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I love this thread!!! I'm so glad I found it. Mahalo to all of you for sharing your stories.
My husband and I live in Bend Oregon, are middle aged,kids are grown and on their own. We vacation in Maui usually once a year and of course love it!! We're not sure if we are just living in a dream world or going through a mid life crisis, but we can't seem to get the islands out of our minds. Recently, we have discussed possibly spending our summers in Hawaii and then possibly moving over there in about 5-7 years. With that said, this thread has been very helpful in knowing the pros and cons which we would be up against.
Would Do It All Over Again
I'd like to share, too.
What made you decide to move to Hawaii?
My husband and I were looking for a new place to call home for years after we got married, we wanted to move away from the small town that we grew up in. We actually vacationed in Honolulu, with absolutely no intention of moving to Hawaii, but then we fell in love. Months after the vacation glow dimmed, we started recalling everything we loved about the Island of Oahu, and couldn't find a reason why it wouldn't be a great place to live. It was 2005.
What did you bring with you (kid(s), car, furniture, dog)?
So we started planning, and within three months, we either gave away or sold pretty much everything except for our SUV, some kitchen gadgets, tools, electronics, and of course the sentimental items. All of the things that we couldn't live without fit into just eight boxes, all meeting the USPS standard, and six suitcases. We didn't have any kids, or pets, so being responsible for just the two of us was simple. We spent $1000 to ship the vehicle, $600 to ship our boxes (only one insured), and had $3000 in the bank to our name to survive.
Did you have a job already when you moved?
We were so excited about getting to Hawaii, that we didn't believe we would need to secure jobs or even an apartment before we left the mainland. Again, that was 2005, a little bit safer to take such a huge risk than these days, and boy were we lucky with what we did find. We drove all night from Northern Nevada to Long Beach, with just enough time to arrive at the post office and part with the only things to our name, drop our vehicle at the port to find that we had a quarter tank of gas more than allowed, spent an hour wasting it (first time for everything), and then checked into our flight with 20 minutes to spare before takeoff.
My husband was lucky because of his trade, and with his skills and experience, he was offered a job on the second day of our arrival, and started later that week. I was not so fortunate, because although being in the Customer Service Industry for ten years, not having any other skills like, speaking fluent Japanese, made me a less desirable candidate. It was frustrating and took me two months to find something to do to help support our new life. After about six months of pursuing my happiness, I was offered an outstanding administration position with a great company. During that time, I was fortunate to learn about other cultures, and a little language, which I am so grateful for, even today.
Where was the first place you lived in...how much did it cost?
Immediately after my husband accepted his job, we decided the smartest thing to do would to be to secure an apartment close by, right away. That was not easy at all. We did a lot of walking that day, and the next, in hopes to find a rental agency that had something available. We learned that a young couple wandering around saying "we just moved here, we're looking for an apartment!" is a pretty scary statement to landlords. It doesn't represent much in the way of being a long term tenant, and what rental experience can you really show to someone, especially after you told them "yup, bought a one way ticket, want to live here, just got a job!" We again got lucky with the last visit, the landlord had just one rental available. A studio, for a $650 deposit, $650 per month, and in Kailua. No air-conditioning, and was just large enough to fit a king size bed (as we found one at an Estate Sale for $75, we just couldn't beat that), a desk, a table with two chairs, and a bookcase. I actually loved the bathroom, it was huge (partially due to the fact that it only had a 2 foot squared shower), but the best part was the huge built-in dresser along the wall opposite the water wall. We later found out that the neighborhood was commonly referred to as "druggie heaven". The only advice I can offer if you land a similar unit is to just mind your own business, and be respectful. It worked for us, and we made friends quickly. Once our vehicle arrived, we still had the Nevada plates, and they called us "Vegas". We did have to explain that we lived in a small town 400 miles north of Las Vegas, but that was great conversations all by itself.
What was your anxiety level like when you moved here?
My husband didn't seem to show much anxiety during the move, but I felt it just as we were about 50 miles away from our little hometown. I cried, thinking "Am I making the right decision?" I would say that overall, the anxiety level was a 7 on a scale of 10, until we bought our first fan for the apartment. Then I realized, “I'm in paradise, I am alive and well, I have the love of my life to share this with, and I better make the best of itâ€.
Were there differences that you found interesting or noteworthy?
Right away, in our apartment, we realized, (because of the lack of air-conditioning), that the temperature drop in Hawaii isn't much like that in the Nevada desert. In Nevada, it can drop 50 degrees even in the summer, but in Hawaii, really only about 10 degrees.
The one thing we weren’t used to was geckos and cockroaches. They’re just tropical bugs who are under the impression that it's survival of the toughest, and whoever doesn't run out of the room screaming - wins the room!
