Saturday August 29

Saturday was one of the best days of my life. I can't even put into words how amazing it was. this solidified my decision to come to Hawaii 100 percent. I know that Coming to Hawaii is one of the best decisions I've ever made. 

one of my friends besser invited me to go to maunawillys waterfall with a bunch of friends. I didn't know anyone but that's what makes this story even better. we started out with peter, besser, ally, and brittanie. then we joined a bunch of soccer boys and older boys. we sat in the back of a truck that had a hammock inside it. I layed in the hammock as we were driving on kam highway and it was the best feeling. I was blasting my music and we were staring at the mountains and I couldn't help but feel heavenly fathers love for me because of where I was living. 

we then proceeded to maunawillys which is a nice lil hike to this incredible waterfall that is in the middle of a neighborhood. but so isolated. it's a huge waterfall and its surrounded by huge cliffs that you can jump off of. you can jump like 50 feet but I only did the 30 ft one and I was so scared. here's some pictures 

we then went to McDonalds where I ate a dollar burger and was so content. MCDONALDS IS AMAZING AND DONT TAKE FOR GRANTED ITS FOOD. 

we then decided to do another hike which is called crouching lion. the trail is at the side of the road and some people were walking and I asked them "is the hike crouching tiger this way?" they looked at me so funny and weird and peter and besser couldn't stop laughing. I always mix it up because there's a movie calling crouching tiger hidden dragon. but we took the long turn, and we just hiked up the mountain straight up. into the jungle. I was sweating and getting cuts every where but I just kept thinking who cares? why not go up a steep mountain when it looks like it's gonna rain. but we finally found our way and the view was incredible. I could stay up there for hours and I have more selfies that can last me a lifetime. 

yes this did take all day but the night wasn't over!!! hahah we finally got home and then I hurried and got food at the caf, then took a night swim at pounders where I got destroyed by some huge waves and my friend Alec couldn't stop laughing at me. then with peter and besser again we went to this super lame 80s dance party where they only played 80s music. we then met up with some other girls where we chilled are beach and just talked and a lot of the girls and boys salsa danced on the beach. soooo weird and I can't dance and its at that single moment I regretted not having my dad teach me ballroom. 

then we got dropped off at the dorms where I talked for an hour or two with besser just talking about random crap like my favorite movie takis and staring at the clouds and trying to figure out what they look like and laughing about silly things. 

and thus ended an insignificant but most memorable day of my life 

August 27 & 28

heyooo so these days were so awesome particularly because I realized how awesome my parents are. 

1. one of our close family friends Joel Sybrowsky was in laei for the temple dedication and he and one of his coworkers came and took me out to turtle bay. I was so hungry and so sick of the cafeteria food. but he told me how my mother was talking to him and how she was worried about the food I was eating. because cafeteria food takes so much energy to digest, as well as get out if you know what I mean. but i got this huge plate that had just local food. straight from kahuku. I was surprised how I ate it all. it was amazing. Joel said "as much as I enjoyed that meal I enjoyed watching you eat it more" but we talked with his co worker about my parents. how they met, and particularly how opposites attract. I know that Joel loves my parents, because when he talks about them he just had this light in his eyes. I sometimes complain about my parents but in reality they are amazing people. I am so used to people coming up and telling me how inspirational my dad is or how sweet and thoughtful my mom is. that I forget that that's there reputation and that's who they truly are. here's a picture of my food.

 we then went back to my dorm, where Joel joked about how my mom gave him a 50 pound suitcase full of food. it was Christmas I tell you. it was a wonderful scene. my mom is really the best, even though she loves to FaceTime me for 4 hours and is always calling me but I know she does it cause she loves me. now my closet is full of so much food with all the things I love. like takis and candy grapefruit. she is so thoughtful. even though she put in salami and cheese that I'm sure is toxic since its been in a hot stinky suitcase for 2 days. I'm sorry mother I couldn't eat it. 

