Living in America

I miss Korea sometimes.  I really miss some of the friends we made there (here's looking at you, Uncle Jin), and I miss the financial security.  Money certainly isn't everything, but Hawaii has significantly humbled us.  Life without a housing allowance in the most expensive state in the union is hard.  And as a new adult, I feel a little like a failure having gone from complete financial security to living from paycheck to paycheck, and watching the balance on our credit card climb.  Here's the thing, though. When you live abroad, particularly in a place like Korea, nothing feels permanent.  People constantly come and go.  No one ever says, "I'm going to buy a house and settle down here."  It's just not possible. Once a person retires, the work visa disappears.  Living in Korea was a little like dropping out for awhile.  We enjoyed not having the day to day worries of working folks with kids, but we knew we couldn't stay forever.  When Hawaii came along, we saw an opportunity to continue the adventure of living in a different place, but in our own country, and we took it.

We question this decision constantly.

On Saturday, we saw the Kaneohe Christmas Parade.  It was a short walk from our apartment.  It had all the pomp of the small city parades that I have seen, with floats and bands, but with a little Hawaii thrown in.  There were hula floats and fire twirlers.  Xander was ecstatic.  He loved the music, he loved the trucks, and he loved the people waving at him.  As I watched him, I was happy to be here.  We didn't have Christmas parades in Korea.  And despite what my disaffected friends say about the commercialization if Christmas, it's still a lot of fun.  Particularly when you have children.  I am glad to be back in the land of Christmas lights and parades and concerts.  Most of which, by the way, we can enjoy for free.

My husband.  He's no millionaire, but what a great daddy.

When it rains, we go to the mall.

Hiking the Judd Memorial trail.

This one didn't come out right, but that's the Marine Corps band.  The man in front of us is military.  You can tell because he stands at attention when they play the Marine Corps anthem.

The low riders.

Hula float.

Fire twirlers.

Santa!  It was hot; he must have been uncomfortable.

I never saw so many shaka signs.  I guess it's easier than waving.

Wooow!

Ukeleles.

A dude on a motorized picnic table.  The true spirit of aloha!

It was Pearl Harbor day, so the theme was "honoring our military."

I failed to get a picture of the veteran of the 442nd infantry regiment, which is a shame.  That guy was a badass.