Hawaiians In Texas

[Alarick]

Re: Hawaiians In Texas

Political parties are a tad bit different than every day life

Of course who's to say that they even want the big hair look anymore, they might not have been able to get all the hairspray out that they used in the 80's.

[Karen]

Re: Hawaiians In Texas

LOL about big hair in Texas! I was born and raised one very proud Texan, and from what I recall, the big hair that still exists is mainly from the church crowd, and I don't mean this as an insult to anyone that may be. I come from a long line of pentecostals and a few of them still have big hair. Oh! and some wealthy, older cattle industry people, for some reason they still embrace those hair styles. Everyone else seems to have stylish, layered cuts or really long, simple hair.

I lived ten years of my childhood in Austin. Of course I still have many relatives and friends there. They say I won't believe how huge it is now, and that Round Rock, which used to be a sunday drive to the country is now a suburb, a very close one to Austin.

I hear jobs are great there, especially in the computer industry. They call it the second Silicon Valley, so I've lived in both of them, having lived in Sunnyvale, CA. too. I prefer that San Jose CA. area climate, but my heart remains in Texas, cuz that is home.

Very cool to read from people that are moving there, or have done so, recently. Texas' biggest plus? THE ECONOMY! Wow for being able to live large there, on a paycheck. No state income tax, medical and food aren't taxable, houses, well huge brick homes are very cheap, I could buy three for what my house here is worth, and a gallon of milk? Probably still under three dollars.

Ahh....home, there's no place like home. Hope y'all that are living there are enjoying it, while I know if your family is here in Hawaii, so is your heart. Oh, how I know that feeling.

[Alarick]

Re: Hawaiians In Texas

Have not even been gone for a month, and i already miss the Tex-Mex and long open roads

And if i remember right, as of last month, the economy in Texas was in a bit of a slump.
New car and house sales where down, and the unemployment rate is up.

Ever see an aerospace engineer working at Home Depot for $9 an hour?
It's a very sad sight.

And milk was $3.25 at the super Walmart on 635 and Macarthur the week before i left.

[adrian]

Re: Hawaiians In Texas

I went to Austin a few years ago for a technology conference, and on the first night, they had a hawaiian-themed event, where they served fruits and had the nerve to play country music during it. When my mainland friends asked me if this was like home, I gave them the stink eye and just stormed out of the place.

Of course, this was 3 years ago, and probably they didn't know that there'd be a lot of Hawaiians there (if I remember, there was about 9, out of 200 people), or probably they heard that our flights got cancelled a few times so they just wanted to show the aloha spirit.

Anyway, hope that you can visit home soon, and enjoy the weather there!

[Its the Aloha]

Re: Hawaiians In Texas

We'll be moving to Austin TX in Dec 2005.
Is there a large community of Hawaii-Pacific Islanders there?
(I know in Washington & Oregon - there are a lot of locals).

Quick Question: How do you like Austin, TX? the people? culture? weather? quality of life? job growth?

Aloha Owens: I spent the entirre month of August in Austin and had a blast and enjoyed it a lot. Yes, it is not Hawai'i, but the only place like Hawai'i is Hawai'i no matter how many island souls one relocates elsewhere. I think Austin is exciting on many fronts especially if yoru business inclined. I was there again recently with my investment group and we bought quite a few pieces of property, comerical and residential. the ONLY issue I see in Austin is the property tax, it is very high if you purchase a $450,000 home, you will be paying about $13,000 in annual property taxes.

Other than that, the people were great, the weather is fine, the opportunities are many and as stated by someone in this forum I did not recognize a depressed economy. I suspect you will enjoy your move as I am anticipating mine. I will be relocating there probably early March from Las Vegas where I have been for 12 years. I am originally from O'ahu in Manoa Valley. You will be happy I am sure, just be open to the area and the people and you will see it is a very nice place. Enjoy and good luck over there.

ALoha Jimmy

[Alarick]

Re: Hawaiians In Texas

Oh hey, once it warms up there again, ya'll should take a tubing trip down the river.

Try these guys http://www.rockinr.com/

And when you go, pay the extra $5 for the tubes with bottoms in them, it's worth it

[owens]

Re: Hawaiians In Texas

Thanks Jimmy,
That's great to hear.

We're having a phobia about driving ... What was the driving experience like in the Mainland? I hear there are A LOT of Semi-Trucks .... and they just zoom by past you ...

Here in Hawaii - we have a lot of buses ... but hardly any bus accidents.

[MadAzza]

Re: Hawaiians In Texas

Got something to say to the Hawaiians in Texas ...

GO WHITE SOX!!

<ducking and running>

[Alarick]

Re: Hawaiians In Texas

I've seen worse driving here on the big island as far as semis go than i ever did in Texas.

Driving in Texas is very simple, if the other vehicle is larger than yours, it has the right of way.

Just stay out of the Semi's blind spots, and remember that the right lane is for the slow traffic that only goes a few MPH over the speed limit and you'll be fine.

We're having a phobia about driving ... What was the driving experience like in the Mainland? I hear there are A LOT of Semi-Trucks .... and they just zoom by past you ...

Here in Hawaii - we have a lot of buses ... but hardly any bus accidents.