The plate lunches quickly became our favorite difference between our small hometown and our new home. Especially considering the price. In smalltown Nevada, you just can't get a plate of shrimp or steak for less than $7. And hardly anything in Nevada was served with rice and that addicting mac-salad.
The culture is the best part. The attitude alone is better than any you will find on the mainland, and you can't help but feel appreciative of everyone.
When did you start making friends?
We made a few friends in our neighborhood, but work friends were great to have, after a few months of working together.
Did you move from your first place?
We had a hard time leaving that little studio, only stayed there for a year, but felt it was the best decision when we accepted jobs in Kaimuki, and were fortunate to find a one bedroom apartment just a mile away from work, and a mile from the beach! It sure beat the hour and 45 minutes of traffic from Waikiki to Kailua every night. It was great because we had more space, but we never could decide how to furnish it, so we had a big foyer, with a bedroom, and a smaller bathroom. The bedroom closet replaced the bathroom dresser which was great, but our king bed grew into a wall to wall bed, with a closet on the side. Not much space at all. That apartment was $975 per month, but the location was great not only because of the walking distance to everything, but the quiet area it was in, and right across from a park.
We eventually moved out of the one bedroom apartment, because we had an opportunity to move into a two bedroom unit in the same complex, for only $1250 per month. We felt settled at that point, we started buying furniture, a television (and bonus - the apartment came with cable), and really felt at home. Time flew by, and we were happy.
Unfortunately, we lost a family member, and when "visiting" the mainland for the services, realized that we wanted to spend more time closer to family. We ended up doing that crazy move again, back to Nevada, after only a two year stay in paradise.
Did you stay in your first job...or are you still looking?
My husband stayed in his first job for 8 months, before accepting the new job in Kaimuki. I stayed in my first job for only a month before I decided I didn't belong in retail, and accepted the admin job.
How did you manage the first 3 months...being away from old friends etc.?
The first three months were the hardest, and we spoke to family and old friends at least once a week. Usually on our day off while relaxing on the beach. It wasn't to torment them, it just happened that way, especially because of the time difference. They couldn't stop asking when we'd be moving back, and we later found out that they all had a bet going as to how long we'd stay away.
It took about two months to fully acclimate to the humidity, and probably about a month to learn our way around, and explore new areas.
The time flew by, even though at times it felt as if it stood still. I remember thinking, “ok, it's going to start getting cold and it should snow soonâ€. Then I remembered that it may snow in Hawaii, but not necessarily land in our yard.
Our first spring, during the first three months of our arrival, we witnessed 40 days and nights of rain. Our neighbors and friends assured us that it wasn't normal, and that we shouldn't fear that it would happen all the time. We assured them that we loved rain a whole lot more than snow, and appreciate the coolness that it seems to bring. The 40 days and nights of rain caused quite a bit of flooding in Kailua, and other areas around Oahu, but because our little studio was on the ground floor we made amends with the weather by thanking God for the opportunity to have beachfront property, even if only for a few days.
In retrospect was it a good decision and would you do it again?
Now in 2011, I look back and see just how fortunate we were in our decision to take such a huge risk. It turned out to be an excellent decision, and I am grateful for every moment that we spent in Hawaii.
We are now considering moving back, and because we have learned a few things, believe that we can better prepare ourselves this time. We've learned a little more Japanese, and plan to continue our education. We still have our SUV, and no kids, but we have a dog. We'll have to follow other guidelines for moving a dog to Hawaii, and we completely understand the importance of arranging an apartment (pet-friendly) beforehand. We have learned that we need to be quite a bit more prepared for our move, especially financially. I would still give everything away, and do it all again, just this time, I'd like to secure a job similar to the one I left, and maybe even the same apartment complex, if it's pet friendly.
For those planning to do the same thing, I highly recommend it, but just learn as much as you can before you go, and please don't listen to the comments you may hear such as "Well, if you fail at this, you can always live on the beach!"
Might be really early to post this because I've only been here for a few months, but if everything suddenly goes to sh*t, I'll repost
Maui
What made you decide to move to Hawaii
My husband and I visited a year before we moved and thought it was stunning. Always wanted to move somewhere "far away" and wanted an adventure.
What did you bring with you (kid(s), car, furniture, dog)
None of those. My husband and I brought 2 suitcases and had 3 medium sized boxes shipped after we found an apartment.
Did you have a job already when you moved
No.
Where was the first place you lived in...how much did it cost
I'm still in my first place since I've only lived here a few months. I live in Kahului. My rent was $700 at first, but somehow our internet got linked with the owners who live above us so the landlord said let's not mess with it (since the internet setup had already been kind of a hassle) just pay for both and only give us $675 for rent. We just have a studio but its really nice and cute and I love it. Some may have read my post about the roaches. Yes they were really bad. The landlord hired a professional pest removal company and took care of it. I felt pretty helpless when that was a problem. So that was just luck that our landlord was nice enough to do that.
