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My name is Cindy and my husband's name is Henry. We all hope to be your neighbors in 2 weeks and we look forwarding to meeting you all, if not through Punaweb, then in person.
Although we are Los Angeles natives, we have lived for the past 2 years in Tijeras,
NM -- a little mountain village of about 8,000 ft. altitude, 35 miles SE of Albuquerque. We have always been nature lovers and travelers, so living in a rural town with juniper and pinon trees, going through monstrous lightning storms in monsoon season, and 5-6 foot snow drifts was quite the pleasant challenge.
But hooray! After several attempts we finally sold our mountain home and will be leaving for the Big Island in about 2 weeks. Never again will Henry have to dig our car out a snow drift. And we are soon replacing heavy woolen sweaters with shorts and sandals and cotton! Yee haw.
Planning this trip has taken about a year and a half, of talking about it, reading, visiting Puna and Hilo, putting our house on the market. The first sale fell through, then this latest sale, which closed yesterday, took about 7 weeks of grueling problematic escrow. But we did it! We are on our way.
I loved the diversity of the Big Island, diversity of cultures, foods, art, music, and the many types of landscapes and seascapes. I have missed the ocean so much!
It seems like the move to the Big Island is a second chance in life to re-invent oneself. Did you all feel that way when you made the move? What new circumstances did you find yourself in when you moved? Did you go through a growing process? Were there any obstacles you had to overcome moving from the mainland?
What did you find out about yourself once you made the leap, and moved to Puna. What was your most pleasant surprise? What was the least favorite surprise? And what were your reasons for coming to the Big Island?
L/Cindy
Cindy C.
Cindy C.
Posts: 2,189
Threads: 295
Joined: Sep 2004
Cindy,
We moved here three years ago. Hubby stayed in soutnern Calif for the first two years and completed his teaching commitment so he could retire in Calif. When he got here he went right back to teadfhing. Salaries for teachers here are so low that his salary plus his retirement is stillless than he made in Calif!!
I am anR?N retired for reasons of health.
We bought a piece of property while still on the mainland. My job was to come over and get a home built. I did this with much learning... often in patience... and it all paid off. We now have a wonderful, albiet not qauite finished, home. WE have attadked the rural life after being in the suburbs for 50 years and are doing fine. We have small beginnings, havi8ng planted a fruit orchard, small green house, moderate garden, pigs goats and most recently sheep. Oh, and tons of free range cickens go with it all.... looks like we havee a bonafide farm on our hands.
We never did anything like this and it is an adventure. We have made wonderful friends here, learned respect for an ancient fulture and this lovely land.
My big advice to you? Remember than you fell in love with this plafe the way it is and do not try to "make it better like it was bafk home". With all it's weird little quirks, we love this place as it is.
Good Luck and Welcome~~ Pam
Just another day in P A R A D I S E !!
I want to be the kind of woman that, when my feet
hit the floor each morning, the devil says
"Oh Crap, She's up!"
Posts: 166
Threads: 25
Joined: Sep 2006
Cindy and Henry,
It is amazing the amount of individuals moving to the Puna area !
We have been advising people from South Carolina, Arkansas and other states that are arriving in the next few months.
Welcome !!
We did not move to re-invent ourselves, rather, just to enjoy life and the beauty of Hawaii.
The great diversity is present in every decision made here , in regards to growth and development, new roads etc.
There are many here, which I find unfortunate, that want things to remain as they are. Never to change. They dislike, as Pam states, People that move here and "try to make it better, like it was back home".
That is what we are finding, a middle ground for issues is hard to come by. I really wish for that.
Circumstances ? Good luck on trying to find a primary physician. The health care system needs assistance.
We initially were retiring in Hawaii. But in Virginia ( like elsewhere ) our real estate prices tripled. We decided to sell out, so sold our main home and rental.
Our parents are still in Virginia, so that was a concern, but in the end - Why wait for our retirement - anything could happen before that time.
To be honest the Big Island was not our first choice. But I hated to spend the amount needed on a home on Oahu ,with no land. Plus we love to landscape, and Puna is perfect for that !
Everyone residing here has this absolutely beautiful , diverse environment outside of their door. How fortunate we are, and you will soon be !
Good Luck !! We all have our own idea of paradise , create it for you and yours.
Greg
Posts: 6,214
Threads: 354
Joined: Feb 2006
Cindy, Congratulations!
