Would you move back to Hawaii?

[amethyst9]

Re: Would you move back to Hawaii?

I would move back but I'm too poor for Hawaii. Which means I'm middle class pretty much everywhere else in America. If there is still such a thing as middle class anymore.

Sure the Public school's in Hawaii are brutal for haole kids. But anyone can feel left out even locals. Just ask any Highschool kid in Hawaii or anywhere else its hard to fit in regardless of where you are from. If you are different you are going to be picked on period. Sad but true.

The actual population fo pure/part Hawaiians is shrinking. Many don't even live in Hawaii due to the high cost of living and the fact that on a whole economic life and education is better in the mainland.

Another example my wife is from Japan she is pure blood Japanese but you know what? She has more of a love of my culture than I do. She loves to learn hula but with my work schedule and our new son it makes it hard for her to go to the Halau and learn. She loves the ukulele and would love to learn more (ok I know the ukulele is a portugese instrument but it's still part of Hawaiian culture to me.) ....

Yes I'm a sad Hawaiian but i know there are alot of us out there. But I am not a stupid Hawaiian either and I know right from wrong. I know it's gonna take more than us Hawaiian's to keep our culture alive so kokua the foreigner and teach our kids not just tollerance but why we need tollerance and why the Hawaiian culture is so great.

We Hawaiians were never a stupid race to begin with. We had one of the first printing press west of the Rockies, we had one of the first buildings completely lighted by electricity. We are people who had leaders who knew inovation when they saw it. Because of the paradise we live in we attracted the brightest and the best. ....

We should take advantage of all the opportunites it gives us being from a much sought after location to not only learn but to teach or culture and respect for the aina.

'Aloha' may be a Hawaiian word but it's roots are international. The Spirit of Aloha, the Spirit of Love.

Ok nuff preaching. I'm going back to the Kaukau forum where its safe..

Just wanted to comment about some of what you've written here, Keoki.

You're not a sad Hawaiian, you sound knowledgeable and proud. You mean sad, like cry ? You sound like you wish you could live back home if you knew that there would be good education for your children and you would be financially secure. You know why you cannot go back right now. And it hurts, I think. But it's for the best - for now. I hope that someday you will be able to be in a position to carry out some of the teaching of the culture that you are carrying with you every day on the mainland. Just live the life, walk the talk. I can feel your aloha.

What else I wanted to say is that here on the mainland when my children meet people their age from Hawaii, almost always they are from the private schools. Even when I meet people my age, it's usually like that. As soon as the private school ones learn that mine went to public schools, there isn't much further exchange between them. My keiki went to King and Castle. Those schools don't elicit a very positive response. So, there is that. Those who went to the private schools have their networks, too. That's why when I heard that Barack Obama went to Punahou, I thought he was one of the priviledged. Then I read his biography and learned that his grandparents helped send him to school and had to make some sacrifices to do so.

I'm happy to say that my two have graduated from mainland colleges and are doing well. They don't seem to want to return, but they call Hawaii home and wish that I still lived there, so they could visit me 'at home.'

Here on the west coast we have lots of Asian and Hawaiian food places and hula halau, and here in the Seattle area we have paddling clubs and a 2 hour every Saturday radio program. We can fly home in 5 or 6 hours. For my son in Boston, we have to mail him things sometimes. But it's okay, we have more space in the homes we have and we can find all kinds of things at cheaper prices than in Hawaii. You just make it work the best you can wherever you are.

The only thing is... I never had the same sense of belonging over here as I do in Hawaii. We just have to remember that we all belong to the 'aina and carry the feeling with us wherever we go.

[modpirate]

Re: Would you move back to Hawaii?

It's a nice thought, but not likely to happen. Besides the obvious money issues, there's the fact that I don't want to live anywhere near my family, the lack of opportunities in my field, and that my husband can't deal with humidity. Maybe one day, when I'm retired, I'll come back.

Probably better this way anyway. I can always remember Hawaii the way it was, and not be shocked at how much it's changed.

