Like I mentioned in my community post, it's been a long week. 😂 I want to thank the individual for allowing me to share this email with all of you. I think the individual brought up some great points and it's great to learn about perspectives outside of Hawaii about Hawaii. Sometimes we can get defensive when people talk negatively about where we come from. And for Hawaii people, it sometimes hits rather personally because we have so much pride in where we come from. Hope you enjoy this video. Again, really appreciate the individual for allowing me to share their findings. 🤙
NOT at all certain why, or how, I missed this wonderful video. Chris, I will only ever seen your lovely state as a tourist does. That is not all bad, of course. But, I want to know what was HARD for you growing up in Hawaii: The bugs, the housing, crowded homes, the fights, the absence of aloha spirit in some of the Mokes, and other downers that make growing up in a tourists' paradise pretty much like growing up anywhere else, actually. What was school like for you? Did you grow up fighting? Were you ever bullied in school? What is having your home "tented" like? What stores on the mainland did you always miss, and do you continue to miss? Do you surf? How do you do battle with cane spiders and 'roaches? Y'know like that.
I only saw half of it, but dont forget the higher gas price too. Also, if nature is the only reason you want to move to Hawaii-- you might find equally nice place at the affordable price elsewhere. However, to me it is the culture. I am an Eastasian, i grew up in Korea. I received most of my highest eduation in the States ( BA and MA) in America-- but still i get intimidated culturally, liguistically, and do receive occasional raicism in the mainland-- especially during this Covid Era. In Hawaii-- i am most comfortable! I can totally be myself and melt into the local community. Also, my mixed racial baby is so proud of her heritage (both dad's and mommy's) and respects all the diverse cultural backgrounds of her friends! This is a fantastic place to raise globally concious futuristic kids.(fyi, my 8-years-old is pretty much still color blind ;)) I wouldnt be able to provide that to my kid in the mainland. She will just be a minority there. Here, she is the same with everyone: diverse.!
This is also one of the reasons my family keeps working to stay living here, we are from Mexican descent, but here that has never mattered compared to mainland. To us, this is the best place to raise our kids and we can see the difference from when we lived in mainland, our kids are much happier and so are we!!
@@bigmike1850 strong parents raise strong kids. Thier influences can steer their kids in the right direction and overcome any obstacles. I worry more for those that only talk about doom and gloom.
This is exactly why I want my family to move back to HI someday. We’re a minority mixed family and HI has been the only place where we did not feel like outsiders.
WHERE on the mainland were you living to feel like outsider? I grew up on BI and took after haole part of family. I was treated pretty damn bad compared to my brown skin or Asian cousins. Road goes both ways.
I just moved here the end of last year. The weather alone would be enough for me. It rained everyday for 9 months out of the year where i came from. I focus on the positives of living here. But all your points are fair. Mahalo.
I moved here just before the covid shutdown so over 2 years now. Everyday I am amazed by the beauty of the island of Oahu on the Windward side and feel so fortunate to live here.
I grew up in Hawaii and have been fortunate to go to college (bachelors and masters) all paid for by the DoD. I left Hawaii after graduating highschool 20 years ago, I still consider it home because I have a huge extended family that still live there. Without going into a diatribe, I will succinctly say thst greed over the years has destroyed Hawaii. Not by the locals, but greed from outsiders. One example is from something from my experience thst continues to enraged me to this day when I think about it. I came back to Hawaii 5 years ago to take care of my father's funeral. On the last day I was there I traveled alone to a beach that my father used to take us to all the time. To my surprise I got stopped from going in the water by some haole (foreigner) who had a French accent and told me I couldn't go in the water unless I rented a board from him for a price of $75 for a couple of hours. I saw that most of the people in the water had a neon green rash guard. The local boy in me wanted to "get nuts" on this guy because how appalling this was. This is a public beach that I used to frequent as a kid but now is only open to fee-paying tourists. Of course this wasn't right and this guy was out of line. I did give him a piece of my mind but didn't escalate it any further out of respect to my dad and what I had just gone through in that week. I was discouraged to find that this was commonplace and that there were these propped up "learn-to-surf" shacks all over the island. It's a shame that these outsiders are stopping local people from using the public beach. I haven't been back there since but the next time I go there I'm definitely going to go back to these places and see if these businesses are still there. I would just hate to think that local kids are being turned away so that some outsider can make a quick buck from tourists.
