Looking to start fresh and Hawaii seems nice is it? (Kailua: condo, how much)

[Moonlitangel]

My Name is Lynn, I am 24 years old I live in Rhode Island. I just finished school to be a massage therapist. after 2 years I am finaly with The man of my dreams and there has just been TOO much here over the years and I just want to pack up and take my faimly away from this life style of violence and profanity and it's way to much. and if I want to pick up and move away from my faimly I want it to be in a place that is worth it. and from what I am reading It seems to be pricey but, sometimes it's worth it. and to me I think it's would be worth it. do you have any feed back on liveing exspences which island would be the best. My daughter will be 5 in a couple of months so the best island where she can be herself and not to much trouble we are trying to get away from it all, a little is fine but we don't want Alot of touble. Idk any sites or information would be GREATFUL can you please help?

but right now I am just pundering the idea so I know what to save for and how much

[Haoleman]

Aloha Lynn

I lived in Kona Hawaii for 15 years and moved back to the mainland in 2002. There was an extreme excess of massage therapists there and many of them are also RN's. The only 2 that I knew of with businesses were also both instructors. Most people usually trade their services for whatever as the average individual that most likely would be your customer there is probably an Ironman competitor and most of them don't have any money to speak of. The larger resorts have staff therapists but I can tell you that as a Haole (newcomer) they will not hire you and probably at an interview, will ask how long you have lived there. It's because so many people like you come there with dreams only to move back 6 months later.

The economy is bust right now and people are leaving in droves as always happens with a tourist based economy so no work available.

My suggestion is that you plan a 2 to 3 week vacation there and seek out either a cheap condo in Kailua Kona or a small B&B up in the Kealakekua area and ask a lot of questions and do a lot of listening. Contact the Hawaii Island School of Massage in Kona and talk to them about employment opportunities in Hawaii. Spend some time in the village at night and listen carefully to the language from the local kids. When I lived there it seemed like the F word was used the most in every sentence. If you want more info, please ask

[cynlady]

Lynn
There is a large Mormon presense on the island of Ohau. If you live in that area of the island, you may hear less of the profanity you are trying to escape from; however no matter where you go, you are going to hear it just less in some areas. Good Luck!

[Mar0]

I think I hear more profanity since moving here...

[hotzcatz]

If you want to move and get away from it all, how about Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Iowa, Texas, Oklahoma or Idaho?

It doesn't seem that you want to move TO Hawaii you want to move AWAY from Rhode Island. Folks make a LOT of sacrifices to live in Hawaii and it seems there would be less expensive places which would have more job opportunities for you than Hawaii. Unless you are drawn to Hawaii for some sort of reason related to Hawaii, you really won't find what you are looking for here.

[Calico Salsa]

One observation - I hear plenty of profanity here on Maui, but most of the time it's spoken as an exclamation, or casual word, and not in anger. Sure, there are angry people, or after a car bang-up you will hear strong language. But whereas in the SF Bay Area there seemed to be a lot of tension and stress - so a lot of profanity in anger and upset, here there might be the same words but without the feeling of threat.

Lots of massage therapists here too. Visitor trade is down, and local folks are not spending on the luxuries as much as before. Senior therapists of course get the first bookings, so as a newcomer you will likely have a harder time getting the traffic. Unless you are very good at marketing yourself and working independently, you may not have as much work as you need to make it.

This isn't meant to discourage you. Sometimes we're willing to pay a higher price to have exactly what we want. I love it here, and find the day to day life is well worth the day to day cost.