Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I believe that it has to come from within, if you want to do it bad enough then all that comes with it is worth it. I like the life here very much and it works for me and my family, we were close before but now even closer. So far everyone has excepted us as one of their own and have made so many great friends.
Sure material items are more expensive here so cut down on some of the luxury items. Once you get the swing of things and how they work the stress level is minimal and what I have found is some people are just going to be stress out no matter what it's just in them to be.
When you said you are more in sync with Hawaii people that is one of the big reasons I moved here, I have never felt more at home then I do now.
What ever you decide I hope everything turns out the way you want it to because life is just to darn short and getting shorter every year so enjoy it and others.
Location: Was in Western New York but now in Hilo Hawaii
1,234 posts, read 4,588,653 times
Reputation: 454
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jimbo's
I believe that it has to come from within, if you want to do it bad enough then all that comes with it is worth it. I like the life here very much and it works for me and my family, we were close before but now even closer. So far everyone has excepted us as one of their own and have made so many great friends.
Sure material items are more expensive here so cut down on some of the luxury items. Once you get the swing of things and how they work the stress level is minimal and what I have found is some people are just going to be stress out no matter what it's just in them to be.
When you said you are more in sync with Hawaii people that is one of the big reasons I moved here, I have never felt more at home then I do now.
What ever you decide I hope everything turns out the way you want it to because life is just to darn short and getting shorter every year so enjoy it and others.
We are actually thinking of moving from Kauai to Seattle. Our reason (only reason) is education. Our education recently took a HUGE cut, and the kids are suffering, as well as the teachers and parents. I really wanted to raise our kids here, but I also want them to have a lot of options when they go to college.
Hawaii is expensive, but I suffered some sticker shock when I was looking at homes on Mercer Island, which is where we would want to go. I can safely say that the prices are about the same. You can make up for the expense in other ways. I know that we have a great bus system here on Kauai, and Oahu is even better. Shop the farmers markets and you will save a bundle over going to the grocery store. Not eating out, like ever, will save you a lot. It's a tourist state, so therefore prices are set for tourists. We used to have Kama'aina rates, which makes things cheaper for locals, but those are rare these days.
As beautiful as the islands are, we fell more in love with the people. People smile more, and are genuinely happier than other places I have been and lived. People help each other more. As devastating as our education cuts have been, the people of my island are really stepping up to make the best of it. With hours of the decision, our local radio guy opened up the phone lines for a type of call in, island meeting for everyone to let their voices be heard and find alternatives. That's just the way it is here. Everyone works together.
I would suggest to you to come Hawaii, but not as a tourist, as a local. Don't go out to eat, don't do any kind of vacation activites. Figure out which part of the island you want to live on, and then drive to places like the grocery store, costco, etc... If you are considering moving to Kauai, make sure you come at the peak of our rainy season to make sure you are ok with that. Wait, you live in Seattle...nevermind. Do some house hunting, whether it be to buy or rent. If you are a church goer, check out some of the local churches or spiritual groups.
Like another poster said, you can't just hop in the car to visit family or friends. That was a tough adjustment for us, although we have had a steady flow of visitors since we moved. Imagine that?
Best of luck to you whatever you choose. I hope some of this info helped.
Another thought...Critters. How do you feel about them? If you move here, you will live with many. Unless you live in a home that is closed up with central air (which totally defeats one reason to move here) then you will have many house guests. I'm fine with it, but have had visitors that have not. To live here means you will have these in your home...spiders, from the small crab spiders that do bite, but not poisonous, to the extra large cane spiders that are not known to bite but are as big as you fist and very fast. Roaches. It does not matter how clean you are, you will have them. They range from small ones to giant ones as long as my pinky, and they fly. Geckos. I personally love the geckos. The are cute, they chirp, and they eat mosquitoes. However, one guest rarely slept because thought that as soon as she fell asleep, they were going to crawl all over her, and they might. Where we live we have wild boar. They never bother us, other than getting the dogs all wound up, but love to dig up my neighbors landscaping. And finally mosquitoes. If you live in a lush area they will be plentiful.