Mahalo for sharing. I haven't seen anything like that at the beaches, but if it's happening, that's bad. Hawaii is changing and I hope the next time you visit, it hasn't changed to a point of no return from the good ol' days. 🤙
I was stuck cooking and washing dishes in Hawaii for 10 years. While i was doing that, went to UH, got my degree in Computer Science. I move to Washington in 2007 after i got my degree. Working 15 years for Boeing now making 6 figures. You just cant get an opportunity like that in Hawaii. Sad, but that's how it is there. I miss Hawaii but i will never move back there.
Yup. Computer Tech field pays much lower than West Coast. Closest is working for Fed, which is better paying and a little more stability than private sometimes. It depends on the benefits and demands of the position.
Great video - I've enjoyed many of your videos and appreciate the effort and thoughtfulness you put into each one. I'd like to share my thoughts, but feel context is important: I lived on Maui for 9 months last year. I had/have a good job paying a very reasonable wage in the sense that I didn't struggle to pay the $1900 rent on my little apartment in Kihei. My work quite frequently took me to Oahu, Hawaii, and Kauai. I lived on a small island (1/3 the size of Maui) in Vietnam from 2016-2018. I have traveled extensively across SE Asia and through many places in Europe. I am now in Denver working for the same company in a different role. The 4 islands I experienced were beautiful. I'm a diver and enjoyed diving on Maui and the Big island. The weather is fantastic and I never wore anything other than shorts. Being greeted by a rainbow multiple times per week never got old. Now, on to the critical points. The costs have been well covered. I would go a step further and say the value of what you get (natural beauty, etc.) versus the cost is the worst of anywhere I've ever been. There are equally beautiful places throughout SE Asia that cost a small fraction of Hawaii. And that brings me to culture. I heard so much about Hawaiian culture before I moved there. I read Michener's "Hawaii" to get a little historical (albeit fictionalized) perspective. I am very culturally curious and literate and actively seek out people/experiences/places to expand my knowledge. Throughout the 4 islands I worked and lived on, I never saw or felt anything I thought was "oh, wow - look at that magnificent Hawaiian culture". Maybe I'm a bit jaded by my experiences in so many Asian cultures far from tourist areas, but from what I saw it felt little more culturally unique than going to Little Saigon in Orange County, CA or Little Italy in NY. Perhaps I didn't get introduced to the right people or go to the right places. I worked with many people, from 25-55 years old, that were born and raised on the islands. The educational aspect mentioned in the video was very apparent to me. With no disrespect intended, let's just say the public education system in Hawaii is on par with the worst on the mainland (AL, MS, SC, WV, OK). I had no experience with crime, but observed the high levels of homeless. Whether it's Hawaii or Ohio, it's shameful and embarrassing that we have such high rates of homeless in our incredibly wealthy country. But that social failure is, unfortunately, never ending in our country. A few more bright spots to finish up. I never felt any hostility or 'stand offish' attitudes' due to race. But I'm a genuinely friendly and outgoing person and anyone willing to take 5 seconds to speak with me quickly accepts that I'm truly interested in learning about others and helping in any way. The people I met - locals and native Hawaiians alike, matched the kindness of anywhere else I've been in the US. Traffic? Like everything - it's all relative! On a scale of 1-10, with 10 being Bangkok or L.A., Anywhere outside of Oahu was a 3 at its worst, and Oahu barely registered a 5 (and that's really a stretch). So, for those of you complaining about traffic, all I can tell you is that if Hawaii is the worst traffic you ever have to drive through, consider yourself lucky! Mahalo and aloha to the beautiful state for all you shared with me. It was a great experience, and I'd do it all over again, but I look forward to the future and adventures around the world at a much more reasonable cost.
