Introduction

A Year in Waipahu

Most travel books and blogs focus on the bright and shiny places in this world.  Not this one.  You landed here instead.  Of course I enjoy the bright and shiny places, just as much as the next tourist.

 

But for my money, the best stories happen in the regular places of this world.  The neighbors who share their story, and maybe their food.  The kids who grow up in rather plain fashion but are destined to move mountains.  The local business owners who know everyone.  

And then there are the regular buildings.  In towns with some history (and generations of families), the homes reflect a certain pride.  Houses are well kept but not ostentatious.  In these kinds of neighborhoods, people's homes are not for show but for lifestyle.

 

In these regular neighborhoods, community centers are centers of life.  They can be cultural centers, churches, temples, schools, you get the idea.  As Centers, they are usually well-taken care of.  Often, they are better cared for than the people's own home.  That’s because they represent the community itself.  Such Centers represent the generations of Past, Present, and Future.  They represent the history, as well as the hopes and dreams of the future.  

Restaurants in these regular places are also a little different.  In these regular places, people go less to eat "out," and more to eat "in."  They often know the people who own or work there.  The restaurants are a sort of extension on one's own home.  The focus is often on getting together, enjoying the cooking and atmosphere of people you know.

I could go on, but you get my gist: The regular places are different.  

 

They are almost always overlooked in travel books and blogs.  Not here!  Instead, you’ll get lots of stories about ordinary life.  In Waipahu, Hawai’i.

 

This isn't really a travel blog.  It's more an intentional observation blog of a new resident.  And an argument for those considering travel or living abroad to pay close attention to the "regular" places.