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Aloha Lenny & Friends,
I was recently traveling and stopped at a gas station in a small town to have a tire repaired. As I waited I watched the owner pump gas and talk to the customers. While he was talking to a man and his family the man said "we're looking at the old jenkins place, thnking about buying and settling in around here". What are the people like around these parts the man asked? Before the station owner could answer, the man said "the people where we live now are pretty rude and not very sociable at all they're kinda judgementel" he said. Well..the gas station owner said this may not be the town for you cuz you'll find the folks around here to be somewhat the same. The man and his family paid for their gas and traveled on. A few minute later another man came in to get gas. He too started up a conversation with the station owner. He said this sure is pretty country around here. What's it like living here he asked? Before the station owner answered the traveler said where we're from we really love our neighbors, we have a great little town, the people all pitch right in and help one another. The station owner replied to the man "so are you thinking about moving here? The man replied yes we're looking at real estate. Well the station owner said I think you'll find the people here much like the people where you live now. I bet you'll fit right in!
LOL...didn't really answer any questions did I? But I have a 5 yr old, and have the same concerns that you have. I'll be curious to see how/where this thread goes. Best wishes on your home sale a subsequent journy to paradise.
Take care,
dave
Blessings,
dave
"It doesn't mean that much to me.. to mean that much to you." Neil Young
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I think everyone has told you exactly what I would say to you about this, Lenny. "You get what you give". If you spread aloha, you get it all right back. In 6 years here, I have never encountered any "anti-haole" attitudes or actions. If I approach people, even ones that look scary, with a smile and a wave, a surprising number of them smile and wave back.
Funny comparision -- there's a guy that I see all over Puna, big local guy that many people would find intimidating. But when you visit the Makuu Market on Sundays, you'll find him there, selling orchids. Really nice guy and not at all intimidating. Don't let appearances fool you. Give people a chance and they will often surprise you.
John Dirgo, RA, ABR, e-PRO
Island Trust Properties, LLC
808-987-9243 cell
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Reading this thread got me thinking about my own neighborhood, (unit I Leilani). Taking a head count, there are people from The Phillipines, Tahiti, Mexico, Dominican Rep. Netherlands, Germany, Hawaiians, and of course mainland Haoles, all living within a couple of blocks, all friendly. What America should be like, but unfortunatly usually isn't. Also Lenny, you may find your neighbors know all about you before you even get here via the coconut wireless. My neighbors knew who I was, where I moved from, even my sexual orientation, before I even got here!
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I had to laugh when I read Leilaniguy's post! The same thing is true for me. I went on my first trip and with John's help bought land. I talked to a couple of people in the area. On my next trip, I found that all my neighbors knew my story, I was a lawyer from Mongolia. The coconut wireless works like a charm. But what really made me happy was that they were all freindly and curious. If I yelled "hello" from the front yard, I was invited in. I saw most of the houses in the subdivision and got lots of ideas for designing my house that way. Everyone was happy to meet me.
Aloha,
Rob L
Aloha,
Rob L
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Jerry, I feel that same acceptance in this forum already and if the island specifically Puna, where we are moving to is the same than I know everything will be ok. At first I wondered if the warm reception was on account of many of the people in the forum being new to the island. But I slowly realized it is mixture of longtime residents, new residents and everything in between.
Dave M, great story and you did answer a whole lot with it. It is a painted picture of what Jdirgo said. "You get what you give" and that seems to be the on-going theme of the advice I am being offered by everyone. I am also mostly concerned about my children. They will be 4 in July and I wouldn't want them suffering any mistreatment. The books specifically speak about kids in school as well as the teachers and how they treat the "new" children. But, if it boils down to getting what you put out I am sure as parents we know for sure what we are teaching our children and what they will get in return. (Does that make sense; I don't seem to be all there today :-) lol)
Thank you for the well wishes I appreciate it!
JDirgo, You as well as everyone else are right and like I said before I feel more at ease now that am hearing this from you guys vs. reading it out of a book and having to come to my own conclusions.
leilaniguy, first I have to say you made me laugh out loud "the coconut wireless?" LOL What is that. lol, How is it possible especially from as far away as the east coast. Too Funny! :-)
Well, I never thought so many different people could be is such a remote and different place at once. But the description of your neighborhood really puts things in perspective; especially since I never thought in a million years I would know of anyone from my same ethnic origin would be on the island much less on that part of the island.
Mahalo
Lenny
Lenny
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Aloha Lenny, It's the grapevine. Here's a little poem I found online. http://hawaiicoconutwireless.tribe.net/
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Cute poem would of never thought a poem would be written, O but wait, isn't there a song.."I heard it through the grapevine" :-)
Lenny
Lenny
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Thank God some gay guys moved into HPP! They will whip the hood into shape! Property values will shoot up! Look at West Hollywood. It took about 10 years to turn the whole town around. Every house is now a interior decorator's master piece. If anybody will get the roads paved in HPP, they will!
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Aloha Radioguy! Those stereotypes get fuzzy with us two. Yes, we did relandscape and redecorate when we moved in, but being Southern we have pick-up trucks and big lazy dogs in the yard, too. We are raising collard greens and black-eyed peas in the back garden, and a chicken house is coming soon. Yes, the neighbors love all that (we share), but I don't think last year's run-up in the real estate market had anything to do with us or the many gay folk who got here before us. This is just a great place to live. Flattered by your kind thoughts, though.
Cheers,
Jerry
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We moved to Hawaiian Beaches in April 2006, mother, sister and my wife. All is well. When purchasing the house in April 05 a local from across the street came over and offered to take care of the property till’ we arrived this year. This is out of the blue. He and his wife did a great job and he became a good friend.
Throw those books your reading in the garbage, they are old and out dated. This place has changed in the past years with the newbies from the mainland. We were told that Hawaiian Beaches was the wild west and it was 5 years ago. The majority of the renters and dealers are gone. As a matter of fact we live in a house that was inhabited by dealers.
There are parts of the island that locals like to keep to themselves so we don’t go.
My neighbor took me on a camping, hunting fishing trip this week for 4 days. I was with six locals, they all treated me with respect and we had a great time. Good thing cuz’ we were out in the middle of no where. They joked about me sleeping in a tent as they slept under the stars and I only fished about 12 hours a day compared to their 20. They did serve goat one night and not to be considered a “Typical Mainlander” you bet I ate it with a smile.
I did run in to a bit of resistance applying for a State recruitment notice. It took three shots to qualify for the test but I did and will take it on the 28th.
Remember that the locals were raised here and some of them think were here to take what’s theirs. I haven’t yet heard “Haole go home”.
If you think health care is expensive now, wait until you see what it cost when it’s free...now here come the taxes.....
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