changing world. Hawaii really opened my eyes to the Polynesian culture and language. Although I only learned a few words- mahalo (thank you), aloha (hello/an expression of gratitude), and thanks to my uncle, the name of the state fish (Humuhumunukunukuapua’a)- I felt as if at the time, it was enough to express my thanks to the local people I met. But now I wish I would’ve taken the time to expand my Hawaiian vocabulary beyond that, in order to better thank the residents of this incredible island.

While visiting a very real luau, which was established in the mid 70’s, I learned a great deal about the Polynesian culture. The luau incorporated a legitimate Hawaiian buffet, traditional and historical Polynesian language/song and dance, and a complimentary lei. The buffet included Kalua pig which is a hog roasted in an underground oven which is then revealed to the crowd during the luau. This is traditional and common in the state of Hawaii. The food was delicious! After dinner, a series of historical Polynesian songs and dances began. The customary dress worn by the dancers was symbolic of the islands they represented. I learned so much about the dress, song, diet, and customs of Hawaiian and the Polynesian culture from Germaine’s Luau.

The cultural influence Hawaii had on me, was something I honestly didn’t expect to gain while there. I however, had expected to gain some historical knowledge of the state itself, but most importantly of Pearl Harbor.

There is no way to really express Pearl Harbor as a whole. And there are far too many aspects to describe it in full detail. But I will give a few small descriptions of this historical place. There are museums filled with bits and pieces of both American and Japanese equipment, planes, and ships. A sense of both sorrow, and pride filled every inch of sidewalk and museum. In the harbor itself, was anchored a huge naval ship which was preparing to leave dock. Plumeria trees, bearing the flowers that make up the customary Hawaiian leis, are flourishing throughout the yard; their flowers are scattered in the grasses, seemingly as a tribute to the lives lost there. This cannot begin to explain the class of the place and the feelings of both gratitude and heartache felt there. Nothing can reveal the true beauty of Pearl Harbor, but I hope the basis of my experience will encourage others to pursue it.

Agriculture has always been a huge part of my life, and the diversity of cash crops for each state from coast to coast was never as apparent to me as it was when I visited Hawaii. This was among the many things I learned while I was there.

During my second day on the island, we visited a small coffee shop. The coffee shop was more than just your basic downtown cafe. It was a factory, which converted coffee cherries, picked from their very own cherry trees, into coffee beans. We sampled teas and coffees, and experienced the steps of the coffee bean from cherry to your Starbucks Caramel Frappuccino. But some of the best coffee I’ve ever had came from Green World Coffee.

Another basic farm-to-plate principal I had next to no knowledge of that I learned about in Hawaii was pineapples. I discovered the truth on the Dole Plantation. First of all, they don’t grow on trees. I honestly didn’t know this, and probably would’ve gone through life without ever knowing any different. In Hawaii, instead of corn fields, there are pineapple fields, growing in the iron filled red soil. They go on and on, right up to the edge of the mountains.

Having only previously visited one beach on the Pacific Ocean (in California), I never knew how much they could differ. The first beach, Keana Point, wasn’t a beach at all. It was a rocky precipice, and the waves splashed up and turned the salty water to foam. All over this jagged cliff were puddles and pools, filled with all forms of life. There were slugs and small fish, but my favorite were the hermit crabs who we found handfuls of.

Another beach was Mokuleia Beach Park. The “park” itself was a beach up until the point where the water reached onto the shore. At the edge of the water began an arrangement of slick rocks, covered in algae. You could barely walk on them without falling.

Another beach, Waimea Bay, was packed with people, unlike the others we’d visited. This beach had some of the softest sand, but to me the waves were huge and the undertow was strong, which slightly terrified me. At one end of the beach a rock stood towering above the beach visitors. On the rock? Dozens of people! They were actually cliff diving from the rocks into the waves!

Many more beaches presented new experiences. Some had large jagged rocks, and others, fine soft sand. I think what I gathered most from this experience was that although many of us face the same or similar challenges, as all of the coast receives similar crashing waves, it shapes us all differently, like the sand differs from the cliffs.

Before I left for Hawaii I had pinned paddle boarding to my “Bucket List” board on Pinterest. Little did I know I would soon cross this off my list, while adding another thing to it. Paddle boarding is always shaky at the start but I soon got the hang of it and became almost addicted. I SUP’d (Stand Up Paddleboard) for hours, back and forth across the bay and up and down the beach. I added “paddle board in all 50 states” to my bucket list and crossed off Hawaii. I became so obsessed with it that a year after I came home, I was surprised for my birthday with a paddleboard and have since taken it up as a new hobby.

Many more things filled my trip with excitement, including swimming with dolphins and sea turtles, and feeding Lovebirds. But perhaps the most inspiring parts of the journey were those which were unexpected; including the diverse beaches, historical culture, and new experiences. I crossed so many things off my bucket list, and added so many more. Hawaii was so much more than just a trip. It provided me with a new outlook on life and an experience I will never forget.