The hardest thing about moving to Hawaii is NOT the cost. (apartment, how much)
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It's not being able to go home when your family or friends need you, not being able to attend funerals, not being able to make it home BEFORE the funeral. And it's the good things you miss too - like not being there when your best friend has her baby a month earlier than planned. It makes your heart ache that you can't get there!
I love Hawaii - please don't get me wrong - but with all the posts about money, cost, jobs... the reality is even if you can swing it and make it work, some things about being so far away will still be very, very hard.
And even if you can afford to fly home on a whim, if you're from the East Coast, money might not be enough. It takes a good chunk of time to get there, and you might be too late.
If you're like me, maybe you can afford the ticket, but you can't get someone to take care of the dogs on a moment's notice, and you can't take off work on a moment's notice either. It's not like home where you can take off a few hours to attend a funeral, or drop by the hospital after work.
I LOVE Hawaii. And in the big picture, I think it's worth it. I certainly don't regret moving here! But if there's one thing I want people to know when they are considering moving, it's this. It SUCKS to not be able to go back home for the really important things that come up unexpectedly, the things you can't plan for.
I think it's a factor that needs to be considered when making a decision to move here.
Random post, but it's what I'm dealing with now, and I thought I'd share.
I agree with you totally. It is one of the reasons we didn't move there when we retired. We realized we wouldn't be an active part of our children/grandchildren's lives and flying in twice a year we would miss so much.
That's what keeps me from moving there more than anything. I could give up a lot in terms of material possessions, but giving up the ability to see family when they really need you is a hard one.
One of my family members actually moved back to the East Coast from the West Coast after her grandmother passed, because she said it had a really profound effect on her.
I guess I just don't see this... other people must have different sorts of families than I do. None of my family lives anywhere near each other. My immediate family alone is scattered up and down the West Coast, then thrown in Nebraska & North Carolina. Don't even get me started on nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles, and cousins!
I don't find it any harder to get to the West Coast from here than I did for the 12 years I lived in the Boston area (and, again, had no family nearby at all). I missed a couple of weddings while living there because I just couldn't get away. It's not easy to do at the drop of a hat, but it's not because I'm in Hawaii. It's because I live far from them. And that was going to happen no matter where I took a job, because they all live far from each other.
The good thing about being here is that everyone comes to visit. In less than two years here, we've had more houseguests (family) than we did in 12 years in Boston. We joke about starting a google calendar for people to reserve their time.
I was under the impression that there were more people like me these days than not, but maybe I'm mistaken.
Location: not sure, but there's a hell of a lot of water around here!
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That's actually why my wife doesn't want to move. Being isolated from family.[/quote]
You'll be absolutely amazed at how much family you DO have once you move here.... "Eh,,,,, Honey!!! Whos this Uncle Fred staying with us next month, is he YOUR part of the family??" It happens.......... you'll have to trust me on this one...................
Aloha and,, uuuurrrrpppp, scuze me, MELE KALIKIMAKA LIE DAT!!!
pssssssssttttttt,,,,,,, little secret....... tell em all you have a REALLY SMALL studio apartment,,,, it seems to work,, sometimes
Yep, definitely something alot of people don't consider. 13 hour+ plane ride ain't fun at the drop of a hat. Neither is the $1000+ you have to spend to get there. It really sucks when you HAVE to move some place for your spouses family and YOUR family is going through tough times 3000 miles away... Oh well, that's life. Unfortunately Hungjohn is right on! You'll be lucky if you even get a phone call too. You come out of the bathroom and find "aunty" and "uncle" laying on your couch, eating your food. Just another day in paradise!
School Closures To Rats: Hawaii's Economic Troubles Hit Children, Public Health And Needy
Hawaii Dimmed By Education, Election, Health Cuts - CBS News (http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/12/19/ap/national/main5999100.shtml - broken link)
2 of my honolulu pals moved back to the mainland and my contractor friend in kona had to lay off half his employees.
not a good time to be moving back but miss the beaches and surfing and fortunately won't need a job.
But if you don't get along with your family, it's great. There are times when 3000 miles isn't far enough away. I have 2 sisters I love, but can't stand being in the same room (or the same state) with their obnoxious husbands & needy, neurotic grown children.
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And it's the good things you miss too - like not being there when your best friend has her baby a month earlier than planned. It makes your heart ache that you can't get there!
