Before the pandemic, every Friday after school my sister Andrea and I would go out to eat delicious Hawaiian food, but now since we’re in quarantine, it hasn’t been the same. On Friday evenings, I often remember the sun slowly setting while my sister and I were at Maywood Academy High. When we were coming out of school, the first thing we could feel and hear were the sounds of our stomachs growling. At that moment, we would look at each other and knew exactly what it meant. We would debate for a while on what we wanted to eat, but we then concluded that we both wanted some Hawaiian BBQ. Slowly this became a tradition as we began going every Friday. The continuous tradition allowed us to get to know the workers and the owner. They would always say “hi” to my sister and I and make jokes with us every time we went. Everyone was very kind and genuinely made a difference in our days.

As quarantine struck, so did a shocking news to my sister and I: the newly created tradition was coming to an end. Our favorite place to eat was closing down and not for renovations, but for good. Luckily, before it closed we had asked for the recipes of the sushi that my sister and I loved to eat, which consisted of avocado, fish, rice, seaweed, and breaded shrimp. We had the blessing of creating this recipe on our own as the ingredients were pretty easy to obtain. Although they didn’t taste exactly the same as the sushi we normally ate, they were still pretty good. 

Now we have a new tradition we are lucky enough to share with some of our closest family and friends. Since it is better to stay home during a pandemic, we try to do this tradition whenever we can as safely as possible. Not only does this allow us to have quality sister bonding time, but it makes some form of entertainment during these hard times. 

These circumstances can be especially difficult for everyone in various ways, which is why I like to check up on my family and friends. My sister and I decided we would do our part by starting this tradition of creating Hawaiian food and inviting family and friends over to eat together, laugh, and talk. It’s good to say “aloha” to new things and especially towards those Fridays I’ll forever remember!