On blending in and coconuts

We've been living on Maui for nearly four years now. Hard to believe how quickly time has flown. I try to blend in. Not that easy to do, as I am a tall, blond-ish Caucasian and speak with a Canadian accent. Truth is, many mistake me for a tourist, despite the slippah-tan on my feet (you've heard of farmer's tan, haven't you? I have a slippah-tan. Slippah = flip-flops). There's nothing wrong with looking like a tourist - we love having tourists here, you are, after all, the bread-and-butter of our island (thank you)! But it is tiring being treated like a tourist, having Hawaiian things explained to you, asked where you're from etc. Over the past four years I have tried to de-Canadianize my accent, being very conscientious about saying 'trash' instead of 'garbage', and working so hard on my 'a' sound - such as saying 'bag' (with a tall mouth) instead of the Canadian 'bag' with a wide mouth. But it still always happens - you are Canadian, aren't you? Yes, I am, but a legal resident of Maui!

For this reason, I usually try not to do overtly touristy things (except for the research for this blog!), and so I have never had a coconut at a farm stand because it seems, well, touristy. Not that locals won't drink coconuts, but it seems I never see them buying them at farm stands. But I've always wanted to try one...

Anyhoo, I checked out the North Kihei farmer's market today near our Sugar Beach condo as they carry strawberry papaya (more on that in another post). The farmer's market also have fresh coconuts that you can have cut with a machete. So for the first time ever, I bought myself a coconut. That coconut water is good! I brought some home to taste-test compared to the Costco-bought coconut water. Pretty similar. Next on my agenda, trying to cut open the coconut so I can have some fresh coconut. I don't have a machete, so I'm not sure how successful I'll be.

My coconut being cut, strawberry papaya in the forefront. I tried to be very stealthy taking this picture, whereas a tourist nearby had no such concern :)
Here's my coconut! Oh yum!
On a side note, I've been told that drinking one coconut a day will keep your digestive system regular. I'm not sure that's a scientific fact. But now you know.

FOLLOW-UP:
I managed to open my coconut. It was a bit of a process:
Got the coconut open - with some gardening tools!

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