Valentine's Day

Yes, I know, it was two days ago.  I just now found the time to update the blog a bit.

A year ago on the 2011 Valentine's day I was here in Hawai'i for the first time interviewing for my new job.  The only time I had been in Polynesia before was a work trip to Auckland, New Zealand in 2005.  The 11-12 hour jet lag from Germany to Hawai'i was horrendous, and there was a long London to San Fransisco flight in the middle of the trip.  (The New Zealand trip also had quite a bit of jet lag starting from Dulles on the East Coast and a nonstop Los Angeles to Aukland segment--after that I didn't want to get back on a plane for a while.)  But in the end both trips were well worth it. 

I actually arrived the day before on the 13th.  It was quite a shock to be in cold dark snow covered Germany one day and on the beach at Waikiki the next.  I got a sunburn instantly, before I could walk to / find a place to buy sunscreen.  So I had a bright red face during my interview.  I also had hardly any warm weather clothes; I didn't even own a pair of shorts.  It is funny now, I have only worn shorts this year and can't remember the last time I have worn pants. 

It had also been years since I had been back in the US, so it was odd hearing so much English being spoken and seeing signs in English; also using dollars seemed strange.  All the bills the same color and the dimensions were off.  Also, I could get iced tea to drink, which is one little thing I missed, but I kept trying to order in German and having to stop myself and use English. In talking to people I realized my English had become stilted.  I talked very simple and plainly and avoided colloquial phrases, because I had usually been talking to people in Europe who did not use English as a first language.  Also I tended to overuse "this" instead of "that" like Germans do when they speak in English. 

I joked with V that I got us a trip to Hawai'i for Valentines day but I forgot to bring her along.

On the way back V sent me a text to see if I made the flight to San Fransisco.  I wrote back that actually I was on the N. Shore in Oahu and wasn't going back to Germany.  We joke with each other all the time and I knew she would see through it but she said she had a shock for just a second and thought I was serious.