What makes you love living here?

[csgray]

Before it got swamped by a tsunami of finger pointing and name calling Islandlving's post actually was asking a good question, although it was really 2 questions: Why do we live here? Why do/did we come here? Which in my mind are two very different questions, with very different answers.

I would like to restart the conversation with a slightly different focus: What makes you love living here?

Answers are welcome from all demographics, but people who actually live here or have lived here in the recent past only please. Why you WANT to live here someday is a different question for a different day. Please try be civil and not denigrate others' opinions or spelling.

For me it starts with the sunlight; after spending 25 years suffering from seasonal affective disorder and a host of other related health problems rooted in the darkness of Pacific Northwest winters I am healthier here in every way: mentally, physically, emotionally. The unique natural beauty of the place makes me fall in love with Hawaii all over again every single day. I also love teaching the youth of Hawaii, the kids I work with on a daily basis give me hope for the future and make me excited about going to work every single day. And finally, the many wonderful people I have met who have welcomed me and gone out of their way to be helpful and friendly.

Carol

[John S. Rabi]

I wrote the following for my web site in 1994.

"As a long time Hawaii resident, I love everything about Hawaii and get tired of hearing all the complaints about high prices and other negatives. Prices are higher, but "perks" balance it out. Isn't it worth it to have perfect weather, gentle lifestyle, safety, longest life expectancy, clean air, and peace? To dress for comfort and not fad and fashion trend, where cars are transportation and not status symbols?

Hawaii tax is 4%. For comparison, New York tax is 8.25%, along with broiling summers, freezing winters, bumper to bumper traffic from almost daily accidents, widespread discrimination, corruption, streets full of pot holes or no street signs on them, dangerous icy roads, high unemployment, and a very depressed economy.

Other Mainland states with lower prices suffer floods, tornadoes, mud slides, earthquakes, smog, brush fires, riots, dust storms, derailed trains, heat waves, gang warfare, ice storms, illegal aliens, drive-by shootings, boatloads of refugees, terrorists, bombings, militant demonstrations, hail, sleet, snow, racial conflicts, snakes and blizzards.
"Lucky you live in Hawaii - no storm windows, heaters, seasonal clothes, snow blowers, tire chains and all other cold weather gadgets."
We are blessed with free beaches, enviable community spirit and volunteerism, where kapuna (elders) are honored (unlike the Mainland) and people drive with aloha (very unlike Mainland!).

Gas is $2 a gallon, but, with everything close by, we drive fewer miles. Many other countries charge $4-$6 a gallon. Kona ocean front homes are $1 million, but they are $5 million in California and $8 million in Australia.

Think of the world's richest people. Oil sheiks have to live in hot, barren deserts. It does not matter how many servants or piles of money they have, they can't spend much time outdoors and there is nothing to look at anyway. The Queen of England has jewels, money, castles and servants but has to live in the cold, dark, dreary, dismal England.

America's tycoons live in hectic California and New York - even with their billions, they suffer to some extent from the conditions named above. Personal wealth can't change weather, crime, taxes, urban sprawl, government policy, road conditions, nor can it buy peace.

I feel richer than the Rockefellers, Vanderbilts and Trumps. Rich as they are, they don't live here, they have to live near their holdings. Rich and famous celebrities can't live here either, their work keeps them trapped on the Mainland most of the time. They may enjoy short vacations here but pay plenty for it. We are the really rich ones - we get to live here all the time!

Anyone who thinks Hawaii is undesirable, needs to live somewhere else for a year! Despite some higher costs, I know of people all around the world who are jealous of what even the low income Hawaii residents are lucky to have.

I sold everything and left the city I was living in on a cold, drizzly, miserable January day of about 30 degrees. The trees were bare. I landed in a lush, beautiful, warm, tropical paradise with wild canaries and mynah birds.

I thought,"They actually let people live here?" I threw away coats, sweaters, etc., fell in love with the gentle pace and ultra-casual lifestyle, and knew I'd stay forever.

