Leaving Paradise...

[1stwahine]

There is a thread about "How do locals feel about visitors or people moving from the mainland?" Well, I wanted to start a thread about those having to leave due to education, employment, high cost of living, etc.

Why or what has caused our own "local's" to move from Paradise. I am the mother of three soldiers. I knew about their re-locations and also about their inevitable deployments to War Zones.

I thought that my youngest was only going to stay in the National Guard and then go into some kind of local enforcement agency here at home. I never drempt that she too...would go full active and re-locate to another place. Taking with her my love and only grandchild, Antonio.

As I stood in line at Times Liliha, the woman in front of me had several Enfamil Powered Cans. She paid for it with WIC. I can not understand. Somebody, tell me please. Why does the hardworking and law abiding ones have to go? My heart breaks. My thoughts are many. What I have instilled into my children has taken them from the place of their birth.

Would have it been better to do what the majority of lazy, govt. programs, hand outs fo society takes? I think not. This coming holidays will be the first in 8 years that I will have all three in my arms again. My son is stationed here for the next four years at Schofield. My daughters will be in Alaska and Florida.

Somebody tell me why, please.

Auntie Lynn aka Auntie Pupule

[newroots]

Re: Leaving Paradise...

thats a good question. alot of people here leave cuz they want more oppurtunities becuase the economy is so bad. or they just wanna live in the states. i have alot of family in the military that are stationed somewhere else. they unfourtnately chose the military as their career cuz it was their only option , plus they could travel that way. maybe the people on government programs arent qualified for government use. they keep the government in power lol.

[1stwahine]

Re: Leaving Paradise...

thats a good question. alot of people here leave cuz they want more oppurtunities becuase the economy is so bad. or they just wanna live in the states. i have alot of family in the military that are stationed somewhere else. they unfourtnately chose the military as their career cuz it was their only option , plus they could travel that way. maybe the people on government programs arent qualified for government use. they keep the government in power lol.

thank you for answering my question...however do you think it's a LOL that they have to leave? For those who are less fortunate to keep being on Govt. Funding that they keep government in power is no excuse. My children put their lives on the line, so that that we can live safely and sleep soundly...only to have those who speak against our government so freely. I don't want to have to lose one or all of my children to a government that is not appreciative to what they do. They leave Hawai'i nei in hopes that they are appreciated. They leave Hawai'i nei because they have to. They leave Hawai'i nei because they would not make it if they didn't...and then there are those that want to know how we feel, if they come to our islands to live in Paradise when our own children can not. I don't think so.

Am I pissed. You damn right I am. I am drunk but I speak from my heart. I am tired of the BS of whether or not "how do we feel when others come here to live?" Keep our children here in our Paradise! Get a grip. Stay where you are...we don't need you here!

Auntie Lynn aka Auntie Pupule

PS. I went to see jdub tonight. He and his group plays great. He has a beautiful voice. Packed house. Gotta see him in action...will go back another Saturday.

[AuntieNellieKulolo]

Re: Leaving Paradise...

I am single with no kids and would not qualify for any gov't programs despite the fact that I have paid into the system for 20 years(that's another rant but I'm not going there). I could not survive on my own on what I was making and at the time I moved(2000) the economy in HI was tanking, the HSPL was laying off librarians left and right and the economy in NYC(where I had lived previously) was booming. I am now making $15K more than what I was making back home. In a nutshell that's why I moved. It's impossible to live as a single person on the kind of wages you make in HI and have any kind of savings or 'fun money', unless you are willing to work 2 jobs and live with roommates in your 40s. Of course I moved when there were plenty of apartments in Honolulu, I can only imagine the situation is worse now, wages haven't gone up but apt. prices are as much as NYC...

[1stwahine]

Re: Leaving Paradise...

Nellie K., Mahalo for your honest response. Apartments are getting hard to come by every day. It saddens me that my children will be leaving too. It's their jobs and I will miss out on my grandchildren's growing up. good thing is I don't have to babysit. LOL

Theres too many reasons in itself to understand. Whatever the reasons for my family...it is ment to be. The drums of islands will call them back home too. I once ventured away for a better opportunity to work on Treasure Island for Selective Service Region V. Headquarters, under Col. Blanchard. My daughter, Christy the youngest was born in Vallejo. We had our own resturant in Vallejo too called "Crispy Lechon"...the drums of the islands called me home for good. Mama was sick. She is now 80.

