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I've lived in Honolulu for one year as of today. Happy anniversary to me!
First, thanks to everyone here who offered advice as I was gearing up for the move and looking for an apartment. You were all awesomely helpful.
Highlights from the past year:
- my amazing students, and how much fun I had teaching them
- snorkeling in Hanauma Bay... several times, but there was one day in particular where it was so calm and not very crowded... followed a turtle for a long time and saw so much
- meeting my dog park friends and watching my pup settle in to her new life here
- First Fridays, Art After Dark, and the Movie Museum
- the KCC Farmer's Market
- sunset mai tais at House without a Key
- popping over to Kauai for a long weekend
- the weather, the weather, the weather, the weather, and the weather (and this is after what was supposedly a terrible winter)
- hanging out with really fun people once a month at my volunteer gig
Looking forward to in the next year:
- popping over to Maui for a long weekend
- hitting more beaches... I've barely scratched the surface
- hiking the trail up Koko Head and going to Waimea falls
- learning to surf (I know, I know... why have I waited so long?)
- more cool stuff at my job, including getting to meet & work with a bunch of teachers from local schools
Congratulations, indeed! I'm heading to Waikiki from Maui tomorrow morning for a weekend wedding (in Kaneohe). I'll drink a toast to your first anniversary! I have enjoyed your thoughtful posts (and photos) -- hope you stay a while and continue to spread the aloha.
Congrats...i am planning on moving out there in July myself and kinda nervous becuase I dont have a place to live, i dont know anyone there. How did you go about finding an apt?
Congrats...i am planning on moving out there in July myself and kinda nervous becuase I dont have a place to live, i dont know anyone there. How did you go about finding an apt?
craigslist (be very careful of scams) or the local Hawaii newspapers on-line editions or (my choice) vrbo.com
Congrats...i am planning on moving out there in July myself and kinda nervous becuase I dont have a place to live, i dont know anyone there. How did you go about finding an apt?
I worked with a realtor (and it was worth her time because we used her as a buyer's agent when we bought our condo), and I was put in touch with her by my job.
I looked on craigslist, but the place she found for me was only advertised in the papers and not online. Also, people were very wary of me when I called and said I was moving from the mainland, but when I said I had a local who would go look at the place for me, they were much more receptive.
Are you coming for work or for school or what? If so, maybe someone there can help with your apartment hunt?
If not, I would suggest finding something short term (a vacation rental or even a reasonably priced hotel) and look for something when you get here. Then you can actually go see the place, make sure you feel comfortable (and it's not a scam), etc. Most of the places posted online and in newspapers are available immediately, so you wouldn't have to stay in the short-term place very long, I think.
How would I know if listings for example on craigslist are a scam? Would they like ask for money upfront then I never hear from them again?
They don't live on the island (they are missionaries in Africa renting their home for 2 years, or some such nonsense). Because of that, you need to send money to them in Africa, but their friend or next door neighbor or whatever has the keys which you can pick up when you get here.
The deal is too good to be true. Peruse the listings for a while, and you'll get a sense for what a reasonable rent is for the areas you're considering. Then when you see the 6 bedroom house renting for $1000, you'll know it's a scam.
(And, no, I don't surf. They need all kinds of help to make the Day at the Beach happen.)
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