Hawaii with Both Feet

October 22nd, 2009

While I am still a Hawaii newbie by any standards — just entering my second year here — this week provided two powerful reminders of how comfortable this island has become.  They both had to do with my feet.

First, I saw a conference that looked interesting and related to my studies.  Then, I noticed it is in Ontario, Canada.  In March.  This is a problem.  I moved here after over a decade in Colorado, so I have seen snow and have experienced winter weather.  But I had proper clothes there.  I suddenly realized that I now have no coat, just a summer hoodie and a winter hoodie, mostly for the air conditioning on buses and in classrooms.  I also have no cap, scarf or gloves: items that used to be essential.  But the real deal-breaker, the one that dissuaded me from applying for the conference, is that I have no shoes.  I have several pair of slippers (flip-flops) that serve quite nicely all year long in Hawaii.  I have purchased a pair of sneakers, allegedly to use in the gym (but that hasn’t really taken much tread off over the past year).  I wore them when we returned to the mainland last summer and that was fine but I don’t think I’d like to brave Canada snow in a pair of sneakers.

The second foot experience begins with a confession.  I am addicted to cable cleaning, decorating and remodeling shows.  I know.  But anyway, this weekend one of the remodeling projects was in a place where there was snow.  That’s fine, I can WATCH people in snow all day.  They carried a new rolled up area rug into the living room and were standing on it to kick the roll out.  With their shoes on!  I shuddered.  The sight of people walking on carpet in their shoes seemed so wrong!  In Hawaii, a shoe rack sits either outside or just inside the door.  Even though most footwear is slippers, they are not worn inside local homes.  Knowing that and feeling a physical shudder are two different things.

At some point, I’ll gear up for a winter mainland trip.  But for now, I am happy to kick off my slippers at the door in October.

Posted by Cindy Scheopner  Follow me on Twitter @Scheopner

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Entry Filed under: Customs, Practices and Pastimes, In General