Would you move to Hawaii?

[GT1999]

Typing this as i drive home, yes i do take risks lol i have an actual career as a net admin to answer the job question. ive been at the company a while to

 

[lxskllr]

Sometimes you've just gotta take risks. Bigger risk=bigger pay off. You're too young to be responsible, and a chance like this doesn't happen for everybody. You have a valuable skill, so the absolute worst thing that'll happen is you set your career back a little. That's not much of a gamble when you don't even like your job. All the money in the world isn't worth a damned thing when you hate getting up in the morning.

 

[CKent]

Quit a job you hate and move to paradise, getting a break on rent and while your girl keeps her job... and you're asking if you should do it?

 

[Kanalua]

I was born and raised in Hawaii. I still live here. I lived on the "Continent" for ten years, getting my undergrad and living a little, before coming back to Hawaii for Law School and being an Attorney here in Hawaii. I do a lot of business on Maui and can tell you what I've seen from quite a few people who up and leave their lives on the Continent to move to Hawaii (without address any of the "living on your gf's parent's dime, issues). Where I live and my responsibilities at my local church, we have tons of 20s kids, and newly married "Students" who drop out of the air all the time...some showing up to church with the clothes on their backs, and their entire lives in two duffle bags...looking to us to help them out...

1) You have a huge leg up by already having a place to live. Housing costs in Hawaii eat up on average 50% of many household's incomes. I live on Oahu, near downtown Honolulu, and I pay $1000 for a 400 sq. ft. one bedroom apartment with one uncovered parking stall. This was my law school apartment that I'm sharing with my wife, and now we'll probably still live in it until we're a little more settled or have kids, because it is CHEAP! Maui will be a little cheaper, but if you have rent that is cheaper than local rent, you've got a huge leg up.

2) It will be hard to find a job on Maui. I am a Employment/Labor attorney who has many clients on Maui...they are struggling. the "outer islands" are always hit first and hardest. You didn't say what industry you're in, but assuming IT, living in Maui may force you to change professions...but isn't that relocating to a island paradise all about?

3) You're gonna need a car. There really is no public transportation on Maui. Sell your car and save the money and buy one when you get to Maui.

4) Everything is more expensive, especially on Outer Islands. Shopping for food will take on a whole new experience (especially assuming you will be relatively broke). Gas is ridiculously expensive. You want that new hot deal on New Egg with free shipping...forget it...you will pay a premium on most sites (amazon.com is a nice exception) to ship anything to Hawaii.

5) the Cultural shock may be too much. I've seen many people come to Hawaii and live here for years, and never try anything local. never had a manapua, a plate lunch, some Korean BBQ, some dim sum, tried a laulau, etc. You can still come to Hawaii and cocoon yourself in your mainland mentality...make some local friends and learn to live like a local...you will enjoy Hawaii so much more that way...

But...even with all that...

6) You will live in Paradise. Maui is unbelievably beautiful. Living in Hawaii is amazing...Yesterday was a state holiday, and I went to the beach all morning and was still able to piss the rest of the day away! After work (assuming you get a job) you can head down to the beach and get a couple of hours in the water it, especially in the summer. You will go to the beach on Christmas Day...just that thought, of you on the beach on Christmas Day while all of your friends in Chicago are freezing their okole's (butts) off!!! You will be surrounded by some of the best food in the world. You can watch the most beautiful sunrises at Haleakala, you have some of the best surfing at Jaws, some of the best snorkeling and diving at Molokini. You can take a day trip to Hana, swim in one of the Seven Sacred Pools and feel like you've been in a different world all day.

There will be times, usually after a really tough day when you will look around and see the splendor that surrounds, the beautiful West Maui Mountains, or the towering slopes of Haleakala and think to yourself...this is beautiful...and things will be alright...

 

[GT1999]

one big thing to keep in mind is that there is almost NO IT work on Maui

 

[The_Dude8]

Pimping ain't easy @ Maui.

 

[BeauJangles]

Go Go Go man, these opportunities are few and far between.

 

[Jadow]

no

 

[Lola]

Originally posted by: Geekish Thoughts
Recently moved in with the gf. Both in our mid 20's with no kids. her parents have a second house, and also a townhome in Hawaii. They offered for us to live in the townhome and pay a lot less than what the place would normally cost. Problem would be, I wouldn't have a job there. My girlfriend has a job where she could still work there remotely for a business.

So, who would move. You'd be living in your girlfriend's parents furnished condo, they're in the main house (not the townhome we'd be in) for about 1/2 the year and live on the mainland.

Pick up... leave everything... sell the car (it costs a fortune to boat things down there)...

It makes me wonder if I'd be happy without a job, and what kind of job I'd get out there. the gf tries to convince me we could start a business. I think to myself... yeah right...

oh, and I hate my job here on the mainland... which is spurring the talk of moving there to begin with.

