Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
i am from North Texas, but took a contract here in South Texas...though i am thankful to be back in Texas after 3 years in Georgia, i am not too keen on South Texas, it's a whole other country. i will move to the Hill Country or Panhandle after this contract is up.
so you're going to Austin-VERY VERY dog friendly place-with TONS of dog parks and dog friendly rentals (most places DO rent to those with pets). that is one big plus for Austin, my least favorite city in Texas only cuz it's too liberal for me and i aint a city girl. you will love it there. and so will your dogs. welcome back to Texas...the friendly state.
p.s. in Hawaii, i would have NEVER EVER been a home owner unless i met a sugar daddy. here in Texas, i know i will be able to buy a small ranchette in two years with the money i am making! I can have horses, goats, cattle! this is PARADISE. for those who think Hawaii is "all that", they just wont know until they get there-and it may be great if you are VERY RICH. but even then.....
there is NO place like Texas
Quote:
Originally Posted by TERRIE
belle....couldn't have said it better!!!! touche'......ps what part of tx did you go back to?...we're movin to austin in oct. 07.....i won't know what it's like to not have to budget for food!!...and we make 100,000 a year here!!!!....u are so right about "no pets allowed"...it's about a 10% chance of finding a rental that will take them (then your up against everyone else on the island going for the same rental cuz of their pets)....like you said...visiting is so different from living there...
AmandaMick; Please don't let these guys scare you! Kauai I found to be extremely friendly and I thoroughly enjoyed living there. The weather is gorgeous and I miss it. I think the main problem is that you have to put up with the very strong reverse discrimination there... It really does exist and you'll often be the last waited on at the drugstore, the grocery store, etc. Just laugh about it and rise above it!!! I will admit that the statements about the police force are probably true, though... I often said that if you wanted to murder your spouse simply shoot him/her in front of a cop and I swear that the cop will absolutely not know what to do! Its a bit ludicrous!
You must realize that many landlords in many cities will object to dogs in their units. You may have exceptionally well trained beasties but the landlord doesn't honestly know that. But finding a pet friendly landlord will eventually happen. Enjoy your stay over there!
Amandamick....don't Mean To Scare You, Just Giving You The Info I Was Given Before We Moved Here And I Chose Not To Put To Much Stock In It......for Us, It Really Was Hard To Get By...not Just The Financial...it Was Also The Culture,rockfever, And In General The Way A Lot Of People Here ...the Only Way You'll Know Is To Experience It For Yourselves.... I Recommend A Few Year Plan To See How You Feel...some People Don't Experience What We Did...but, Sad To Say The Majority Of Transplants We've Talked To Are On The Same Page As Us...
Kaua'i is one of the most beautiful places on earth to live but it is not right for everyone! I was born & raised on Kauai and I love my island more than anyplace else but I realize it's not perfect
Just picture moving to Kauai like moving to a small-town where everyone knows eachother and you are the outsider. It's very "country" compared to Oahu - there is zero night life, no major shopping , a lot of men hunt boar in the mountains, and there is a huge drug problem.
Smoking marijuana (pakalolo) is illegal but like Jamaica a huge portion of the populations smokes it regularly. Reggae music is a staple and everyone loves Bob Marley. Keep that in mind when you think about the culture of the people in Hawaii. A lot of people smoke so if you are uptight you will have issues...just don't let it bug you! It's not like they will shove a joint in your hand and force you to smoke it! lol
If you are not local or have brown-skin you are very likely going to be discriminated against - I'm sorry I'm not proud of how we are but that is how it is on the smaller islands. Read up on some of the history of the Hawaiian Islands and you'll get a better idea of why haole's (foreigners) are hated so much.
It is very, very expensive so, I hope your husband has a very good paying job and that you are good at budgeting. Everywhere you live will be expensive. My mom rents out a studio apartment (it's an attached mother-in-law) for $800 a month (includes utilities) in Wailua Homesteads and that is pretty average.
There is no "ghetto" or bad area...just pick a place depending on where you work, how far you want to drive and how much you want to spend.
