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Old 10-20-2009, 03:21 AM
 
2 posts, read 12,774 times
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Aloha

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.
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Old 10-20-2009, 09:41 AM
 
71 posts, read 297,810 times
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Basically, I think there are two main reasons for people moving back so soon. One is the cost of living in Hawaii. Many are simply not prepared for how costly things are and the fact that it is extremely difficult to find a decent job there. The other is missing family and friends back home and not being able to hop in the car to visit them. I personally have a friend who moved there over a year ago and he is loving it, says he is never coming back, but his family comes to visit him often and he is able to fly back to see them as well. He is also in a financially good position to live in Hawaii.
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Old 10-20-2009, 11:43 AM
 
Location: Waianae, Hi
285 posts, read 1,079,120 times
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I tend to agree with jenalove. Moving to an island in the middle of the ocean is quite different from moving to a new area on the mainland. It is just next to impossible to pack a bag and go back for a short visit. Another reason people leave here after a short while is that they simply cant adapt to the Hawaiian lifestyle, customs and culture. Some come based on the "dream" they have of total beauty and relaxation, only to find that beauty can sometimes be in the eye of the beholder, they find they are not the beholder, and relaxation must come to an end and work begin. Sometimes it can be overwhelming to a newcomer. As far as being expensive goes I guess this plays a part in some leaving. You need to learn to shop around for the savings that can be found and there are many. You can live here on a tight budget if you try, it takes determination and focus but can be done easily if you really want it. I am a "transplant" from the mainland and have never looked back or regretted my move. Best advise do your research, plan exploritory vacation, move, respect the people, the land, the culture, treat others as you want to be treated and you will be welcomed with open arms and get enjoy life in the most beautiful place on earth.
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Old 10-20-2009, 01:29 PM
 
4,918 posts, read 22,607,758 times
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Probably the biggest pitfall, (the one I fell into) is not taking off the rose-colored glasses. As a tourist and visitor, you’re living the life of a tourist/visitor. Everything is based on you having the most fun and enjoying what Hawaii has without much concern to everyday living. Once you move, the day to day life won’t match with the tourist visitor life.

Hawaii is a remote island chain out in the ocean. You would never expect the LA, NYC Miami life style in the middle of Kansas, nor would you expect the Vail, Jasper, Great Falls lifestyle in Chicago; but many expect all mainland life styles in the middle of the ocean, in a state that has NO SIMILAR match in the U.S.

When thinking about a move, you need to research living here. What is the REAL day to day life like? What are the REAL day to day expenses? What is the REAL reality of travel when you consider a trip from Hawaii adds hours to travel plans anywhere on the mainland? What are the REAL limitations and can you live with those limits? And are you really going to make and accpt the cjhances you convinced yourself you will make?

Unless you are going to live everyday as that tourist, have the money to support that tourist lifestyle, and don’t have any issues with island fever or distance from just about everything else on the mainland; you need to face the reality of such a different place when it becomes your home and not a vacation spot.

If you read the post from those who moved to Hawaii and moved back all pissed off over not being able to make it, the common theme is they expected something that was not here. They expected that because they moved to Hawaii, everything would change for them. They expected to live like they do on the mainland even though that lifestyle was never sustainable. They claimed they didn't need the same things from the mainland yet couldn't stop complaining about Hawaii not having them. They did not take the time to understand what they wanted was not here in the first place. The rose-colored glasses prevented them from looking at or even seeing any clouds, so they only saw the sunshine.

