While a passport isn't needed to travel to Hawaii, it certainly feels like a completely different country. The way of living is similar yet completely different. Hawaii is a different culture from the rest of the U.S., and it can be noticed almost immediately upon arriving to the islands.
In a matter of less than 48 hours on the island of O'ahu, I have been told "aloha" more than anything else. From the moment I stepped onto my flight to Honolulu, people began to say aloha. For me, it meant hello or welcome. When I heard it while stepping off the plane, it meant goodbye. Every time I heard someone say aloha or I said it, I only knew the surface level meaning of hello or goodbye. Aloha is nowhere near just a hello or just a goodbye; no, it is much more than that.
While on a tour of the different islands that make up Polynesia, I learned the true meaning of aloha. Aloha--or as we said it most of the day, "Alooooo-ha!"--can be broken into two parts. The first part "alo" means sharing. The second part "ha" means life. The deeper meaning of aloha is the sharing of life.
After learning the true meaning of aloha, it certainly brought up a few thoughts. Aloha is the main greeting for the islands of Hawaii. They say aloha like we say hello. Hawaiians know the true meaning of aloha, and they actually live by the meaning of aloha. What we don't realize is that when the Hawaiians say aloha to us, they truly mean to share their life with ours.
If you ever find yourself in Hawaii, think about this when you hear every other person say aloha to you. Even if you don't make it to Hawaii, incorporate aloha into your life. Share life with others; make others your ohana.