Friday 

then on Friday night, our best friends boyfriends mom took us out to eat. she is the funniest human and I love her and could talk to her for hours. we went to Haleiwa and went to an incredible burger joint and had some shaved ice afterwards. oh and her name is sheralyn brown. 

the weekend August 21-23

fun weekend! Friday after practice we went and watched byu play a Cali team and then we watched Stanford vs. university of Hawaii! it was such a good game!!! I got so nervous because we play them!!! It made me super excited to still being able to play soccer. 

we had a scrimmage just vs each other and I played most of it. then I went with my friend to hukilau cause we are apart of the Latino club ahahhaa I miss Mexican food so much. then we walked back and I couldn't even walk/function. but my other friends wanted to go to this taco shop so we walked to the bus stop and waited for like an hour for it. hahaha it took forever! but it's okay because I got to FaceTime one of my best friends Gregson who just got off his mission. he's such a cutie! and I love him so much because he's been a homie and has always been there for me, especially when I've been having a hard time 

Sunday was really chill as well. went to church, read my Book of Mormon for forever in my hammock right next to my dorm. haha it's my favorite thing to do and I'm not quite sure if its legal but I haven't gotten in trouble yet! 

then I went to the temple at night and just sat and thought for awhile. it's my new favorite place to go when I need space,  time to think and feel space when I am struggling. I just feel like I have zero control over where my future is headed. I could do anything! but it stresses me out because I don't know what's the right thing for me. but being there makes me feel at peace. that I need to stop stressing at my little problems and just be happy. it's easy when you're view is this 

Thursday August 20 2015

today we took pictures and I've honestly never been so happy since I've been here. we didn't have practice because it's been raining so much the past few days, so we had a classroom session where we talked about the gospel oriented with soccer it was really cool. we talked about how even though we are competing for spots, we still need to be best friends. I love these girls so much already. they were making me laugh and feel loved and we were all laughing and smiling and just loving life. it was so nice. 

the freshman :))) 

Monday August 17

today was good! after soccer practice we went on a hike that was super rad, and we talked about our goals and learned a Hawaiian chant song. I soon figured out I am awful at speaking Hawaiian, I can barely say any of the towns haha. anyways yeah, I had fresh guava and mangos and I figured out that I love guava!!! but everyone hates it for some reason! I don't know why! haha 

Saturday August 15th 2015

Haha today had a rough start, but you gotta just ENJOY THE GOOD AND PUSH THROUGH THE BAD. the girls had a fitness test today, and I thought I was gonna run it but coach told me to sit this one out. so I did. and it was hard for me, especially because I don't want the girls to think I'm lazy or fake, I have sacrificed a lot to be here and I've worked pretty hard to get to this point in my life. I was just frustrated. so I stayed after and thought about how my body keeps giving up on me and for the first time i felt a little sense of being trapped in my own body. I knew what would make me feel immediately better, so I called my dad and he helped me figure out what I should do and how i should react to my situation. I love him. haha then we went to hukilau beach with Brooke, savpin and Daryl where we just relaxed. Daryl and I then had a student athlete BBQ over there, where I learned how to play spike ball. it was cloudy the whole day and I still put on sunscreen and by the time we walked home I was fried! like a chicken! roasted!!! I was so sunburnt. also this morning Daryl's mom michelle sent her a package with some food and some takis!!! I've never been so happy. I love them so much and they are my favorite food. I arranged them in my dorm because they are a frugal delicacy. 

then I heard some rustling outside my window and I immediately knew it was a frog cause what else would be crawling around?!? there's no squirrels around in Hawaii! so I then I caught it like a G and scared Daryl with it and then scared all of the girls in my dorm they were screaming and freaking out and I was so happy. I would kinda throw the frog at them and see what they would do. hahaha I am an awful human being but it's all good fun right? don't worry though, the frog wasn't hurt in the making of this blog post and I released him back into the wild after. ahaha I lovee animals and I met some cool girls because of it!

