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My mother was from Oahu, but left with her soldier boyfriend before I was born. We spent many years there when I was younger but, by the time I graduated school, had set up permanent residence in the Pacific Northwest where I married, had a family, yadda yadda.
Now I'm retired and have been wishing I could go back to stay. After reading the posts, I'm concerned I'm not wealthy enough and that, sadly, I would not be welcome in my mother's homeland.
I am retired and have a small income as well as skills that would allow me to supplement my monthly allotment. I do not wish to rent a room but actually would be quite happy to live in a studio with just a shower and kitchenette. I've seen some listed on the real estate ads as lease holds that would be wonderful and affordable.
I wonder, though, if it might be more practical for me to ship my pet grooming van to Oahu rather than sell it here. It would give me a better opportunity to make a little more income. However, it seems, reading these forums, Oahu residents are not amenable to vans/motorhomes populating the island.
I am an active middle-aged woman who runs, has a scooter I could bring with me or replace and a fondness for using public transportation. I have fabulous health coverage and enough to live on and still take my artist sketchbook to the beach to relax.
Is it true people from the mainland are not welcome now? Although my mother was from there, I have only been there on vacation and her family has long since all passed so I have no living connection to the Island. All I have is a deep love for what I felt when I visited and a longing to go "home" for my remaining years.
Thank you in advance for your insights. I know many residents don't want more people on the Island, but I bring with me income that will be spent and I will not be taking a job from anyone so I will be adding to the economy rather than draining it. Please don't trash me.
I have never experienced anything but kind, helpful and friendly people in HI. I wouldn't ship the van/motorhome, but I would go and rent for at least six months before committing to permanent residency. IMO you should go for it!
The mobile pet grooming business is rather profitable and shipping a car from the west coast to HI would cost $1000 and more, and the size of the van may add to the cost.
If you are in business and have a license, you may be able to deduct your "office" but you would have to check with your accountant.
You should check the competition through craigslist, the yellow pages,etc., and since the islands are so small, a mobile grooming business may not be as useful as on the mainland.
Location: Big Island- Hawaii, AK, WA where the whales are!
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I have 99.9% of all my time as mainlander only been given Aloha. Everyone has been very nice and welcoming to me. I did fall into meeting incredible people. What island are you thinking? Depending on the area you may have a profitable business? I don't know. Depends on what you want to do on the islands. If you have the availablity check out the islands for 6 months or so and see what you think. I would check it out before moving everything over first. Good luck - gota say beign from the NW also winter is allot nicer being warm!!
My wife works in a Vet's office and while spending on pets is down because of the economy people still spend. I would think that with your mobile business and if you are good it would be possible to make a decent living.
I also think that considering your line of business and getting to know people that way you might be accepted better than most.
Hawaii is wonderful but not the promise land; take it slow, visit and maybe try staying on a temporary basis before taking the plunge.
PS: If your mother's family was originally from Hawaii I can't believe that you won't be able to find some distant relatives. Everybody seems to be related to each other is certain communities.
Depending on where you live on Oahu and the size of your mobile grooming van, it might be difficult to find parking for it. If it is a tradesman's type van (soccer mom sort) then parking wouldn't be too much of a problem. If it is a large RV, then parking will probably be a problem as well as navigating it through the small streets and the traffic. A lot of the parking in Honolulu is inside the big parking garages which have low ceilings. Can your grooming service be set up in a suitcase or something smaller which would fit on your scooter? Can you leave the van on the mainland somewhere until you get settled on Oahu and then ship it over later if you think it will fit?
Ah, renting a studio is a higher level of living than renting a room. Generally when renting a room you have to share the kitchen and bath facilities with your other room mates. Renting a studio with a separate bath and kitchen is a higher level of rent. Here's a general list of your rental options:
1. share a ROOM with someone and also share the kitchen facilities (if any) and bath facilities.
2. rent your own ROOM and share the kitchen facilities and bath facilities.
3. rent a studio apartment which has one big room but your own bath and usually rudimentary kitchen. (Microwave, small refrigerator & sink.)
Next up from these options are small one bedroom apartments, maid's quarters or ohana units behind folks' houses, etc. Generally the nicer ones are switched between friends and don't show up in advertisements.
Most of the unwelcome mainland folks find is from when they move over here with no resources and expect to find a part time job which will support them as they "live in paradise" like a tourist. Our tourists are pampered and do not live like everyone else, but they are not living here, they are having a wonderful vacation in a fantasy place. We work hard to create that fantasy place and we are glad they enjoy it, that's what it's for. However, frequently after they've been here on vacation, they want to come back and live here in that fantasy fashion but live here on a limited budget. You can have one or the other but not both. If you bring a large amount of money, then you can "live in paradise" to your heart's content. If you want to live on a limited budget, then you get to live in the real world of Hawaii with everyone else.
Also, at the moment, there are many folks living here who are in reduced straits so there is less money going around and less jobs available which makes it more difficult for folks moving here.
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