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Gunshots heard in Waikiki? I doubt it. She must've heard firecrackers or something because in the last 7 years that I've lived in Hawaii, I've only heard of a few crimes involving guns and they're usually more in the residential areas, not the tourist spots like Waikiki. Waikiki, and Hawaii in general, is VERY safe compared to a lot of heavily populated areas in the mainland.
And no night life for single people? Hawaii survives on tourism and there' s something to do EVERY single night. Theres usually a lot of things to do every night, actually. Most of the clubs I know of are opened at least a couple days a week and the bars are usually open everyday. And of coure the beaches never go away.
And no apartment for $2800? Was she looking for an executive penthouse? Because there are PLENTY of very nice apt/condos she coud've rented out. I admit, there are a lot of rundown apts in Waikiki, but with $2800, she couldve got herself a nice place in a good area, especially if she looked BEYOND Waikiki. I used to live in Koolina, on a resort, and the townhomes ran about $2500/month for 1400 sq foot 2 bed/2bath towhhouse in a gated community, with a 5 minute walk from the beach. Of course that was in the other side of the island, but with $2800, especually for a single person, would be able to go a long way.
And I DO understand that she wasnt comfortable being Caucasian and being the "minority" on the islands, because usually its the other way around. When I first came here, I was actually shocked that I, being Filipino/Spanish, wasnt the minority anymore. Yes, there are some unwelcoming people that don't like "Haoles" but in general, I think that people here are VERY friendly and I believe many people like the unique melting pot that Hawaii has to offer.
A couple days in Hawaii, especially stuck in the older parts of Waikiki,was definitely not enough time to give Hawaii a chance. Hawaii is so unique, beautiful and full of culture. Even if she doesn't want to live here, she should give it another shot, just to visit. Of course she'll have to give it more than 2 days, though
If I were the lambasting type, I'd lambast her for not thoroughly investigating the area she is moving too. It's one thing to investigate a new place, make an informed choice, decide after a time it's time to move on or back, and do so.
But 2 days? Quit your job? Change your life and throw in the towel? That's a bit fickle.
Rents, crime levels, etc are all things that thoughtful people can determine before taking the plunge and backing out. It is a small island with nearly a million people - sounds like it would definitely have some drawbacks with all those human beings so close to each other - not for everyone.
Having lived and worked on Oahu for a number of years, and living just a few blocks from the Equus, I can understand your friends concern. That area is trashy - on the edge of Waikiki with lots of condemned buildngs, drugs and other problems.
Most of the locals I know from Hawaii haven't been anywhere beyond their home island so many on this board defend their home strenuosly - but without much knowledge of the real world and how it works outside of their little island 'paradise'.
Lots of condemned building around the Aqua Hotel on Ala Moana Blvd., not anymore. There use to be some (NOT lots) on Ala Wai Blvd., Lipeepee St. and Hobron Lane, but those are long gone. Drugs and other problems, hardly, drunk partygoers, yes. These building were originally owned by the U.S. Government and served as vacation units for the U.S. military's upper crust.
Average people, most of whom were part native Hawaiian, who had high school educations. These are the real locals...
I grew up on Oahu and went to college in the South, the Univ. of Texas, to be exact. I had some wonderful experiences down there, but I also had some awful ones. Does this mean I'm going to start posting in the Austin forum about all my dislikes for their city and it's people, no. Why, becuase it's unecessary. You're just posting another blanket statement, why are you still posting the same thing over and over again. I get what you've said...so can we move on, Please!
That is a real shame that your friend did not give Hawaii more than 2 days. Yes, Hawaii can be a culture shock. It was for me when I moved here, having only vacationed before. The ride from the airport into Waikiki looks a lot different when it is going to be your home as opposed to just the way to your hotel for a week of fun and sun.
As far as the hotel she stayed at goes, when we first moved here, we lived at discovery bay, on hobron and ala moana. I thought it was a great place to be. I had no concerns about my haole 15 year old walking to the mall, the beach, diamond head video, food pantry, whatever, in that area. I never felt threatened or saw anything particularly scary. Yes, there is a homeless presence, and I was mystified by the garbage all over, but that could be tourists, and drive behind any garbage truck and trash is flying out all the time. Plus the winds blow it all over. I don't think any of these problems are unique to hawaii, and they are probably not quite as big of an issue than in other cities in the country.
And there is so much more to Hawaii than Waikiki. She could have rented a car or even taken a tour bus around the island and visited other places. If she had given her job a chance, she would have had co-workers offering her a place to stay, to find a place, to borrow a car, she would have been invited to dinner, they probably would have had a get together for her. When we moved here, it was right before thanksgiving, and we were invited to my husband's co-workers family get-together. That to me, is the true aloha spirit, that people who only visit do not get, and your friend missed out on.
