bad ideas can work (Hilo: for rent, how much, construction) - Hawaii (HI) - City-Data Forum

sbradley86 · 10-25-2008, 01:35 PM

For the past month or 2 I've been quietly thinking about selling off the few things I own, uprooting, and dropping myself somewhere else. This is terribly cliche but I landed on Hawaii and really like the idea of it.

I have about a million questions, but with no one to ask. I've done some research and found that I could probably find a place to stay between 500-1000 a month. I have no real skills to get a job. I'm a hard worker, but have done mostly labor related jobs my whole life. Aside from the Army but that's a completely different headache.

What I'm mostly curious about, is how difficult it will be to get some half decent paying work. Any advice on where to start this whole thing? I'll basically be getting off a plane with a backpack and a guitar.

I'm coming from Massachusetts, just north of Boston. 22 years old. Write anything you might think help, because I'm basically going off of nothing.

cynmkolohe · 10-25-2008, 05:22 PM

We see folks trying this on the Big Island all the time...since my SO is involved in music, maybe we see it more than some others. I think that this would be a tough time to try finding work, but you just never know.

All I can say from my observations is that some make it work, some leave after a few months. Much depends on what lifestyle you are looking for when you arrive. Also depends on how much money you have in reserve to get you through until you can form a network of acquaintances and contacts.

Which island are you considering? How much money will you have in reserve? Without a substantial reserve, you may find yourself disliking the islands because you will struggle to survive....

I've said this before on C-D...it seems to me that the people who find the most success in "transplanting" to Hawaii are people who are able to both give and receive from this place. If you come only to receive, you will likely become very frustrated. If you can come and contribute something, you will receive in return.

(By the way, for context...I came here with no reserves and no acquaintances...but I did have a job and housing as a teacher for a small private school. From there, I built up a network of friends and contacts, eventually moved on from teaching and created a life here. But it took time...)

hotzcatz · 10-25-2008, 08:02 PM

Get a round trip plane ticket and if it doesn't work out, you can fly back again. It will be an interesting vacation if it doesn't work out, but at that age and without dependents or pets, you may find a niche you will be able to afford with "doyouwantfrieswiththat" work.

sbradley86 · 10-26-2008, 06:38 AM

Thanks for answering.

I don't have much money saved at all. When all is said and done, I may have a grand in my pocket. That's pushing it though. I've responded to a few adds on craigslist in reference to rooms for rent. Naturally the responses were not too great because I really dont have a game plan. However, one person sent me a link to WWOOF. I'm curious if anyone has heard of this.

http://www.wwoofhawaii.org/content/start.html (broken link)

Seems to me like it could be a great way to start off, but I've never heard of it before. Again, anything you can say will more than likely help.

hotzcatz · 10-26-2008, 04:03 PM

Woofers get housing, don't they? And there should be food since you'd be working on a farm. It might be a good starting place since you'd have a place to stay and some food and then you can work outwards from there. Once you get to an area, then you can look around and see opportunities that aren't available online or to folks that aren't there in person.

Would you still have a place in Massachusetts if you needed to go back? If you had a return ticket in your pocket you'd have several months or so to see if it would work before having to either use or sell the ticket.

isaackko · 10-26-2008, 06:30 PM

How much cash do you have dude? Hawaii is not a cheap place to live by any stretch. For $500-$1000 a month you better be willing to have roommates because even a crappy studio can run you $1200 here. Construction is big here, and the union workers make quite good money (not to mention the fact that the industry as a whole is slowing down).

Everything else here is expensive too. I'd look at the Big Island or the North Shore of Oahu because the rents are cheaper.

hotzcatz · 10-28-2008, 08:45 PM

How about working for a cruise ship? They go places and they provide room and board?

sbradley86 · 10-29-2008, 03:55 PM

How often does it rain in Hilo? I understand its the rainy side of the island, but does that mean every day all year? Three times a week for nine months of the year? You get the point. Whats the scoop?

Thanks again

leilaniguy · 10-29-2008, 04:07 PM

No, it doesn't rain every day, but most days it does, just not everywhere. The rain often comes in showers that are sometimes just a few hundred feet across while all around is sunny. The higher you go in town the more rain you encounter. The heavier rains are usually in winter.

hotzcatz · 10-30-2008, 01:18 AM

What's the average rainfall in Hilo, somewhere over sixteen feet of rain a year, isn't it? During rainy season it can rain several inches a day and not be remarkable. I think the last time it flooded it took ten inches an hour to do it.

Rainy season you will usually get at least one rain shower a day but the sun also shines and makes great rainbows.