As another poster said, you have to respect the locals. Some (not all) of the Hawaiian people that I know feel very imposed upon, and if you read up on the history, they are very justified in feeling this way. Do some research and get to know who some of your neighbors will be. Familiarize yourself with the mix of cultures. It happened to be a perfect mix for us. It helps that you feel like you fit in more here than there. Unfortunately that is how I feel too, but I have no choice. This will always be the home of my heart.
I visited Hawaii last year and fell in love, island fever I guess... I have been back 3 more times and can't stop obsessing over wanting to move there. I have a good job here in Seattle, and am comfortably settled in my house so I can't help but feel foolish wanting to give it up for the unknown especially when I have heard so many stories of women in there 30's (like me) who have moved over there only to return after a short amount of time. I don't know any of them well enough to dig into the reason why so I am helping you can enlighten me before I make the mistake myself.
BTW - I have enough money to move there and survive for years without working, but hope to find a job eventually. I have a business degree and computer skills.
My Mom is kama'aina (HI born and raised) though she passed away. My 2 aunts have left for the mainland as all their kids (I have 3 cousins) moved to the mainland. Why? Partially Island Fever but mostly for Careers which is better on the mainland. While they still have Aloha 'Aina (love of land) they now do so as tourists on yearly trips; they'd never move back. A close friend from Honolulu lives in SF and while he pines to move back he can't get an equivalent job and career in HNL.
Thoughts from another perspective (locals that left)
If you are considering moving to Kauai, make sure you come at the peak of our rainy season to make sure you are ok with that. Wait, you live in Seattle...nevermind
Seattle rain is an entirely different beast it's constant sprinkling more so than torrential downpours. it's really not that bad, just annoying.
I believe that it has to come from within, if you want to do it bad enough then all that comes with it is worth it. I like the life here very much and it works for me and my family, we were close before but now even closer. So far everyone has excepted us as one of their own and have made so many great friends.
Sure material items are more expensive here so cut down on some of the luxury items. Once you get the swing of things and how they work the stress level is minimal and what I have found is some people are just going to be stress out no matter what it's just in them to be.
When you said you are more in sync with Hawaii people that is one of the big reasons I moved here, I have never felt more at home then I do now.
What ever you decide I hope everything turns out the way you want it to because life is just to darn short and getting shorter every year so enjoy it and others.
I'm leaving Honolulu for San Antonio. I've lived here my entire life (40years). My sister lives in Redmond and has been trying to get me to move to Seattle for the last 18 years but we decided to move to SA because Seattle's cost of living is very similar to Honolulu's and our Bacherlor degrees would be more of an asset in SA than in SEA. With 2 young girls we realized that the mainland provided a better run education system, opportunities to take trips more often and give our girls experiences that would be difficult to do from Hawaii (ie. National Parks, large metropolitan cities, etc.) We did our research by ordering relocation guides, reading lots of posts on City-Data (and other websites), doing a cost of living comparison, and visiting the city for a 8 solid days to see what traffic, grocery prices, gas prices, etc. were like. If you can, come to Hawaii for at least 1 solid week (not including travel time). Visit all parts of the Island you choose to investigate. We did not want to leave, but the cost of living has just gotten to us. The City and State are raising taxes like crazy, sacrificing public schools, and higher ed. As my husband and I were both state employees our pay was going to be cut in addition to paying $550/month for my family's health care. We were not "living" in Hawaii. We were "surviving" and we were pretty sick of it. Good luck with your decision. Just do a lot of research and definitely visit with the intent to see as many "warts" as possible before making your decision. You've seen the wonderful, now visit to really "see" what it's like to live here.
Thank you Miliani Gal for your post. I understand where you are coming from. However, large metropolitan cities are not worth looking forward to. I know there are large national parks in Hawaii so, so much for that. There is alot of truth to what you say and I hope you find aloha on the mainland...it's hard to find. People are surviving everywhere due to the greed inspired economic disaster. I wish you the best of luck on your move. But you are definitely right about visiting first to see the warts...unfortunately everyplace has its warts...it's how you see them and accept them that makes the difference.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Possibly moving from Kauai to Seattle
it's constant sprinkling more so than torrential downpours. it's really not that bad, just annoying.
