Own our own aina on the Big Island

The Big Island. I am a *Big* Fan.

There is so much you can appreciate about the Big Island of Hawaii. If you journey through the the south side of the island, you can practically hear the voices of the original Polynesian settlers whispering among the grasslands of the coast.

Meanwhile, you can stand witness as Kilauea's red-hot magma slides into the Pacific. If cool, unspoiled air sounds like your idea of relaxation, Mauna Kea's snow capped heights rise up and touch the downy clouds. Back at the lower elevations, Kona coast's golden beaches lie in contrast to the ancient lava flows reponsible for Hawaii. Hilo is verdant and lush; home to much of Hawaii's famed macadamia nut trees. Orchids, bursting with color seem anxious to show off with each successive stem, trees reach endlessly to the skies. All this on one "big" island..so vast, that all of the Hawaiian islands together can fit in her confines.

As specutactular as the landscape of the Big Island is, perhaps its the people that really make this island special. In the islands of "Aloha", the island of Hawaii is a standout. Every encounter includes friendly smiles and immediate friends. Outside of Hilo and famous for its independent residents who "live and let live" is the vast unspoiled territory of the Puna district. Here, people of all ages, cultures and races live in harmony.



Sound like paradise? Can you imagine living in such a nirvana and adding your own Aloha? One of the Big Island BnB's in the Puna district has a small cottage on its grounds that it is offering to the winner of an essay.

If writing about what Aloha or Mahalo mean to you seems like a worthy way to spend an afternoon so that you can spend a lifetime in one of the most pristine islands in the United States, then maybe this contest is for you. There are a couple of caveats: Your entry fee is $101 and you need to keep your essay to 101 words of less. The cottage is totally adorable and never lived in. I particularly love the green shingle exterior...it just feels so "Hawaii" to me..best of all, this cottage has lots of modern conveniences.

The owners of the property (the "sponsors") are pretty transparent about thier motives (they had hoped to sell the property, but due to the recent economic decline, were unsuccessful). In true Aloha fashion, they plan on dontating a portion of the proceeds (up to $30,000) to the Pahoa school district. So "write-on"...it sounds like fun...and an entry to paradise.