Do you plan to come back home someday for good? Or continue to live away only to visit?

Auntie Lynn aka Auntie Pupule

[808_m3]

Re: Leaving Paradise...

My spouse and I left Hawaii for career reasons. The sad fact is the mainland has more job oppurtunities for computer/technical related fields.

Just before graduating, my spouse was able to land a position through one of the company recruitment fairs at UHM. Although my spouse had a local job reserved, the mainland job was almost double the pay and came with a nice signing bonus. At that point, it was pretty much a no-brainer.

I came up a few months later. I had a harder time finding that dream job, but that day came eventually and now both of us are doing well with our careers.

The hardest part was leaving family. Thinking back at those times, I think that might have been the best thing to happen to us. Why? Well, I just think you really don't know what you're made of when you don't have that support structure around. No matter where you live, living near your parents puts you in a certain "comfort zone." I wouldn't consider that a bad thing, but when you take that zone away, you strive harder to make up for it. Transitioning to a new "comfort zone" that is, the support structure between my spouse and me.

I suppose you could say this would be rather insensitive, considering it may seem like you are abandoning your parents. I don't think so. Actually, my spouse and I return the favor by sending money back so they can save up for a nice retirement. Our parents are certainly proud that we've been able accomplish here. We do make yearly visits to Hawaii, likewise, our parents fly up here to visit us as well.

My spouse and I always discuss future plans about coming back to Hawaii. Unfortunately, these days, that possibility has become less and less. I suppose you get used to a certain lifestyle, perhaps it's income related, or maybe materialistic reasons. Maybe it's nice that the mainland is such a large place with a lot of things to do.

Perhaps the sad truth is that when you leave paradise, you don't come back.

[adrian]

Re: Leaving Paradise...

My older brother left Hawaii in 2002 for Michigan and since then, he's come back here for summer and winter vacation (he just left to go back a few weeks ago).

What makes it interesting, is that he met his gf on one of his school trips, and she's from Maui and he runs a radio show on the Universtiy campus, where he plays local songs for the people (they seme to love it, and they call him the "Hawaiian Boy" even though he doesn't have an ounce of Hawaiian in his blood)

I think after all of these years, he adjusted to it, but when it was his first year out, we sent him local snacks (dried fish, octopus, squid [amongst other things that were dried], li hing mui, mac nuts, rice, spam, seaweed and other local favorites) and his friends gobbled them up (until he told them what the dried stuff were).

We support him 100% when he's on the mainland, but he never changed when he comes home for vacation, helping us around the house like he's been home for the past few years. As long as he can spread the aloha spirit, then we're happy.

[1stwahine]

Re: Leaving Paradise...

808 M3, I pray that someday my children will return to the islands...but if they choose to settle in another place, I will support them. At least I'll get to travel various places. We can always plan for family reunions when the time and needs arrives.

Adrain, you've given me another perspective to the whole situation. I, too will be sending goodies from Hawai'i. I get to recieve "Salmon" from Alaska and more. As for Ligaya in Florida...CSI Maimi on Monday nights! Oh! Florida Juice too but I can get that here at the market. *L* Also, worrying about her everytime a hurricane hits there. Anything is better than Iraq or Afganistan!

Auntie Lynn

[Islandgirl1]

Re: Leaving Paradise...

I would live in Hawaii in a heartbeat if I could afford it. It is the most beautiful place I have ever seen. It is good that people come to visit and spend money there because it does help the economy.