[hawaiian_pride]

Re: Would you move back to Hawaii?

Yes I would but not yet...I guess when the time is right it then i'll be there once again

[surfphotog]

Re: Would you move back to Hawaii?

I loved Hawaii when I was there, so much that I don't think I would ever live there, at the moment Hawaii is like a dream place to me, I think we all need that to help us through the mundane routine that we all suffer no matter where we live, don't want to spoil the fanatasy, by making it a reality...

[keoki]

Re: Would you move back to Hawaii?

I'm a born & bred local guy, but I don't see myself moving back to Hawaii.
I don't like traffic & congestion and an island can only hold so many people.
I would come back for a few vacations a year, maybe 30 days at a time.

Life in the suburbs in the Mainland is pretty good and there is enough space to build and plan roads, etc. The food prices are reasonable and you can get a huge house for $450K.

Now the inner city is pretty bad in every major city and we have to drive downtown to an asian market to pick up raw tuna and tako, but its not too bad. I can also get in & out of the city for a professional sports game, football, basketball, etc. pretty easy.

Living the good life in the Colorado Rockies; south of Denver.
Believe it or not, there is a lot of sunshine and blue skies, even during the winter months. Blue skies, sunshine against snow capped mountains is nice scenery. I have no regrets from moving off the islands.

[Beachboy]

Re: Would you move back to Hawaii?

What's wrong with Ndn casinos? And why shouldn't the kanaka maoli be able to do the same thing as their brethren on the Mainland? If the kanaka maoli were allowed to have their own casinos (which they can't, thanks to Congress), it would be a revenue stream that might allow them to become self-sufficient and not have to rely on the government as much as they have to now. And nobody is putting a gun to anyone's head forcing them to patronize these casinos. If people want to throw their money away, why not let some enterprising group of people "assist" them in the process?

Miulang

I agree with you Miulang...100% But if you look closely, it's always the people who can't afford to gamble, doing all the gambling. I think they all feel just one roll, or toss away from being a millionaire.

What I'd like to see in this state is a Lottery. State run lottery, with 20% of proceeds going to education....why not?

[i-hungry]

Re: Would you move back to Hawaii?

What? And let some Japanese tourist win the lottery?

Just kidding.

[Ecntrc]

Re: Would you move back to Hawaii?

yup. one month and were oahu bound and i cant wait. this mainland life i no like. its not that i cannot handle its more like this cold weather has taken a toll on me psychologically. my son has also spent months dealing with bad asthma and if it werent for the military we'd be in debt b/c of medical bills.. not saying yay for themilitary but for that reason yay for the great benefits.. but oahu bound no doubt and i aint looking back at all.

[LocoBoy]

Re: Would you move back to Hawaii?

Originally posted by Esntrc:

...oahu bound no doubt and i aint looking back at all.

Well spoken

[memorylane]

Re: Would you move back to Hawaii?

Not unless it was expenses paid, lol
Funny the getting beat up stuff was brought up......I was tormented by a *large* Hawaiian girl named Zina, the only thing i hated about Hawaii, her and her clan. It can happen anyway but I wouldnt deliberately subject my boys to that kind of stuff as *haoles*.
My desire is only to see everything i saw and did and something i didnt do for a week or two, thats about it but darnit if i cant find anyone that will stick with me and be able to get me on Schofield.

I cant believe this thread is still bumping to the top!!! I dont know how long after writing that but i did get back to Oahu!!!!!! OMG, it was so surreal and i did get onto the base my family lived on. I went everywhere and found places in photos we had and then kind of recreated the scene in the photo to now and day time to compare the difs. Incredible!!
My original coming to this site had to do with wishing i could find my *first love* from back then and oddly enough, within the year of coming back, he and i were together and then back apart. Long, longer story to that than i care not to go into further so all i will say is be careful what ya wish for!!!

[higarealestate]

Re: Would you move back to Hawaii?