Loved the comment. You've experienced so much and are fair about what some parts are claimed to be terrible. Unfortunately, economics for Hawaii is hard for the younger people to get enthusiastic about the future. Partially, generational, as we think about ourselves at that age, how many was really mapping out the next five to ten years and how to achieve it. The advantages of the tech of this generation in some ways are handicaps them from seeing what parts of the world/country is really dealing with. Time/experience will address that to them individually. The older crowd like us just have to keep mentoring them and help them the best way that we can in order to avoid the pitfalls that we've experienced. Good info. Mahalo.
Thank you for all of your helpful information. Did you have any experience with the Big Island? I have heard it is cheaper than the other islands, but also heard there is a serious theft problem there. Mahalo
I appreciate your comments and I agree with some. I have heard from friends how beautiful SE Asia is, but if it involves living outside of America, that's a deal-breaker for many. In my opinion, 9 months is not enough time to get introduced to the right people or go to all the right places. That takes time and depends on your actions and level of respectfulness, but definitely more time spent in the community. Volunteering and helping the community thrive is what introduces you to the unbelievable culture. The love of land and people is abundant and very welcoming. It's a journey of knowledge worth taking.
I don't think any of these are necessarily invalid points, but they are definitely written by someone who has a surface level of the problems and not the real problems. The real problems being nepotism, government corruption (look at what happened at the State Leg today with English and Ty Cullen, and all the stuff going on with Caldwell), and the crabs in a bucket mentality where everyone is jealous of each other and wants to pull each other down al the time. And just the general anti-progress. Like quick to blame tourists for Covid while throwing 50 local person house parties. And if you're from the mainland but a resident of Hawaii and point out any of the hypocrisies, you're met with a "If you don't like it, go home" instead of actually reflecting on what's wrong and what's keeping Hawaii back. Where we put politicians in office based on what high school they went grad instead of what they're actually doing to help the community. Where we increase taxes every single year and yet our roads still look like we're in a third world country. Nobody wants to actually address the problems because if you do you're ostracized. That's Hawaii's real problem. I'm disheartened every time I see an article from Grassroots Hawaii where they interview someone leaving Hawaii to go move to the mainland and they give their reasons and all the comments are just "good riddance, we didn't want you here anyway" instead of actually listening to the voices of why people are leaving.
@@jameshigginbottom6512 where do the homeless go for help in Honolulu I really need help I was adopted and have been low income my entire life. It isn't easy to get a decent job but I don't have any income which sucks
Thanks for taking these topics heads on. As a family looking to move to Hawaii to see if we can be a net positive, it’s great to learn about the though topics that we will inevitably face as we acclimate. Mahalo 🙏
Yeah….Hawaii is a big mess. One of the reasons I left was the job situation. Finding a decent job (at least on the big island) was near impossible. What people don’t realize is that nepotism and connections make a huge factor in getting a job there. If your uncle works at the state at a decent job, chances that you would get the job perhaps over a More qualified candidate. Also if your family makes decent money, you are more likely to get “help” getting a house , job, etc. For us poor locals guys on our own without help, it’s a slow drowning feeling living there. Hawaii was a great place maybe 30 years ago, today….it’s pretty much a retirement home for rich non locals. The demographic is changing rapidly along with the culture.
Agree on the housing assistance. It's one of the things that I think people don't realize. Wealthy families can help their kids with the down payment and private school tuition.
