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-As long as you are respectful you probably won't have any real issue with racism.
-Sadly, you do get used to the bugs. A year later I still don't like the bugs but I don't scream when I see one anymore.
-I would say at least $10,000 per person. You will need money upfront for an apartment & living expenses until you find a job.
-If you have roommates, you **MIGHT** be able to get by with one 40 hr a week job. Most part time jobs are 19 hours or less b/c of the health insurance in HI so many people work 2 or 3 jobs bc they can't get enough hours at one job.
-As far as ppl moving back to the mainland, it's probably b/c they just weren't prepared for life out here or for how expensive it is. It is truly a different way of life out here. It's like moving to a foreign country in many ways. You have to be flexible & willing to adapt. It's almost a guarantee that your lifestyle will change when you move. Definitely research everything & try to make a visit out here & experience everyday life before you move.
Thanks so much to everyone who took the time to share their experiences! Our moving plans continue to come together. Our dogs' blood test results are on the list at HI, which indicates a real "moving forward"! I continue to look for apts as a leisure activity right now, feeling it's a smarter move to get a job first, then find an apt nearby.
Question about the pets moving over? What happens and how long does it take for them to be cleared? Would love to move there but love my pets more. I have a Dog and 2 cats and are some breeds not aloud??
Question about the pets moving over? What happens and how long does it take for them to be cleared? Would love to move there but love my pets more. I have a Dog and 2 cats and are some breeds not aloud??
Go to the Hawaii dept of Agriculture website and read what it says about bringing pets to Hawaii. Thats the first and primary information you should be reading. It should answer most if not all of your questions. Afterwards if you have any specific questions or if your confused on something, ask away.
This is a great thread, thanks for all of the real stories.
I have Hawaii in my sights as a place to move, but I am more on the long-term plan of 5-7 years. I want to really do my research, really save some $$ and get myself set up better before I make a jump.
My husband and I have been in O'ahu a year now. We moved from a small town in Southern Oregon. Our feedback is below.
What made you decide to move to Hawaii- We were working like crazy and not really getting anywhere with the bad economy ( we are in construction and worked for ourselves) After losing a family member at the tender age of 65 we both felt that working toward retirement and then not being able to enjoy life was not the way to go. We had been to Hawaii on vacation, we love to scuba, we both ride motorcycles an it just seemed to be a place we might get the most out of everyday living.
What did you bring with you (kid(s), car, furniture, dog)- We checked into prices of all the moving and felt it best to downsize BIGTIME before we moved. We shipped the motorcycles, 10 boxes 2 scuba suitcases and tanks, along with some tools of the trade. No children as they are grown now and no pets anymore. This is freedom time for us- go where we want, when we want to go.
Did you have a job already when you moved- Part of the actual decision to move was to secure a decent job. We spent 5 weeks applying for jobs and when he secured an interview he gladly flew over for the interview. When h landed the job that sealed the deal for us and the timeline for the move was set. Interview was 2/8, move date set at 4/26
Where was the first place you lived in...how much did it cost-We stayed in a vacation rental downtown for 10 days. We had a list of inexpensive Jeeps in hand from craigslist and hit them right away so we could get rid of the rental. Once we had a rig, we moved on to the list of available rentals. Within 4 days we had found our place. It is about 12 miles north of Kaneohe, technically the North Shore. But for us it is just country and so near the beautiful beach....we had to be here. We have a one bedroom in a small complex of Ohana units. About 750 square feet is 1485.00 including utilities.
What was your anxiety level like when you moved here-I think the hardest part was actually getting ready for the move. We downsized alot ....sold so much....he is still amazed at the things I just decided I didn't need. Once that part was done, the actual move was not hard. We work well together and can handle just about anything. It was more of an adventure.
Were there differences that you found interesting or noteworthy- Everything in Hawaii is different. People drive differently. You drive slower, you don't get all stressed out when someone wants to go around you. Dealing with any government office is a trip. The process of registering a vehicle, getting inspection, getting drivers license, applying for unemployment, building permits and inspections- just to name a few- are all extremely different and you have to really wrap yourself around that. You cannot fix it....they do not feel it is broke. You just learn to go with it. You might think that fruits and veggies will cost less because they all can grow so easily- wrong. A bell pepper 7.99 a pound! Stuff is different for sure! The longer you are here the more you find the tricks.
When did you start making friends-About one minute into being here. Everyone is wonderful. You might here about locals that do not like mainland people. I have not found that. You may feel a little from a distance ( in the car or in a large crowd) but if you meet those same people while you are at your neighbors house or in the store, they will invite you to their home. We have great friends here!
Did you move from your first place-We have been in Kaaawa for a year now and have decided to try living downtown for a year. We have always been country people and do not love noise and crowds. But with all the other changes that we have made we feel that we owe it to ourselves to try it.- Plus the hour drive each way gets to us, it just makes the day so long sometimes. It is actually pretty quiet when you are up in a nice building. We are looking now in China town as well as Waikiki and along the Ala Wai. Something with a pool and a gym-- what a treat to walk out the door and look for activities and shopping....we shall see how that turns out.
