This site has a lot of really excellent insight and content, which I really appreciate! Even if my questions about the topic are of a different nature, seeing even an article I don’t relate to and the conversation it spawned has been very enlightening even if not surprising to me, and thus is helpful too! So big thanks to Jeff for your work on this; it’s great. I don’t know if you feel it would be appropriate, but I wonder if another article addressing other things relevant to people of this demographic (who are considering moving to Hawai’i as another state that would be a nice place to live, work, retire, etc.) because BEACHES! Whether as an explainer piece on various topics that come up among your comments, or more articles like this, from your perspective as a white mainlander who moved and has tried to integrate for many years, I think it would do so much good on many levels. Just suggestion, I know it must be time consuming!
WOW! G! I think you get the award for longest comment so far and also a trophy for thoughtful commentary. Big Mahalo!
So you really end up taking a double-hit: first you get hurt due to a much higher cost of living than nearly any other city and then you get whacked with a pay cut.
This all contributes to an attitude of apathy for many. For a while there was a popular bumper sticker “Ainokea!” (pronounced eye-no-kay-ah) which is local slang for “I no care”.
If you can’t buy it in the stores, you’ll have to ship it. Amazon’s free shipping has been a godsend for Hawaii (and you’ll love that Amazon Prime membership!) but not everything is on Amazon (at least yet) so for any special order items you’ll have to wait a long time and pay a whole lot of shipping costs. And even on Amazon, there are many items that only ship to the “Continental United States” which means Hawaii is out of luck.
Visiting family will probably cost you a lot less as you’ll end up staying at someone’s house but you’ll still have to pop for airfare, probably car, and definitely eating out.
I am 73 and planning to retire in Hilo within two years. My wife and I have come here every year for two months at a time for the last six years. I have had no problems interacting with all the people. I’ve had very few, if any, bad encounters. We own a house near Keaau. I would say that the Pahoa area has higher crime than Hilo because of drug problems. This is not much different from parts of the Bay Area CA. It is a problem than needs to be solved across America.
1) it the most raciest place I have ever been (including South Africa and Australia, and that says a lot) Further, the racism is systemic and not ad hoc they will screw with you. 2) Haloes don’t run the islands the Japanese American business owners do, and they are ok with hating Haloes as long as it does not interfere with business. Woodstock payday loans 3) To the Moks much respect, but The Native Hawaiian sovereignty movement has been hijacked by “locals.” the next time a 5? 3? Filipino talks smack and tells you to get off his island, give him “dirty lickins,” They are really astonished when a middle age Haloe boy tunes them up. 4) If you are Haloe and are moving to the islands, DO NOT compete for jobs with the Locals. Bring your money with you or create jobs and retrain if you have to!. 5) if you have school age kids going to public school, train them to fight before they arrive (Very Important) that first fight (and there will be many) sets the stage for their future.
What we see, instead, is the privileged attitudes of people who have only their own pleasure on their agenda, overrunning our neighborhoods, pooping in our yards and tearing up the trails, disrespecting customs, displacing locals on our own beaches. What locals want to share their free time with hordes of self-invited “guests”? The resurgence of native Hawaiian culture has given voice to this suffering, to our pride of place, culture, and each other. This land is family in ways foreigners may never understand. The military continues to poison our landscapes which they usurped for a single dollar. Do you think we like having disrespectful foreign values rubbed in our faces very day? Are you surprised that you may not be welcomed? What is most astonishing of all is the graciousness that persists among Hawaii leaders, endlessly trying to appeal to some vestiges of humane attitudes and behavior among the invaders, and trying to find halfway measures that protect what’s left in this forgiving land.
Interesting take, and I completely agree with the rock in the middle of the ocean assessment. We went for the first time a few weeks ago, and I’ll never go back. Didn’t find that elusive “magic” or “aloha spirit” we heard so much about, but truly enjoyed the trip to Pearl Harbor and the USS Missouri.
It’s definitely written from an Oahu point of view and I’d say things due to dense population are different. The other stuff, though, I would argue is either structural (high costs) or cultural and is relatively similar.
Great questions, Bethany. I don’t have a quick yes or no answer for you because moving to a new place, especially Hawaii, is a really big deal. I invite you to browse the content here and on the YouTube channels where we also talk about Hawaii real estate in depth. If you entered a correct email address (looks like it) you will start getting my newsletter which will help get you on track to make this happen, or not!
It’s just a dream for now. We plan on visiting with a possible resident’s eyes in the future. Who knows? Aloha.
If you can tolerate the bad and keep it in perspective, it will go a long way to helping you to adjust.
No, you would not have been shot if you were black, checking your sons car
Perhaps you may want to understand the meaning of the term “native” when used in this context and you’ll understand
Marla, you sound like a racist. Cops don’t murder numerous unarmed black people. In fact, white people are killed far more often than black people despite the latter committing far more violent crime. Your virtue signaling is laughable at best and atrocious at worst. Keep your racism elsewhere. I feel bad for your employer that hires a racist like you
Thanks for creating this site
The only adjustment I would make to your list is to the pecking order. I’m half Samoan, half haole, no Hawaiian, but totally pass if anyone asks. Not that I tried to get in to Kamehameha or claim some Homestead or anything.