This was my story. I loved and still love Hawaii. But despite everything my company and my predecessor did to prepare me for the relocation, I only saw what supported what I wanted to see. I ignored, blew off, or made up some reasoning to not look at anything that cast a cloud on my image of living on Hawaii. I’ll be back living on Hawaii next year, but this time I’m prepared to live on Hawaii with the reality of what Hawaii has to offer, not some fantasy dream of what I want Hawaii to be for me.
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Old 10-20-2009, 02:20 PM
 
Location: 53179
14,418 posts, read 22,371,597 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by zappa345 View Post
Aloha

I visited Hawaii last year and fell in love, island fever I guess....
I think you are using island fever in the wrong context.
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Old 10-20-2009, 02:28 PM
 
Location: Pahoa Hawaii
2,081 posts, read 5,569,420 times
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What she has is better described as "Bali Hai syndrome"
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Old 10-20-2009, 03:16 PM
 
Location: Was in Western New York but now in Hilo Hawaii
1,234 posts, read 4,574,192 times
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Great post Pacificflights!
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Old 10-20-2009, 05:33 PM
 
Location: Moku Nui, Hawaii
11,048 posts, read 23,871,452 times
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What's wrong with living in Seattle, which has a vibrant social scene, working at a good job there, owning a house there and vacationing in Hawaii every year? What can you get from living here that you can't have while on vacation? Would you be willing to work for about 30-40% less than you are being paid now? Pay twice as much for a house? Pay 30-40% more for everything you buy? Would you really like living in Hawaii if you didn't have time to sit on the beach or had enough money to go out to eat all the time?

Being a tourist is a very surreal experience. We have a friend visiting from the mainland for three weeks so we've been doing tourist things. Sitting on the beach only concerned about where to go for dinner is not a normal everyday experience for us. She is all happy to just laze around and basically do nothing while I'm mentally cataloging the chores to be done and projects I'm falling behind on while taking the time off. The lawn still has to be mowed, the yard work done, the floors mopped, etc. Not to mention going to work to get money to pay for the whole enchilada. Being a tourist is nothing like living here.

Once we were flying to the mainland and transferring planes in Honolulu where we got bumped off the flight because they'd overbooked it. We were given $400 worth of planefare vouchers, a taxi ride to Waikiki, an overnight stay at the Marriot Waikiki Beach Hotel and vouchers for breakfast, lunch, dinner and a taxi ride back to the airport the next day. It was such fun we did it again. That was a taste of being an upscale tourist vacationing in Hawaii and it was REALLY GOOD. I can see why folks would "fall in love" with Hawaii if that's what they think Hawaii is.

So, have the best of both worlds. Enjoy Seattle with it's scenery, great food, great social scene and then visit Hawaii to get a strong dose of sunshine when the Seattle greyness gets overwhelming.
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Old 10-20-2009, 09:12 PM
 
2 posts, read 12,774 times
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Thank you for all of your posts, it gives me a lot to think about.

Yes, I was using island fever the wrong way.

To answer the question about what is wrong with Seattle, nothing. It is a great place to live. Whenever I have gone on vacation anywhere else I was always glad to be home. The housing prices are high, they seem to be about the same as Hawaii, but there are good paying jobs to help people afford them. I would recommend living here to anyone and it is hard to give up.

My problem is that I am burned out. I have lived in Washington my whole life and have had a good but very stressful and demanding job for the last 12 years. The winters are very gray here and last year very cold and snowy. The people here aren't very friendly. They tend to keep in tight groups. Having been through a marriage and long term relationships I am tired of having to rebuild those friendships only to be gone when you break up with their friend.

When I visitied I found the people to be very friendly and more in sync with me then I generally find with people in Seattle. I enjoyed the slower pace of life and the strong values people have.

I talked to a lot of locals while I was there to see what living there was like and many of them didn't seem to like it for varying reasons like traffic and weather although some love it so I guess it all depends.

Thanks again for your advice.
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Old 10-20-2009, 11:27 PM
 
Location: Hawaii-Puna District
3,752 posts, read 11,457,444 times
Reputation: 2481
Several others have nailed it. It is the stresses of everyday life in a land where you make less money yet pay more for the things you used to have, if you can even get those things here. I see it and hear it from real locals and new transplants almost every day. We are very lucky; so far.
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