State Nickname: The Aloha State
Population: 1.3 million
Capital City: Honolulu
Time Difference: Hawaii is -10 GMT, so it is 6 hours behind the east coast and 3 hours behind the west coast.
State Animal: Hawaiian Monk Seal
State Anthem: “Hawaii’s Own True Sons”
State Flower: Yellow Hibiscus
State Motto: “The life of the land is perpetuated in righteousness”
Languages: Hawaii has two official languages: English and Hawaiian. For a time, the Hawaiian language had died out but it is now being taught more throughout the state. The unofficial language that is spoken by many locals is Pidgin. With such a diverse population, the people needed one common language to be able to communicate simply with one another, and thus Pidgin was born! One popular Pidgin term that you probably already know is, “Brah”, which means friend or buddy. Once you’re on Oahu, ask your local friends to teach you more!
Geography: Hawaii is comprised of eight main islands and many other smaller islands in the Pacific Ocean about 2,000 miles away from the mainland of North America. Two volcanic mountain ranges make up the primary geography of the island of Oahu. Of course as an island, there are also low, sandy coasts. You will love the tropical climate on the islands, which have average temperatures in the 70’s and 80’s! Rain does occur occasionally so make sure you keep an umbrella in your backpack.
Famous People: Barak Obama (president), Bethany Hamilton (surfer), Don Ho (singer and entertainer), Jack Johnson (musician), and Michelle Wie (golfer).
Great Movies: Blue Hawaii; 50 First Dates; South Pacific; Pearl Harbor; Blue Crush; Lilo and Stitch.