Changing Hawaii
IT'S true that you never really appreciate your job until you lose it. You don't miss your friends and associates as much as when they move away. And you don't know how much you love Hawaii until you are forced to leave it, or until somebody who doesn't understand it very well has the nerve to put it down. Mulling a move
to HawaiiThat's what I realized this week after reading a sincere e-mail inquiry from a woman named Lynn N. from Claremont, Minn. This is what she wrote:
"My husband and I very much want to move to Oahu, probably to the Windward side or North Shore. He was stationed at Schofield in the Army and has always longed to move back.
"We were on Oahu this past November, camping at Malaekahana State Park for 15 days, and had a wonderful time. We did very few touristy things. Instead, we bought groceries at stores in Laie and Kahuku, ate mixed plates from the lunch wagons, etc. All during this period, we had no reason to feel unsafe, hated or threatened in any way. The local population was very nice.
"A friend of mine moved to Kauai five years ago and recently returned to the mainland. I asked her for some information on the islands, such as how to move there, where to live and how to go about getting a job. But she had nothing good to say about Hawaii.
"She said there is a lot of racial tension there and that they were basically hated because they were haole; that you are treated well only if you grease everyone's open palm with a greenback; that when Hawaii is done with you, you will be poor in both money and spirit; and that while it has great temperatures and beautiful scenery, you pay a price for that over and over again. These are her words, not mine.
"I guess what I'm looking for is another perspective. My husband and I are well aware that it is expensive to live in Hawaii, so that is not really an issue for us. We just know that we both fell in love with the culture, beauty, language, beliefs and overall gentleness of the spirit that we experienced there.
"But was all this a facade? Underneath, is it as bad as my friend says? She had three words of advice for us about moving there: Don't do it!"
DEAR Lynn N. of Claremont, Minn.: Thank you for your online query about what life will be like if you move to Hawaii. As a lifelong resident and proud graduate of the public school system and University of Hawaii, I feel comfortable and competent enough to reply on behalf of my home state and the one-million-plus folks who already reside here.
First of all, your friend -- for the most part -- is correct. This place does have balmy weather, picture-postcard views and hefty prices. Racial tensions do exist, but that's true everywhere. And, as for the claim that you are "treated well only if you grease everyone's open palm with a greenback," she could be half-right in that we all need to make a living, just like in any modern-day capitalistic society.
But you and your husband have one thing that your friend obviously lacks: a deep-rooted fondness for the islands. Believe me, Lynn, this appreciation will be readily visible to all who cross your path. This respect for the aina and its people can only smooth your way in making the transition from visitor to resident, haole or not.
There is one thing, however, that your friend was absolutely wrong about -- it's NOT true that "when Hawaii is done with you, you will be poor in spirit."
With the right attitude, which you obviously have, you will never be richer.
Diane Yukihiro Chang's column runs Monday and Friday.
She can be reached by phone at 525-8607, via e-mail at
dchang@starbulletin.com, or by fax at 523-7863.