09-03-2007, 02:37 AM
We moved here without ever going to Hawaii (would not recommend it, but it worked)
We had lived in north east Illinois for 50 years when hubby was offered a severance/ early retirement (company reorganization - downsizing). The retirement was based on him staying 6 more months, based on the reorganization.
In our 'What now" discussions, I looked into going back to college to get the degree I wanted throughout High School, & that was so impractical at the time, to study environmental science with an emphasis in marine sciences. Started to look at schools, and the Univ. of Hawaii schools had good programs along with a few other schools. Then we started researching the area around the schools & the Hilo campus kept coming up near the top of our choices. Within 2 months I applied at the University & started to ready our house of 20 years for sale.
He was given the OK to retire & we put our house on the market - 4 offers in 24hours later, we were packing up & buying our ticket to Hilo. I think we fell in love with the magic of the island within weeks. It is now over 2 years & this still is a place that just amazes me. Has it been constant paradise? No! But is sure is close.
I should note that my cousins are from Hawaii, and every winter they would visit us & talk about how wonderful it was in the Chicago area in the winter & how boring & all it was in Hawaii. So as a kid, I had the idea that Hawaii was worse than Chicago in the winter, so this was a BIG move for us.
We had lived in north east Illinois for 50 years when hubby was offered a severance/ early retirement (company reorganization - downsizing). The retirement was based on him staying 6 more months, based on the reorganization.
In our 'What now" discussions, I looked into going back to college to get the degree I wanted throughout High School, & that was so impractical at the time, to study environmental science with an emphasis in marine sciences. Started to look at schools, and the Univ. of Hawaii schools had good programs along with a few other schools. Then we started researching the area around the schools & the Hilo campus kept coming up near the top of our choices. Within 2 months I applied at the University & started to ready our house of 20 years for sale.
He was given the OK to retire & we put our house on the market - 4 offers in 24hours later, we were packing up & buying our ticket to Hilo. I think we fell in love with the magic of the island within weeks. It is now over 2 years & this still is a place that just amazes me. Has it been constant paradise? No! But is sure is close.
I should note that my cousins are from Hawaii, and every winter they would visit us & talk about how wonderful it was in the Chicago area in the winter & how boring & all it was in Hawaii. So as a kid, I had the idea that Hawaii was worse than Chicago in the winter, so this was a BIG move for us.