Don't try to live in Anahola, it's mostly Hawaiian Homes land anyway but stay away from there. It's not like Waianae but if you are caucasian I'd just drive through. Hanalei used to be only Hawaiian and Chinese, and all the Haole's lived in Princeville but it's not so much anymore. Most non-locals love the North Shore, there are a lot more white people out there now.
I hope I didn't scare you...most people are really, really nice no matter what your skin color is but you will run into ignorant jerks and it's better to be prepared.
As for your dogs: http://www.hawaiiag.org/AQS/aqsbrochure.PDF (broken link)
Basically your pets need to be at least 10 months old
You can see if your pet qualifies for the "5-DAY-OR-LESS PROGRAM"
Oh and Hawaii is Liberal (probably one of the reasons bellestaroftexas didn't like it - we are the opposite of Texas!) No offense...but Texas scares me...I mean George Bush was their governor! You will find a lot LGBT peeps in Hawaii Also, people care about the environment and try to protect it.
Aloha!
Last edited by *hinalea*; 02-23-2007 at 03:40 PM..
hinalea is very akamai and really told it like it is. glad she mentioned anahola---waaay too "local" for a haole malikini, for sure.
yes, hawaii is very liberal. and as a conservative republican, i definitely didnt fit in. the new age thang is just way over the top for me, and there are so many new age thinkers there (just get on the Light Line mailing list and you will get an idea of community offerings-lots on new age thinking, eastern mediation/yoga, holistic naturopathic healing etc).
it takes a VERY long time to get accepted. my sister who lives on the North Shore has been on the island for 21 years. she is 39 years old. if she goes to the west side or south side, where people dont know her, she will get stink eye and be treated like a newcomer haole. so she rarely leaves her North Shore community, her comfort zone.
the one thing i LOVE on Kauai and cant get enough of (and cannot find ANYWHERE on the mainland) is mochi ice cream-OMG it is da best. the kona flavor especially.
one of the many things i CANNOT stand about Kauai and would have had REAL problems with, is how many RICH, independently wealthy folks live there. it's absolutely ridiculous. you start to wonder how the heck so many middle aged (not even retirement age) folks have so much dadgum money and dont seem to even work. even with my very good salary there, i would have felt poor. i dont know how my sister deals with it. she has been homeless half the 21 years she has lived there, living on the beach in a tent, and right now struggles to make her rent on her "closet" of a studio...surrounded by filthy rich people-no wonder locals dont take to us haoles. i sure wouldnt, if i was living in some shack and had to see all the stinkin wealth all around, bringing up the prices and pricing the poor locals out of their own island home. it's SICK.
Last edited by NOTAM; 02-24-2007 at 07:15 AM..
Reason: add info
Hinalea and Bellestar are giving good advice! And they're funny, too! Wish I'd known them both when I was there!! Had some killer parties, particularly the blessing we threw for our new, repaired, house after Iniki!
I'd forgotten the term "Stink eye! Good one, and it works here on the mainland, too! Mostly to bad drivers.
he he i love that term stink eye....and there are so many pidgin terms that are so hilarious and cute.
where do you live now kimojimo?
Quote:
Originally Posted by KimoJimo
Hinalea and Bellestar are giving good advice! And they're funny, too! Wish I'd known them both when I was there!! Had some killer parties, particularly the blessing we threw for our new, repaired, house after Iniki!
I'd forgotten the term "Stink eye! Good one, and it works here on the mainland, too! Mostly to bad drivers.
You guys actually get to live on Kauai and you're complaining about it? Maybe you should try some of that weed you were talking about and relax. Give me a break. There's a reason people spend millions of dollars on homes there. It's awesome...
hamer.....it is beautiful there, no question, i've never heard anyone complain about the beauty....it's just that the average person...doesn't have millions of dollars to spend on a home.....at some point one has to decide on priorities and quality of life......my family life is my top priority and what quality of life does one have working two or three jobs just to "get by".....i wonder how many of the thousands (yes thousands, of working people) that live on the beach, cuz they can't afford rent.....even realize they do have options....i do realize mine and chose to move away sadly....hawaii will always hold a corner of our hearts with no regrets....but it's time to move on....
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Living On Kauai
