06-25-2006, 01:18 AM
Hi Lenny,
My husband and I with our three (now four) children now ages 19,14,6 and 3 moved here five years ago sight unseen from the east coast.We wanted a safe,healthy,affordable place to raise our children.We did lots of research everything seemed great.But after moving here we realized the public schools were awful,the charter schools are still to be determined and the private ones are just o.k.
There is discrimination in hiring so its best to bring your job with you(unless your a teacher I think they are desperate for those).My children tell me the local kids all hang together and the haloe kids hang with the haloe kids.Partying,pot smoking and fist fighting are pretty regular activities for the youth.
My six year old was taking a gymnastics class she was the only non local and they all made fun of her and would not let her be friends, so now I only involve her in activities with mostly haole kids.Since she goes to a private school that most of the other haloe kids go to its not much of a problem.
Some locals really don't like mainlanders (and they let you know it), some just tolerate us and some love us.
My only tip as you've read before is to always use your best manners,smile,MAKE eye contact.
Another thing is the unexpected cost of living, your food and electric bills will be like having another mortgage, we won't even talk about gas,I guess thats killing everyone everywhere these days.Then there's private school costs about 300 to 400 a month per child, ect...
Our population is growing quickly and our infrastructures are having troubles keeping up with demand so in some ways its becoming more stressful for folks then it used to be.
But we're still here,the weather is beautiful,the land is remarkable,and you WILL meet great people which will be enough.Just forget all the romantic notions of living in Hawaii and you'll do fine.
My husband and I with our three (now four) children now ages 19,14,6 and 3 moved here five years ago sight unseen from the east coast.We wanted a safe,healthy,affordable place to raise our children.We did lots of research everything seemed great.But after moving here we realized the public schools were awful,the charter schools are still to be determined and the private ones are just o.k.
There is discrimination in hiring so its best to bring your job with you(unless your a teacher I think they are desperate for those).My children tell me the local kids all hang together and the haloe kids hang with the haloe kids.Partying,pot smoking and fist fighting are pretty regular activities for the youth.
My six year old was taking a gymnastics class she was the only non local and they all made fun of her and would not let her be friends, so now I only involve her in activities with mostly haole kids.Since she goes to a private school that most of the other haloe kids go to its not much of a problem.
Some locals really don't like mainlanders (and they let you know it), some just tolerate us and some love us.
My only tip as you've read before is to always use your best manners,smile,MAKE eye contact.
Another thing is the unexpected cost of living, your food and electric bills will be like having another mortgage, we won't even talk about gas,I guess thats killing everyone everywhere these days.Then there's private school costs about 300 to 400 a month per child, ect...
Our population is growing quickly and our infrastructures are having troubles keeping up with demand so in some ways its becoming more stressful for folks then it used to be.
But we're still here,the weather is beautiful,the land is remarkable,and you WILL meet great people which will be enough.Just forget all the romantic notions of living in Hawaii and you'll do fine.