I got friends that moved over from Oahu to Hawaii island and in-law relatives there. I've heard from a few that it can be tough to get established there but people eventually warm up to you but it's no different on the other islands and so-so on Oahu. Has it changed from pre-1960's Hawaii, probably a small amount. That saying "It's not what you know versus who you know" depends on because we are a island with wide roots here and there, whether community, school or family. Non-locals getting started can be difficult depending on their personalities and actions. If people know you, are friendly/helpful, the communications distance eventually diminishes. There is always some sort of barriers in any location, whether on the islands or elsewhere, it's the choices that we make in dealing with them and it sits inside of us. I've encountered barriers about work getting established, promoted and such in the islands. I was frustrated and not happy, but like the sour lemons, you deal with it. I did what I could to prove myself, worked harder, advanced my knowledge and skills, and when that wasn't good enough, I decided that it wasn't me, that wasn't the problem. It was the environment, so I changed employers. I looked elsewhere and tested myself to see where I stood against others outside of my employer. I found someone willing to give me an opportunity to show what I can do for them and worked hard to prove it. You reset yourself in every change, and always must prove to yourself and others that their faith in you is worth it. My old instructors mentioned, "Change the environment or change the attitude" in dealing with problems. Change management, I thought they called it. It helped to deal with insurmountable perspectives. Good Luck.
I agree with this , my aunt born and raised in Hawaii and her father is Hawaiian , and it helped her get a job and home , especially leaving Hawaii and going back ! She wouldn’t have be able do that without her father and his family !
Love hawaii and locals there. If you are just a visitor then u have to understand the deep culture hawaii is about and the love for the deep roots on the island. I see both sides but much has been taken away from the locals and all we have is each other.. please understand its very different living there versus visiting.
In regards to race relations, I don't know if Hawai'i is really as bad as the author makes it out to be. I can only speak for O'ahu, I've lived here all my life, grew up in Wai'anae (a predominantly hawaiian community), and work for a native hawaiian non-profit. It's very rare to be confronted with non-solicited "social justice" lectures, unless you're literally out there slapping seals or littering on the beach. For god sakes, we're a culture that doesn't even honk our car horns! We're pretty non-confrontational. Not to say that racial prejudices don't exist, and you won't get the rare dummy who wants to mouth off. I'd say for the most part local people are just looking for respect (for themselves and their home) and that respect will be reciprocated.
I hesitated watching this because I'm very tired of hearing how terrible Hawaii is, particularly from people who don't live here. However, I so admire your neutrality and open mindedness with this type of criticism. The letter writer's opinions based on research rather than personal experience show clearly where their values are based. I don't think Hawaii's true essence can be described through numerical analysis. What makes Hawaii uniquely appealing can't be measured that way. It's just very personal and different for everyone. I don't even know if that can be understood unless you've lived here and perhaps other places. Your handling of these negative points about your home and your future is an example of one of the best parts of Hawaii. It's culture and tolerance; it's aloha in action. Mahalo again for keeping the discussion real for those who may not want to live with an aloha attitude.
Mahalo for the comment. I admire the writer of the email because they researched a lot before coming to a decision on what was best for their life. I find the discussion of whether people who aren't from Hawaii can talk about how bad Hawaii is a very interesting one. Maybe a topic for another video.
Hello Great video very honest. I have been thinking of retiring in oahu. I live in Los Angeles, and also been researching living there. As for housing the prices are comparable to Los Angeles but in Hawaii you get 50% less square footage for same price. The other thing no one mentioned crime in Oahu , I watch Hawaii local TV broadcasts and on Oahu they always there seems, there are shootings, stabbing, children go missing, corrupt politicians and police. And also their is a major drinking water contamination problem. My point is that people I know who live in Hawaii they only focus positive things and not what is actually is going on.
Unfortunately, crime is a part of what goes on here. I see it highlighted on the news a lot too. It's one of the things that's tough to see, especially because we're supposed to be the Aloha State.
I don't think crime is as bad as you may think. Hawaii doesn't have that much news to fill the 1/2 hour or an hour broadcast. There aren't that many shootings because there are not a lot of guns, so not sure where the shootings come from. Los Angeles doesn't have a lot of crime in their news, unless it's big or unique. There is just more things the news can cover. I can agree with the corrupt politicians and police, even though many people have relatives that are politicians and police.
