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I was on Oahu for a year. Because of personal circumstances peculiar to my family in the form of a teenage girl - not mine - I chose to accept a mainland job. Oahu isn't the paradise everyone wants to make it out to be unless you seek it out in obscure locations which wouldn't be your everyday scenario.
FORTUNATELY during that year I was able to take a couple of business trips to Kauai. That's a life I could live with. Just applied to a job there. Dreaming. I only have a few years until retirement. That would be a great place to spend the end of my career. THEN I'd go buy a little piece of land to spend the rest of my days. Couldn't afford a place in Hawaii. Plus it's too far from the kids. Makes a nice destination for them, though. As long as they don't stay.
Zeid said: One thing people living in Hawaii tend to forget is so does everywhere else. Every single cotton-pickin' place on this planet has it's share of problems.
Shoot...our biggest problem is tripping over moonshine stills while hiking and making sure we don't get run over by ginseng poachers running from the law.
"So I feel excited and scared at the same time. But then I think about walking on my property every day. And I think I'll be in heaven. Even if it doesn't work out I don't see regretting trying it. I'd rather try it and regret it, than live safe and regret never trying it."
Somebody once said, "It's better to regret something you have done, than to regret something you haven't done." Follow your dreams- just do your homework first, and have a backup plan or parachute in case things don't work out. I've only been on the island a few years, and had only been visiting for a few years before that. But I've already seen my share of people come and go. Usually it was for something they hadn't planned for, none of it had anything to do with cost of living or high food prices (those are things you can plan on).
The biggest unplanned or underplanned event I've seen send families packing for the mainland is SCHOOLS and associated problems with raising children here. Hawaii schools aren't good for Hawaii's kids and they are even worse for mainland transplants. All that being said, my daughter survived two years of Hawaii public schools, graduated a year early, and is attending a Hawaii University. But we had contingency plans in place and she is an extraordinary student. Your mileage may vary. Don't have any school age children? That leads to the second unplanned event I've seen that sends families packing- problems with the mainland family. Usually in the form of aging parents or other family members that need care or supervision that can't be done from 3,000 miles away. It's hard to plan for illness, accidents, or dementia.
Some people move to Hawaii and move back to the mainland for no reason whatsoever other than they lived an adventure that ran its course. There is no rule that says if you move somewhere you have to die there or it means the move was a mistake. Life is an adventure, and it would be a shame to limit yourself by spending it all in one or two places. When I moved to Alaska I loved it so much there I just assumed I would die there. But after 15 years the adventure had ran its course. So now I live in Hawaii thinking I will die here. Maybe I will. I'm certainly 15 years closer to the grave than I was when I showed up in Alaska. But maybe there is more adventure in me than there is in Hawaii. Time will tell. But for now I'm happy and content here.
Good luck, and happy travels, wherever they take you.
"So I feel excited and scared at the same time. But then I think about walking on my property every day. And I think I'll be in heaven. Even if it doesn't work out I don't see regretting trying it. I'd rather try it and regret it, than live safe and regret never trying it."
Somebody once said, "It's better to regret something you have done, than to regret something you haven't done." Follow your dreams- just do your homework first, and have a backup plan or parachute in case things don't work out. I've only been on the island a few years, and had only been visiting for a few years before that. But I've already seen my share of people come and go. Usually it was for something they hadn't planned for, none of it had anything to do with cost of living or high food prices (those are things you can plan on).
The biggest unplanned or underplanned event I've seen send families packing for the mainland is SCHOOLS and associated problems with raising children here. Hawaii schools aren't good for Hawaii's kids and they are even worse for mainland transplants. All that being said, my daughter survived two years of Hawaii public schools, graduated a year early, and is attending a Hawaii University. But we had contingency plans in place and she is an extraordinary student. Your mileage may vary. Don't have any school age children? That leads to the second unplanned event I've seen that sends families packing- problems with the mainland family. Usually in the form of aging parents or other family members that need care or supervision that can't be done from 3,000 miles away. It's hard to plan for illness, accidents, or dementia.
