One of my cherished childhood traditions was snorkeling with my dad during our trips to Hawaii. While my mom and brother preferred a relaxed routine, my dad and I were adventurous and eager to explore the outdoors. We would wake up early, around 7 a.m., and head to a protected cove with a coral reef before the deep end. During low tide, the water was exceptionally clear, and colorful fish would emerge, making it the perfect time for snorkeling.

We followed the same path each time, and over the years, I noticed the same fish in their familiar spots. It was fascinating to witness the coral's deterioration due to factors like bleaching. Despite that, snorkeling became a cherished tradition that instilled in me a love for the ocean and its marine life. I even started studying fish and coral reefs, volunteering at an aquarium, and immersing myself in the underwater world.

Recently, after almost a decade, I returned to Hawaii with my brother for a last-minute trip. We stayed at the same place and relived those nostalgic moments. Although the snorkeling experience felt shallower than before, it brought a sense of calm and peacefulness. As for my aquarium experience, I volunteered at the Vancouver Aquarium, educating visitors about marine life. Though I couldn't feed the animals or clean tanks due to my age, I enjoyed opening boxes to reveal starfish and sharing information about beluga blubber with the guests.

Overall, snorkeling with my dad and exploring the underwater world left lasting memories and shaped my deep appreciation for the ocean and its fascinating creatures.

Okay, so one of my favorite childhood travel experiences or I would say traditions that I had growing up is snorkeling with my dad. So every Christmas or summer we would go to Hawaii growing up and I guess my dad and I and my mom and my brother, we had very different traveling routines. So my mom and my brother would be the type that sleep and wake up at 11 go to brunch, take it easy, whereas my dad and I, we would be very adventurous and outdoorsy, so we would wake up at like seven o'clock at this point. I was eight. This is from eight until 14 years old. I think I did this.

And I love the ocean. Like everything about it. And for some reason when I was growing up I was never scared of going really far out or the depths or anything like that. So in the morning, around that time, it's low tide, and there was a cove where we were staying that is very protected by this coral reef before there's like a drop off to the deep end. And so low tide you can really wait all the way out right before the drop off. And that's the time where it's like super clear, and all the fish are coming out to start eating or like going from different corals so it's very beautiful. And colorful, and I think the best time to go snorkeling. And so we would do that. And we would follow the same path each time. And I think the interesting part is that throughout the years, you can really see the same fish in the same location and identify them. And you could see how maybe a bit sad but actually throughout the years the coral deteriorated and I don't know like coral bleaching that effect it really took its toll and I could see that.

But it was just a very fun tradition and memories and something I always look forward to. And to this day, I love the ocean and I wherever I am love to go snorkeling and like scuba diving and looking at marine life, I think because that was so ingrained in me since I was little. And so from then on, even at the airport, I would buy like a fish book and memorize all the fish theses and like Hessed my family what fish is this? What's the Hawaiian name? What's the English name? And then when I was old enough, my first job more of like a volunteer experience became working at the aquarium because I was so into coral reefs and fish from that experience. Yeah. And I loved it so much. And it was the best morning routine and I wish I could still be with every day. That's amazing.

Where was this? Location?

It's in Hawaii in Oahu on this part of the island called Kahala. And every morning it's the same fish.

When was the last time you visited

Oh the funny part is I hadn't visited almost 10 years. And then this past May, I went with my brother to Hawaii very last minute because he was going to a wedding. I didn't know. I called him like three days before and he said you should come and then I went there and we stayed at the same place. Wow. It was so cute because it was just like now, after being grown up, we went back and then we did the same things and it still brought back a lot of nostalgic fond memories. And I went snorkeling, but it was much more shallow than I remembered.

That's amazing. Did you feel any emotions when you went back?

Yeah, I just feels like when you go back someplace that you've been a long time. Many times you feel very calm. And just like

peaceful.

Yeah. That's very nice, calm and peaceful. Can you talk more about your aquarium experience?

So it was Vancouver Aquarium. And obviously I couldn't work as an employee because I was 1617 so that I don't have any degree of marine biology but they have this program that allows you to volunteer. You just take like a there's a manual you take this test and you become an official volunteer at Cooper aquarium. And then what I did, I did two things. First was the girl who opens a box to the sea and then Amis and the starfish, then tells the kid to like catch it with your pinky. And then my second job was there's a beluga exhibit. And for some reason they would have like a fake beluga blubber like model or stuffed toy that you bring around to the guests and then you educate them on different layers of blubber. And then ask them if you want to touch it. That's the feeling is if you touch the real beluga, so I would walk around with this on the weekends, just like explained to the guests. Those are the things I could do. I in my mind thought I could feed the animals I could like, do the tank cleaning but no, I couldn't do any of that.