@R Age well almost daily a shooting or stabbing is being reported on the local news. Unless you watch the local news stations in Hawaii you would never know it is happening. Most people think it is a tranquil place myself included. But when watching the local news I was shocked at first about the violence and the corruption that was being reported.
@@rickagulia3767 that why you want to retire on the Big Island! Way more affordable and the people have tons of aloha! Everyone just waves and 🤙🏼 at you even if they don’t know you.
Having lived in Las Vegas for the past 3 decades , I have born witness to so many people from Hawaii moving into the valley , hang out at the Hotel California in the downtown area , full of Hawaiian tourists , but also a lot of locals who have moved from their home State , I've met some really nice people from Hawaii over the years , actually saddens me that they can no longer afford to live in Hawaii , but I do enjoy that they have brought with them their Hawaiian spirit , and of course sharing with us all their wonderful culture and food , I've been eating at Aloha Specialties at the Hotel California since the 90s , always good eats , never been to Hawaii myself , just grateful so many native Hawaiians have made Las Vegas their home over the years , take care Hawaii , wishing you all the best , Peace
As a former Hawai'i resident now in Las Vegas I've been going to the Cal since the mid 90s, but my time there have become less and less in recent years. As great a place as The Cal is/was, sadly they don't cater to and shun the Hawai'i Locals who live on the 9th Island. Majority of the Cal are Hawai'i tourist. Boyd only cares about the tourist's money. Many 9th Islanders have found other hangouts that welcome Las Vegas locals.
I think this video was very interesting & good to hear this from someone who’s not a local. I agreed with most of what was said but I know I can’t & won’t live any place else. Hawaii is my home & its a beautiful place! Thanks for sharing!
That race complaint was a very broad brush stroke of generalization. As someone who has been blessed enough to travel and lived abroad and on the mainland, what they spoke about exists everywhere!! It's not unique to Hawai'i. As my tutu wahine would say, be humble, be kind(give and share) and be quiet(meaning: listen, no talk too much) and you'll be fine no matter where you go in the world. I have haole friends who move here and have never had pilikia(trouble) anywhere on the island because they are humble. There will always be the exception at times because there are always assholes no matter where you go. But that goes for anywhere in the world also. It's the attitude you have that makes the difference.
Seriously this. The mainland's got its own counterpart to "mokes" and they're far more vicious than anyone you'd meet in Hawaii. If I had to say it simply, In Hawaii if you're humble they'll leave you alone, on the mainland if you're humble they'll bully you more.
Pui, where’s your mainland that you speak? Is it North America? As a Hawaiian my mainland is all of the Hawaiian islands in the Hawaiian Kingdom. If you are an American then yes, your mainland is on the continent and you are correct. 🤙🏽
But Hawai'i is at least 1/4 white american/mainlander and it's a trip to me to hear such woe about how they are treated in the only state in the union where they are an outsized minority
I grew up in Honolulu, moved mainland, lived all over the country, including Florida. Living in Florida was by the worst state I ever lived in. Too hot, too humid, mediocre food, outside of Cuban food at least, and the worst part, living in Florida meant you had to live amongst people from Florida, who are by far the most selfish group of state residents I’ve ever been around. There is no aloha in Florida. I’ve lived in Los Angeles, Silicon Valley, , Vegas, Oregon, New York, North Carolina, DC, New Mexico, and Texas, oh yeah and that peninsular state, and by far my least favorite place was Florida. Hawaii is choke expensive, but life is so much better here than in Florida.
I agree with you on Florida. I’m born and raised on Oahu. I lived in Florida as well and was so happy to move back home to Hawaii. I had a hard time living in Florida due to being Asian I wasn’t well liked. Only time people changed their attitude towards me when they found out I was from Hawaii. I was more on the dark skin side and always mistaken for Filipino and Mexican. My husband wanted to buy a retirement home in Florida I said hell no lol. Living in Florida really made me appreciate Hawaii more even though cost of living is so high.