And yes, being white, you are a minority, I stand out like a sore thumb everywhere I go, at work, school functions, on the bus, the grocery store, the beach. Big deal, I really don't think anyone notices or cares, I am not that special. Once in a while, a stranger at the bus stop will ask where am I from, I say Kapolei. They say "oh, my aunty lives there, its nice, yeah?" Then they may proceed to invite me to their neighbors cousins friends baby luau. After riding the same bus route, standind at the same bus stop with pretty much the same people for 2 years, I don't think I ever exchanged as much as a hello with my fellow bus people while I lived in St. Paul.
I feel very bad for your friend, she has really missed out on a wonderful experience. I wanted to go back home when I first moved here, but I am so grateful I stuck it out. I love it here so much, the uniqueness of this island, the people, the culture, it is all so awe inspiring. I love how living here has made me see things with new eyes, I love that I can appreciate someones ethnicity by more than their skin tone. I see what features represent their culture, I can tune my ear to various accents. I no longer lump people into one category like on a college application, people are Samoan, Hawaiian, Chamorro, not "pacific islanders". They are Japanese, Chinese, Filipino, Korean, not just "Asian".
Hawaii is not all paradise, it can be just as gritty as it can be beautiful. It is unfortunate that people come here with the misconception that life here is easy, laid back living. People live here, they work here, they have the same problems that people have on the mainland, and because all of these issues are crammed into one smal island, together with the misconceptions people bring here, there is a bit of surprise when they arrive, and for some, it is more than they can handle.
And yes, being white, you are a minority, I stand out like a sore thumb everywhere I go, at work, school functions, on the bus, the grocery store, the beach. Big deal, I really don't think anyone notices or cares, I am not that special. Once in a while, a stranger at the bus stop will ask where am I from, I say Kapolei. They say "oh, my aunty lives there, its nice, yeah?" Then they may proceed to invite me to their neighbors cousins friends baby luau. After riding the same bus route, standind at the same bus stop with pretty much the same people for 2 years, I don't think I ever exchanged as much as a hello with my fellow bus people while I lived in St. Paul.
I feel very bad for your friend, she has really missed out on a wonderful experience. I wanted to go back home when I first moved here, but I am so grateful I stuck it out. I love it here so much, the uniqueness of this island, the people, the culture, it is all so awe inspiring. I love how living here has made me see things with new eyes, I love that I can appreciate someones ethnicity by more than their skin tone. I see what features represent their culture, I can tune my ear to various accents. I no longer lump people into one category like on a college application, people are Samoan, Hawaiian, Chamorro, not "pacific islanders". They are Japanese, Chinese, Filipino, Korean, not just "Asian".
Aloha I would like to comment on something you wrote when you said " I am not that special" TRANSLATION: I am not looking for special treatment because I am a Haole!! That message really comes across in a beautiful way. I hope you realize that many Haoles coming from the mainland feel that they are something special and want to be treated special because they are White Americans. In my opinion that is why they run into so many problems with the local community. What makes a person special to Islanders is a persons inner qualities not the color of their skin or ethnicity. The reason why taysantanamama found the Aloha spirit on the Island is because she possess it.
It's a form of magnetism and other people are just drawn to this quality and before you know it that quality makes you popular because people just like being around this type of a person and they get invited to all types events and usually can make friends from varies ethnicities with little problems.
Unfortunately there are those that come to the Islands from the mainland displaying a very "Mean spirited personality" always complaining about the islands, and never happy. That type of person always returns back to the mainland. People just need to learn how to relax and realize that locals enjoy life and having fun, they love joking around too. I read some where on the form where someone considered it racist, because a local said that In order to get into a party the guy had to know the name of our state flower, and know the words to "Hawaii Ponoi "! "Hey dude, the local was just joking around with you, that is not being racist!! Stop bringing your mainland sensitivity and all your pathologies to the islands and projecting them on us!!!
So many people from the mainland take the local humor so seriously that it get misinterpreted. Anal retentive people have the most difficult time adjusting to Island life that they become an annoyance to others.
It is also considered polite not to group all ethnicities together as stated . It is considered very polite to learn the various accents on the islands it is also polite not to lump people into one category example: Samoan, Hawaiian, Chamorro, not "pacific islanders". They are Japanese, Chinese, Filipino, Korean, not just "Asian".
,
Last edited by manoagirl; 08-17-2008 at 01:47 AM..
Guys, you are missing the big picture
First of all-the job was not right for her, it was probably a big part-her not liking the job. the fact that she did not find an appartment before she got there-it is strange.
We are moving to Maui now, and we rented a place, BEFORE getting there.
Second of all--she is a single white girl, on a mission of finding a husband and starting a family. She probably wants what most of white girls want-a white husband with a good income. When she got to Hawaii, she saw that most of the white people there are tourists, and that the majority is asian and she probably realised that it would not be easy to find a husband over there. thats why she went back to Portland.
it is not about Hawaii. If she went to the job she liked, rented a place beforehand, if she was not alone, things would be different.
Hawaii is great for people who like to be outdoors, hiking, surfing, etc, who like nature. it is not the best place for singles mingling.
Last edited by 7th generation; 08-18-2008 at 01:38 PM..
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