First off, have you ever been before?
I have done a TON of research. Make sure you know what you want before you make the move. I have thought about it almost every single day of my life for about five or six years now.

 

[masterxfob]

go for it. what's the worst that could happen? you don't have a promising job, let alone a job you like. if you don't like it, you'd have to come back and search for a new job. who knows, maybe then, you'll find one that you actually like.

 

[axelfox]

Originally posted by: Kanalua
I was born and raised in Hawaii. I still live here. I lived on the "Continent" for ten years, getting my undergrad and living a little, before coming back to Hawaii for Law School and being an Attorney here in Hawaii. I do a lot of business on Maui and can tell you what I've seen from quite a few people who up and leave their lives on the Continent to move to Hawaii (without address any of the "living on your gf's parent's dime, issues). Where I live and my responsibilities at my local church, we have tons of 20s kids, and newly married "Students" who drop out of the air all the time...some showing up to church with the clothes on their backs, and their entire lives in two duffle bags...looking to us to help them out...

1) You have a huge leg up by already having a place to live. Housing costs in Hawaii eat up on average 50% of many household's incomes. I live on Oahu, near downtown Honolulu, and I pay $1000 for a 400 sq. ft. one bedroom apartment with one uncovered parking stall. This was my law school apartment that I'm sharing with my wife, and now we'll probably still live in it until we're a little more settled or have kids, because it is CHEAP! Maui will be a little cheaper, but if you have rent that is cheaper than local rent, you've got a huge leg up.

2) It will be hard to find a job on Maui. I am a Employment/Labor attorney who has many clients on Maui...they are struggling. the "outer islands" are always hit first and hardest. You didn't say what industry you're in, but assuming IT, living in Maui may force you to change professions...but isn't that relocating to a island paradise all about?

3) You're gonna need a car. There really is no public transportation on Maui. Sell your car and save the money and buy one when you get to Maui.

4) Everything is more expensive, especially on Outer Islands. Shopping for food will take on a whole new experience (especially assuming you will be relatively broke). Gas is ridiculously expensive. You want that new hot deal on New Egg with free shipping...forget it...you will pay a premium on most sites (amazon.com is a nice exception) to ship anything to Hawaii.

5) the Cultural shock may be too much. I've seen many people come to Hawaii and live here for years, and never try anything local. never had a manapua, a plate lunch, some Korean BBQ, some dim sum, tried a laulau, etc. You can still come to Hawaii and cocoon yourself in your mainland mentality...make some local friends and learn to live like a local...you will enjoy Hawaii so much more that way...

But...even with all that...

6) You will live in Paradise. Maui is unbelievably beautiful. Living in Hawaii is amazing...Yesterday was a state holiday, and I went to the beach all morning and was still able to piss the rest of the day away! After work (assuming you get a job) you can head down to the beach and get a couple of hours in the water it, especially in the summer. You will go to the beach on Christmas Day...just that thought, of you on the beach on Christmas Day while all of your friends in Chicago are freezing their okole's (butts) off!!! You will be surrounded by some of the best food in the world. You can watch the most beautiful sunrises at Haleakala, you have some of the best surfing at Jaws, some of the best snorkeling and diving at Molokini. You can take a day trip to Hana, swim in one of the Seven Sacred Pools and feel like you've been in a different world all day.

There will be times, usually after a really tough day when you will look around and see the splendor that surrounds, the beautiful West Maui Mountains, or the towering slopes of Haleakala and think to yourself...this is beautiful...and things will be alright...

I don't even live in Hawaii and I've had most of that .

 

[tboo]

I would never live there. They have centipedes the size of my forearm.

 

[Vette73]

Originally posted by: ProfJohn
What island???

Hawaii is beautiful, but after a year or two you will want to come home.

Usually less then that.

We have a hard time getting people to go to Hawaii (Fed Gov). It is nice at first but it is not that big and after a while the beachs/island/etc.. wears off and it is a very costly place to live. Problem is for Fed employees if we pay your cost to move you have to stay a year or you have to pay back what you were given.


So if you do it plan for 1 year and have a escape plan to return. Maybe leave your stuff with family?

 

[evident]

Originally posted by: Kanalua
I was born and raised in Hawaii. I still live here. I lived on the "Continent" for ten years, getting my undergrad and living a little, before coming back to Hawaii for Law School and being an Attorney here in Hawaii. I do a lot of business on Maui and can tell you what I've seen from quite a few people who up and leave their lives on the Continent to move to Hawaii (without address any of the "living on your gf's parent's dime, issues). Where I live and my responsibilities at my local church, we have tons of 20s kids, and newly married "Students" who drop out of the air all the time...some showing up to church with the clothes on their backs, and their entire lives in two duffle bags...looking to us to help them out...

