Job and family move to Hilo

[McFrostyJ]

Originally Posted by whtviper1

When people have kids - one must think kids first - not, lets move to Hawaii on $65K a year and see if we can make it. Come on - time to put the grown up pants on. Its incredibly selfish to move to Hawaii with kids and such a large family on such a small income.

I agree 100% and wish I could rep you more!



Monkeychemist, let's say you can move to Hawai'i with your large family and get by on $65K. What about saving for your children's college? What about your retirement? What if you do like it there, will you have enough left over each month to save up a good down payment for a house if you want to?

[CyberCity]

Originally Posted by monkeychemist

I have spent several hours reading all the posts on this forum (about 6 pages in) and sort of have a good idea of what to expect at this point. I am still a bit skeptical about the school situation.

The public schools in Hawaii have major problems. This is due to how the school system is set up, with the entire state being under one Department of Education and Board of Education. I believe that sadly the decision making level has the expectation that students will NOT excel, and the school system is run accordingly. It you are a totally proactive and hands-on parent, you might be able to handle the public school route, but expect to do a lot of interaction in order to insure your child is not lost in the shuffle. Average students become invisible to the system. You'll need to make sure that does not happen to your child. Plan on budgeting for private school for the years that public school are not an option. For example, you might be in an area where the elementary school is OK, but the middle school is not OK. Our family has kids in and out of the public schools, depending on which grade/year we are dealing with.

Originally Posted by monkeychemist

The other thing I'm still VERY unclear is the doctor/hospital situation. It seems like everything posted is "I heard from... that.. blah blah" "my husband's coworker blah blah..." "my friend's cousin's wife thinks blah blah" Does anyone have a real experience to share or just hear-say? It's frustrating to hear internet rumors propagated because who knows if there's any truth to them?

The doctor situation is problematic. We do not have enough doctors, and specialists in particular are in short supply. Many doctors on the Big Island are NOT accepting new patients. As for our Hawaii Island hospitals, well, they are not all equal. For many situations (specialists/tests), you'll find yourself on a commercial airplane to Oahu. Air evac is a possibility for emergencies (car accident, heart problems, etc.) You will find that dental care can be as difficult to get as medical care, especially if you are seeking a dental specialist. I've traveled 2 hour each way to get to a specialist dentist that will accept insurance.

A single healthy person, no kids, wanting an adventure .... the move to Hawaii is pretty easy. Add in some responsibilities like children, well, that requires much more planning and thought. Ditto for the older retiree, they need to look closely at the pros and cons, and be realistic in their expectations (medical travel, high prices, limited stores, etc.) of day to day life here.

[CyberCity]

Originally Posted by ellenbron

We've made some good friends but have never really felt like we were totally accepted. We've always felt like outsiders no matter how hard we've tried to get to know people.

One reason for that is because many long time residents do not want to initially invest too much into a developing a deep friendship until the new person has made it past the all too common "moving back home" phase. Oh, you'll find people friendly and such, but just holding back a bit. It is nothing personal against the newbie, it is more of a emotional-survival skill for those who decide to live in Hawaii long term or for life.

[420.AnGIe.808]

Vog stinks! & That was me stepping out of my front door in mountain view before I typed that. It was stink yesterday and its still stink today. I get asthma attacks from bad hay fevers and bronchitis. My babies doc suggested a dehumidifier & air purifier (to remove moisture in the air), and a heater for chilly nights. They dont get as sick as often any more. I know for sure that heaters are seasonal items & not all stores have them. As for medical, Hilo medical center gets 2 thumbs down! head toward waimea, kona, idk. But I know for certain that I'd never give birth to another child in the hilo medical center ever ever again!!

I love this island but hate the medical treatment we are forced to accept here on this island. If you ever need a specialist, get referred to oahu. Real talk.

[monkeychemist]

Thanks to all of your for your input, I've decided not to move to Hilo. Mainly for healthcare reasons but a few others as well. I'll keep Hawaii as the dream vacation and will come back, but I'll stay mainland.

Thanks again!

[OpenD]

Originally Posted by monkeychemist

Thanks to all of your for your input, I've decided not to move to Hilo. Mainly for healthcare reasons but a few others as well. I'll keep Hawaii as the dream vacation and will come back, but I'll stay mainland.Thanks again!

FWIW, given what you shared about your personal situation, I think you've made the right choice. I hope everything goes well for you and your family.

Good luck!