Moving
to Hawaii is like starting a fresh, new life. Every dew-nurtured morning
and blazing sunset confirms that I made the right choice. Moving to
this place, aways has its seeds in emotion. It is like falling in
love. It’s not rooted in earth and practicality, but when the
honeymoon is over, life depends on both. When you find yourself enchanted
this way and thinking of living in Hawaii forever or for a long time,
I encourage you to follow the advice you would give a young person
in love; get to know the the object of your affection, and consider
the personal cost of indulging yourself.
I
chose to live here Hawaii for several reasons.
My number one reason for living in here? The climate. All year long,
every day, the air is at 70 to 85 degrees. That’s a
perfect temperature for human beings and a host of animals and plants
that we humans enjoy.
The beaches here range from white to black. Some beaches are miles
long, others hide in tiny coves. Long, white waterfalls tumble down
precipitous cliffs and slip quietly into the sea. Yes, I moved to
Hawaii partly because of the beaches. I also came here because the
people here are made of the same "stuff" as I am and make
up a culture that isfriendly to children and older folks like me.
I have still said little about those nitty-gritty things that need
your attention before you make a life-changing move to these islands.
I came to Oahu as a student, not a tourist. I had to deal with the
practical stuff before I could do much looking around at the beauty.
The campus of my my school, the University
of Hawai, is beautiful but definitely not a beach. As a medical
student, I was pretty busy. When I could get away from the campus,
the enchantment began. later, decided to live on the island of Kauai.
There are many beautiful islands to choose from. South to North,
they are Hawaii, Maui, Molokai,Oahu and Kauai.
You will probably first be attracted by the weather or the beautiful
beaches, but I advise you to take stock of the many things that
make you comfortable on the Mainland. Are there activities that
you will miss? You will have to relearn or even give up some of
these things when you move to Hawaii.: Of course there are a host
of new activities peculiar to this geography, climate and culture.
Consider, for example: How will your cost of living compare to what
you are used to? Can you afford the move itself? Hawaii is about
as expensive as San Francisco, or New York. Some things, like heating,
are actually cheaper. Seattle is about 30% cheaper.
Will the beautiful, even climate satisfy your love for the the change
of seasons? Temperatures here are warm year around. You may miss
bundling up on a chilly fall day or watching the crocus and daffodils
push up through the snow in spring.
How much will you miss your family and your friends? They may not
be able to visit often. When you live in out here, in the middle
of the ocean, will you be able to afford to visit them? They will
probably want to visit you, but can they afford the travel expenses?
Living in the islands is slower than urban mainland living. ( Honolulu
is probably an exception). Honolulu is also the most expensive place
to live in Hawaii. Except for Honolulu, some folks from mainland
cities miss the stimulation and nightlife. I once interviewed a
job applicant who flew to Oahu from New York City. I was assigned
to show him around and interview him. After about an hour and a
half he said he could never live in Hawaii. ( Actually, what he
said was, "I could never live in a place like this”).He got
on a plane returned to his New York City apartment that very night!"
The there's something we call “Rock Fever”. It's real.
Rock fever is a kind of depression experienced by many who are used
to traveling over a wide area. The islands are not tiny but may
seem so, surrounded by so much ocean.. If you live on Kauai, for
example, you will want to visit Oahu, Maui, Molokai or the big island.
You will also want to visit the mainland from time to time. This
means airfares. Until you know someone on the other islands,, it
will also mean paying for lodging.
You can do a little research and will find that there are many flights
to many mainland cities. The airfares are comparable to flying across
the continental US. You are, in no sense, marooned on Maui just
because you live there. So, if you want to retire in a beautiful,
gently warm place, living in Hawaii may be right for you. Take your
dream seriously. Visit first ! Live on Oahu or Molokai for a few
months. Visit other islands. You will feel like a child again. If
all this suits you, make the move and live in Hawaii.Go ahead, think
like a child. But, act like an adult. Can't make such a big move
now? Plan now, and retire in Hawaii when the time is right.
How about the cost of living? You may have friends or other acquaintances
who tell you that Hawaii is outrageously expensive. They are referring,
most likely to a tourist. You won’t be sleeping and eating
in a luxury hotel every day. Real estate is expensive.
Will you need a big, fancy house? If you retire on the mainland,
will you spend as much as you did when you are working? For most
people, the answer is no. People who have worked in Hawaii all their
lives retire here, too. Like them, you will very likely simplify
your life and cut your expenses.
I would suggest
that you consider a home based business, like Empower Network. Nobody
wants to work all the time with so much paradise outside. An internet
business that frees you from shipping products and requires not
special local knowledge can be the ticket to living better whether
in Hawaii or anywhere. Here
is what I do.
Now available: Here's a page
about the cost of living in Hawaii. I will be updating this page
frequently. It is well worth reading. Click here to go to: "Cost
of Living in Hawaii".
