Hell to the no. My brother lived there for about 15 and years and the two times I visited, I was bored out.of.my.mind. It's just so....touristy. I mean, 2 weeks? Maybe (if I were forced to; it's a PITA to get there. Living there? Nope.
I'm a reg on the travel board but I lurk over here sometimes. My husband and I lived there for a year right after we were married. I'm glad we did it, but I wouldn't do it again until we want to retire (and even then we'll probably split the year with somewhere that's not Hawaii). There were times when it was really tough. I missed the funerals of two relatives. They were both on the east coast and even if I had been OK with the ticket price I might not have been able to get there in enough time because flights are so full.
COL is no joke, either. We ate out a lot since it wasn't any more expensive than cooking at home (I remember once looking at a red pepper that was $5, and that was 2003). And yes, the public schools are terrible. Although I think the cultural exposure kids (who wouldn't be living there forever) get might compensate for that. I don't remember being too bored, but we also had a lot of visitors during the winter, so that kept us busy. I think there were two weeks between New Years and Easter when we didn't have guests.
Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one's lifetime. Mark Twain
Post by RoxMonster on Jul 30, 2014 17:37:53 GMT -5
For sure I would. I don't know that I would want to live there forever and ever. It is such a long trip to see family, etc. But for a temporary amount of time? Hell yes. I love it there.
No. my friends that are stationed there are over it about 3 weeks after they get there
That's the thing I worry about the most. We will see the entire island in 2 weeks and then be bored for the rest of the time there. One of the main reasons we chose not to move to Japan. Another option is Virginia. I really just want to stay in Cali but I doubt that will happen.
I have the opposite experience. Everyone I know that has been or is stationed there, doesn't want to come home.
And if I had school-aged children, esp no bc from what I've read and heard the public schools are not that great. But I guess the same could be said about CA.
Not great is kind of an understatement to be honest. My H lived there from 8-12th grades and while he really loved it, being in private school was kind of a must. At least unless you have Hawaiian ancestry, then at least it's not dangerous. The disparity between the haves and the have nots is extremely pronounced.
That said, I would move there for 3 years because I love the adventure of experiencing new places. However, we don't have children yet and if we did, we'd be able.to swing private school.
That's the thing I worry about the most. We will see the entire island in 2 weeks and then be bored for the rest of the time there. One of the main reasons we chose not to move to Japan. Another option is Virginia. I really just want to stay in Cali but I doubt that will happen.
Oh man, if I had to choose between Hawaii and Virginia, I'd do VA.Â
I've got to say that I never would have gotten the Virginia love before but I have been here (VA) for nearly 2 weeks and I am loving it. We are in Alexandria so we've been between here and DC a lot and I've been threatening to not want to go home (we leave in a little over a week).
Post by gretchenindisguise on Jul 31, 2014 0:04:51 GMT -5
Yes. We've toyed with the idea and would do it if we could get jobs. My main hangup is that it's Oahu right? I don't know that I'd want to live on Oahu.
However, that compared to some other bases/ locales would probably make me run to Hawaii so there's that.
Post by sillygoosegirl on Jul 31, 2014 0:08:52 GMT -5
We had a possible opportunity for this recently, and decided not to pursue it. Mainly because we'd just moved home, were ready to put down roots, were about to TTC, and my dad had just been diagnosed with cancer...
But at a different stage of our lives? Totally would move to Hawaii! Would have been much better than the 3 years we spent in Chicago, I'm sure.
Post by FrozenSunshine on Jul 31, 2014 0:10:45 GMT -5
Every time my dad talked about next assignments we asked for Hawaii as kids. I think anything is doable for 3 year. But nope, my dad chose Alaska.....15 plus years active duty in Alaska. (He actually retired there.)
I've still never been to Hawaii but I'm sure I would have loved 3 years there over San Antonio, all the years in Alaska and Albany, NY. I also move quite a bit with my husband (non military) and like I said, I think 3 years is doable just about anywhere.
Post by cinnamoncox on Jul 31, 2014 5:51:01 GMT -5
I wouldn't. I'm not sure where you'd be since you're military, but I have family who moved there for work about 5-7 years ago, and I doesn't sound like it's for me (where they are). It's remote, an hour and a half to shopping (a mountain chain keeps them from driving straight through so they all have to go around) and he has to pay for private school for his children and, it's not my style.
Military housing I imagine is in a different location. What he is there working on, his neighborhood is just people that work for his company, and islanders.
An hour one way to beach, and hour the other way to rainforest type lands.
They like it, but I couldn't live like that. I need to be near hospitals and shopping (food) and schools, etc. it's what I'm used to and how I choose to live.
They are there for the foreseeable furniture. It is very hard on his wife because family is here (6,000 miles away) so visiting isn't easy.
Post by irishbride2 on Jul 31, 2014 5:53:35 GMT -5
I was just visiting with a friend and her two kids who moved over there a year ago (military as well). She was reluctant to move to Hawaii but she LOVES it. They are not remotely bored.
I wouldn't. I'm not sure where you'd be since you're military, but I have family who moved there for work about 5-7 years ago, and I doesn't sound like it's for me (where they are). It's remote, an hour and a half to shopping (a mountain chain keeps them from driving straight through so they all have to go around) and he has to pay for private school for his children and, it's not my style.
Military housing I imagine is in a different location. What he is there working on, his neighborhood is just people that work for his company, and islanders.
An hour one way to beach, and hour the other way to rainforest type lands.
They like it, but I couldn't live like that. I need to be near hospitals and shopping (food) and schools, etc. it's what I'm used to and how I choose to live.
They are there for the foreseeable furniture. It is very hard on his wife because family is here (6,000 miles away) so visiting isn't easy.
They have three elementary schools on base. So if you live on base you are close to school.
I don't know about the later grades. We were just talking about elem specifically with my friend.
I think there are remote areas in every state. Its all about location.
I wouldn't. I'm not sure where you'd be since you're military, but I have family who moved there for work about 5-7 years ago, and I doesn't sound like it's for me (where they are). It's remote, an hour and a half to shopping (a mountain chain keeps them from driving straight through so they all have to go around) and he has to pay for private school for his children and, it's not my style.
Military housing I imagine is in a different location. What he is there working on, his neighborhood is just people that work for his company, and islanders.
An hour one way to beach, and hour the other way to rainforest type lands.
They like it, but I couldn't live like that. I need to be near hospitals and shopping (food) and schools, etc. it's what I'm used to and how I choose to live.
They are there for the foreseeable furniture. It is very hard on his wife because family is here (6,000 miles away) so visiting isn't easy.
They have three elementary schools on base. So if you live on base you are close to school.
I don't know about the later grades. We were just talking about elem specifically with my friend.
I think there are remote areas in every state. Its all about location.
Yeah, when they first got there they (the kids) went to public but I think in the past few years they moved them to private. It's an hour bus ride too
I know every state has remote areas, and I'd assume the military bases aren't in super remote areas ( I have no basis for this assumption).
The nature if my family members job makes remote living necessary.