Since I moved to paradise months ago, lots of people back home want to know all about what it’s like living here. While Hawaii is the 50thstate, it’s truly very different than any other state and has a very unique history and culture. At times, it’s pretty easy to actually forget you’re actually in America. So I can definitely understand why everyone is so fascinated at the idea of living in a place like Hawaii and why they want to hear all the details. For the most part, I enjoy telling everyone about the amazing things I love about living on the island of Oahu. It truly has been a dream come true in so many ways, and I still have to pinch myself! However, sometimes people are quite surprised to hear that paradise actually isn’t always just sunshine and rainbows. Nothing in life is perfect, and life is all about balance. There are some downsides too, which cause some people to actually not like living here. It's just not for everyone. Learning all the pros and cons firsthand has been pretty interesting, so here’s my list of both:
Highs:
- The weather. It really is just as glorious as they say it is. Almost every day is picture perfect. The weather typically ranges in the 80's year round, and even when it’s hottest in summer months, there’s rarely that muggy humidity which makes you feel gross. It's usually always sunny and gorgeous. It may rain a bit, but usually the clouds move fast and it usually passes before you realize it. Every few months it rains for days at a time, and then afterwards everything is so green and lush! Oddly enough, even when it’s cloudy or rainy for most of the day, it’s still breathtaking!
- There is so much to see and do. I personally feel like I could never run out of things to do. From world class beaches, water sports, outdoor festivals, hikes, sailing, museums, historical places, art, to the many other adventures the island offers, there is truly something for everyone! We have a bustling city in the downtown areas of Honolulu, or relaxing little beach towns and country areas. There is plenty to explore on every level. A lot of people claim they get "island fever" after living here for a few years, and some locals seem to be bored with it all. But for me, it’s very hard to imagine ever having these problems! This is heaven... Especially for active or adventurous people.
- The aesthetics of this island absolutely blow my mind. Being surrounded by such beautiful scenery truly lifts my spirits each and every day. Jaw-dropping views are a regular and certain occurrence no matter where you go. You are literally always surrounded by beauty here. I don’t think I could ever get used to this or take it for granted. Because the terrain is elevated by hills -'d mountains of many different slopes, you’re guaranteed to always see some incredible landscape ahead no matter where you are on the island, whether it’s a turquoise ocean horizon or a majestic mountain range. Not to mention the exotic and tropical foliage, flowers, and trees that you don’t even have to be within the vast forests and valleys to experience. I can’t even fully explain it, so it’s just something you have to see for yourself. It’s never short of inspirational!
- Hawaiian culture itself is just plain dope. I have really enjoyed learning about the history of how so many different people from different parts of the world came to be here and form this utopia of different foods, languages, and customs. Generations of Asian and Latin migrants have settled here and all play an important role in the rich history of their communities here in Hawaii. However, the native Polynesians and their ancient beliefs have fascinated me the most by far. They truly take pride in their heritage, which is a joy for me as I am obsessed with indigenous people, and love being exposed to their culture up close and personal.
- The cuisine is very different but totally delicious. With such a strong Asian influence, this is a great place for anyone who loves Asian foods like myself. Sushi, Ramen, Korean, Thai, Saimin, and others are local meal staples and found on every corner. Hawaiian food is pretty interesting and delicious too. I haven’t quite joined in with the Spam bandwagon, but I certainly appreciate their affinity for good pork, especially the always delicious Kalua pig!
- Aloha spirit is truly remarkable and something that everyone could benefit from. In general, people are more nice and friendly. While there are plenty of rude and grumpy people just like anywhere else in the world, most people just seem happier and more relaxed here, and therefore are more pleasant and treat each other with more respect than what I am used to. Total strangers will greet me, smile or spark a conversation, which is a noticeable difference to me from the East Coast.
- Island life will teach you a thing or two about patience. While Oahu is much faster than the other Hawaiian islands, it’s still very slow compared to the mainland and you really have no choice but to slow down to the local pace as well. After your initial frustration when adjusting to this, you eventually realize how refreshing this is. It’s actually really good for you and your health, as you learn to be more relaxed and feel more peace. You don’t always have to be rushed and stressed. There is absolutely nothing I can do when I’m sitting in bumper-to-bumper traffic on the H-1, so why waste energy being frustrated? Instead, I just turn up the reggae on the radio and daze off into the palm trees. And then suddenly, the traffic doesn’t even matter!