What was your anxiety level like when you moved here
High. But we were hopeful. We half-thought we were going to just try as hard as we could for 3 months and then go back to IL with nothing saying we tried as hard as we could. My husband would be able to get his old job back and we'd just start rebuilding.
Were there differences that you found interesting or noteworthy
It's definitely different but I can't really give any definitive info yet.
When did you start making friends
I don't have any yet. There was a girl I talked to on facebook before I moved that I was gonna try hanging out with but she's a lot younger than me and we just never did hang out. A couple people from work are cool, but I definitely wouldn't call them friends, yet at least.
Did you move from your first place
n/a
Did you stay in your first job...or are you still looking
My job is a retail store in Kihei. Which I got after living here a month. I filled out about 30 applications and got no interviews before that. It was my first interview and I got the job. I make $10 an hour. In IL I had the same job for over 4 years at minimum wage. And I got Associate of the Month twice so it was not poor work performance that was keeping me at min wage. It was just the company not caring. I also feel very lucky I got this job just as I feel very lucky that I got a nice apartment and a nice landlord with pretty low rent.
How did you manage the first 3 months...being away from old friends etc.
We miss our friends and family a lot. But not enough to want to move back to IL. Of course we want to go back and visit when we can afford it, but I'm not going to use ALL my money to keep going back there. If I wanted to be there all the time, I wouldn't have moved. I want to use my money to have a life here. Again, I am going to save to visit, but I'm still going to live life here.
I send my grandma a post card once a week every single week. I send my sister and cousins postcards a couple times a month. I text my mom everyday and keep up with friends a lot on facebook. My friends and I play xbox together every Thursday, so we make time to contact people we care about. So we're doing ok in that area but we'd like to talk to some people more.
In retrospect was it a good decision and would you do it again.
I'm really really happy here. I love it. And that's all I can say so far. I don't know what's gonna happen in the future. I want to be here for at least 3 years if not forever but I don't know what I want to do for a career yet, so that might take me elsewhere. Who knows?
After I went and ran some errands for a while I thought of a few things that are different. They're all pretty insignificant, but just some stuff I thought of (other than food/gas prices and obvious stuff):
We are the only white/haole people in our entire neighborhood. We've walked around the neighborhood tons of times and seen kids play at recess and there's not a single white kid/person. I don't care, it doesn't affect me at all, it's just a change. I came from living in a neighborhood where there are a lot of mexicans and black people and less white people, so it wasn't that big of a change, though. Which reminds me, there are hardly any black people here either. So basically, I think the area I came from was more racially diverse than where I am now. And there are hardly any mexican restaurants here. The few I've tried suck. Los Fernando's in Queen K claims they are the most authentic on the island?! If that's true, I should just stop trying because that was overpriced CRAP.
There are hardly any places to get ice cream! There's Yogurtland which is not ice cream and Coldstone which is awesome, but the only one I know of in in Lahaina. What the heck? I love ice cream! And the only place I know of that I can get a shake is Ruby's. They are SOOO good, though. Yeah, I know I need to get used to lovin' shave ice. It's really good, but sometimes I'd just rather have chocolate ice cream!
People get in your way a lot. And stay there. Like people who block the path at stores don't even care and even if they do realize it and apologize, they still aren't movin'! so you just have to completely back up and go around through the next aisle. And I'm not a person who's in a hurry a lot. I'm cool with waiting a couple min, but it's not a couple min. It's gonna be a while.
Same with people going in the exit door. Even though they're going in the wrong way, they expect everyone else to move. it's no big deal, it is kinda rude but oh well.
Lots of good asian food! YUM that's my favorite so I'm glad there's a lot of it and some places are good n cheap! There were only a few places for sushi where i was and they were all pretty expensive.
I really love all the hawaiian food I've tried so far.
Buses only stop at bus stops. Makes sense, but where I lived in IL you could pull the thing anytime and they'd let you off on the closest corner.
As far as the limited restaurants, I knew that was something I would have to deal with and it's not a big deal at all, just mentioning some stuff that's different.
What made you decide to move to Hawaii
Manageability of lifestyle, better weather than New York, friendlier people, laid back lifestyle, put myself back in school to change careers...
What did you bring with you (kid(s), car, furniture, dog)
Shipped my car Matson from Long Beach (drove it across the US to the port); 3 pieces of luggage I brought on the plane. I still have boxes in NY I will be shipping to myself within the next six months or so.
