It’s quite a spectacular feeling waking up in one place and going to bed in another. When Pastor Will asked me how it felt to be back in Hawaii, the thought running through my mind was that I was dreaming.
After months and months of saying I would come back for camp then months and months of saving for a flight and lastly months and months of counting down, I was finally back. As nostalgic as it was to see familiar roads while driving to Kaneohe from the airport, I felt as if not a week had gone by since I was last there.
People always ask me how I decide where I want to travel to next, and the honest answer is that I don’t decide. Somewhere deep in my heart I feel this strange pull to go certain places. As a teen I always had a strong fascination with Barcelona, so I studied abroad in Barcelona. In college I really wanted to do a missions trip in Africa, so I went to the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Throughout my whole life I’ve loved Hawaii, and now I always dream of going back.
I know I only lived in Hawaii for a couple months over the summer, but Kaneohe feels like home. In the past year, I’ve spent more time in Kaneohe than I have in Burlingame. In Hawaii I feel comfortable, and I feel like I can be the best version of myself. Never before have I been able to jump into a new place and feel like that’s where I belong. I became involved in ministry, I formed new friendships, and I immersed myself in a loving and welcoming community. So how did it feel for me to be back? It felt like I was home.