The people and climate are wonderful!
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1/3/2013
The thing I love most about Honolulu is the people. Honolulu is very ethnically diverse, with Asians (Japanese, Chinese, Korean, , Philippino, Vietnamese and Thai) being predominant, then caucasians, and those of Hawaiian blood. There is a smattering of everything else. The people are, in general, quite friendly and polite. They keep the aloha spirit in mind and you'll find that people hesitate to honk in traffic and will wave you in when you need to change lanes. And that's in spite of traffic being congested! Racism isn't nonexistant, but I think there's less of it here, and mixed marriages are common and accepted.
The crime rate is fairly low, especially the murder rate. There are definitely dangerous areas, but it's pretty safe compared to other cities.
Because of the ethnic diversity, there's lots of good food here; all kinds of restaurants. Great farmers markets (OMG, Ho Farms tomatoes! Japanese cucumbers! Papayas! Yum)
For those who love the outdoors, there is, of course, swimming, surfing, hiking, etc. year-round. I probably don't need to say much about that.
The cost of living is high, and wages are generally on the low side. The work climate is pretty conservative, and the government is not progressive. For example, they've studied rail transit for 40 years (I cringe to think of all the $$$ they spent on studies). Last year (2012), light rail was voted in and a limited route is being started, with some factions continuing to fight it tooth and nail. Housing costs are high, and buying a home is out of reach for many.
Public education isn't well-regarded here. Those who can afford it send their children to private schools. While most kids go to Mainland colleges, it's partly a way to gain independence, and there are good community colleges and a fine University system with reasonable tuition rates and a diverse student body.
Some people say there is a spiritual feeling to the islands, a warmth they don't experience elsewhere. There are mean and ignorant people, like anywhere else, but most people are kind.
Georgette | Honolulu, HI