The Move to Paradise

I'm sitting on a lanai (deck) looking out at my new backyard and listening to the sound of birds chirping and the ocean in the distance. I bet you're wondering how I got here...

Not surprisingly, Tim and Crista, two of my roommates, decided to move down south to Ko'Olina to be closer to their schools. It was definitely a logical choice, but it complicated the living situation. Amanda and I either had to find a new roommate or move somewhere else. Last week, as we were searching for potential roommates and new places, I got an email from 07 corps member and GU alumni Kyle Bond with a link to a posting on Craigslist for a large house in Mokuleia, a rural area a few miles down the road. The plan: Amanda and I would move in with Kyle and his current roommate Greg to this new place.

Kyle and I went and checked it out the next day, and we were impressed to say the least. The landlord was impressed with us (he was tired of renting it out as a vacation home to wild and jobless surfers), and a week later, we were moving in. Everything happened really fast and it's hard to believe all the luck we had.

The peaceful Olohio Road, the street we live on

The house, property, location, and roommate situation are all optimal. Since first seeing this area back in May, I always thought that if I could live on any spot on the island, this would be it. It's tucked away towards the farthest corner of the island, and it's very very country. The houses are spread out and there is very little traffic. It's also very green and lush, and roosters and chickens run around the yards freely. Mount Ka'ala in the backdrop makes for a very postcard scene.

The house is just as amazing as the area. It's very big, with vaulted ceilings and an open living room. It's fully furnished, and there's a dishwasher. I share the master suite with Kyle, and it's gigantic. Kyle moved his bed from his old house, but I kept the bed that was here. It's a king, which is about 3 times bigger than the bed I was sleeping in before. Even with a king and full-sized bed, two desks, two leather chairs, and a bunch of other stuff, there's still a lot of space. There's a very green yard with a wrap-around lanai. Oh yeah, and there's a hot tub.

Yesterday, I was the first to get home and I still didn't have a house key. I was locked out, and at first I didn't know what to do. Then I grabbed my shorts and a towel and walked down to the beach, which is a couple blocks away. On my way back, I took in the peacefulness and beauty of my surroundings. This is the Hawaii that I've always dreamed of.