Some people move to Hawaii and move back to the mainland for no reason whatsoever other than they lived an adventure that ran its course. There is no rule that says if you move somewhere you have to die there or it means the move was a mistake. Life is an adventure, and it would be a shame to limit yourself by spending it all in one or two places. When I moved to Alaska I loved it so much there I just assumed I would die there. But after 15 years the adventure had ran its course. So now I live in Hawaii thinking I will die here. Maybe I will. I'm certainly 15 years closer to the grave than I was when I showed up in Alaska. But maybe there is more adventure in me than there is in Hawaii. Time will tell. But for now I'm happy and content here.
Good luck, and happy travels, wherever they take you.
I think something that is important is the aloha state of mind. For me hawaii is a "mind, body and soul" - appreciation of the land, beauty, pele, people, and culture. The first time I flew into Hilo and got into my rental car.. My husband asked if we were in Manila. Half joking, half not. For us, Hawaii is not the climate (tho it help), it's not the beaches and sand bars.. It is truly the state of mind and culture. We love our neighbors and town. We love how half the people look homeless yet harmless, we love thr "Cheers" feel to it. Everyone goes on about their own yet somehow it's a dance we all do together with mutual respect and appreciation. Like anywhere you'll find "bad" people. But the good out weight it.
However, without being able to really be in the mind set there of true appreciation for all the gifts around you and some of the simplicities that come with Hawaii.. You'll never survive. We were welcomed warmly but not everyone is. That being said, if you come here with mainland attitude and ways, you'll stick out like a sore thumb and not in a good way. Hawaii is in many ways a lifestyle choice. You accept that you can't be there for your family get together or rush to the hospital when a parent falls ill. Or perhaps when your first grandchild is born. But those are the sacrifices you make to be in Hawaii with family on the mainland.
You'll have ohana here, and create a new family that will help with holidays and such. But many people find leaving everyone they care about was not something they considered. The cost to see them or the cost to them to see you. Ultimately you find that you'll go back. It's really not for everyone. Even I am just one type of person who thrives on the culture rather than the weather. I suspect some day tho.. I too, as parents age may have to make the pilgrimage back to the mainland.. At least for awhile to care for parents. I think you'll find your success in Hawaii tho, if you truly love and embrace the culture. Not the tourist Hawaii.. Or even the towns with excitement. But if you can get into those smaller areas where you learn what real Hawaii is.. You'll either fall in love or realize the commercialized Hawaii is what you love. For me, I obviously love non commercialized Hawaii. I love Kona but don't spend much time there and often can't escape fast enough to Puna. Back to my laid back little town where the pace is much slower and there are fewer tourist clogging up the roads.
Thanks everyone for all the advice. I posted this thread just to see if anyone mentioned some things I had not considered.
The advice that falls closest to my heart is the warnings about being away from family. In our case my elderly Mom will be coming over with us, and other family will be following, adult children and possibly a sibling. This will be very much a family endeavor.
Our trip was very brief but we drove a lot of the island and found the people to be warm and friendly. I have 0 concerns on that front. I also found the love of the land and desire to protect that seems widespread very attractive, of course that exists with a percentage of people on the mainland as well, but in Hawaii it seems to be much more of an overarching theme. Even something as simple as banning billboards to retain the beauty of the views is almost unthinkable on the mainland.
Thanks again to each person that took the time to reply.
Thanks everyone for all the advice. I posted this thread just to see if anyone mentioned some things I had not considered.
The advice that falls closest to my heart is the warnings about being away from family. In our case my elderly Mom will be coming over with us, and other family will be following, adult children and possibly a sibling. This will be very much a family endeavor.
Our trip was very brief but we drove a lot of the island and found the people to be warm and friendly. I have 0 concerns on that front. I also found the love of the land and desire to protect that seems widespread very attractive, of course that exists with a percentage of people on the mainland as well, but in Hawaii it seems to be much more of an overarching theme. Even something as simple as banning billboards to retain the beauty of the views is almost unthinkable on the mainland.
Thanks again to each person that took the time to reply.
Glad you had a good trip. You're doing it right. Follow your heart, check out the angles, consider all the advice but make up your own mind. No one knows your path but you.
A hui hou, Malama Pono
(Till we meet again, take good care of yourself)
R_C
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