Thus, one of the first things I did when I moved to Ireland was begin the journey of learning Irish - not because I thought it would be easy or was "fascinated", but because I felt that this was the only way I would really understand the country that was now my home, and the people who would love me here.

I wish more people who lived in Hawai'i felt this way, whether they were born here or not, and whether they were of Hawaiian ancestry or not.