LOOK HOW BIG IT IS THOUGH ITS AMAZING!! 

life is good if you make it guys. even if frogs are the reason that make you happy, it's ok. you do you, and you do whatever makes you happy even if scaring girls with frogs, listening to your loved ones talk and chomping up some spicy takis make you happy THEN DO IT 

 

THE WEEKEND August 14th 2015

so I'll be honest.. this week was kinda crazy. I didn't go to the beach ONCE!!! crazy huh?!? I definetly need to broaden my horizons. between two a days of soccer and school, I had no time for the beach!! just straight soccer then school, then homework then a lil nap then soccer  again then homework then dinner than study time in library then go to bed super early. hahaha Daryl has got me hooked onto planet earth, so I watch it every night before I go to bed! ahah I also find some time to lay in my hammock and either read for my Book of Mormon or talk to my family on the phone. but anyways! last night I went to bed at 9 pm and woke up at 8:35 am five minutes before class, it was so convienent I just waltzed my way 20 yards from my dorm to my class. after my classes though I took another nap.. so 13 hours of sleep total. hahaha. being a college athlete is exhausting! I don't know how they do it. I recorded parts of my political science class to send to my dad but I tried to be sneaky but my professor saw and was giving me really weird looks! haha 

anyways, did some hw, had a class study soccer practice and then Daryl, savpin,Brooke and Brooke's roomies taylor and Emily, all piled up in Emily's car  and we headed about an hour and a half towards the nearest mall and ate some Panda Express where I shed a tear because Hawaii is seriously not America. it's not. it's ghetto, and there isn't much stores or places to go beside the beach (I'm not complaining it's just the truth!!) also the food as I have mentioned before in the cafeteria is awful, so sinking your teeth into some greasy Chinese food just hits the spot! we mostly went there because it felt like home. the mall was clean and ordinary unlike the rest of Hawaii which is mostly unorganized beautifulness. Brooke needed some leggings so we got her those. and then Emily gave me some ingenious advice to buy Nike shoes in the boys youth section. and I found the cutest ones but GUESS WHAT MOTHER I RESISTED THE URGE TO BUY THEM. but then I saw my favorite kind of shoes, tevas that were only $20 (they are usually $50) so I just had to get them. my other ones got destroyed anyway. I will wear them every day. then we got some slurpies at 7/11 and I shed another small tear because I used to get those whenever I was feeling sad in Provo and it was usually raining then proceeded to watch a chick flick with takis in hand and a slurpee in the other.and they are my comfort food. anyways we blasted music in the car, and to be honest it just felt good to be in a car and to sing ballads at the tops of our lungs. I am happy though, life is so good and it's an adventure. 

slurpies time featuring my new tevas;)))

I also found this book this week when they were giving out free books and my friends and I couldn't stop laughing. I don't think I'd like any "turned on advising" 

my fortune cookie had this in it, and the more I am away from my family it makes me appreciate them even more. EVEN when Esai wouldn't ever give me love or kisses or hugs. I smiss that stubborn boy. i miss everything about him. and reagans loud voice and sweet spirit, and dales questions at the dinner table ( I know he loves me too, he just hides it, but I can tell more now how he just wanted to be around his older sister) and niles singing kid Cudi at night and always causing a ruckus and me yelling to tell him to shut up. I also found his favorite t shirt in my suitcase when I came here and a wave of dread washed over me because I thought of how it must have been packed by accident and how much he's gonna kill me cuz I always steal all of his clothes. but it was sneaked in there with a few photographs of him and I and a note that said I love you Katya, it was the most thoughtful and beautiful thing I have ever seen. he gave up his favorite shirt to give to me, and whenever I wear it(it's a Picture of kosmo Kramer from sienfeld) I think of him and stand a little taller knowing I got one of the best brothers in the whole world. and I miss my dads constant asking about boys I was going dates on and him giving me the best advice. he's my best friend. and I miss my mom the most I think. I cry every time I think about her. I hate talking to her on the phone cause it makes me cry and I don't want her to see me cry. haha I'm such a baby!!  but she has done everything for me. we were in the mall and I said "well geez I might need to buy some undies but I don't even know what to get cause my mom always gets me them!" how embarrassing I'm 18 years old and I don't even know my bra size cause my mother always picks it out for me. she's the best though. 