Many years later, I am still in awe of this very special place, where it conveniently only rains at night, houseplants I babied on the Mainland grow outdoors like weeds, tropical fish don't even need a heated aquarium and it's spring every day.

God bless Hawaii, a wonderful place to live!"


Aloha,
John S. Rabi, GM,PB,ABR,CRB,CM,FHS
808.327.3185
johnrabi@johnrabi.com
http://www.JohnRabi.com
Typically Tropical Properties
"The Next Level of Service!"

[macuu222]

The warmth, the ocean, the laid back lifestyle, the isolation from the mainland, tropical gardening(the year round growing and harvesting of fruits and vegetables), and the clean air and water(at least on this side of the island).

[TomK]

I would answer this but I'd just be repeating what I wrote on the other thread!

http://www.punaweb.org/Forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=9941&whichpage=4

Tom

[mdd7000]

We delight in the flowers we see every day - and noted that in the last 2 weeks they have come out in full abundance after we saw only green in December. Things that we thought were mere green bushes have sprung forth with flowers in colors that are stunning; purple, red, orange, etc. Add in the citrus trees which suddenly showed there colors in their fruits. How many orange, tangerine, etc. trees have become obvious as the fruit ripened in the last 6 weeks?

We (and the kids) marvel at the sight of the two big mountains (volcanoes) every time they are clearly visible as we drive down the road. We see the observatories from many miles away and can say "We were up there". We note how many stars we can see now, even though we came from a relatively rural area.

We laugh at what residents call traffic....

[KeaauRich]

Some random thoughts about why I love living here:

1) When our container arrived 10 days earlier than we expected (and 7 days before we did), a recently-made friend on Island said "Don't worry, I'll take care of it". When we arrived, furniture and boxes were all in place in our new home.
2) Because it can be raining in the exact spot where I am standing and sunny one block away. And somewhere nearby, there's probably a rainbow
3)Because Roselani ice cream can be $9 a carton one day and $3.50 the next.
4) Because when I buy flowers at the Farmers Market, they cost 1/10 of what I'd pay at my previous home, and then the seller gives me a little bunch of antherium too
5) Hot malasadas. 'nuff said
6) Because I can still be amazed/awed/humbled when I see the lava steam plume or surface flows
7) Because there is no bulletproof glass at the Post Office or Bank, and when I walk in, I am greeted by name
8) Because I can get electrical energy from the sun and emotional energy from looking at the beauty all around me
9) Because I've worn sneakers exactly 4 times in the past 9 months, haven't worn a tie at all, and I don't need to feel guilty when my clothes are clean, but wrinkly
10) Because compared to many folks here, I am incredibly fit. Compared to the rest, not so much -- but then, I get to watch them, which has its advantages too.

[nanasohana]

Because the Hamakua coastline is as close as I can get to the jungle in Avator...have you guys seen that movie yet? Oh my gosh!

[leilaniguy]

I love Hawaii because of what it doesn't have: Heat/AC bills, frozen pipes, chillblains, black ice, S.A.D., fire season. I came from the great PNW, where we had fires, floods, windstorms, earthquakes, volcanoes, tsunami's, bad economy, bad roads, growth issues, screwy inept gov't. Hawaii's not paradise, just better.

[DoryGray]

After 5 years, I still get chicken skin every time I see the two mountains out. Yes, I get haole stink eye occasionally & it used to bother me, but now I just feel bad that a few locals are so unhappy. I know I'm finally accepting of the different ways here b/c the other day I was in line at the bank & the teller said sorry it took so long & I was unaware it took so long. I moved here to enjoy life more, chill, slow down & live each day as if it were my last. It took 5 years, but my spirit has finally arrived. peace & love, Dory

PS This is the way I feel right now, please grant me leniency when & if I have a future rant []

[csgray]

Dory,
I know what you mean about slowing down. I was a bit of a lead foot when we lived on the mainland and now I have a hard time with people who drive too fast and get pushy at the KTA.

Carol