Aloha, My family and I moved here to Las Vegas 6 yrs. ago. We miss the Islands dearly but we enjoy it here, so much to see and do I can't see us moving back. We go sking ,snowboarding,hunting,hiking,kayaking,travel to places that you see on the travel channel,national parks and wild animals I could go on but you get the point. My wife and I are both Real Estate Agents here in the valley and doing ok. Our children love it here they have made some great friends, they are also both excelling in school and sports. I've been coaching youth baseball here for 4 yrs. now. Maybe it's different here in Vegas compared to order parts of the mainland because there is such a huge Hawaiian community here in the valley, that makes it a lot easier. We try and make it back to the Islands at lease once a year but after 2 or 3 weeks we're ready to come back home to Vegas. Hawaii will always be our home (home is where the heart is) but living here has been a blessing to our family, we strongly believe that God has brought us here for a reason, and that he has been guiding our every step on this wonderful journey.
Aloha for now we will keep you all posted on future adventures.
Mark & Mel

[Palolo Joe]

Re: Would you move back to Hawaii?

Maybe it's different here in Vegas compared to order parts of the mainland because there is such a huge Hawaiian community here in the valley, that makes it a lot easier.

Huge community of former Hawaii residents, sure. But you don't go around calling yourself Hawaiian though, do you?

[higarealestate]

Re: Would you move back to Hawaii?

Huge community of former Hawaii residents, sure. But you don't go around calling yourself Hawaiian though, do you?

Aloha Palolo Joe, Transplanted locals now living in Vegas are proud to tell everyone here in the mainland where we came from. We show it on our cars the way we talk the way we walk. Hawaii is a state of mind of being not a race or color don't you get it? I am of Japanese decent and my wife is Chinese,German,Filipino,Spanish and English and we consider ourselves totally Hawaiian. It's our duty as Hawaiians to tell the world about the "ALOHA" spirit and what Hawaii means to us. It's not a question of race or color it's a question of spirit and soul, and that my bruddah will be with us forever.
ALOHA

[Keanu]

Re: Would you move back to Hawaii?

Aloha Palolo Joe, Transplanted locals now living in Vegas are proud to tell everyone here in the mainland where we came from. We show it on our cars the way we talk the way we walk. Hawaii is a state of mind of being not a race or color don't you get it? I am of Japanese decent and my wife is Chinese,German,Filipino,Spanish and English and we consider ourselves totally Hawaiian. It's our duty as Hawaiians to tell the world about the "ALOHA" spirit and what Hawaii means to us. It's not a question of race or color it's a question of spirit and soul, and that my bruddah will be with us forever.
ALOHA

If you are not of Hawaiian ancestry, you can never be "Hawaiian". Non Hawaiians who pretend to be "Hawaiian" only perpetuate misconceptions and insult ethnic Hawaiians in the process.

People can be Hawaiian at heart, Hawaiian in spirit, or simply from Hawai'i but calling yourself Hawaiian without the koko is a bit insulting.

Fwiw, I like the pic... it looks like you guys are happy out there.

[Palolo Joe]

Re: Would you move back to Hawaii?

Aloha Palolo Joe, Transplanted locals now living in Vegas are proud to tell everyone here in the mainland where we came from. We show it on our cars the way we talk the way we walk. Hawaii is a state of mind of being not a race or color don't you get it? I am of Japanese decent and my wife is Chinese,German,Filipino,Spanish and English and we consider ourselves totally Hawaiian. It's our duty as Hawaiians to tell the world about the "ALOHA" spirit and what Hawaii means to us. It's not a question of race or color it's a question of spirit and soul, and that my bruddah will be with us forever.
ALOHA

No problem with showing pride about where you're from. Yes, I do "get it" that Hawaii is a state of mind.

But being Hawaiian isn't. You perpetuate a lie when you tell people you're Hawaiian. You're Japanese.

Please reconsider what you tell people up there on the mainland. Be proud of the fact that you're from Hawaii. Just don't tell people you're something that you're not.

Aloha.