A guide for new and future residents
If living in Hawaii is currently your dream rather than your reality, you’re certainly not alone. And if your dream is anything like mine was, it includes year-round sunshine, going to the beach after work, living in shorts and flip-flops, tropical flowers blooming everywhere, bronze-skinned surfers, a stress-free life… And while that is a somewhat … Read more
Thanks to Hawaii’s long history of immigration and ethnic diversity, its residents speak a unique form of English. You’ll hear words borrowed from Japanese, Chinese, Portuguese, and other languages. But the most prevalent non-English words you’ll hear are from the Hawaiian language, which is one of state’s two official languages (English is the other). Adding … Read more
Freelance writer Jill Robinson just wrote a post for Vagabonding’s travel blog (thanks for the link, Jill!) titled “Loving Where You Live,” which offers another reason for moving to Hawaii that I hadn’t really thought much about before: to feel like you’re on vacation while you save up your money to go on a “real” … Read more
So you’ve already thought carefully about the impact a move to Hawaii would have on your family, and you’re OK with any sacrifices you’ll have to make. And you’ve done some research on the different Hawaiian Islands and narrowed it down to one or two that you think would best suit you and your family. … Read more
When I wrote “35 Hawaiian Words Every New Resident Should Know” a couple months ago, I came up with so many words that I had to leave some out to keep the list to a readable length. It’s been a while since I wrote that post, so I figured you’re probably due for another dose … Read more
(Note: If this article looks familiar, it’s because it was originally published in my newsletter. I have since changed the format of my newsletter and have moved all articles previously published under the old format to my blog, where they can be more easily found.) Deciding on which of the six major islands in Hawaii … Read more
(Note: If this article looks familiar, it’s because it was originally published in my newsletter. I have since changed the format of my newsletter and have moved all articles previously published under the old format to my blog, where they can be more easily found.) Honestly, I don’t know how I would have moved to … Read more
Today I’m going to be Negative Nelly and give you some food for thought on why you might not enjoy living in Hawaii. Read each statement below and ask yourself, “Is this true for me?” If it is, that doesn’t automatically mean you’ll dislike living in Hawaii. But it does point out something that you … Read more
A couple days ago, I was Negative Nelly, listing reasons why you might not like living in Hawaii. Today, I’m happy to report that I am now Positive Pollyanna, here to tell you why you should live in Hawaii. Because despite the challenges of living in Hawaii — high cost of living, limited job opportunities, … Read more
Yesterday I started a list of reasons why Hawaii is a great place to live. Today’s post is the second half of that list… Cultural diversity Hawaii is one of the most culturally diverse states in the U.S., and has been for a long time. Besides the tourists who visit from all over the world, … Read more
Today I had an interview with the APEC hosting committee, to work as a volunteer at the upcoming APEC summit in Honolulu. It was an easy interview and lasted only about 5 minutes, but I spent hours preparing for it. No, I wasn’t researching what APEC is all about and memorizing its 21 member-countries. Believe … Read more
A few days ago, I wrote about the vaguely defined “business casual” dress code for women in Hawaii. After doing some research on behalf of my male readers, I’m happy to report that business-attire guidelines for men in Hawaii are more spelled-out and straightforward. Of course, there are always going to be exceptions to these … Read more
I don’t usually write about Hawaii’s entertainment scene, because there are several other sites that already do a great job covering that. But I think these movie and TV premiere screenings would be of interest to new Hawaii residents, or to anyone who visits regularly and would move here if they could. “Get A Job” … Read more
I’ve got a hankering for another word list. This time, let’s make a list of Hawaii foods. Notice I didn’t say “Hawaiian” foods, because not all the foods on this list are part of the traditonal, Native Hawaiian luau (although I’ve included those, too). Many are adopted from the cultures of immigrants who’ve settled here, … Read more
The City & County of Honolulu has a new webpage, Can-Do Honolulu, which includes a directory of mobile and Web-based apps that provide useful information if you live (or want to live) in Hawaii. And they’re all free! The apps (11 so far) are: MapMyRide – Maps bike routes throughout Hawaii and tracks your activity. … Read more
