Coffee and Conversation #15 {Forgiveness}

A couple weeks ago, I particpated in my first ever Coffee and Conversation. I love the concept of getting together and sharing  on a certain topic. {I have been a bit busy and forgot to link up, but I am still going to answer the question.} 

If you missed June 24ths post click here. 

The question of the week is: 

"What does forgiveness look like? At what point do you realize it's time to forgive and move on if someone takes advantage of you?"

"Forgiveness does not change the past, but it does enlarge the future." - Les Brown

For me, forgiveness is sometimes hard because I have a hard time not bringing up the past. I have a hard time putting whatever offense happened, or whatever comment was said behind me. This is something I have always struggled with. So this topic is a little difficult because it is a challenge. 

But maybe that's the way I define it. I believe true forgiveness is not necessarily forgetting the incident or the issue, but being able to put it behind me. Being able to move forward with the person in spite of what happened. True forgiveness is leaving the past exactly where it belongs: In the past. 

And I believe sometimes that is necessary even if a formal apology was not issued. 

{image via} 

Forgiving is for you. You feel better when you are able to forgive, and it's necessary because no one is perfect. If we expect to be forgiven for our wrong comments or acts, we have to be willing to forgive others. 

In terms of when it's the right time to forgive- I think that's just up to you. Some offenses are slight and take much to get over, while some are large and they take a while for the hurt to heal. 

For me, when I am obsessing about the problem I usually know it is time for me to forgive. When this issue is taking over my thoughts, the only way to free myself is to let it go. This does not mean I am not going to be wary for a while after, but I will let the issue go. 

Forgiveness is a hard and necessary part of life. Without forgiveness our lives would be very empty because the fact of the matter is everyone makes mistakes. 

Hawaii- Turtle Beach {Travel Series}

Last week, I started my new travel series. I thought it was a perfect time to do this because my cousins Jessie and Jake were visiting and I played tour guide one last time before leaving Hawaii. 

On their second day of visit we headed to Shark's Cove, and then to Turtle Beach. 

Jessie and Jake wanted to hit up as many snorkeling places as possible, so I really wanted to take them to Turtle Beach. 

Laniakea Beach {AKA Turtle Beach}

Cost: Free 

Time: 30 minutes- 1 hour

Location: North Shore, Oahu 

At Turtle Beach you will find exactly what you would think: Turtles. We went to this place because it is famous for Green Sea Turtles. I drive by this beach everyday going to work, and there are always turtles there. I have even seen a Monk Seal laying out once. It's not the greatest beach to layout, but it's pretty cool to see the turtles on the beach and in the water. 

Jessie, Jake, and I immediately saw a turtle laying out on the beach and we could see some turtle heads bobbing around in the water. Green Sea Turtles are protected, so there is usually a volunteer making sure you don't get too close to them. They are also usually roped off. When you are there please remember to be careful and don't break the rules. There is a reason they are protected! 

Since we saw some turtles in the water, we decided to put our snorkel masks on and go in. The snorkeling can be a little murky, it just depends on the day. When we went it was pretty nice. We saw tons of sea urchins and some fish. We were about to call it a day when we finally saw a green sea turtle in the water. 

No matter how many times I see these turtles, I still get so excited. They are just so cool. If you have time and are on this side of the island- stop here. If you don't have time to snorkel, that is fine- just stop and take some pictures of the ones laying out. 

You will know you have reached Turtle Beach because there is a ton of traffic, especially in the summer. I mean a lot of traffic! {It didn't make my drive home from work any fun.} 

We had a blast at this beach, and I would encourage all of you to stop by if you ever find yourself on Oahu. 

Let's Be Friends Blog Hop {#20}

This is my first blog hop, and I am so excited. 

Blog hop? You ask. 

Here is what it is: 

The Let's Be Friends blog hop allows you to get your blog out there and meet new people. This blog hop is brought to us by The Dwelling Tree and All My Happy Endings, and each month there are different co-hosts for you to meet. 

With this hop, I hope to meet lots of bloggers and get some more followers! 

So here's to my first blog hop! 

Friday Flashback #56

Okay I actually wasn't here for this flashback, but I still find this picture really funny. 

When Beth was in town last year, I was still coaching lacrosse. So during one of my practices I had Matt take Beth down to the Waikiki strip and have her tour around. On their way, they ran into this guy that has a few parrots that you can take pictures with. 

I guess the guy thought the two of them were a couple, so he had them pose in different ways with the parrots. When they explained they weren't married and in fact Beth was my best friend- I think the parrot guy thought that they were cheating on me. 

Oh good times on Waikiki strip. 

This is one of my favorite pictures of all times. 

