Dear Maui,

I miss you already. It’s only been a few days, but my hair still smells like sunscreen and my heart still feels like ocean waves. You were so warm and welcoming… you had me at Aloha. My parents warned that we might fall hard for you; they were not wrong. (And I’m not just talking about that forceful tidal wave that swept me off my feet and knocked Genesee on her face.) Still, we weren’t sure exactly what to expect because mom and dad said you’ve been burned since they first met you. I was sorry to hear that you felt devastated, and so I hope the joy I brought to your island helped you heal. But let’s go back to the beginning of our love story…

Before we arrived in your wonderland, Genesee and I convinced our parents to help us escape from school early so we could ride rollercoasters study calculus and visit Legoland explore careers in mechanical engineering, architecture, and 3-D design. Thank you, Mall of America, for your commitment to academic excellence! After that very enriching experience, we boarded our 9-hour flight, where Genesee and I scored our own row of seats and passed the time quickly without a single sibling battle. Miracles do happen.

Eventually, we arrived in Honolulu, where we had to endure a four-hour layover before finally getting to see you. It was just enough time to get acclimated to Hawaii’s 75 degree weather and grab some shredded pork nachos with a side of food poisoning. It wasn’t exactly the tropical experience I had dreamed of; we came to party, not potty. But this plot twist helped me and mom get well acquainted with your toilets, which were quite lovely.

When mom and I finally rallied, you showed our family your playful (and strict) side. Our Airbnb condo in Wailea was awesome, but your pool had way too many rules. No toys, no throwing a football, no Marco Polo. So we invented a game called “Genesee Jaeger.” It sounds just like Marco Polo and feels just like Marco Polo, but if you think you saw us playing Marco Polo, no you didn’t.

Maui – we loved everything about you, except for your prices. My parents spent $514 at your grocery store and mom said it hurt her soul. Luckily your beaches softened the sticker shock. In fact, they were all so gorgeous, we tried to visit a different beach each night to admire the sunset. We also enjoyed driving the Road to Hana, savoring shaved ice treats, meeting your wild chickens, hiking through your majestic bamboo forests, splashing in your waterfalls, and playing tag with your tidal waves.

Maui — you are so hot! Not only do I have the sunburn to prove it, but we even witnessed the haze from the volcano eruption at Kilauea’s summit, all the way over on the Big Island! You really know how to make my heart melt, and you also unlocked new levels of exhiliration… especially when you brought us face-to-face with your incredible wildlife. I was completely mesmerized watching your humpback whales perform their happy dances—leaping, twirling, and slapping their giant fins and tails against the turquoise waters. And even though our parents tried to drug us with Dramamine, my eyes were wide open and I couldn’t keep them off of you… your nature is so beautiful. It’s no wonder why whales blush when they see the ocean’s bottom!

After an epic whale-watching cruise, we set off on Alii Nui’s Turtles & Tacos snorkeling adventure. As you probably discovered by now, my sister left a little souvenir in your ocean: one of her incisor teeth! But just when we thought things couldn’t get more interesting, you surprised us with a 9-foot tiger shark encounter that cut the snorkeling tour short. Luckily, we lived to tell the tale and were brave enough for a do-over, where we submerged our faces in the waters of the Molokini islet and built a friendship with your gentle turtles instead. It was pure magic.

Oh Maui… You sure know how to make a dude’s heart race! Ziplining through your treetops had my adrenaline pumping—it was fast, fun, and just a little terrifying… kind of like falling in love with you. And as if that wasn’t enough excitement, you decided to shake things up, literally! One minute, we were eating dinner on the deck, and the next, I was experiencing my first earthquake. I was shook, but we lived to tell the tale—again. Sheesh! They say love can hurt, but why does it have to be so scary!?

Of course, as the story goes, all good things must come to an end. But Maui, I didn’t want to leave you; we just ran out of time… and money. Plus, I had to finish the fifth grade and bring back hugs to our dog who was missing us. So, on our last morning with you, I decided to stuff my sad feelings down with pancakes and fresh fruit at Kihei Caffe before taking the red-eye back to the cold Wisconsin winter.

I will never forget your final wave as we said goodbye; I hope you saw the shaka I offered, with love, in return.

Mahalo,
Your biggest crush (Jaeger)

P.S. I deeply regret that the sun had to set on our incredible love story. It was one for the ages! But don’t close the book just yet… I vow to write the sequel, when I return one day to Maui you.