I live and work in Hawaii right now but am seriously exploring going elsewhere.

Where else can I find decent pay with less traffic and more things to see? Tough question, but I’m getting a bit tired of the island life I need a change too.

No disrespect, but I’d have to disagree. I was born and raised in Hawaii and am now going to college in California, but definitely consider Hawaii home. Traffic in Hawaii is nothing compared to the traffic in southern California. Granted it’s probably worse than less populated places, but it’s really a relative thing. My family is asian but by no means are we considered ‘rich’. My parents, as well as many of my friends parents, are normal working class people. They went to college but don’t work in high power jobs. Personally, my parents are both teachers, but they managed to make everything enjoyable for my sister and I, especially with their time. The culture is different here too. Clique, but true, the ‘Aloha Spirit’ is definitely present. Sure there are some bad apples, but aren’t they everywhere? And as you said, our beachs are amazing, weather is great, and food is delicious. Am I a little biased, probably… but I don’t think it takes away from what I’m saying.

I think that many people think that Hawaii is great is because they have never lived in Hawaii so they don’t really know what Hawaii is like or living there is like. They probably just see those pictures in the Media and think it is very beautiful there..I have met one person who think Hawaii is great but she said she has never lived there before. People just gather that it is a beautiful place from the pictures/images in the media or from what others told them. Some people are rich enough to not have to deal with what the working class has to deal with, and so for them, it is a great place. It is a beautiful place but it is also expensive there too. I have met people who think that way of Hawaii too and asked me why I would want to leave Hawaii to come to the Mainland. Well, I think there are both good and bad things about Hawaii, the same with the Mainland too… There are some things that are better about Hawaii than the Mainland and there are some things that are worse. Some things that are better in Hawaii than the mainland are: Lower crime rates, better quality of air, less prevalence of drug use and violence, almost no gangs in Hawaii, beautiful beaches and sceneries, less complicated, etc…

I’m also a former Hawaiian islander. I lived there for about twenty years, grew up there… but joined military and left, first for California and now Japan.

I can’t imagine myself going back now, actually don’t feel like I belong in the US either. Japan’s my home now, but whether I get to make it my home is a big question.

Anyway, my home state isn’t as good for residents as it used to be… crime, traffic, cost of living all way up. Salaries, not going up at all like they need to in order to live with some semblance of order.

The islands are beautiful, but I guess the problem is that they are islands and far away from any place I’d want to travel to. I never really traveled for leisure until I left Hawaii because it was so expensive to get anywhere from HNL!

That said, any opportunity to visit Hawaii I’d take. I just don’t want to live there any more.

Everyone has his or her own opinion and that’s fine.

I live on Kauai now. Lived on the Big Island for a year a while back and California for the other 30+ years of my life. My family is all on the mainland and though I wish I could see them more often, it’s not enough of a draw to make me move back. I LOVE living in Hawaii! I felt drawn to this place after a visit in 1997 with a friend.

I am from southern California so I’m used to warm weather pretty much year round, but the weather in Hawaii is so much better than in California! It’s rarely less than 75 degrees here and though it’s more humid than the L.A. basin, it never gets hotter than 90 degrees.

I have easy access to many beaches and the lifestyle is simpler here. Activities revolve around being with family and friends and being outdoors. I watch much less TV here than I did in California because I’m outside more. Yes, my salary is lower than it was in California (I am a professional), but I do OK and I only have one job. I know that Oahu residents complain about traffic but spend a few years driving the 405 in L.A. and *then* talk to me about Honolulu traffic…lol. It’s nothing compared to most major mainland cities. There is even less traffic on Kauai than on Oahu.

I traveled quite a bit the first 18 months I lived here and now I’m perfectly content to island hop. I’m going to Oahu in 2 weeks for my birthday and again in early October for a concert. I will get my fill of shopping and dining and then head back to my little piece of paradise. Aloha!

I think it all depends on the person’s perspective of Hawaii. I’m also a local born and is still currently living here on the islands and yes it is expensive to live down here but I wouldn’t want to leave my rock lol! I’ve been told by some of my friends who are from the mainland or the Philippines that they love living here because of the people and the relaxation feeling. Yes there is all those stresses of work, money, traffic, etc. but I love it. It all depends i guess and as far as what you say about Asians and Whites isn’t really true. Everybody had to work really hard to get where they are now.

I definitely AGREE with you. We lasted 3 years b/c my husband was in the Military stationed out there, we had to live in Hawaii, after the first month, I already hated it. The cost did NOT affect us at all, since my husband is in the Military, we were getting everything discounted in a big way. You are so right about every thing you said. We are back home in the Mainland now it feels so good to be back here. Hawaii lifestyle is not all the paradise that people seem to think it is. I’m a happy Mainlander will never want to live in Hawaii again.

People always need variety. If you’ve live in cold weather your entire life Hawaii is speacial. Too bad you didn’t go to the outer islands. You would appreciate what Hawaii is.