Hawaii- Shark's Cove {Travel Series}

I thought since I have lived in Hawaii for about 4 1/2 years I would give a little tour of the island. 

This series will go through the places I think you should see while in Hawaii, specifically the island of Oahu. 

 Shark's Cove 

Cost: Free *Snorkeling Gear is available for a small rental fee 

Time: 1-3 hours *Dependent on how long you want to snorkel or scuba dive 

Location: North Shore, Oahu 59-712 Kamehameha Hwy Haleiwa

{My beautiful cousins- Jake and Jessie} 

Shark's Cove is a great place to snorkel and, if you are certified, to scuba. Make sure you pick a day where there is a low surf advisory. For the best visibility, you will want to go when the ocean is nice and calm. I have been to Shark's Cove many times and have seen some cool sea creatures each time I've gone. (Sea Turtles, Eels, and plenty of fish) This is a good place to start your snorkeling adventures because it is not too deep, and if you are nervous you can stay close to shore and still see a lot of stuff. If you are more adventurous you can go out further. 

*Be sure to get there early for parking.*

*One thing that is a bit annoying about Shark's Cove is it is a bit rocky and can be hard to get in the water. I recommend going to the most beachy part of the cove and getting in from there. While the rocks might look nice and smooth- they can be a bit dangerous when trying to get in and out of the water, so make sure to be cautious.*

{Don't know why my face looks like that!}

We had such a blast snorkeling. The water was so clear and there were tons of fish. *I know the pictures aren't the greatest, but it's really hard to capture how beautiful it is under water.

Jessie, Jake, and I were having so much fun. Jessie and Jake are really good at free diving... me- not so much.

{Look how good they dive down and pose for a picture.}

{Jake had to literally hold me under water just for me to stay under and get a picture.}

{I finally figured it out... a little}

At least I provided entertainment for my cousins! 

Happy 4th of July

I hope you all have a great 4th of July. 

{How cute is this cake?!? via Glorious Treats} 

Expat Diaries: Bringing a Little Piece of Home {A Link Up}

This is my first ever link up with Lost In Travels and Postcards from Rachel for their Expat Diaries series! I am super excited because in a little more than a month I'll be joining my husband in South Korea to teach English. I will officially be an Expat! 

The Expat Diaries is a series dedicated to bringing bloggers together to share their travel/ expat stories with others and to get to know other travel bloggers. 

With this in mind, I thought it would be perfect to start getting involved. 

For anyone that is new to my blog here is a little background on my travel experience: 

In 2007, I decided to continue my undergrad career on the North Shore of Oahu, Hawaii, so I packed up and moved over 4,000 miles away from my home in Georgia. 

{If you have never spent a long amount on the North Shore, let me assure you- this is a way different culture than the mainland of America. Trust me.}

In Fall of 2009, I took a break from Hawaii and did a study aboard in London, England. During this study aboard, I was able to travel to France, Scotland, Ireland, and Wales. 

In 2011, I returned to Hawaii, with a husband, to finish my undergrad degree. 

Now we are moving on to our next adventure: South Korea! 

Okay- enough of the background...

For my first post, I wanted to talk about bringing a little piece of home with you as you travel. 

If you are going on a long trip away from home, I highly suggest bringing some things to remind you of  your home. Homesickness is a real thing. No matter how excited you are about traveling or relocating, sometimes you just really miss your home. Having some familiar things around you will make your travels a little more bearable on really bad days. {Like when you get lost in a new city, or someone calls you a stupid Haole. -If you don't know what that means... look it up.} 

I love to travel, but I also hate being away from my family, so I always make sure I bring a few things of comfort with me when I am moving. 

Here are my top five: 

1. My Babushka {A blanket I have had since childhood. This blanket is actually a sarong that I got on a trip to the Bahamas. It goes everywhere with me. For real. } 

2. Pictures of my loved ones {I usually just bring prints. There is nothing better than having pictures of the people I love. Just looking at them makes me feel better.}

3. A journal {For me, journaling is a habit that always reminds me of growing up. Plus, I hate forgetting the little details that you think you will remember, but you don't. Write them down!}

4. My pillow {If I am moving to a new place, I like to have my pillow and pillowcase to remind me of my bed back home. I know this is a pain to have in airports, but I can't kick the habit.} 

5. My computer {I know this is a big item as well, and you might think how does this remind me of home. If I have my computer, I can Skype. And if I can Skype, I feel a bit closer to my family.} 

Traveling with these items always makes me feel a little better about being away from home. Having a few comforts helps- it really does. 

Now of course, there is tons more to pack when moving or traveling, but that is for another day. 

Hope you enjoyed my first post with the Expat Diaries link up.