Monday August 10, 2015

so Today was hard. I woke up feeling super nervous and scared. I went and ate breakfast by myself, which is fine cause being in a room of 6 girls makes you want your alone time. haha I went to my political science class, where I am absolutely memorized by my professor when he speaks. we are reading this political book called roots of freedom. it's really hard for me to focus on what he's really saying because I keep thinking "DAD.. DAD..DAD...what would dad say about this? what do you think dad would like me to say? would dad agree to this?" just some background: my dad is a politician who lovesssss talking about political issues with me at home, we would sit and watch the news, or we would talk in my room about ideas we had, one time I told him my opinion on gay marriage, which is slightly different than his, and he FORCED me to go to a 2 hour talk on how gay marriage ruins society. yeah intense. but I mostly love that class because I know he loves it. and that's when you know you really love someone, you love something that's out of your comfort zone just because you know they love and enjoy it and are passionate about it. and you want to tell them and engage them in it because you know they really enjoy it. and it made me really sad because I missed him so much. 

then I had soccer for the first time. my first collegiant practice. and it was chaos I tell you! everyone was frantic and nervous and jittery and were slide tackling their team mates to impress our coach. and for me  it went fairly well untill... I planted wrong and tweaked my knee. it hurt so bad. and coach told me to go see the trainer. I was so mad. beyond something I've never experienced before. I had worked so hard for this moment only for my body to give up on me once again! how rude of my body! I was so frustrated. and hot tears were streaming down my face. more like waterfalls because I was embarrassed and upset at myself. why do bodies fail us sometimes? who knows! but I went and it was good, nothing torn just a bad tweak that really agitated my knee. but I couldn't stop crying.( once I start I can't stop) and ofcourse a bunch of the boys soccer team comes in, all staring at me. one dude tried to talk to me! how nice but I wasn't having it. anyways, I then took a long shower, had some food. well.. sort of.. the only thing I eat here are rice and ice cream. I have prolly eaten more rice here than my whole entire life COMBINED. the food is just not so good. it's so saturated and oily and frankly very bland in my opinion. but that's what you get for working at a nice resturaunt for 6 months before! haha ANYWAYS I went to the library to study, yes family I do study don't be worried! but a boy in my ward named Clifton reminded me, HEY come to family home evening! and I felt the strongest impression to go, I thought if I go I will get more blessing from God! can't have enough blessing am I right?!! haha and it was speed dating 😑 I was like oh gosh this is something my dads byu ward would do! but I met some really interesting dudes like Juan from Korea. yes a Latino name but a Korean boy ahha so funny. a nice kid from Cape Verde! and talked to Clifton for a bit. he is the funniest loudest intriguing fellow I have ever met. he's a mix of Japanese and Fijian I think.. I'm not quite sure. but he's so silly he makes me laugh. anyways, it made me feel a lot better about my leg, and that God sometimes will give us promptings for the soul purpose of making us feel better and feel loved and to have fun! here's some pics 

you can kinda tell by my Baggie eyes that I had had a long day, but meeting new people and getting good date practice always will benefit you right? haha night xoxo 

Magic

so I forgot a lot of stuff I did over these past weeks but here are some really dope pictures I took. 

are these even real though?!! 

my second mother michelle kaufusi who got us all settled in and stuff. oh how I love her! also appreciate how awesomely I decorated my room 

a little place I like to sit right before class just to appreciate the little things