Advice on a possible move

[mdgilmore]

[quote=JWCubbedge;15771795]Here's a question. I know that in middle and high schools, there's always somthing for kids to hassle each other about but at the elementary school leval, 1st, 2nd grades, is there discrimination towards children from other kids or teachers? quote]

I'm kind of banking on that myself - they'll be so young that I'm hoping it won't really be much of an issue before we have to leave again.

[nullgeo]

Originally Posted by mdgilmore

Oh my goodness, I think this particular forum has scared me off more than any other ...
... My husband is in the Coast Guard ...
... We're looking at having about $2000-$3000 income left after paying bills/housing/etc., ...

1. What are the areas like around the Shoffield area?
2. How bad really is the discrimination toward military/non-Hawaiian?
3. How are the schools between K and 2nd grade? Any advice on the ones in that particular area?
4. We'd probably shop at the exchange/commissary most often - is this likely to make up for the high cost of living? Would $2000-$3000 suffice in that area for a family of 4, sometimes 5?
5. What do utilities generally run for a 3 bedroom home/apartment?

... know that there are pluses and minuses to every location, but I've found quite a bit of negativity and heard some horror stories from other personnel -
... I tend to ignore most pessimistic stories but my concern now is for my daughters and our ability to afford to fly home if something happens to our families
... We're very laid back and just love people
... but I am concerned about the stories I've heard about the anti-military sentiment
... heard a lot of negative stories from the Marines and Sailors I've known who have been stationed there.
... having lived in Seattle for the last 18 mos. we're all ok with having a little more sunshine for a while)
... the forum ... had me telling my husband it might be a bad idea
Maria

Well, I'll take a stab at some of this for you:
• this Forum is "scary" for a reason regarding most people moving to Hawaii -- "paradise" is a tough place to make a change to in ways folks just don't want to believe ... 'nuff said
• your income is good enough to get by but what you hear about Hawaii being an expensive place is not overstated ... shopping at the commissary is a HUGE savings over Hawaii civilian food pricing ... that will help some, but every kind of activity / expense outside of the military is pretty high, including the nation's highest gas prices ... and electricity is outrageous
• if your husband's duty station is at Sand Island his choices for commute are not good ... Shoffield will give you the creeps ... don't know about the schools there ... if he will be at Barber's Point you might like Iroquois Point area ... but commuting from Iroquois to Sand Island is not fun ...
• discrimination is a grueling subject I don't care to go into much -- except, yes, lots of folks have a negative take on military in Hawaii ... most egregious cases are young males' attitude about young military males ... like wild game in rut, you know ... and that probably isn't going to be your major family issue ... I'm sure others will chime in here to go on and on about discrimination ... it can be subtly pervasive in ways but it is also pretty easy to spot and ignore Hawaii is not a very violent place (except for the wild game in rut ) and there are certainly a LOT of VERY fine and friendly folks to balance things out nicely.
• yup, flying home for family is a big deal ... you're gonna feel that one in your wallet, your schedule, and deeply in your heart
• negative stories you've heard from [single] sailors and marines? They're the ones who have the most trouble ... especially if they are obvious with the haircuts and tattoos and attitudes. Families not so much
• You're laid back people? That's a good thing here You'll be sunk otherwise!
• Sunshine compared to Seattle? Youbetcha! I live in the San Juans half the year (used to be in Seattle) and wander Hawaii and some in California half the year. Guess which half year is where?

Good luck to you and yours. I am a retired vet, myself, and have spent time and lived in Hawaii on and off since 1967 ... it's a love / hate relationship ... kinda like marriage: gotta take the bad with the good to get what's important to you

[mdgilmore]

Nullgeo,

Thank you - much of it looks about like what we're expecting except the Schoffield area - we were told they've built some new housing that's really nice but this is the first we've heard of the area - we'll be making a scouting trip out before we move if we end up with the orders. As for the military sentiment - we don't tend to get into trouble - we sort of live like an old married people with toddlers - always tired and drag ourselves out to hike and camp despite the exhaustion because we're in denial that we're an old married couple with toddlers so I think we should be ok. I pretty much love everyone as long as they're nice

Thanks for your help

[HankDfrmSD]

Maria, there are literally hundreds of threads on this forum where your questions have been asked and answered. I'll dig some out for you that might be useful, but I could be a lot more selective if you will tell us just where your husband will work.

[mdgilmore]

Originally Posted by HankDfrmSD

Maria, there are literally hundreds of threads on this forum where your questions have been asked and answered. I'll dig some out for you that might be useful, but I could be a lot more selective if you will tell us just where your husband will work.

Thank you The base is on Sand Island in Honolulu. I have spent days going over the forum and kept getting a lot of discouraging information so I figured I would just ask my specific questions to avoid reading a lot of the negative angry comments I was seeing. I appreciate any objective points of view I can get so thank you. I'll get back into looking again today, I'm not trying to avoid doing the work, It's just been sad seeing so many comments about the people there being discriminatory against all non-locals, or maybe not all foreigners but definitely all military, etc. I just don't want to be scared off of a place needlessly. I've gotten some reassuring and not so reassuring answers so far so I appreciate that people have been so willing to post their thoughts. Thank you.