Did you stay in your first job...or are you still looking-No. Jobs are different here as well. The first job he had did not work out prett quickly. They told him he would have full time work and then only gave him about 20 hours a week. After three weeks he started looking elsewhere and when he took other work to fill in, they fired him. We feel that whatever is meant to be, will be and he has found a good place to work that does quality work and treats him well. I had a job in a construction office to, but got laid off in January- I do have several prospects currently in the works. No worries
How did you manage the first 3 months...being away from old friends etc.- We are so lucky to be here now. Between Facebook and Skype I do not miss much. I miss my children and Mom- but I really love Skype for that, you not only hear them but see them and it fills the void. We are celebrities among our friends. Oh wow how cool- you live in Hawaii???
In retrospect was it a good decision and would you do it again- YES. YES. Do not wait until you are too old to enjoy the lifestyle you want. Do it.
We are moving to Hawaii the slow way. We've been to Oahu and the big island and planning a move to the big island.
I'm no stranger to big moves. In 1998 I sold or gave away almost everything I owned and moved to SE Alaska. If you're not familiar with the area, it is more isolated and has fewer roads than the Hawaiian islands. It's closer to things in the lower 48, but no cheaper to get there. Only one airline flies here and so they can charge whatever they want. It's possible to leave here by ferry (there are no roads leading out of most of SE Alaska) but it is very expensive to transport a vehicle on it. It has a similar cost of living to Hawaii, however in SE Alaska you cannot grow any crops and paying for things like heating fuel, ice melt, etc adds to an already high cost of living. Unlike most people who have posted on this forum I will be looking at a comparable or lower cost of living after the move. Surprisingly, property and houses in (most of) Hawaii is cheaper. I have bad back pain that is aggravated by cold weather and having to shovel snow 4 months out of the year doesn't help. SE Alaska is the largest temperate rain forest in the world. I'm looking foward to moving from a cold wet isolated expensive place to warm wet isolated expensive place.
We have been saving money, and plan to purchase a few acres of land in the Puna area in a couple of weeks. Phase two of our move will be to save money to build a small house on the land. No definite time for the move, anywhere between 3-15 years but we wanted to buy the land now while the prices are low.
A unique situation we're in is that we have several large parrots that will be making the move with us. We've done the research on it and understand that it is an expensive process, however we are looking forward to having large flights built so they can live outside. If anybody on here has experiences to share about moving to HI with parrots I would love to hear them. We are looking forward to growing fresh fruits and palm nuts to feed the parrots. Living in Alaska, we are getting the stuff shipped in from the East coast which is very expensive. We will also be bringing a dog. But compared to importing parrots a dog seems easy.
Terracore, nice to read about another researched move with a positive spin.
Coming from a high COL, your spreadsheet will reflect a break even or gain in expenses. ; )
Looking forward to how it will be moving TheParrots. We had parrots and birds as well, but decided to give them to another friend in CA that had big aviaries on his property. Miss them, but I'm making friends with the peacocks here on the grounds.
GL and we'll all be following your planned move. Let us know how the escrow goes on the land purchase.
This thread is inspiring!! I am a photographer born and raised in Ca. I grew up in a tiny community in O.C called Modjeska canyon. Many people do not still know it exists! Growing up was full of roaming hills, building dams in the creek, and riding our bikes to the little canyon market (the only still today) We have taken several vacation to Hawaii. I have fibromyalgia and it feels so good to be on the islands, that we have decided to make a move there in a year or two at most. The small community feel in Hawaii is great and I am excited to venture into this new journey We have two grown kids and feel we have 20-30 years left and wan't to enjoy them, our son 21 wan't to join us & explore his own growth. Can you reccomend a good area in Oahu to start new?
Near Manoa is a pretty area in Oahu.. That's near the College too.
I went to visit Hawaii right after graduation from college, but also brought along my porfolio,
I just knew I didn't want to go back to the mainland, and right away, I got a job in a production house for printing. IT was interesting job, and I liked my co-workers too, they were quite cool.
I have a few co-workers from Samao, sp?, and got along really good with the girl who was about my age. Boy, Samoans are big people.. she was about 6 feet tall, and not so thin, but pleasant to work with.
Puck's Alley was the area we worked in. Oh it sure was different going to a new state, and Hawaii, is like a different country. But that's what is cool about it! Such diversity... you just cannot explain.
The climate is nice. It's warm but not terrifically hot, like the mainland is. I think it's the trade winds that keep it cool.
The scenery, is well, out of this world. It's a photographer's paradise. Also a flower lover's paradise, and since we're both photographers and gardeners it was sheer heaven for me.
People are pretty laid back too, in Hawaii. It's nothing like the Mainland. but then, you don't have the intense traffic and highway system you got in the Mainland.
Yeah, food is more expensive, as are furniture, a lots of other stuff, but you just learn to do without, and it's not hard. The pace of life is so pleasant, it takes only a few days, before you're De-Stressing, and the material things cease to count so much anymore.
I don't think that they should count that much in the first place, but in the mainland, in lots of sections, Material Possessions is what life's all about!
Well, no wonder people are often miserable on the mainland, if that's their priority in life. Life has much more to offer, than just material possessions.
Experiences, adventures, beautiful scenery, wonderful friends.... that's what makes Hawaii so special... at least in my book it is.
This is about the most environmentally friendly state in the nation too.
Last edited by DanaMarley; 07-06-2011 at 06:28 PM..
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We feel that whatever is meant to be, will be and he has found a good place to work that does quality work and treats him well. I had a job in a construction office to, but got laid off in January- I do have several prospects currently in the works. No worries
I'm glad I found this thread
