Possibly a good move for a young married couple?! (agriculture, budget)

[mrspink]

Well, my husband and I are newlyweds and have discussed moving to several states. But after a long discussion today, we realized that we were looking at places that were "safe" and convenient rather than places that suit us. A little background before I explain...we are young 21, 22 (but would be 23 and 24 when we moved) We have a small dog and are very active people. Now...more about why I'm here!

As I said, we were looking at safe places and not places that suited us. We were looking at previous places that did not fit our personalities. We are young, will both have college degrees (BAs), love outdoor and indoor activities, love the water and just love being active in general. We have no children and are not "running away" from any problems as I have seen many people do. We live in Ohio and are ready to start on a new adventure in life. Neither of us have ever had problems getting to know people in new places and feel like once we have the money we want to leave. But we are doing our research first! After a lot of looking around we have already discovered that places like Maryland, Kentucky, California and New York are not for us. At the present moment we are looking at 2 states...Hawaii being one of them.

With this info, I am hoping some of you can give us a little help/advice! If we decide to move to Hawaii we will be applying there (beforehand) for teaching positions since we are both in the education field. How are the opportunities for these careers there? In Ohio the outlook is pretty girm and I'm curious about Hawaii. Cost of living I know is expensive, especially compared to Ohio, but we will both be working and would plan to rent. How are rental options there? (in any location) What are the BEST places to rent (money aside for now)? Are there very many dog friendly rentals? And if so are they usually good quality? How do the locals treat people from the continental US? Would it be worth the move for us, if we want a different lifestyle and are looking for some adventure?!

Any feedback, even about questions I have not asked is appreciated!

I would also like to reiderate that this is NOT to escape anything, but b/c we WANT to move. I know that can make a difference in people's outlooks on a place. We are exploring our options and want to consider Hawaii. I appreciate honest responses...as blunt as they may be (ex. saying it would be hard but doable etc.) I already realize however that the grass is not always greener on the other side. But right now I'm simply looking for info.

Thank you SOOO much in advance! I hope to learn as much as possible!

[newUHprof]

Well, my husband and I are a young (though not as young as you!), childless couple, and we're doing exactly what you talked about. I got a job here. He came along and found a job pretty quickly.

This is definitely the time in your life to have that kind of adventure, so why not do it? If you don't do it now, you might regret it in ten years, when it no longer seems like a viable option. You'll be more settled, have careers, maybe kids... things will only get more complicated. And this is definitely a good place for outdoorsy life and adventures!

That aside, there are some things you'll have to figure out:

- I don't know the details of the ed system here, but my impression is that you apply to the system, not to schools (private schools excepted, of course). Then you get placed in a school. I don't know if that means you'll have trouble getting placed in the same (or nearby) schools or not. But you should look into this more before getting too far along in the process. You could check out this site as a starting point: Teaching in Hawai'i

- It's complicated to bring pets into Hawaii. Be sure you check out the import rules at Animal Quarantine Information — Hawaii Department of Agriculture. Get the "5-day or less checklist" and make sure you follow it to the letter. Then your pup can come home with you the day you arrive. You should look at the checklist *now* to know what the timeline is like. (It can take up to 7 months, if your pet isn't current on vaccinations or if you didn't keep the original paperwork.)

- On the same front, it can be hard to find pet-friendly rentals. There are resources that can help you. When you're further along in deciding where to go, you should post again about that question. (On the plus side, rentals for a small dog are *much* more abundant than those for a 50lb dog and two cats, which is what I had to find!)

You might check out the book "So You Want to Live in Hawaii." It talks a lot about what it's like for mainlanders moving to various parts of the island, talks about life (including cost of living and jobs) on each island, and even some of the nitty-gritty about how to get her.

Good luck!

[Calico Salsa]

Hi mrspink,

I don't know how this would work exactly, but would you consider starting a daycare here? The reason I ask is that I keep hearing that there is a shortage of good daycare on Maui. My neighbor opened one in their home; they have a big backyard and an ohana out back that make this work. They recently bought a second home nearby, with the intention of opening a second daycare.

I know you plan to rent, but perhaps you can find a place where you can have a daycare. It might allow you to rent a larger place, if you are generating a good income and are able to write off some of the rental costs.

Pros - no commute, no nights & weekends. You can add teaching the kids as a benefit to your offering.

Cons - have to find a place where you can accommodate the drop-off/pick-up traffic, getting permits, try to pick a spot where your neighbors all work away from home so the daytime noise isn't a disturbance.

It's just an idea - thought I'd put it out there. If you like the idea, maybe others will chime in with their feedback.

