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I am sorry if my response seemed negative, but the downsides of living here are easily quantified: cost of living, medical care, job market, commuting times and costs, while the pluses are incredibly subjective. The things that make this a good place to live vary so much from person to person, and so do the things that drive people away.
We did not count on several things: in spite of good work history, skills and education in a field that is big business here (ornamental horticulture) my husband has not been able to get permanent work with medical benefits, as a teacher my wages have been essentially frozen for 6 years but my share of my benefits and the cost of living have gone WAY up. That getting basic medical needs met would be so hard; even though we found a good primary care provider things like needed durable medical equipment have taken as long as 2 years to get a prescription filled.
On the other hand, many of the really positive things were unexpected: I discovered that I feel incredibly connected to volcanoes and we have plenty of those, SNORKELING ROCKS, teaching Hawaii kids is unlike teaching anywhere else on earth, fresh local corn on the cob, watermelon, and avocado for Thanksgiving dinner, good smelling flowers all year round, wave action I can hear while falling asleep even though I am 2 miles from the ocean.
Things I miss or wish I could do: I will probably never get to see Jerry Joseph play live again, my daughters and grandson are in Portland and Mexico and on a Hawaii teacher's salary I can't afford to travel, I want to get a PHD and can't through UHH, I miss having access to young artists doing cutting edge work, my parents are getting old and again I can't afford to travel, we don't have a good bookstore, no plus size clothing store any better than Walmart. Oh, I also discovered I am allergic to Hawaii, I now live on allergy drugs every single day here, while my husband is off all allergy drugs for the first time in his life.
This list is personal and subjective, overall I do not regret making the move, but as much as we researched some of this was a big surprise.
Carol
Carol
Every time you feel yourself getting pulled into other people's nonsense, repeat these words: Not my circus, not my monkeys.
Polish Proverb
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The torrential rain ended on the night before my dog arrived, 12/21. Then it was Kona weather for over a month. Fuh-reaky. Now, it looks like we are back to the balance that is more familiar to me.
Yes, moving here is unlike anyplace else. I think it is the red ants that kind of push me over the edge. With a proper squadron of agricultural inspectors, they would never be here. And, yes, I use AMDRO at the very first sign of a single one. I wish I didn't have to do that, because my girl likes to roll and play in grass.
That said, I am inspired daily and find that so far I am winning the battle against frogs (the big ones) and ants (the tiny ones). That enables me to focus on the good, and there is plenty of that. I see why people leave though. I also see why people stay. I think Hawaii is worth fighting for. We need to fight a little harder.
Agricultural inspectors should be number one on the list.
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ag inspectors are in short supply here, the dept doesn't have any money and are stretched thin. projections for the fire ants are pretty grim. i went to a lecture 6 months ago where they were talking about the whole island being covered by them within 5 to 10 years. its a shame that in a place like this we have to resort to chemicals just to live a peaceful life.
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I've been here 3 years. For me the few negatives have made me want to leave a few times. The job market sucks. I've got a BA and 25 yrs of experience in my field and can only get a retail job where I am treated like dirt on a daily basis and paid a wage that my contemporaries on the mainland consider abusive ( their words). Employers take advantage of the poor economy here knowing they can work you to death because they can easily, in their minds, replace you.
I've only encountered blatant racism here 3 times, once being spit on and called a f'ing Haole after I smiled and said hi to this guy who was looking at me as I passed him as he sat in his van outside the Wiki in Orchidland. I don't buy the mentality that I deserved it because, as I often hear, you get what you put out there. This guy was obviously miserable and looking for someone to take it out on.
For me the positives outweigh the negatives...I have incredible neighbors! When I think of Aloha, these people have it. The friends I have made I cherish. This place has alot of wonderful, down to earth folks.
The climate is the best. I LOVE the rain. The more the better.As an avid gardener, you can't get much better in my mind. Sure there are challenges, mostly the weeds for me. Nothing 30 yds of mulch can't fix.