Do you already have a place? We didn't when we moved here, as we moved in order for me to finally finish my dream (from 30 years ago!) of obtaining a degree in environmental marine studies (hope to finish this fall - hopefully). Our choice of living in Hawaii had every thing to do with the University here & the amount of outdoor activities & the fact that the weather influences were totally opposite those from where we were from. We moved from Chicago and love the fact that here the weather changes are only rain, more rain and/or no rain (no days that start off nice & then freak snow/hail/wind, no shoveling snow only to turn around & shovel MORE snow - we were lucky & had only a 100' drive - some neighbors had 300'+)
The punaweb group has a number of get togethers, and there are a lot of groups that you can get involved in here, depending on your interests.
Edited by - carey on 05/26/2007 10:19:50
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Aloha Cindy! Welcome to Puna! It's hard to believe it but one year ago next month my husband Tony and I came to buy our home in Puna. We moved here last September.
He works as a mechanic at a dealership in Hilo and I am doing some odds and ends office work for different people.
Like anywhere else your life can get busy so it's important to us that we get out every couple of weeks to enjoy this pretty place and smell the fresh air.
The people on this forum have been welcoming and full of so much useful information about the area. It is different from our home state of Arizona in many ways. Learning about local culture is fun and can really open your eyes! LOL
Hope to meet you at a Punaweb event sometime and E Komo Mai!!
Carrie
Edited by - carolann r on 05/26/2007 10:49:13
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Joined: May 2007
Thank you all for your kind replies. Pam, the green house, garden, and animals sound lovely. We had chickens and geese in New Mexico. Is it easy to grow tomatoes in Hawaii?
Greg, I agree about creating your own piece of paradise and just loving the natural beauty of Hawaii.
Carey, we don't have a place yet. We are thinking of buying in Nanawale or nearby communities. Carey your course of studies, environmental marine studies sounds fascinating and the island sounds like an ideal learning ground for your future career.
Carolynn, I plan do do something similar as you ... working for people here in there as a virtual legal assistant, or secretary, or transcriptionist. Do you like working from home? I am going to try working from home for the first time in my life.
For those of you who commute to Hilo to jobs from Puna, how do you find the commute?
Cindy and Henry
Cindy C.
Cindy C.
Posts: 1,069
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Joined: Sep 2006
quote:
For those of you who commute to Hilo to jobs from Puna, how do you find the commute?
Cindy and Henry
Cindy C.
after first moving here from Honolulu I use to think the drive from HPP to Hilo was a real drag. But in reality it's a quick gaunt down the road.
My wife now drives fives days a week to Waikaloa to work, and I have gone with her a few times. Personally I love the drive! I think from Honokaa to Waimea is 'God's Country', it is soooo awesome. I'd never take "Saddle Road" to save twenty minutes, and miss all that beautiful sites along the way.
Enjoy the ride from Puna to Hilo, it can be very enjoyable too.
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Support the 'Jack Herer Initiative'NOW!!
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I enjoyed this thread so much I thought I'd move it up and see if anyone else can share. You'll hopefully hear my story at the end of my current work contract - 18 months and counting.
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Joined: Aug 2006
What do I like most about the Island - the diversity of everything here. All extremes of everthiing are represented - weather, life style, people, homes shopping.  What disappoints me the most is the amount of unprovoked violence on the island. 
Sludge
Edited by - jay on 06/20/2007 09:09:04
Sludge
Posts: 198
Threads: 29
Joined: Jul 2006
At last…at last…
Scott and I are moving from Tempe, AZ to HPP! At last!
We bought land in 2003 and plan to build a house and act as OB. We will be on island July 11th to pick-up our cars in Hilo which stared sail from San Diego July 5th; start of the house build TBD. We are in the process of pulling a permit for a well and hand cleared the land in Nov. 2006.
We will be looking for a rental house in HPP. At least two bedrooms, no carpets (allergies) and need internet access, garage a plus. So, if anyone knows of anything let us know! (Thanks in advance…  .
We fell in love with Puna on May 29th, 2002 during the full moon. The full moon rising over the ocean on a clear day is the best! PS. We are looking forward to flying kites with you all!
Well, we hope to meet all of you at one of those Punatic Parties in the near future!
Susan
Edited by - tolleys on 06/20/2007 14:19:30
Edited by - tolleys on 06/20/2007 14:20:43
Susan
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