Did you have a job already when you moved
No. I was enrolled in school. I saved $10,000 and made the move. I paid cash all along the way. I took out extra student loan money to help me with living expenses until I was ready to start working.
Where was the first place you lived in...how much did it cost
I paid $500/mo and rented a room in a house on the Big Island.
What was your anxiety level like when you moved here
I had no anxiety. I needed the change.
Were there differences that you found interesting or noteworthy
There are tons of no tresspassing signs in the driveways of properties. It is acceptable to rent an apartment here that does not have a stove with an oven when renting an ohana (hot plates are common). Too much medical marijuana not being used medicinally.
When did you start making friends
I became friendly with people immediately. I made some good friends after several months.
Did you move from your first place
Yes - I moved after 3 weeks. I left my security deposit and gave 30 days notice. I moved in with the man who is now my fiance.
Did you stay in your first job...or are you still looking
I am still with my first job. They work with my school schedule.
How did you manage the first 3 months...being away from old friends etc.
I didn't miss home. I missed my grandmother but that was about it. I spent a lot of time indulging on the beach and I had school so I did not have time to miss anyone too much.
In retrospect was it a good decision and would you do it again
Yes. I was accepted into nursing school. I met my fiance 2 1/2 weeks after I moved here. I am the happiest I have ever been. I wanted everything to be the opposite of NY and that was what I got.
Medical reasons, primarily. My form of arthritis is quiescent in the tropics, so we looked at both Florida and Hawaii. We chose Hawaii because after the second time we visited here, both my wife and I felt the pull of the Islands. Looking in Florida became more of a formality.
What did you bring with you (kid(s), car, furniture, dog)
Two dogs via a nonstop from SFO. One Jeep (we sold one car before moving and traded the other for a more Island-friendly vehicle). No furniture to speak of, but 300 boxes.
Did you have a job already when you moved
My wife and I brought our jobs with us.
Where was the first place you lived in...how much did it cost
Waikoloa Village, $1,800/mo. for a one month rental.
What was your anxiety level like when you moved here
The anxiety issues related to the house we were buying and whether the dogs would be OK during the move. They are a short snout breed and had never flown before the move.
Were there differences that you found interesting or noteworthy
Pretty much everything is different here...the people, the topography, the climate, the offerings in the stores. It's a lot like moving to another country.
When did you start making friends
No exaggeration, but before we moved here (while looking for places) we met several people we reconnected with when we arrived.
Did you move from your first place
Yes, we closed on our home a few weeks afrter arriving.
Did you stay in your first job...or are you still looking
I've been at the same company (under different names) for seventeen years, I'm not changing jobs.
How did you manage the first 3 months...being away from old friends etc.
We've been here over three months now, and we do miss our granddaughter (she has already been out to visit). However, we've made a lot of friends and met a lot of wonderful people.
In retrospect was it a good decision and would you do it again
We pretty much had to move, so the question to me would be "Would I rather have moved to Florida"...no way. We love it here. We feel right at home. The selling a house and moving is a chore and a half, but the rewards have been worth it times ten. It's a beautiful, special place here...but it's not for everyone. You have to appreciate the differences in a culture and a region to appreciate Hawaii. We most certainly do.
Just wanted to say that this thread has been really helpful! Some threads on here are VERY, very negative when it comes to the Hawaiian experience, but reading the answers on this thread is more helpful than reading other people's personal rants.
My friend and I (2chicks) are planning to move to Hawaii in about 6-7mos time. Another friend is debating if he (1guy) wants to join us, or wait and move to Europe later. We're looking for jobs, and have pretty much decided on Oahu, simply because its the most populated and we feel we'll have a better shot at making it there than a less populated island. With all that I'm reading I have a couple of comments/concerns:
-I hear a lot about "racism"/discrimination against locals, is it really that bad? (disclaimer: we're not white or Asian, but does this matter?)
-Do you get used to the bugs and reptiles?
-What do you think is a good amount of $$$ to have saved to move there?
-Do you really need to work 2 jobs a piece to make it?
-I notice people return within a few years, besides health or family reasons, why do you think this is?
-Any resources you can point to that helped you before you moved?
We're planning the move because we're simply sick of the mundane on the East Coast. We're in our mid-late 20s, and we've focused so much on working and trying to build careers (which I have to find, but I have a steady job that pays the bills) that we just want to live life in a whole new climate. We're the adventurous types. We skydive, hike, run, explore, we like a challenge, so with that we're deciding to dream big! Any advice or further explanations of the stories you've already shared will be much appreciated.
-I hear a lot about "racism"/discrimination against locals, is it really that bad? (disclaimer: we're not white or Asian, but does this matter?)
I apologize I meant "from locals" not "against locals"
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January was 1 year in Hawaii