[JWCubbedge]

Originally Posted by mdgilmore

The base is on Sand Island in Honolulu. I have spent days going over the forum and kept getting a lot of discouraging information

Originally Posted by mdgilmore

It's just been sad seeing so many comments about the people there being discriminatory against all non-locals, or maybe not all foreigners but definitely all military, etc. I just don't want to be scared off of a place needlessly.

I know what you mean. I was stoked when I saw I had the chance to go to Hawaii but after much research, I think I am going to have to take it off my e-resume. I'm not worried about the racism and descrimination towards military and white folks, it's the damn bugs. My daughter is very allergic to ant and spider bites and while we can manage them, I just can't justify putting her at risk of a large centipede bite. The way it sounds on here and most other web sites I've read, it's only a matter of time before it happens. We've had to take her to the hospital once when she stepped in a fire ant pile so I can't even imagine what would happen if a big 10" or one of the foot long centipedes got her while she was sleeping or somthing. The only thing I can think of is trying to find a high rise condo or somthing like that.

Anyway, it's pretty disapointing but maybe another time or at least a vacation down the road.

mdgilmore - if you don't mind, let me know how it goes for you guys.

[nullgeo]

Originally Posted by JWCubbedge

I know what you mean. I was stoked when I saw I had the chance to go to Hawaii but after much research, I think I am going to have to take it off my e-resume. I'm not worried about the racism and descrimination towards military and white folks, it's the damn bugs. My daughter is very allergic to ant and spider bites and while we can manage them, I just can't justify putting her at risk of a large centipede bite...

Originally Posted by mdgilmore

Thank you The base is on Sand Island in Honolulu...

Other than Sand Island State Park, next door to the CG base, your husband will be in the industrial / docks district of Honolulu ... unfortunately this is not a nice or scenic part of Hawaii, sorry, including all adjacent districts to live ... he will have to commute to have family in a pleasant neighborhood. The Park itself is a place I used to spend a Lot of time with my dog -- it is a huge park, and very under-used, so that is nice ... but the only access into the Sand Island district is grungy as hell and the traffic on Nimitz is pretty much also a real pain. So, you will not want to live or play near where he works.

As for bugs in Hawaii, there are a couple recent threads, one still going, about insects. I will contribute only that in general, especially on Oahu, I have never enjoyed a "green" place with so few insect problems -- other than some hiking spots into the windward jungle where the mosquitoes are serious (Very!). Centipedes, specifically, aren't much problem either. I have been bitten, once, in the years and years I have been there ... I have pretty much never even seen one except for that one "misunderstanding" It was a Big one, certainly 8 inches or more ... very obvious, sitting on the shower drain, and I made the mistake of thinking the head was the tail -- apparently a common error . I learned ... it didn't hardly hurt and raised only the very slightest red spot that lasted a few hours. I've had deer-fly bites that were much worse and longer lasting. Don't leave your wet towels on the floor ...shake them out carefully if you forget. It's about that simple. Don't leave hiding materials in dark, damp spots and you're good to go in Hawaii.

Aloha. Enjoy.

[mdgilmore]

Actually, I just found out that one billet is on Sand Island and the other is on Ala Moana Blvd. I think that's downtown? Is there a Federal Bldg. down there? We're looking at the drive times from different areas but have been told by a few people to live in housing because the utility bills are so high. I've heard there's a lot of newer housing that's actually nice but we'd be on a 2-3 months waiting list so we'd have to find a month to month in that situation...any ideas on that? I've found some vacation rentals that could possibly work but most of the affordable ones are 1 bedroom...kind of a squeeze for 2-3 months. If we can find someplace with 3 bedrooms about $2500/mo in a decent neighborhood that doesn't have a hellish commute for my husband we'd probably be more apt to do that as long as we can determine what the utilities might be. We figure we'd probably break even with housing if they're not more than $500/month (not including luxuries like cable/internet/etc...we count those outside basic utilities). I keep finding such a range - some people say $180/mo for electricity, then I see $500-$600/mo for electricity. We'll probably have to start calling people out there if we find that we have the orders. As for schools, that's a whole other issue.

Originally Posted by JWCubbedge

mdgilmore - if you don't mind, let me know how it goes for you guys.

I'll let you know We're keeping it on my husband's for now - the possibility of seeing my step-daughter more than twice a year is too tempting to pass it up for the unknowns - I think I'm looking to be more prepared than anything at this point. The bugs sound pretty crazy but I think I can deal with them since we don't seem to have any allergies to contend with that we know of - my husband's the one who has the bug issues so if he can over look it so can I - we'll just have to keep an eye on the girls. There are 2 billets available for him in Hono so it's not like we'll definitely be going, but I do think I've decided to keep them at the top. It'll be a good cultural experience and only a couple of years if it's not for us but at least we'll have had a chance for the girls to get to know their sister better.