Hawaii.....the ups and downs
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8/29/2006
I have lived in Hawaii for 12 of the past 15 years. I can definitely offer some insight on this place. It may not paradise to some, but paradise is all by perception. The air there is fresh(except the Big Island of Hawaii due to the VOG...volcano) and water is soft and clean. The cost to live there can be a deterrant to those with little finances and can tend to turn the experience into a burden rather than a pleasure. The natives (of all races) can tend to be a little biased towards outsiders moving in because it just continues to drive up the cost of living. The median home price is a large indicator that the 'average' household income just will not sustain a very lavish lifestyle for a family of three or more. You do not get the same living space with the homes that you would in the mainland and forget about having any land with your home. There aren't any basements to finish for extra space either. Most households contain several working members to help pay for housing and food. Recreation is a variable that can be less expensive considering the fact that you can go to the beach on pretty much any given day.(when you're not working to pay for living costs) Traffic is not as easy-going as one of the previous posts indicate. It can get quite tedious, but if you learn to enjoy the scenery, you can make it through traffic with a little less stress. Carpooling or public transportation is an option. Yes, gas is expensive, but if you don't mind driving with your windows down, you may not need airconditioning. You don't have to buy winter clothes and Aloha attire is pretty acceptable at most jobs. There are a few places to buy groceries for less than the chain stores, but generally higher than most mainland prices. Unfortunately, the "Aloha Spirit" of Hawaii has seemed to dicipate since back when I first moved there years ago. I believe this is largely due to the huge influx of mainlanders with the "my and mines" attitude. The local people used to have an attitude of "what's mines is yours", but now they don't really have much of anything to offer. They really cannot afford much anymore. That sense of kindness is what brought me back to Hawaii twice. Personally, I've seen it nearly turn into a metropolis. It's been said that the Californians are the driving force behind the huge change in culture in Hawaii. Some of the problems are from the youth that 'pretend' to be "gang-bangers" and have no clue what they are doing or why. I was rais
Damion | Makakilo, HI