Considering move to HI to attend college/Grad school/teach in Big island or surrounding areas (Honolulu: transplants)

[NavyGuy83]

The title was a mouth full, but I'm a recent E-3 with the US Navy, and I been in for a little over a year now. I'm considering using the GI Bill, which on the the government website as listed Chaminade University as a institution that's in compliance with tuition assistance for Vets going to that private school.
I did my "homework" just by reading various up to the month blogs here in city-data on becoming acclimated in Hawaii as a AA. I'm bi-racial Black/Hispanic.
I am pretty brown, people tell me I look like a mix of The Rock and Tiger Woods. I'm 27 yrs old now, and I plan on moving down to Hawaii for college in Honolulu at Chaminade in 3-3.5 years time.(Basically, after my 4 year mandated service is up)
I plan to go to Chaminade full time in their education program to obtain at B.A and license within the State of Hawaii to teach. Also, I'll go directly to Graduate School... hopefully in Manoa at University of Hawaii at Manoa to get a Master's if my job requires or just to make myself more likely to be hired in the job market of Hawaii.
I'd like to know what would it be like for a young adult african american male like myself going there for college (Chaminade) and how will I be welcomed outside of the college campus? I understand I have to follow the rules of the road so to speak and act as the locals act, I am interested in reading any material that can get me up to sped on the hardships of Hawaiians, politics wise, such as their state hood/government and just day to day customs/life.
I am not brash or ignorant to outside cultures, and I'm pretty sure that I'll be welcomed?
I have a diverse group of friends for the most part(whites/blacks/hispanics/even have a close friend who's korean), being raised in the Southern states in the mainland I feel lucky to even have a friend who isnt white or black, but Hawaii is way more diverse from what i see, read and hear about and thats a great thing to me . I have lived in Louisiana and recently South Carolina for ten years. I've completed 2 and half years of a 4 year study at a private university here in S.C so, academically I'll be alright in a new setting, I've been a military brat since I was 16, so I won't have the "drastic" culture shock as most people would when moving here.
I expect to have saved 25-30 grand(thats after I buy my car next year) saved away for my move to Hawaii.
I just want to know again, how are young black males like myself, how are they welcomed? How is the dating life? I will be attending college for a number of years until my Masters at the most, so I'd like to know what it's like from young people here on dating inter-racially on an off campus in Hawaii proper?
I will be staying on campus since Chaminade is a private school in Honolulu and offers dorm room living, so money for rent is not an issue in the slightest bit for my initial years in HI.
I will be a full time student at Chaminade and hopefully by doing my undergrad work in Honolulu, and maybe meeting and hopefully making some rad friendships with the locals, I could assimilate better than say a "teacher with no hawaii school education never lived here at all and coming from the mainland" or that "I want to move to hawaii and I have a wife and kids type of person and i'd like to make a new life in HI" These do on apply to me. They just don't b/c I've read so so many posts of teachers coming to HI but not liking it or moving here with "expectations" either they have baggage like rents, house bills/ and 1 or 2 kids in the mainland an they are making these SERIOUSLY huge moves.
I'm 27, I'll be 30 when I get out the Navy. so I'll be a relatively young male in a new setting, (black male) and I'll be a full time student which should seriously help me make friends and most importantly connections if I plan to make Hawaii my home.
Again, I'm single, I will stay single through my military career til my 4 years are up and I dont have any debts, nor is money an issue for housing or rent, since my GI BIll and FASFA will pay for my housing on campus.
I just hope I will be able to assimilate, yet retain the inner Paul, that all my mainland friends know and love, I look forward to all the Aloha, that could come my way from this beautiful part of the world that I will call my home throughout my academic endeavors and into maybe a permanent residency if I find a good teaching job after Grad school in UH Manoa. Maybe even get a wife down there? as I'm sure there's a great chance, most women there are so lani.
Well, thanks, i've dated one girl who had alot of Hawaiian friends, so I don't know much about the culture or if i used "lani" correctly above, she tried schooling me on it lol, but I feel that this could be a move for a life time. Even if I'm a minority young male.

