Honolulu is beautiful, but it's hard to live there
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3/16/2007
I lived in Honolulu for 7 years and I am a white girl who grew up in Arkansas and Oklahoma, then lived in California for several years. I saw a lot of racism directed at blacks in the south and latinos in California, but nothing compares to the racism in Hawaii! I married a local Hawaii-born man and we have a little boy, who is "hapa" which means he is half caucasian. When I was with my husband or child in Hawaii, I was treated ok. But, when I was out alone, I was definitely treated as an outsider and felt alienated by the locals. Most were "friendly", but not interested in friendship. I did everything possible to make friends: open and positive attitude, attending social events, etc., but I felt lonely most of the time. Due to the transient nature of the population, the friends I did make non-locals and ended up moving away. If you were not born in Hawaii, it's tough to fit in there - I would say visit for an extended time before investing in a move.
cristina | ,