@@Islandgirl58 ...I've never been to FL. My Filipina/American friend moved to Ft. Myers 4 years ago from San Diego and says she loves it and sooo much cheaper than SD.
I grew up in Daytona Beach, Florida. I have lived in Georgia, Wyoming, and now Texas. I never been to Hawaii, but growing up in a resort city I agree with these comments. However, I do Love Texas, with the people that live in this state, the jobs available, and the relatively low cost of living.
I love your responses in this video. They were realistic, not too optimistic or pessimistic. I am tired of both sides, maybe a little more on the latter. People were kind of taking things for granted and nowhere on Earth is really perfect for them. Our lives here are somewhat the best in the world. I would say that, comparatively, our life quality is at the top 5% of world population (8 billions). If these were not good enough, I wonder how could the other 95% survive?
great points! I lived on O'ahu for 10 years and it was hell some times, heaven other times. It was really difficult, however after being stuck on the mainland for 2 years because of the pandemic (and a series of personal unfortunate events) I honestly can't wait to go back. For some of us it will just be worth it for a series of reasons that may not logically line up with all the problems. But for me, connecting with the culture of my grandparents that I didn't get to grow up with is so much more fulfilling than living in Hawaiʻi is draining. Most of the time lol.
all i know is i don't plan on leaving my home, I might work occasionally on the mainland but my home is Maui, I don't care about opinions, protests, nor the color of your skin but it's the strength of your character that matters most. Here in Hawaii everyone gets made fun of so you learn quickly to develop thicker skin, it's a weird way that Hawaii people keep each other in check i guess but it's not like we're lacking in the idiot department especially those who walk around with a massive chip on their shoulder thinking they're special or the ones who chant about problems but don't do anything to help remedy them or even worse make more of them. I did what I could and it was for nothing, as a native I'm tired of my people living and fighting for the past, they talk about community and fellowship but the minute someone stops to think differently they get shunned. learn from the past, work for the future, but live for today. I have no shame in the things I say especially after getting screwed over by my own, I have no native connections, never had any nepotistic job offers, or any kokua handouts. I know what I want and I've always worked for it, my papa was the same way and if there's anything i know he would've been proud of it's that i didn't let some aunteh or unko on TV with their mob or our local government and their statistics dictate how I move through life to build my own future. I know for fact I'm not the only one who thinks like this way.
My sister and I were having this same conversation yesterday. Many of the problems Hawaii has now are the same ones they had when I left 30 years ago. There doesn't seem to be the will to solve them or they are seen as not problems at all. Now I am only talking about Oahu. I have no idea what it's like on the neighbor islands. Infrastructure: I was appalled at the state of the roads when we took a ride out to Haleiwa. I've driven on forest service roads that are better. The amount of trash in the town itself was really sad. It used to be a special place that I took my children to restaurants...Pizza Bob's! As for the schools...my children all started out in public schools because I do believe in public education. There were some wonderful teachers and a lot of really awful teachers. It also turned out to not be a safe place for my children. So I forked over the cash for private education as long as I could. I hated to do it. It is sad to still hear the same complaints about a state that is so beautiful, diverse, and full of potential. I feel really blessed to have been born and raised there and that I was able to raise my children there. All those children now live on the mainland. Sigh. Mahalo for all your thoughtful observations.
When I talked to my dad about these issues, he also felt that these are the same problems we've had since he was younger. Are these just universal problems or just sticky to Hawaii?
When a 2 bedroom apartment in Waipahu cost over $2400 a month, I'd say that is pretty expensive. Not as bad as California, but then again, pay in Hawaii is much, much lower. Jacking up the minimum wage is NOT going to solve the problem, but make the rent even higher. My pay here in California was twice as much for the same job there in Hawaii. I'm retired comfortably, and have paid off my 2400 sq ft home in a gated community. I dread even vacationing there because of the traffic and the crowds. I grew up in Ewa Beach and lived in Hawaii for about 28 years. I can honestly say, IT AIN'T THE SAME.
