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I Moved to an Unknown Island at 18. And it Changed My Life Forever
There wasn’t much that could convince 18 years old me to stay in the midwest. Don’t get me wrong, I love the midwest, but after spending the first 18 years of my life in Missouri, I needed a scene change. Lost on the way to college I wanted to take a gap year and do something that I never thought I would have the opportunity to do. Move to Hawaii.
I moved to Hawaii, by mistake, or coincidence at least. One of my Aunts that I hadn’t talk to since I was a child was living on Oahu and reached out to me after 7 years. We started talking about life and after I told her that I was going to take a year before going to college, she offered for me to move to Hawaii and work at the University of Hawaii — Marine Biology Institute. This was an opportunity that I couldn’t pass up, so I packed my two largest suitcases, sold my car, and bought a one-way ticket to Oahu with the cash.
It was amazing and interesting. After all, I worked for a university before I attended one. That’s right, I had a faculty badge and access to all of the rooms and computers they did. I spent around six months out there and every day was amazing. I learned how to surf, how to speak some Hawaiian, and had an opportunity to spend two weeks in South Korea. I was being paid to snorkel! What more could a teenager ask for?
