The "Just Moved FROM Hawai'i" Blues

[TATTRAT]

I have to say, everyday since getting back on the mainland has been a real bummer. The cost of living in D.C. is very comparable to that of Honolulu and I can't help but think, WHY am I here!

Not a day goes by where I don't think of being back on Oahu, sometimes, on the metro ride in, it is ALL I think about. I am almost consumed with the though of packing it all up and heading out on the next flight! looking over all my pics don't help either.

I miss the beach(obviously), the food, the people, my old work(though I do love my current job), the sense of being stuck in time...I just miss it all, a LOT.

Now I know, things can seem the same where ever you end up, but I feel like a fish out of water, for the first time in my life. Being born and raised in Bermuda, living with salt in the air, having a beach no more then 5 min away no matter where I have lived,...D.C. is just a land locked concrete jungle...you wont catch me trying to do anything in the Potomac river. The crowd here seems to be all uptight, and pretentious, I feel like I am the odd ball out because of all my tattoos, everyone seems to be in this trance, oblivious of anyone/thing around them...NO SENSE OF ALOHA!


I could go on, and on, but I guess what I am getting at is, I just plain 'ol miss living/being in Hawai'i...

/my emo moment

[Leo Lakio]

Re: The "Just Moved FROM Hawai'i" Blues

I can't help but think, WHY am I here!

Because, at many points in our lives, we do things we don't want to do, for the benefit of others; in this case, your partner-in-life. Think of it as a gift to her.

And think of it as temporary. You'll get back home someday.

[SusieMisajon]

Re: The "Just Moved FROM Hawai'i" Blues

I know what you mean. Every minute of every day a part of me is in Hawaii.

[TATTRAT]

Re: The "Just Moved FROM Hawai'i" Blues

Exactly, Leo. Life is a series of compromises, and I have to remember that it is not an "I"type thing, but a WE type of thing.

And I plan on going back, more sooner then later.

[tutusue]

Re: The "Just Moved FROM Hawai'i" Blues

I know exactly what you mean, Tatt. I decided to move closer to family during the early 1990s. I returned to my beautiful home town; a sleepy, little beach community in SoCal. I, too, had never been away from the ocean. I lasted one year to the day. I missed Hawaii THAT much!

[Kaukura]

Re: The "Just Moved FROM Hawai'i" Blues

It works both ways too. I lived in San Francisco for almost 20 years. It is ingrained in me. The air, the fog, the hills, the food, the history, the incredible architecture on each corner. Many times i miss it terribly. I have not yet found a reason to make me up and move back yet, even tho I've been here 4 years, but sometimes i wonder if a decision to return is like a sleeping giant.. who knows. I am still thoroughly enjoying myself here though, but I'm not necessarily sure it's "home" for me.

[Pua'i Mana'o]

Re: The "Just Moved FROM Hawai'i" Blues

one should spend a season of living as a malihini, but not a lifetime doing so. Find your geographic bliss and make it happen.

[Cnecki]

Re: The "Just Moved FROM Hawai'i" Blues

We moved from Hawaii in 2005 and my family has been miserable ever since. The peer pressure for my kids, the abundance of attitude, and the food is really difficult.

The biggest mistake of our lives was selling our home over there!

My husband is trying to switch from Budweiser over here in Cali. to the island but they are non union so my husband is scared.

I miss the people and the "Ohana"

Hum, bummed now.

[SusieMisajon]

Re: The "Just Moved FROM Hawai'i" Blues

It takes about five years to resign yourself.

[alohacandy]

Re: The "Just Moved FROM Hawai'i" Blues

Tatt..I know how you feel. I had lived in Hawaii back in the 70s and then moved to Texas with my military (now "ex") hubby. I missed Hawaii with all of my heart and soul. Any time that I heard of a group from Hawaii coming to ANYWHERE in Texas, I would hop in my car and drive up to 7 hrs. just to get a little feeling of "home". Finally moved back here in 2002 with hubby (#2) and my then almost 11 yr. old daughter. Better late than never!

[Vanguard]

Re: The "Just Moved FROM Hawai'i" Blues

It takes about five years to resign yourself.

One decade, and I'm not there yet

[Nords]

Re: The "Just Moved FROM Hawai'i" Blues

It works both ways too. I lived in San Francisco for almost 20 years. It is ingrained in me. The air, the fog, the hills, the food, the history, the incredible architecture on each corner. Many times i miss it terribly. I am still thoroughly enjoying myself here though, but I'm not necessarily sure it's "home" for me.

Yeah, I feel the same way about Pittsburgh. NOT.

I left 30 years ago and I've visited twice since. Various memories are ingrained (more from childhood than geography) but after years of living around the world I can't think of a better place to be than Hawaii. Pittsburgh is just an inconvenient place I have to visit to see friends & family. Not a problem-- for some reason they seem to prefer to come here instead.

I wonder if immigrants & expats see more value in living here than kama'aina. When you've grown up with it, it may be easier to focus on the flaws than on the benefits.

Like Tattrat has pointed out, if you're feeling blue here then try a few months in DC or some other location with real winter weather...

[sophielynette]

Re: The "Just Moved FROM Hawai'i" Blues

Like Tattrat has pointed out, if you're feeling blue here then try a few months in DC or some other location with real winter weather...

But I MISS real winter weather!

I'm curious.. I mean, this is probably obvious, but I'm assuming everyone here that is missing Hawaii, didn't choose to move away -- as in, if they could have stayed, they would have. I think that plays a big part in the "blues", if you will. When I was about seven or eight, we moved to a different city, and I spent ten years longing to return to my old home, so much that I was missing out on the great aspects of my new home. We actually did end up moving back to the old city, but when we got there I was shocked to realize that it was nothing like my memory -- not that anything had changed, but I'd spent ten years glorifying it and remembering all the happy times that I'd built it up. It wasn't the city itself that I'd been yearning for, it was the past.

I guess my point is.. when you miss a place, you're always going to think about all the good aspects of that place, and never the bad. And meanwhile, your current location keeps constantly reminding you of all the bad aspects of it, and you become blinded to the good.

I'm probably not making sense

I'm going back to visit Cincinnati next month, for the first time since I moved here. It'll be interesting.

[TATTRAT]

Re: The "Just Moved FROM Hawai'i" Blues

I know exactly what you mean, sophielynette.

I have done a great deal of exploring my new home, and it isn't that I hate it, there are just certain things that I have ALWAYS seemed to have, that I don't here.

I know the "harsher", for lack of a better word, side of living on Oahu: the isolation from family/friends, the cost of living(though not different of here), the politics, yada yada yada, but I moved to Hawai'i as a grown adult, and yes, was dragged away against mine(and Af's)wishes...all part of growing up I guess.

I will always find the best in any situation, and adapt pretty quickly, I guess it is just all the yuppies and cookie cutter mold people that are just SO annoying...I am a beach bum with a career, and the career part here is great, but I can not be a bum here...well, a sidewalk bum, but that's no fun

[scrivener]

Re: The "Just Moved FROM Hawai'i" Blues

I really have no desire to leave Hawaii, but there are things about D.C. that I envy. They may not be that cool to someone who just likes cruising on the beach, but some cool things about D.C. that I wish I could avail myself of:

• Professional team-sports, especially baseball.
• Live music. We have good live music here, but every major tour goes through D.C. Only a small small small number come through Honolulu.

Dang. I coulda sworn the list was going to be bigger than that. I guess if you don't love sports and don't care about music, you're screwed.