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My first cousin lived on Maui with his family. He gave up a great job with ATT corporate on the mainland, sold his beautiful house and an apt. building he owned in a nice suburb, and relocated to Maui with his family without a job and with a crate full of stuff. The last thing he did before he left was to arrogantly make fun of all the train commuters who he called "robots" ( of which, of course, I am one ) and he proceeded to walk backwards up an escalator to show his contempt of the whole corporate way of life while laughing. It was a scene out of a bad movie.
He found and bought a great house on the island with a view of the ocean and a unit on the property that they could rent out. It was Hawaii for good, with surfing and beach, and the Hawaiian lifestyle with a Jeep and the sun. It started out great, but eventually, like some of the other posts, they ran out of land to explore and adventures to have, and the island became a cage for them. Their kids went to an ok elementary school that had a good caucasian mix, but after that it was graduation to a lackluster school where their blonde kids were called Howlies and they felt out of place and intimidated. The excitement of the week eventually was the Costco ship pulling in, and all the locals rushing over to get the food while the supply was good.
The friends they first made left the island, and there were too many island orphans with drug problems around for them to want to stay and have their kids grow up there. They moved back to the mainland after 5 years, and after relocating to the desert Southwest, lost most of their profit made on homes in the real estate crash when he was forced to sell his house due to a divorce for an enormous loss.
If there is a moral to the story here, I think it is to look first, look again, and again and then jump when you are sure you are going to land safely on a stone in the lake.
Man, that's rough. But your cousin instead of being spiteful of his time at ATT should have reflected on the fact it gave him a comfortable means of living. I'm sorry his marriage didn't last maybe due to all these moves that hopefully was the best for his family, but things just didn't work out. But if his marriage was really strong enough, it should have been able to overcome even the worst of moves, for better or for worse. Seems there was more to the story than just making a mistake of moving someplace.
I think I would get claustrophobic soon after the novelty of living in Hawaii wears off, in probably about a year. The island is about 100 square miles smaller in area than the city of Jacksonville, Florida. I would rather visit Hawaii 2 or 3 times a year for about a week each time.
I get the feeling that a lot of the whining about Maui comes from people who imagined themselves God’s gift to the island when they moved here and left butt hurt over that mistaken assumption.
While it hurts to fail at anything, especially a make it or break it shot at living in your perceived “Paradise”, the best route to happiness is avoiding mistakes and facing up to past ones rather than pointing fingers in other directions. Paradise is wherever you’re happy while being yourself.
I lived on the Big Island for about 3 years, then moved to Phoenix area for 2 years, and now back in Midwest to help care for my parents (mid 90s). Thinking about Maui once my responsibilities here are over. I'm casually searching property in Maui county on line and property seems affordable. Yes I know that you pay "paradise tax" on a lot of day-to-day stuff, but I got over that.
I'm not concerned about the social aspects of Island living, since I'm >70 myself and don't really like people all that much, and I'm not really searching for adventure. My other plan would be to go back to Hilo.
I lived on the Big Island for about 3 years, then moved to Phoenix area for 2 years, and now back in Midwest to help care for my parents (mid 90s). Thinking about Maui once my responsibilities here are over. I'm casually searching property in Maui county on line and property seems affordable. Yes I know that you pay "paradise tax" on a lot of day-to-day stuff, but I got over that.
I'm not concerned about the social aspects of Island living, since I'm >70 myself and don't really like people all that much, and I'm not really searching for adventure. My other plan would be to go back to Hilo.
I hope you get to live out your life where you want!
My wife and I have lived on Maui for almost three years now, and the thought of not being here still creates the largest amount of anxiety for me, of any of the thoughts I have.
It's (obviously) not for everyone, but it is for some.
... the thought of not being here still creates the largest amount of anxiety for me, of any of the thoughts I have.
It's (obviously) not for everyone, but it is for some.
So true about Maui or any smallish sized island that claustrophobia will likely occur but most people get over it or just learn to live with it.
Yes it is not for everyone, as you say Plantastic, but when you find that the idea of leaving causes more anxiety than all of the irritants of living here, you have been truly 'trapped by paradise',
I hope you get to live out your life where you want!
My wife and I have lived on Maui for almost three years now, and the thought of not being here still creates the largest amount of anxiety for me, of any of the thoughts I have.
It's (obviously) not for everyone, but it is for some.
Good luck, bro!
Three years! Congratulations.
As someone who keeps flirting with the idea Of moving to Maui can I ask you to give some examples of what you would missed dearly?
So true about Maui or any smallish sized island that claustrophobia will likely occur but most people get over it or just learn to live with it.
Yes it is not for everyone, as you say Plantastic, but when you find that the idea of leaving causes more anxiety than all of the irritants of living here, you have been truly 'trapped by paradise',
I don't feel trapped at all. If for any reason, we had to leave, we would easily be able to afford to do that; both monetarily and logistically.
My point was, we absolutely love it here. I have travelled enough to know that every place has it's charm and shortcomings. For us, the charm of Maui FAR outweighs it's shortcomings.
I don't feel trapped at all. If for any reason, we had to leave, we would easily be able to afford to do that; both monetarily and logistically.
My point was, we absolutely love it here. I have travelled enough to know that every place has it's charm and shortcomings. For us, the charm of Maui FAR outweighs it's shortcomings.
I'm still confused - why are you thinking about not being on Maui and causing anxiety? I mean - you are there, aren't you? Seems like anxiety doesn't make for an optimal experience.
I'm still confused - why are you thinking about not being on Maui and causing anxiety? I mean - you are there, aren't you? Seems like anxiety doesn't make for an optimal experience.
I may be misusing the word "anxiety" in a proper sense. I don't exist in a state of "unable to enjoy". I don't require medication. I was attempting to be metaphorical, from a position that, of all the things that I could worry about, it is the thought of having some life event cause me to not be able to live here anymore that gives me the most "anxiety". I hope that makes more sense.
In the short time we have been here, I have seen more than a few people come and go. Some of those situations you can see coming a mile away. However, most have been situations where life circumstances dictated such. And, from people who have lived here far longer than ourselves.
The ability to find and maintain a residence is the largest hurdle, IMO. The rental market is very transient, and is riddled with landlords and conditions that are, also IMO, bat **** crazy.
We love being a part of Maui.
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