Waipahu's not only close to Pearl Harbor so, gov't jobs but also the new developments going out to Waianae side. So there may be a reason the prices are that high.
So happy to watch and listen someone who can relate to what locals struggle with on a daily basis. Itʻs one thing to remain positive and optimistic but that getʻs old. Hawaii is being gentrified insidiously….
Enjoy your channel. I moved to Hawaii 8yrs ago. First living in Big Island for 3 years (Loved it!!!) and now in Oahu for almost 5yrs. I did appreciate living in Kailua, Oahu right off the beach during the pandemic but now that things are going "back to normal" I'm ready to leave. I've dealt with micro-aggressions, prejudice and racial discrimination in Oahu that I've never had to face before. It's effected me in a profound way. I've always been able to make friends anywhere I go but not in Oahu. I think Oahu is great for Asians, military and mid westerners but not for others people. I'm weighing my options to leave this summer, it's a hard decision because of the beauty of Hawaii but I don't see a future here in Oahu. Also feel for the native Hawaiian people being priced out of their own land, most living in multi generational homes or even homeless. 😢
Mahalo for sharing your experience. Oahu is definitely different than the Big Island. Just a lot faster pace of life. Hope you figure out your moving situation. Big decision.
I remember Hawaii when you could just drive to Hanauma Bay, park, and walk down to the beach without having to see a video. When there was just a two-lane highway in and out of Ewa Beach with no traffic, and only one light in town. Ewa Beach was surrounded by cane fields, and you could walk or ride your bike anywhere. I used to ride my bike through the cane fields to go shop at the Exchange on Barber's Point NAS. Things were so quiet, and peaceful. It was still even pretty nice when we were stationed at Hickam AFB in the 80's and early 90's. And I don't even remember sitting in traffic much. My how things have changed.
My siblings and I go back home to visit other sibling. I see Hawaii deteriorating and it's sad. I have listened to what your viewers have to say, where are or what are the solutions? Mahalo.
More people should read this so they can think about NOT moving here. They love the islands but the first things they want to do is change it. We like thimgs the way they are and do what we have to do to live here, we manage just fine.
My GF always wants to move there but I feel like the last thing Hawaii needs is another mainlander moving in, worsening the housing situation and further diluting the culture. I personally can't see Hawaii staying Hawaii if more of us move there while more locals move away. Love your channel, BTW!
Mahalo for the comment. I made a video about feeling bad about moving to Hawaii. I don't think people moving here is a bad thing, although it's complicated for some. Lots of mixed emotions as cost of living continues to rise.
@@user-sg8kq7ii3y it was actually 1896 when the illegal occupation occurred… prior to that Hawaii was a well established democratic monarchy with its own government and recognition as an equal nation state of the world… a lot of things that we were NOT taught growing up here in Hawaii… because we would have been aware of the fact that Hawaii was illegally taken and that we were and till this day, not part of America…🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽
I was there for two weeks a few weeks ago. It was my 15th vacation there so I obviously love it. I did notice that the food was quite high this time . I get it , COVID. We would move to Hawaii in a heartbeat, but value our retirement fund and 💯 will last longer on the mainland. Being an island is always going to be more money. Shipping is getting more and more . People really need to take all of that into consideration. I’ll continue to come to the islands each year, they hold a very special place in my heart.
COVID was all but another natural disaster after which raising prices is deemed gouging yet why has no one screamed bloody murder over the blatant gouging going on still??? And because people refuse to stop paying for and buying everything for long enough to teach themselves at least, this lesson is loko!
I just came back from a trip to the islands. I'm doing homework to see if the islands might be a place we could consider for semi-retirement. The letter you share articulated many of my observations. I'm Asian American, so hopefully the racial issues won't apply to me as much. In fact, that's one of the reasons I'm considering Hawaii because a majority of the people look more like me. Hawaii is to me Idaho and Montana are to white folk moving there.