1) You have a huge leg up by already having a place to live. Housing costs in Hawaii eat up on average 50% of many household's incomes. I live on Oahu, near downtown Honolulu, and I pay $1000 for a 400 sq. ft. one bedroom apartment with one uncovered parking stall. This was my law school apartment that I'm sharing with my wife, and now we'll probably still live in it until we're a little more settled or have kids, because it is CHEAP! Maui will be a little cheaper, but if you have rent that is cheaper than local rent, you've got a huge leg up.

2) It will be hard to find a job on Maui. I am a Employment/Labor attorney who has many clients on Maui...they are struggling. the "outer islands" are always hit first and hardest. You didn't say what industry you're in, but assuming IT, living in Maui may force you to change professions...but isn't that relocating to a island paradise all about?

3) You're gonna need a car. There really is no public transportation on Maui. Sell your car and save the money and buy one when you get to Maui.

4) Everything is more expensive, especially on Outer Islands. Shopping for food will take on a whole new experience (especially assuming you will be relatively broke). Gas is ridiculously expensive. You want that new hot deal on New Egg with free shipping...forget it...you will pay a premium on most sites (amazon.com is a nice exception) to ship anything to Hawaii.

5) the Cultural shock may be too much. I've seen many people come to Hawaii and live here for years, and never try anything local. never had a manapua, a plate lunch, some Korean BBQ, some dim sum, tried a laulau, etc. You can still come to Hawaii and cocoon yourself in your mainland mentality...make some local friends and learn to live like a local...you will enjoy Hawaii so much more that way...

But...even with all that...

6) You will live in Paradise. Maui is unbelievably beautiful. Living in Hawaii is amazing...Yesterday was a state holiday, and I went to the beach all morning and was still able to piss the rest of the day away! After work (assuming you get a job) you can head down to the beach and get a couple of hours in the water it, especially in the summer. You will go to the beach on Christmas Day...just that thought, of you on the beach on Christmas Day while all of your friends in Chicago are freezing their okole's (butts) off!!! You will be surrounded by some of the best food in the world. You can watch the most beautiful sunrises at Haleakala, you have some of the best surfing at Jaws, some of the best snorkeling and diving at Molokini. You can take a day trip to Hana, swim in one of the Seven Sacred Pools and feel like you've been in a different world all day.

There will be times, usually after a really tough day when you will look around and see the splendor that surrounds, the beautiful West Maui Mountains, or the towering slopes of Haleakala and think to yourself...this is beautiful...and things will be alright...

i had the privilege to live in hawaii for a month w/ my brother since he was stationed there. i lived like a local and loved every minute of it. he's been there for over 8 years now and i would kill to leave everything behind, take my gf there and live. I biked from honolulu all the way to the north shore, riding all the way up the pali mtn then all the way down, then going around the east coast on the kam highway taking in all of the sights oahu had to offer. i stayed at the backpackers village near the three tables beach up at the north shore then rode back to honolulu at the end of the weekend (okay, we stopped at the base of the mtn on our way back and took The Bus- public transportation on oahu is pretty sweet). I learned how to scuba dive, surf and i did a skydive since my brother was in the service and we did it for $100 a person

It was in hawaii that i got over my fear of any ethnic food, stopped eating crap food completely (mcdonalds, etc) and most importantly, got over my fear of seafood. it was definitely a life changing experience, and the culinary part of it was just a small part of it.

unfortunately, my gf and i both have really good jobs right now on the east coast and i dont know what the market is for software engineer's out in hawaii. I do have experience w/ working w/ the navy though so it def. helps me at least and i dont know how much she would like to move out there w/ me.

 

[evident]

Originally posted by: Lola

First off, have you ever been before?
I have done a TON of research. Make sure you know what you want before you make the move. I have thought about it almost every single day of my life for about five or six years now.

can i ask you about your research? pro's cons etc?

 

[DayLaPaul]

That's something I would have done in my early 20's, but I think it's too late for you to be trying that now, unless you were confident in your ability to start your own business, which it appears that you are not.

 

[ProfJohn]

If the economy was good I would go.

But with the economy being poor you will never get a job or end up with a job at a gas station or wal-mart etc etc.

It is a really small island in the middle of no where without any business other than tourism. And when the economy is down tourism is down.

Now if you and your GF can live off her income and she is ok with you making little to no money then go for it. But if you think that would put a strain on your relationship then perhaps you should stay where you are till the economy recovers.

 

[Q]

Hell no

 

[evident]

why do none of you people want ot move to hawaii ??

 

[Dr. Detroit]

Sell off most everything and move!

Money does not equal happiness and you have a once in a lifetime opportunity to try something new.

Later in life you will be burdened by kids and will not be able to take these opportunities. Only thing back from this is that you will be banging hat native women and your GF will kick you to the curb.