Anyone out there with positive experiences?

[terracore]

I've only been on the island for about a month, and I can't really think of one negative thing about the move. Our teenager is bored, because she hasn't made any friends yet, but that will probably pass when school starts. Of course we came from Alaska which has many of the same issues as Hawaii, so your mileage may vary. Our cost of living here is substantially less than what we were accustomed to, so having some financial breathing room and looking at earlier retirement just adds a lot of WOW! to an already great experience.

[shamone]

I love living in Honolulu. No city is perfect. I was born and raised in New Jersey and I loved NYC, but hated the cold. Moved to LA and loved the weather and the things you can do there. Married and moved to Atlanta and hated it. Too hot and I don't like the Southern way. I find Hawai'i to be similar to CA but with better weather and friendliness. I miss some of the things I could get on the Mainland and you can't get a lot of things shipped. But I like my job, the people I encounter, the beach and the weather. I don't feel like it is an island on Oahu because it is so built up, you don't see the ocean as easily as you do in Maui. There is always something going on and most of the festivities are free. We are glad we came and don't feel we want to live anywhere else. I read all the negative stuff too and was so worried. Turns out, people are people and the same all over. It's you that makes something good or bad, not the place. Home is what you make it. And we are making Hawai'i our home for good.