Aloha Hawai’i… Aloha San Francisco… Aloha Home!
Did you know that in the Hawaiian language, “aloha” is a term used to say both “hello” and “goodbye”? I love that “aloha” can be used whether you’re greeting someone or bidding them farewell. It really gives the feeling that goodbye isn’t an end, but rather more like a chance for a new adventure or new experiences.
The last three or so days have been a whirlwind of travel and adventure. Drew and I left Oahu Monday morning and arrived in San Francisco for our layover Monday night. Two of Drew’s brothers, Rosse and Caleb, recently moved to San Francisco and they were nice enough to let us stay with them until our flight back to Boston.
On Tuesday, Caleb and Rosse brought us to Chinatown for lunch and quick tour of the ferry terminal.
Then Drew and I borrowed their bikes for a ride across the Golden Gate Bridge. I like to say that this part was still part of my FFT adventure because it definitely led to some personal growth! I’ve never ridden a road bike before, and never ridden any sort of bike in a busy city or for any length of time, let alone the 10 mile trip we took from Rosse’s office in San Francisco to the ferry terminal in Sauselito, but I’m so glad I pushed through my nerves and did it. Getting pushed around by the wind on top of the Golden Gate Bridge and feeling the burn of riding up hills and alongside traffic wasn’t pleasant at first, but once I realized that I was in fact still balanced on two wheels and not smushed against the pavement or steel girders of the bridge, it was awesome. Although this wasn’t something I had planned on as part of my storytelling adventure, the experience has definitely given me inspiration for stories I can tell my students about my own moment of persistence and growth.
Halfway across!
After our bike ride, Caleb and Rosse brought us to a burrito place in the Mission where I had the biggest and best burrito I’ve ever had. I’m a big burrito fan, so this was a perfect end to the day. 🙂
The next morning we headed back to the airport for our flight back home. After all of traveling, we were back home around 11pm EST. This trip has been such a wonderful experience and I’m so thankful to have been able to engage in the new learning and have these new learning adventures!
