You want to move to Hawaii. Why? (Hilo, Honokaa: fit in, house)

[MadRussian]

Did you ask yourself: Why you want to move to Hawaii? Really. Why? What's making Hawaii attractive for you? If answer: "I been there on vacation, and like Hawaii a lot", may be you need visit more places in world?
Just recently met guy who want to move on Kauai, because he ... he don't know why, he think it's very nice place. ... but he never been there!!!

[Mar0]

I wanted to move here b/c I was a Japanese major and did not want to live in Japan, but still wanted to utilize my Japanese skills. I originally wanted to move to Oahu, but was placed in Kauai. Now, I am glad I live here and prefer visiting Oahu. Also, I rarely speak Japanese!

If your boyfriend wants to move here, he had better visit beforehand. Especially Kauai....its a crazy place and many people move here and are unhappy.

[Sweetbeet]

My sister moved to Kauai last year and has been very happy there, more so than anyplace else she's lived. She's 55 so that's a few places (but not a lot, maybe 4). She says she felt at home there more quickly than any other place she's moved. Of course, she's kind of weird in some ways (only a sister can say that)! She has lived on 114 VERY rural acres in upstate NY for the past 28 years, off the grid, and is about the antithesis of a "material girl". Right now she's excited about working on an alternative energy curriculum and sustainable aquaculture/agriculture project for Island School (with the blessing of the admin).

SO, Mar0, I'm wondering why you say Kauai's "a crazy place". I've visited twice (10 days and 2 weeks, October and February), lived in a house away from the beach in Wailua, had job interviews, shopped for clothes (for said interviews), food, and other necessities, visited the school where my son will attend, and tried to basically live in much the same way I will when we arrive. I find it to be a very nice place with some lovely people (of course there are crackpots everywhere), very much like the town I'm living in now (Ithaca, NY, a/k/a "City of Evil") in some ways. And different in some, of course. Since I'm moving there in less than a month, I'm wondering what I'm missing, and what's most likely to make me unhappy. If you can put your finger on it...

[ZhugeLiang]

Originally Posted by MadRussian

If answer: "I been there on vacation, and like Hawaii a lot", may be you need visit more places in world?

What's with the smug attitude? Maybe they really liked it? So what.

[Mar0]

I think that my perspective might be a bit different than your sweetbeet. I am in my early 20s and come from the suburbs of a large city and a college of 40,000+. I am used to bars, nightlife and college craziness- aka the opposite of what you find in Kauai. I have adjusted really well, have met fantastic people and really appreciate my life and time here. My friend (whom I might after moving here) comes from a similar background, and hates it here. Neither of us did much research prior to moving (our company sort of just placed us both here) and when people told me it was quiet and laid back, I never really believed to this extent. Obviously this is not your situation!

Anyway, Kauai to me is a little bit backwards but that is why I love it. For example, a few months back a guy decided he wanted to visit his sick uncle at Wilcox. Except that he went by horse and brought the horse up to his uncle's hospital room. Honestly, only on Kauai....

What I meant (which is obviously expressed on every single reply to a post about someone wanting to move here) is that people think moving to Hawaii is so cool and that Hawaii is perfection. Obviously there is no perfection and the amount of obstacles many (but clearly not all) people may face in moving and adjusting are often not given enough consideration prior to moving. I think it is important for every to have an as-accurate-as-possible perception of life in Hawaii and especially Kauai. It seems you have a good idea and will be very successful in adjusting to life here!

[Sweetbeet]

Thanks for the clear and thoughtful response, Mar0. That helps a lot! I heard about the horse story, that was great!! We were cracking up... and thinking (not that we'd ever try that kind of stunt), "sounds like we picked the right place!"

So maybe we did. I'll keep you all posted after we get out there. Right now packing is making me NUTS!!!

[MadRussian]

Originally Posted by Mar0

... people think moving to Hawaii is so cool and that Hawaii is perfection. Obviously there is no perfection and the amount of obstacles many (but clearly not all) people may face in moving and adjusting are often not given enough consideration prior to moving.

That was exactly my point!

[Tiger Beer]

For me, I grew up on the U.S. mainland, but I've lived in Asia for about ten years.

I've went back to live in the U.S., San Francisco and New York City to be exact, but the cities weren't very Asian (despite being known for it, SF in particular).

But when I've visited OAHU in particular, I've seen Japanese, Filipino and Chinese EVERYWHERE. I like it!

I've also been to four other islands, and most of them are not very 'asian', meaning 'pacific asia' - china, japan, philippines, etc.

OAHU would be ideal for me. I love living in Asia, and I do like North America too. Hawaii is the perfect imbetween!

[ehbrah]

Originally Posted by Tiger Beer

But when I've visited OAHU in particular, I've seen Japanese, Filipino and Chinese EVERYWHERE. I like it!

Yup...Thats because no other state comes close to having Asians as 58% of the entire population (as of July 2004 per US census bureau).

[kawika52]

Aloha all. MarO and Sweetbeet sounds like youre both adjusting to and enjoying Kauai. Sweetbeet your sister sounds like a real back to nature woman - a perfect fit for Kauai! My wife and I are thinking about moving there part time when we retire in a couple years. Shes a Filipino RN and Im a state employee here. We will both have pensions but are planning to work part time both for the money and to meet people. We dont want to move there year round because we still have family here. My favorite Hawaiian town is a little place called Honokaa on the Big Island, but Kauai is both my wifes and my favorite Island. I work with a girl from Hilo and shes always telling me Im so laid back I would fit right in there, but Kauai is pretty laid back too! I used to date a Hawaiian woman a few years back. Her whole family was fluent in the language and culture. I enjoyed learning a little of it from her. I hope that and my wife being a Filipina will help us fit in and be accepted by the locals. If anyone has any advice Id appreciate it! Mahalo. Malama pono!