[NavyGuy83]

This is my second post to the previous one, my first one ever in the forum.
I understand that teachers universally don't get paid very well, but I don't do it for the money, my mom is a special education teacher and it took her years just to even get paid over 50k, which she just started when she move us out here to South Carolina.
I want to teach in Hawaii, b/c its a beautiful location and I'd love the weather there though it doesnt change much. My first g/f was "asian" so I don't have an issue with being a minority and dating there as a young black man, just as long as I'm shown love and respect, I know, I know....first I have to get aloha to earn aloha. thats not a problem, it's not my "nature" to take an not give I was raised to cherish things like kindness, respect for land being that i lived in louisiana and was born there, we love our lands too. And I have reverence for cultures and customs different from my own.
Hopefully, I can get some insight from Young Black males here or even older minorities black or white about living here and what I will be in for dating wise and also in the long haul since I'll be going to school there for a number of years plus completing a Masters and possibly teaching full time an living there for the rest of my life (fingers crossed)
I just dont expect to live in a McPalace or some huge ocean front property, I'm realistic and know my teacher pay will get me a decent life, which is what I just want. As long I give love/good vibes and have love given to me in return, i'm sure hawaii can be a stellar place to start a life an maybe a family.

[UHgrad]

Let me first say that I am not black... but I did work with a bunch of ex-marines who were and observed their experiences. I attended grad school at UH manoa and married a local girl who I met while working in Honolulu. So take it for what it is worth.

As far as girls go, you will have no problems. There is plenty to go around, Japanese tourist girls love black guys and plenty of local girls or mainland transplants don't discriminate with who they date so you should be fine. That is not to say that you may not experience some issues, I have heard of parents telling their daughters "just don't bring home one Popolo" when they go off to college in the mainland, but that is not the norm and it will probably be better than Louisiana or South Carolina by a long shot. Black people are an extreme minority on the islands (maybe 2-3% of population), it is mostly Asian/Pacific Islander/White, so you have the exotic thing going for you too! Interracial dating/marriage is very common in Hawaii so I wouldn't sweat it.

I liked UH manoa, the campus is pretty, people are friendly, and girls go to class in tank tops and shorts year round! There is every color under the rainbow on that campus so whatever you are into you can find. The education is decent and they offer a lot of asian/pacific island focused courses that you may not be able to get in other states. There are also pretty good places to eat scattered all over the campus. They have a teaching certificate program and I am pretty sure they will cut you a deal if you agree to teach in Hawaii for a while after graduating. Double check that to make sure.

My only general advice is don't be loud, overly aggressive, or act arrogant and full of yourself. The local culture tends to look down on that and since that tends to be one of the stereotypes of American black men, you may get less leeway than others would in that area. Not saying that you are like that, I don't know you, just saying that people have predispositions about groups of people and you have to deal with that baggage sometimes. Also, and I am not sure why (maybe some of the AA men on here can chime in), but I saw a lot of beefs between black guys and Samoans at bars. Not sure if there is some tension there or what, but something to maybe look into cause those guys are BIG.

Overall, I think it is one of the best places in the country to be young, single, and into "exotic" looking women. There will be some challenges no doubt, but I think you have a great plan! Get a free education, have fun, try it out, then go from there. Good luck!

[slick828]

Wow looking into the future a bit much. Never hurts to prepare but this seems like a long ways away and a lot can happen in several years. In any case, like the grad said you should not have too many problems in the dating scene. Don't be surprised if people stare at you, in East Honolulu (chaminade is) there aren't too many black people (most of which are athletes for UH/Chaminade). There is a really good soul food restaurant a rocks throw from Chaminade (if you ever want a reminder of home). Hawaii is a very open-minded liberal state, so as long as you're not a loud drama queen, no one will care too much. I do agree with the grad as well about going out. Last week an african american male was beaten to death at a strip club called saigon passion. I've also noticed when ive gone out that people step to black people more often. As long as you are aware and with friends, that shouldn't be much of a problem. Best of luck.