12-16-2005, 08:49 AM
Aloha!
I'm Colleen, and my husband Jim and I currently live in Oakland, CA. We have been extremely fortunate in buying a house early in a boom market and will be grateful equity refugees in Orchidland Estates, where we have a 3-acre lot. I am currently a graphic designer - don't know what skills are needed in Puna, but the universe has been very resolute in bringing us here, so I'm sure Hawai'i has a purpose for me. Jim is an adult-ed teacher with lots of experience teaching life skills to people at risk (communication, anger management, the process of drug rehabilitation, etc.), so he can start giving back right away.
I was a military brat (Marine Corps) and spent my formative years in Kaneohe, Oahu, where I was firmly imprinted with the culture of aloha. I have long pined to be back in the Islands, and when I dragged Jim to Maui for our 10th anniversary, he began to understand my obsession. It took about 2 years and several visits to the BI to talk him out of our Oakland lifestyle and into our island adventure, but I finally did it, (with the help of some very timely and fortunate coincidences and Jim's inherent good sense), and now he is firmly on board and looking forward to living "la vida aloha".
We have purchased a kit plantation home with Big Island Package Homes (based in Hilo) and are currently shopping for turnkey general contractors (recommendations are most welcome). We will start building at the earliest opportunity and plan on being here to stay (with our 2 dogs) by next fall. As we have no construction experience, I'm loving this forum. I apologize in advance for the elementary level of my future questions, and appreciate any and all assistance.
I am a hula dancer (more sincerity than talent, alas) with the Academy of Hawaiian Arts here in Oakland as well as a vocalist in the halau's Hawaiian music ensemble, AHAmele. We'll definitely be looking for music-minded folks to jam with next year. I'm also in the market for a non-competitive, Puna-based hula halau (kahiko style) to join up with.
Not to sound too corny or anything, but gosh darn it - arent' we all LUCKY!!! Looking forward to getting to know you all!
I'm Colleen, and my husband Jim and I currently live in Oakland, CA. We have been extremely fortunate in buying a house early in a boom market and will be grateful equity refugees in Orchidland Estates, where we have a 3-acre lot. I am currently a graphic designer - don't know what skills are needed in Puna, but the universe has been very resolute in bringing us here, so I'm sure Hawai'i has a purpose for me. Jim is an adult-ed teacher with lots of experience teaching life skills to people at risk (communication, anger management, the process of drug rehabilitation, etc.), so he can start giving back right away.
I was a military brat (Marine Corps) and spent my formative years in Kaneohe, Oahu, where I was firmly imprinted with the culture of aloha. I have long pined to be back in the Islands, and when I dragged Jim to Maui for our 10th anniversary, he began to understand my obsession. It took about 2 years and several visits to the BI to talk him out of our Oakland lifestyle and into our island adventure, but I finally did it, (with the help of some very timely and fortunate coincidences and Jim's inherent good sense), and now he is firmly on board and looking forward to living "la vida aloha".
We have purchased a kit plantation home with Big Island Package Homes (based in Hilo) and are currently shopping for turnkey general contractors (recommendations are most welcome). We will start building at the earliest opportunity and plan on being here to stay (with our 2 dogs) by next fall. As we have no construction experience, I'm loving this forum. I apologize in advance for the elementary level of my future questions, and appreciate any and all assistance.
I am a hula dancer (more sincerity than talent, alas) with the Academy of Hawaiian Arts here in Oakland as well as a vocalist in the halau's Hawaiian music ensemble, AHAmele. We'll definitely be looking for music-minded folks to jam with next year. I'm also in the market for a non-competitive, Puna-based hula halau (kahiko style) to join up with.
Not to sound too corny or anything, but gosh darn it - arent' we all LUCKY!!! Looking forward to getting to know you all!