- While this is a minor factor, I really enjoy the shopping here. Ross and TJ Maxx are the best places and you’ll always find an excellent bargain and plenty of cool stuff here. There are plenty of good stores in the mall, and also cool little boutiques. I'll admit that I was so frightened when I moved here that I wouldn't be able to find all the things I like here, like on the mainland. But I have learned that they have just as much for me, if not more!
- It definitely doesn’t hurt to have eye candy to look at, and there is no shortage of good-looking, exotic people here in paradise. It’s just an added bonus when you come across a gorgeous 6’6 Samoan with long hair and golden skin. I’m certainly not complaining.
- I love the fact that having tattoos does not make you stand out here, in fact, it’s the norm! Everywhere I go, I’m constantly admiring other people’s work and even get compliments on mine. Tattoos are very common and socially acceptable here, especially the gorgeously intricate tribal Polynesian style that many natives get done.
- The simple fact that I have an endless supply of breathtaking beaches nearby completely fills me with joy. I love being able to go any time I please, even after work. I have established a Sunday ritual of packing up some snacks and books, and lounging at a different beach every week. Just because. I have beach chairs, mats, towels, snorkel gear, and whatever else I may need in my trunk along with a backpack ready to go for whenever the mood may strike. I used to spend every day longing for my next vacation when I could visit a beautiful beach and sunbathe, now I do it regularly. I can’t tell you how much I will always appreciate this! It has done wonders for making me more relaxed and incredibly happy!
- Being able to tell tourists that you live here and seeing their reactions is priceless! I enjoy it each and every time!
- Everyone here is fascinating to me. When you live on an island this remote, everyone is either from here, or here for a reason. So with everyone I encounter, I want to hear their story! Unless they ae obviously a Polynesian, I know there is some unique reason of why/how they are here. But even most of the native Hawaiians are mixed with something else at this point. Some Asians have been here for generations, some military are simply stationed here for 2-3 years, and some just moved here because they love it. It’s pretty neat to meet people and listen to their experiences. My perspective is constantly being expanded and enhanced!
- My never ending tan. Enough said.
- There are always outdoor festivals and events, which is right up my alley! I love being outside in good weather and being surrounded by lots of people with good vibes, it truly feeds me energy like nothing else. Back home in Maryland, I would try to attend the little that I could find, maybe a few a year. But here on Oahu, there are several every weekend! In fact, it’s often hard to pick which one you want to go to more! From cultural festivals for the many nationalities represented here, to hula dancing, live music, food truck rallies, arts and crafts, you name it. Some of the ones on my calendar have been the ukulele festival, Korea festival, King Kamehameha festival & parade, Lei Day festival, Chinese New Year parade, “Eat the Street” food truck festivals, Food & Music festival, Book Festival, and so much more! Oh and don't even get me started on how reggae is the most popular music genre around here. I loooooooove it and can't get enough!
- I love the amazing farmer’s markets found everywhere here, and the push to eat local foods. This is not only less expensive for the consumer, but more helpful for the local farmers and the environment.
- The travel opportunities on this side of the world have me extremely excited. I plan to see as much as I can in the Pacific region, including other islands, Australia, New Zealand, and as much of Asia as possible!
- Though I have visited many tropical islands in my life, Hawaii has some really unique vibes really agree with my spirit. I’ve always heard it’s a very sacred place, and I can see why. You can definitely feel some inexplicable energy here, which many refer to as "mana" or player. It’s truly magical!
Lows:
- The cost of living. It’s not as bad as people make it out to be for me, but that’s because I make a comfortable salary working for the federal government. For locals, it’s truly unreasonable and unaffordable. Local wages are extremely low and the job market is terrible. Because of this, the local tradition is for large families to live together. It’s also a major factor to the extreme homelessness problem Hawaii faces. It's inevitable that the price of paradise is high due to its remote location, which mean high transportation and importing/exporting fees. Even with a good income, it's been an adjustment for me. I have to be more conscious of my budget, cut back on things I normally splurge on, and life has changed in some ways. While my rent is the same as it was back home, I have about 1/3 of the space I had for the same price, plus a much older place. Utility bills aren’t too bad, and I’ve slightly mitigated the price of gas by getting a wholesale club membership and only buying my gas there. Groceries is where I have seen the most extreme difference. I once found a small watermelon that cost $18, just to give you an idea. I spend anywhere from $80-160 a week on groceries, depending on what I get. It’s also higher because I try to eat organic. It's definitely noticeably higher in general than in Maryland, which already has a pretty high cost of living that I was used to. This is without a doubt the biggest complaint you'll hear from every single person who lives here.
