Good book to read before moving to Hawaii

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Been to Hawaii twice (big island & Oahu). My brother goes to the unversity of Hawaii and is a good source of information about Oahu etc. Anyhow, I was considering living there with my family and working there as a nurse after I get out of school. I've been researching about Hawaii etc. I found this book called "So you Want to Live in Hawaii?" by Toni Polancy and has some good stuff in there. It gives you the pros and cons and everything you need to know about housing & cost of living to the culture etc. For those of us who are in LALALA land about Hawaii its a bit of a bum kill but hey you need to know the truth before making that big of a move esp if your moving your kids. Like someone said it's like a third world country well I don't know if I'd go that far (been to Italy) but it is pretty darn close and lets just say Honolulu is the least American city I've ever lived/been to. Even if your an American there is some big adjustments to be made because it really isn't like a typical American city/culture. I don't know about Maui though but I hope to vacation there this comeing December 2006 and find out.

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Specializes in Critical Care.
Been to Hawaii twice (big island & Oahu). My brother goes to the unversity of Hawaii and is a good source of information about Oahu etc. Anyhow, I was considering living there with my family and working there as a nurse after I get out of school. I've been researching about Hawaii etc. I found this book called "So you Want to Live in Hawaii?" by Toni Polancy and has some good stuff in there. It gives you the pros and cons and everything you need to know about housing & cost of living to the culture etc. For those of us who are in LALALA land about Hawaii its a bit of a bum kill but hey you need to know the truth before making that big of a move esp if your moving your kids. Like someone said it's like a third world country well I don't know if I'd go that far (been to Italy) but it is pretty darn close and lets just say Honolulu is the least American city I've ever lived/been to. Even if your an American there is some big adjustments to be made because it really isn't like a typical American city/culture. I don't know about Maui though but I hope to vacation there this comeing December 2006 and find out.

The Toni Polancy book is generally thought of as a joke here. It is SOOOO outdated and unrealistic. I have lived here six years and am staying here, but you really do have to have a reality check when you come here. There are SOOOO many people who come here with the attitude of "oh, gee whiz, who cares, we are in HAWAIII!!! who end up leaving after a year or two.

Honestly, you have to come here with MONEY, and an attitude that things are going to cost WAY more than you thought.

The weather is great...LOL.

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Specializes in ICU.

I moved here permanently in September 2005 after Hurricane Katrina destroyed my hometown of Biloxi. Oahu is so beautiful and the people are incredibly friendly. It is the coolest fusion of Polynesian-Asian cultures and a very hip, exciting place to live. I work sometimes at Queens hospital and love it! It's the best hospital I've ever worked in (been a RN 12 years). If you like to experiment with delicious new foods, ahi poke and poi are great. I can tell you I went back to the Mainland to see how my friends fared after the horrible storm, and they are bankrupt, homeless and depressed. I wish I could set up an "Oahu" fund for them to allow them a trip here to see the colours and beauty of the people, cultures, and nature of the Island. Sorry for the long message, it's just so easy to appreciate paradise when you've been through hell. Mahalo.

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So, what is the joke about the book exactly? Whats the core of it you think is totally unrealistic? Whats the biggest misconception you think everyone has about Hawaii?

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Specializes in Critical Care.
I moved here permanently in September 2005 after Hurricane Katrina destroyed my hometown of Biloxi. Oahu is so beautiful and the people are incredibly friendly. It is the coolest fusion of Polynesian-Asian cultures and a very hip, exciting place to live. I work sometimes at Queens hospital and love it! It's the best hospital I've ever worked in (been a RN 12 years). If you like to experiment with delicious new foods, ahi poke and poi are great. I can tell you I went back to the Mainland to see how my friends fared after the horrible storm, and they are bankrupt, homeless and depressed. I wish I could set up an "Oahu" fund for them to allow them a trip here to see the colours and beauty of the people, cultures, and nature of the Island. Sorry for the long message, it's just so easy to appreciate paradise when you've been through hell. Mahalo.

Welcome! Sounds like you really love it here! We need good nurses---hope you decide to stay!

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I'm very wet behind the ears but I'm curious about what it would be like to work in Hawaii. If this book is pretty much a joke, do you have any idea where i could find out more information?

I guess my biggest question is.. it's expensive, right? I'm just wondering if living in a place like Japan compares (I spent a year there and it wasn't too cheap.

Thanks for your time! ;)

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If you lived in Japan then Hawaii cost of housing should not scare you to much. It is the biggest shock to mainlanders because they are use to reasonable housing prices, expect for New York and Califorina people.:) My friend lived in Japan and it was nuts how much it cost to live there. Lived in a very small studio but loved the atomospher of Japan. If your happy living in a smaller place for big bucks then this should be no problem. I look at it as a trade off...yeah I am losing my big Arizona home for something half its size but I am gaining the beach, ocean, jungle, awesome wheather and the best views around! The hard part I think for me and my family is adjusting to the culture. We are only exposed to mexican culture and are use to being the majority. So, being around many other cultures and dealing with obivous and not so obivous prejudice is a little out of our league. I am up for that challenge though and hope it makes me a stronger person and my kids stronger.

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I got that book too...it does seem outdated...I love hearing the input from the people who actually live there.

I have friends on Maui, who were originally from LA, so I get to hear the good and bads of island living. I lived in ST. Croix, USVI for a few years, so understand the high cost of living, the predjudice, etc, but know the beauty, peacefulness and love of watersports can far outweigh the bad...Only reason left the island is because Hubby had some medical problems and Texas had the better medical facilities.

The make or break living on an island... really comes down to what your willing to put up with and how down to earth you can live...We had people who left St. Croix just because they didn't have malls and they couldn't drive far....OMG...I'm trying to get away from all of that. LOL Although, I still freak on the housing prices since I grew up in Texas and where I live in SE Texas had the cheapest cost of living around. Hubby and I still want to move to Maui before we die. LOL I just want to get some nursing experience under my belt... and save up some cash.

So good luck on your move...I wish you the best..

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