[beachbum]

Re: Hawaiians In Texas

Jimmy, i think we met at the San Marcos Oulet Mall?! I was working the shaved ice stand there.
Owens, i think most of the people posting to your reply have it right on. Austin is a special place in Texas - lots of people from all over, growing, there's a Roy's restaurant... and lots of little coffe shops, MALLS, bookstores, outdoor stuff, etc. my only regret of living here are the ALLERGIES. from mold to weeds - you name it. they have it. may not hit you at first. but seems they eventually get to everyone.
find a good allergist.
aloha,
John

[UsoHamo]

Re: Hawaiians In Texas

I currently live in St. George, Utah and have been looking at jobs and home prices in Austin. I have a cousin that lives there and was born in Hawaii but lived there all of her 40+ years.....She says that there are halaus there, locals such as Filipinos, Chamorros from Guam, Samoans, Tongans, lots of Asians for the Pacific experience and of course, lots of Hawaiians (well maybe her guesstimate is around 500+ scattered around from what she knows talking to some of the locals. They do not have an L&L BBQ but sure could use one.

St. George is too expensive to live because of its proximity to Vegas...now that the market in Vegas is going down because of the lop sided ratio (too many sellers and new homes, not enough buyers).....the homes in St. George are too few and far in between.....home values are ridiculously priced and the wages here are still pretty pathetic.....average 8-10.00/hr.

Been looking to Austin for some affordable home pricing but then again, I give up my connetion to being close to the "local experience" that Vegas and Utah enjoys...or the West Coast in general.

Also, I am having my cousin look around for job leads for me while I continue to search the Internet for my own leads.

Oh yeah, she says that San Antonio is not that far away and that there are quite a few locals up that way too... Hope your guys' move into Austin is smooth and that your families are able to transition well................Good Luck braddahz!


Usohamo

[NemesisVex]

Re: Hawaiians In Texas

We'll be moving to Austin TX in Dec 2005.
Is there a large community of Hawaii-Pacific Islanders there?
(I know in Washington & Oregon - there are a lot of locals).

Quick Question: How do you like Austin, TX? the people? culture? weather? quality of life? job growth?

There are people from Hawai`i in Austin but nowhere near the numbers of Washington and Oregon.

Austin is the blue oasis in a very red state. Travis County, which includes Austin, was the only one to reject the recently-ratified constitutional amendment to limit the definition of marriage. (Guess how.) It has a history of being a hippie enclave and college town, which has resulted in a few cultural skirmishes with the more recent tech industry transplants, myself included. Yuppies vs. hippies -- that sort of thing.

The job market in Austin is slowly improving, having been hit hard when the Internet bubble burst. Tech jobs are becoming more available, but employers aren't nearly as desperate for bodies as they were in the late 1990s. Biotech seems to be hiring quite a bit, but not so much tech writers. Service industry hiring also seems to be on the rise.

Austin has a very active music scene, although it skews more to country, folk and Americana. But there's room enough for indie rock and punk. Austin is where the main campus of the University of Texas is located, so a lot of college rock acts pass through Austin on their tours. The two major music events in Austin are South by Southwest and the Austin City Limits music fest.

People around here are laid back, but ethnically, the population is predominantly white and Latino. I often make jokes about being the Filipino community, but in the 8 years I've lived here, I can count all the people Filipino people I've met in that time on one hand. What consists of a gay community is so insular, it may as well not exist.

Most everyone I meet is very polite and nice, and while Austin prides itself on being tolerant and/or accepting, I don't think white Austinites realize just how lacking in diversity their population really is.

Austinites, however, do include a very interesting cross-section of types: young college kids, film and music types, the aforementioned hippies and yuppies, a number of Republicans (but they usually stay in the suburbs) ...

As for the weather, there's a saying -- "If you don't like it, wait five minutes." Weater here is unpredictable. Earlier this month, Austin was hit with an ice storm that shut the city down. Today, the highs are in the mid-70s. Tornadoes and floods are the usual big news weather events, but when it comes to triple digit heat in July-September, the trick is to get all your errands done before 10 a.m., then don't step outside for anything else till sunset (which is usually 9 p.m. in the summer.)

Housing is expensive in Austin. Apartment rent may be cheaper than Honolulu, but they are higher than other cities in Texas. And yes, property taxes are going to get you, since Texas does not have a state income tax. I rent, so I don't know much about property taxes.

Sales tax in Austin is 8.25%.

Austin is very green, and Austinites tend to be quite environmental. Zilker Park and the Hike-and-Bike Trail along Town Lake are quite popular. If you live here for any length of time, though, beware the seasonal allergies! Oak is my enemy in April.

That's about all I can brain dump at the moment.

I've liked living here, even though I'm feeling a bit of a wanderlust to get away from the "red-state-ness" of the rest of Texas.

I hope this answer doesn't arrive too late, since it's practically January already.

[deneen15]

Re: Hawaiians In Texas

Aloha,

I am from Austin, Tx and now live in Sarasota, FL. I lived in Ewa Beach in 2001. I seemed to be the only blonde on the bus riding into Honolulu from Fort Weaver Rd!

[deneen15]

Re: Hawaiians In Texas

Wow, I practically grew up in a tube at Rockin R! I am from Austin! I also lived in Ewa Beach in 2001.

[Tiger Beer]

Re: Hawaiians In Texas

Some interesting stuff here.

I've recently thought of Texas because of all the similar reasons mentioned above. Also have many of the same concerns as the above posts.

That property tax is a killer though! What is property tax in Hawaii now? Is it similar, less or more?