An essay written by our niece, Claire (age 10).

Hawaii, Here I Come!

            Whether it is exploring beautiful coral reefs at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean or basking under the warm Hawaiian sun in the cool, peaceful beaches, you just can’t go wrong visiting Hawaiian paradise.  Let me tell you about one time I went to Hawaii and how it turned out to be an amazing time.

            It all started in mid-April, 2013.  I was 9 years old at that time.  My mom’s youngest sister (my aunt), had just gotten engaged and was planning the wedding. It was to be in Maui, Hawaii.  So, my family and I packed clothes and some extra food (just in case) for a week in Hawaii.  At about 5 o’clock in the morning, my family and I were all ready to depart.  All of my aunts and uncles (except for my aunt that is getting married) gathered in front of my house and got into two cars to go to San Francisco Airport.  It took us about 5 hours to get to Maui by airplane.  When I was in the airplane, all the people around me were my family, aunts, uncles and cousins.  Finally, we arrived in Maui, Hawaii.  As I went out of the airplane, I thought, Aloha, Hawaii! (Hello, Hawaii).  I was in awe as I took in the surroundings-tall palm trees, sandy beaches and fresh air.

            Finally, after several days in Maui, it was my aunt’s wedding.  Unlike most people I know, my aunt’s husband to-be wasn’t a Catholic, they didn’t get married in a church or cathedral.  Instead, they got married outside on a beautiful grass hill that overlooks the “wonderous blue” ocean.  There were fresh small flowers  everywhere on the grass.  During the wedding, I wore a pretty yellow and blue dress with a Hawaiian flower hair clip on my hair.  The wedding itself was a beautiful sight that included a lady playing the harp and the backgrounds of Hawaii.

            After the wedding, there was a reception .  I was very excited about this.  Let me tell you why.  First of all, there was amazing and delicious food.  Also, there was music and dancing.  Although it was very late at night, we still had a lot of fun.  Oh, and by the way, while were were on our way to the big enchanting reception hall, there was a fading golden and orange sunset.  My family and I took pictures of this magnificent sight.

            Now, let me tell you about the fun and happy part of this reception.  It was like a family reunion, all my aunts, uncles and grandparents were together and they took a family picture.  It is very rare to see my aunt that just got married because she lived in New York.  However, now that she and her husband are married, they moved to Sacramento and later on had a baby son named Eli (Elijah).  My grandparents were very happy.

            In the meantime, my brothers, cousin and I were having a lot of fun.  We danced a lot until we got bored.  Once I didn’t want to dance anymore, my uncle Chris, my brother Antoine, and I went out of the reception hall and outside to the grass to play.  I realized that it wasn’t cold.  There was a warm breeze.  We were walking around for a little bit when we heard some music and saw lights up ahead.  When we walked closer, we found out that it was some sort of party.  We were not allowed to come in because it was only for certain guests.  So, we went to a place where it was near a little stream of water that has a fireplace and some comfortable chairs.  We rested there for a bit, then went to explore something else.  We almost got lost once, but luckily, my uncle found the way out.  When we came back to the wedding reception hall, the party was almost finished.  When it was done, everyone said “good night” to one another and went back to their room to go to sleep at the hotel.  It was a very tiring day for everyone, even me so once I got into my bed, I fell asleep.  The next day, my family and I did lots of activities such as snorkeling and going to different beaches.

            In conclusion, that’s what I had enjoyed my trip in Hawaii and I think it is a major event in my life.  Also, I recommend it for you and your family too, because, who wouldn’t want to stay in stunningly elegant  hotels that overlook “tranquil” waters and “majestic” mountains with your family and loved ones?  I hope you liked my story!