- The bugs. I have a bad phobia so this probably isn’t so much of an issue for others. But it is simply a part of life when you live in a tropical climate. I have been told by countless people that roaches are inevitable here no matter how clean you are. As someone once told me, "it doesn't mean you're dirty, it means you live in Hawaii." I had many in my apartment when I first moved in, and now I go out of my way to be clean and ensure I don’t get any more. However, the centipedes are something I can NOT get used to. They can be over a foot long, move quickly and aggressively as hell and they bite, which I have heard is extremely painful. I live in total and complete fear of these things, which is exactly why I elected to move to a high rise building. I only really see them when I’m out hiking. I hope and pray I never have to experience getting bit! Don't get me started on scorpions, cane spiders, moths the size of birds, geckos, and in the waters we have box jellyfish, Portuguese man-o-wars, sharp coral, eels, sea urchins, oh yeah and sharks! They pride themselves on not having snakes on the island, but it's still a pretty terrifying and dangerous place in many ways!
- IT’S WAY TOO CROWDED! There are over 1 million people on this small island, and many times getting around is a pain in the butt! The traffic truly is as awful as people say it is. Not to mention I happen to be here during some major construction projects that make it even worse. You have to leave early to get anywhere, not only because of traffic and delays, but because of the very limited parking everywhere.
- The time difference is tough. We are 5-6 hours behind the East Coast (depending on daylight savings) and this makes it very hard to keep in touch with people back at home. By the time I get off work, it’s 9 or 10 PM, so everyone is already getting ready for bed. It’s made me feel quite isolated and it’s so challenging to maintain friendships or keep up with my folks back home (besides Facebook). People don’t really seem to get it either, because they still call me at 3 AM no matter how many times I tell them about the time difference. Also, I can only imagine how awkward football season will be when I’m watching Cowboys games at 7 AM on Sundays.
- The roads are really bad and they tear my car up! People say you will go through tires pretty quick here and auto work is also very expensive. Not cool!
- Something I never realized and many people don't know, but the moisture in the air is crazy here since it's such an isolated island. It's really hard to keep your home mold free and your car rusts up quickly. Also, food goes bad like 3x quicker here because of this. Who the heck would have known that would be a downside?
- The abundance of homeless people on the island is so overwhelming and devastating. They’re literally everywhere and have just become an accepted part of society here. It’s very hard for me to get used to this, as I’ve truly never seen anything like this in my life. There is one area called "tent city" where there are hundreds of homeless tents set up, one after another, all down several streets. Besides this, you'll see them set up on the beach or in random places, even sleeping on the grass or sidewalk in places you'd never expect. It's really sad to see how people live like this and raise children in these conditions, and that it's so common. There is no easy solution to fix this and help these people, and it's so frustrating.
- Volcanic fog (aka VOG) from the Big Island nearby is definitely a problem on Oahu for those of us with breathing problems or allergies. I’ve only been really affected by it a couple times, but it can be rough!
- The ridiculous unexpected costs, like registering my vehicle for $322 every single year)... Ugh!
- The fact that people think you’re always on vacation. They don’t realize you live here, but also work, pay bills, and have responsibilities here. It’s not just hanging out on the beach every day. Also, everyone wants to come visit, which is great, but it can get overwhelming. You can only take so much time off work for other people, you also need to save some time and money money for your own personal reasons or vacations. I love hosting people but it's definitely tiring each time.
- Grocery shopping is a pain in the butt, for many reasons. Usually I have to shop at least twice a week and go to several places. Each place you go has difference selections, whereas what I’m used to in Maryland, where you can go to one place and get everything you need. Also, as I mentioned things go bad VERY fast here compared to on the mainland, which I have heard is due to the humidity. So when you buy fruits and vegetables, you end up having to use them within a few days or they’ll go to waste. So you have to make constant trips to the store. I personally hate grocery shopping so this has been quite annoying for me.
Overall, the pros definitely outweigh the cons for me, but it's definitely been such a new experience in so many ways! This has been the opportunity of a lifetime for me, and I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world, even with the bugs and the traffic.
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