[mrspink]

Thank you both for the wonderful suggestions! It is so nice to hear some positive feedback! I was kind of nervous posting b/c I've been browsing this forum for a while as my husband and I were disucssing whether or not to consider Hawaii an option and I've read many posts that seem to try and keep people from coming. (that may not be true, but it's the impression I have gotten sometimes) But we feel the same way that you mentioned newUHprof! If we don't do it before we have kids, it may never happen. We are waiting until about January 2010 (at the latest) so we have plenty of time to save money, take care of the things our dog will need plenty of time in advance and deciding on what to do job wise and finding a home that will allow our less than 10 lb dog. It's all about where the jobs are. A lot of times people don't understand just by looking at statistics that while Ohio pays well for teachers...it can be very difficult to find a job in the education market.

Calico Salsa...I never really thought about opening up a day care. I worked at one for 2 1/2 years here in Ohio and recently quit b/c my husband had broken his wrist, we just got married and moved into a new apartment! It was just a lot at the time. But I really loved my job there and while running a day care is completely different, it might be something to look into. I never really thought about it. I will have to look into that some more!

I just wanted to thank both of you so much for your helpful responses. I really appreciate it and if you have any other suggestions as to good resource tools (internet, books or anything else) that would be helpful! This has seriously been the most helpful post I have posted on this forum! It's nice to hear reality (the good and the bad) and not just negative sentiment towards someone wanting to move!

OH...just a question...my husband and I are both coaches. I coach volleyball and he coaches football and wrestling. Would we be able to find jobs doing this there? Or are athletics not as popular in Hawaii? (well, at least these sports) Just curious!

[mrspink]

If either of you can tell me how to do rep points, I'd send them your way!!!

[Ellwood]

We spend time annually in Maui and although we are not permanent residents have become friendly with many locals. Several teachers told us they had to work two jobs in order to make ends meet. Just thought I would mention it so you can be prepared. Best of luck.

[mrspink]

Thank you. That is actually somewhat how we feel here in Ohio. My husband was just saying the other day that he might have to get a second job and definitely will over the summer b/c even though Ohio's cost of living is low...the pay isn't too fantastic either and the job market is awful. That is one reason we both coach...but thank you b/c that does somewhat confirm something we were wondering!

Would that also depend on your location, rent cost etc.?

[Calico Salsa]

Glad to share the aloha!

You can click on the "Rate this post positively" at the bottom of someone's post if you think it's been beneficial to you.

I'm so impressed that you are planning well in advance. With a goal date of January 2010, you have some time to check things out and to watch the economy in general. It speaks well to your possibilities of success with any new endeavor.

I always see lots of kids sports activities at the parks. I don't know that the coaches get paid very much, but would doubt that they do, and I know that there are a lot of volunteers assisting. It might pay more to coach adults, especially private lessons.

Can you say more about what you are doing now in the education field? I ask because it might generate other ideas of what you could do here. For example, you mention you are both active and inclined to the outdoors. If you combine that with an educational perspective, maybe you can offer specialty courses for visitors and locals.

Instead of the usual volcano downhill bike tour, maybe you could offer guided bike tours for smaller parties who are looking for a different adventure - bike to a certain beach, have lunch & boogie boards waiting there, bike back. Kind of like white water rafting, but on a bike. Make this an educational journey too, with information on the area, foliage, etc.

Maybe someone else can chime in with whether there are wealthier families who would welcome individualized private coaches.

[hotzcatz]

The state DOE (all the schools are in one state system here) is short of funds and just tried to cut the coaches from the school budget or something along that line last week. However, by 2010 things may be completely different. A lot of coaches don't get paid at all or are teachers of something else as well as coaches. That probably depends on the school, though, some of the bigger schools would probably have folks who did nothing but coach.

Each island is significantly different from the other ones, what else would you want to do other than work? If you wanted upscale shopping and night life, then Oahu would probably be the best choice. If you wanted rural and really slow then Molokai might be a good choice although jobs are hard to find there.

[HankDfrmSD]

Originally Posted by mrspink

I really appreciate it and if you have any other suggestions as to good resource tools (internet, books or anything else) that would be helpful! This has seriously been the most helpful post I have posted on this forum! It's nice to hear reality (the good and the bad) and not just negative sentiment towards someone wanting to move!

When it comes to looking for housing, I would start here:

hawaii apts/housing for rent classifieds - craigslist

It will give you an idea of what you might have to pay on each island.

You will get advice to not rent anything until you get here, and if you decide to take that advice, you can find vacation rentals for short term lodging while you search, here:

Hawaii Vacation Rentals - VRBO® is Vacation Rentals by Owner Hawaii - Hawaii Hotels, Hawaii Lodging, Hawaii Travel and Tourism

or

Hawaii Vacation Rentals, Hawaii Vacation Homes, Hawaii Beach Rental Condos & Villas in Hawaii

or

Hawaii, USA Vacation Rentals: Holiday Rental Homes, Condos, Cabins, and Villas Offered by Owner

Of course, if you know someone you trust who is in Hawaii (or will be visiting) and who would look at potential rentals for you, you might be able to skip the vacation rental.

Hank