We have been coming to Hawaii regularly for more than ten years. Our son came here as a legal intern, fell in love with the islands, took a job in a law firm here and married a local girl. Our daughter in law is fourth generation Hawaiian Japanese and we now have two beautiful Eurasian granddaughters. That is one of the things that is so special about Hawaii. Our granddaughters are the rule rather than the exception here. We went to see a children's play the other night and the audience of parents and children was as diverse as you can imagine. Most of the children were of mixed racial heritage and were remarkably handsome children. There is no racial prejudice here and these children feel no stigma. Moreover children in general are highly valued. Unlike the mainland US, there are many playgrounds and play areas even in the most expensive land areas such as Waikiki. First birthdays here are huge celebrations which may stem from a time when infants who lived to the first year had a good chance of survival. The forty first birthday is also the cause for a huge celebration. Hawaiians are big on celebrations.

The Japanese influence in Hawaii is strong probably because the Japanese are the largest ethnic group on the Islands, at least in Oahu. This was true well before WWII and the Japanese living on the Island at the time of Pearl Harbor were moved inland as a precaution.

One Japanese influence that my wife really likes is the custom of removing your shoes before you go into the house. (This is not unique to the Japanese, we saw the same thing when we visited Islamic countries.) Another custom is that of gift giving. We are always given gifts when we leave and have learned to bring gifts for everyone when we come. The Japanese influence is also very evident when it comes to food. As one might expect, Sushi is a big feature and is to be found even in convenience stores. In the supermarkets, in addition to a wide variety of Asian foods, there are whole sections devoted to Japanese snack crackers. Take out foods are the norm here and there are a variety ethnic food take out storefronts in many of the malls. Because most foods have to be imported, they are expensive and it is sometimes cheaper to dine on take out food at home than to buy groceries and cook them yourself.

Interestingly, Dunkin Donuts has not fared well here, perhaps because of the popularity of the Portuguese fried bread. But what is very popular is Spam which is served in many fast food restaurants. Another Hawaiian specialty is the plate lunch. This is a plate filled with two scoops of white rice, a scoop of Cole slaw, heavy on the mayo, and a protein usually Spam, steak or sausage. President Obama admitted that he liked to have a plate lunch when he comes to visit. Although food is a big issue here, so too is exercise. You do not see too many overweight adults or children here (with the exception perhaps of tourists). Walking, surfing, kayaking and canoeing are very popular. The uniform climate here of course contributes to the attractiveness of outdoor activities.

While coming to Hawaii is not the same as traveling to a foreign country, the lack of social stigma, the unique customs and foods, make it very different from visiting any other state.