We Leave the Island but the Island Never Leaves Us

I just moved from Hawaii to Maryland a few days ago. We are staying at a hotel and looking for my new school and a new home right now.

Here is a photo of me at my old house in Hawaii, getting my suitcase and waiting for a Uber ride. It was a beginning of the new adventure!

At the end of the day we packed out, the whole place was so empty. It was such an unfamiliar feeling. Only dust was left in the home, and my voice echoed across the vacant rooms.

Here is a photo of the bedroom. When I went inside, the bed was broken into pieces. I remember that my Mom used to let me sleep with her on this bed when I was feeling lonely, but now it is almost unrecognizable. People would see just boards and drawers, but I see the bed and its blanket within my memories.

The bed and its blanket within my memories.

This is a photo of my room, after clearing up everything. In my opinion, it was the most colorful place in the entire house.

I miss my room so much... For me, it was a secret camp-space, a place where I could imagine stories, my own art gallery, and, most importantly, my own peaceful place to think about my favorite things and people from the past and present.

This is a photo of the living room. I used to do my gymnastic warm-up routines in this room during homeschool breaks. Practicing my handstand bridge kick-overs using the steps was addictive.

After the movers removed all the boxes, I did cartwheels in the living room. I felt SO free because my parents forced me to watch movies all day long while they were packing and cleaning.

Please click the video below to see me moving!