I do wish I had the money to travel to see my aging parents but at this point I'm just lucky to be able to drive to work, speaking of driving....I'm from Southern California and I think it is pretty obscene that it sometimes takes me an hour to go 9 miles.
Despite it's warts, I'm staying. Actually I'm trapped here...but I'd rather be poor here than on the mainland.
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There is just no way to describe what Puna is like. It is like multiplication; What does 4xY=? Depends on Y(you). Ya gotta live it to get the answers. For some it is a fit, others, not.
Come for a year or two and you might start to get a hint as to your answer.
Dan
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quote:
Originally posted by Carey....
If you are looking at this as a move because of a magical vacation here... Think of it as similar to a move to Annahiem or Orlando & expecting the Magic of DIsney after vacationing at Disney!...
You reminded of a friend when we were young - she got a job at Disneyland... some how the magic isn't as magical when she had to work there.
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We have been here nearly six years. I am glad that we came. I love living just outside a hippie haven kinda town. It's certainly colorful. Everyone has their own thing and that's okay with me. Live and let live, right?
I have lived in several places - the East Coast, Midwest, Los Angeles, Arizona...they all have something wonderful about them. I do not call Hawaii "paradise." I know many who do, but wherever you go, there you are. That's the rub. If you look for faults in people, places and things...you will find them anywhere.
The Island is a baby, still growing. I like that. It's magical. We have many friends that I would trust with most things. In Arizona we knew of our neighbors but did not have the relationships and bonds we already have here.
Other things we love: snorkeling; the rainforest; pot lucks; slippahs; whales and other sea life; Hapuna Beach; listening to pidgeon; and the weekly carnival that is Maku'u Market.
Puna is a diverse place. Do your research. Ask different realtors and others who LIVE HERE what the deal is in any neighborhood you are considering. That's just common sense.
Remember that it's expensive to travel back and forth to the Mainland and that if you have children and grandbabies, you will miss them. If you have aging parents, you may feel guilt about not being there more often. If you have health issues...that could be a problem since the health care here does not come easy. Just be prepared.
I have not been back to the Mainland since we moved here. Sometimes I miss Arizona's red rocks and canyons on a motorcycle. Sometimes I miss my childhood neighborhood in Buffalo, New York. Oftentimes I miss my kids and wonder if they're okay or need a hug.
Okay, so these are my opinions. We know what opinions are like and who's got them. LOL! Blessings!
Carrie
http://www.sapphiresoap.etsy.com
"Even the smallest person can change the course of the future..." Galadriel LOTR
Carrie Rojo
"Even the smallest person can change the course of the future..." Galadriel LOTR
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Many years ago when I arrived on Maui to go to work on the boats I was advised by a young deckhand "Hawaii will suck you in or spit you out" - The Island indeed sucked me (like so many others) in.
The island has also spit many friends out in my tenure - seems to be a very individual thing as to those who stay and those who go......
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Andy you said-
"The climate is the best. I LOVE the rain. The more the better.As an avid gardener, you can't get much better in my mind. "
i am curious why it is you think gobs of constant rain is so great for gardening. my tomatoes are rotting and full of mold and mildew because of the rain, the rain leaches all the nutrients out of the soil constantly, i have to amend the soil consistently (which by the way is costly and time consuming) just to maintain my garden. the rot and the mold and the mildew that rain causes in my garden is the worst problem. so many of my plants have been killed this year. i wonder what it is you do to keep the mold and mildew off of your plants, because i must be missing something here. sulfur spraying and baking soda does not work for me.
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Ok...I've been here 7 years and I've never seen a roach..so, hmm?
Now Florida, dem some roaches, walk off with your tv remote! they will
What's up with all the talk of mold too? Our house is concrete, but we have regular closet, bathroom and kitchen walls with drywall and no mold. Haven't seen or heard of any in my neighbor's places either.
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