I also want to say about the war and such, I honestly believe there is so much more that we as a nation are not aware of, why wars start and why we are really there. In some cases I applaud the men and women that are there defending our country, but do they know the real reason we are there? I honestly think Bush has been orchestrating this for a long long time. I am not saying I know anything for certain, but I don't think they are completely honest. Look at the governments track record, how everything comes out about our leaders years and years later. I am sure years from now we will know the truth about this war. It seems we have no choice, they make it possible for us to do things we couldn't normally do, and we do something for them, blow up other cities. Does that make any sense? It is a trade, they make it easy for people who are struggling like pay for college, travel, home, food etc and those are the people who do the dirty work. I know I am alittle off the subject but I really feel for the person who wrote this original thread. Good luck and I hope Hawaii is your paradise!!

[Supersonic]

Re: Leaving Paradise...

My parents took me kicking and screaming from Hawaii. I didn't want to leave at all.. I still don't want to be here... LOL.
My parents wanted to have 30 acres and 4 horses in Oklahoma rather than 1 acre and 2 horses in Hawaii. So that's pretty much why they moved. They say they don't miss the islands. My dad grew up on Lana'i, I can't understand why he wouldn't miss that.

[oggboy]

Re: Leaving Paradise...

HOW CAN WE MOVE FROM THESE ISLAND`S IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SEA?
Too much cost for buy or rent, even if you born and raised here. The bottom line is, our kids no like move. Or for that matter any Hawaii resident. The part is!, The kids NOW

[oggboy]

Re: Leaving Paradise...

[QUOTE=oggboy]HOW CAN WE MOVE FROM THESE ISLAND`S IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SEA?
Too much cost for buy or rent, even if you born and raised here. The bottom line is, our kids no like move. Or for that matter any Hawaii resident. The part is!, The kids and us all trying to figure out watt da hell us going do now.

The part is we are getting screwed, we all work hard to sacrifice alot for living on this piece of rock called home. Many of us have had to work more than one job to make ends meet...............

[NemesisVex]

Re: Leaving Paradise...

I moved away from Hawai`i because I got a job offer in the middle of a summer internship eight years ago. That was the catalyst, but I knew I was moving away from Hawai`i ever since I was young. Hell, I was frustrated that I couldn't afford to go to college on the Mainland and leave sooner.

A big priority for me is a vibrant arts community, and the one in Hawaii just doesn't do it for me. I live in Austin now, and I feel like there's a better springboard for me here -- even if I just work on music as a hobby -- than I would back in Honolulu. And it's not just music -- there's a strong film community here, and while Dallas and Houston may have the better museums, there are enough folks in this town "keeping it weird" to make life interesting.

I also think there's a lot of personal stuff that keeps me away from Hawaii. I see alot of posts from people who say they miss their families, but I'm glad half a continent and an ocean separates me from mine.

I'm probably the rare case where leaving Hawai`i was better for me personally and professionally. It wouldn't be wise for me to move back.

[Glen Miyashiro]

Re: Leaving Paradise...

It all depends on what's most important to you.

Some people, like NemesisVex, follow their jobs or their passions to the communities that can best support them. I have many friends who have left the islands for professional reasons, because they're in specialized fields that the Hawai'i job market can't support. I know a few who have left because they "couldn't wait to get off this rock" and get some distance away from the nīele small-town atmosphere of the islands where you always run into somebody who knows you or your family.

On the other hand, I always knew, growing up, that even if I moved away for college and my early career, I would eventually come back, settle down, and live in Hawai'i. That was one of my priorities, more than getting the dream job, more than seeing the world. At heart, I'm an island boy.

[Miulang]

Re: Leaving Paradise...

I also think there's a lot of personal stuff that keeps me away from Hawaii. I see alot of posts from people who say they miss their families, but I'm glad half a continent and an ocean separates me from mine.

I'm probably the rare case where leaving Hawai`i was better for me personally and professionally. It wouldn't be wise for me to move back.

I also thought the same thing as you, Nemesis. I wanted to move to the mainland when I was 13. But you know what? No matter how far away you get from the 'aina (both in time and distance), you know there will always be "something" tugging at you, otherwise, you would not visit HT, yeah? Yes, I have been more successful by living up here on the Mainland, but the older I get, the more I think it'll soon be time to return to Hawai'i and work to make it a better place for everyone. I know I can do that because I have seen and experienced a lot, and a lot of what I have seen that dismays me is now happening to Hawai'i, which is not a good thing for anyone living there.

Miulang