We lived in Hawaii 26 years ago and we left because of most of the problems listed. I’m thrilled that there is now a new mass transit system which should benefit everyone. On the other hand, I’ve heard that the homeless issue has gotten so much more controversial . I imagine the pandemic has had a hard impact on Hawaii. We are visiting Hawaii this winter for the first time in over 20 years so look forward to seeing the changes. I loved your honest assessment!
This was an interesting video for me. I moved to New Zealand over 15 years ago from the US. And like Hawaii, it has a strong Polynesian culture and great natural beauty. However, there are lots of issues that would definitely make quite a few people pause when considering a move here. The basic point is: there’s no “perfect” place. There’s just the place where you personally want to live the most, faults and all.
The maturity of your channel has grown leaps and bounds. Good on you. Be very proud! If nepotism is an issue in favor for locals, being a resident for 13 of Hawaii in early 70’s originally from Illinois, I support it. People who don’t understand the steal and displacing family from their homes, need to remain on the mainland. I only left to escape with my two children, a local white male of privilege that was physically and psychologically abusive. I loved everything about the islands. It’s above my pay level as a senior, so returning to reside will only be in spirit. Hawaii and the local people who embraced me will forever live in my heart. I do return in my dreams. 🎉
It’s true. Hawaii has so many opportunities to improve and change. And I believe you along with your channel can be a catalyst for a new narrative for Hawaii. I’m loving your channel more and more. Keep going!
I think sometimes people are looking for perfection and honestly, a lot of these issues are faced by quite a few states in the U.S. Maybe some issues not to the extent that Hawaii is facing, but they are happening. I live in Oklahoma and comparatively, we have affordable housing here, but all the time I see and hear the response, "Yeah, but it's in Oklahoma." Admittedly, some of it is warranted. We have cringe politicians trying to keep the state in the dark ages and that's what seems to get the most attention with national and international media. People seem surprised when they visit to see what's here because if all they know of the state is from the media then I can see how they'd be very skeptical. I will add the caveat that most of this pertains to the Oklahoma City and Tulsa metro areas. Outside of those it gets iffy in the rural areas, but that's most states. The rural areas in most states aren't going to have as many opportunities and services. All that to say that yes, some of these issues are unique to the state, but also some are indicative of larger systemic issues in the country as a whole.
I get what you're trying to say, but trying to compare Oklahoma to Hawaii is like comparing apples to oranges. For starters, let's just talk about the MEDIAN price of a single family home in Hawaii. It's currently over $1,000,000. What many people outside of Hawaii do not realize is that this $1,000,000 that you spend on a home WILL NOT buy you a nice home in Hawaii. In Hawaii, $1,000,000 will NOT buy you a 5-bedroom, ocean front home. It will more often buy you a 50 or 60-year old 3-bedroom, single-wall, 1500 sq ft home, with a history of termites, in need of extensive remodeling and electrical repair, in a middle class neighborhood. And being "middle class" in Hawaii means that you are STRUGGLING. Being "middle class" in Hawaii means that you don't make enough money to be financially secure, yet you make slightly too much money to not be able to qualify for government assistance and free medical insurance. The middle class in Hawaii are the group of people who pay for nearly everything, but who don't really get to enjoy all that they're paying for simply because they are constantly working and trying to keep their heads above water. I've actually known a good number of people who were considered middle class in Hawaii, to actually request to their bosses to put them from full-time work to part-time work just so their income would drop enough to allow them to qualify for the plethora of government assistance available to those who meet income guidelines. In many parts of the United States, a married couple can work as cashiers at Walmart and still buy or rent a decent home. In Hawaii, two cashiers at Walmart would be guarantee be on government assistance, would have to live in government-sponsored housing if they are lucky enough to find a place, and they would have NO HOPE of EVER buying their own place. If there's no government assistance available, and if they don't have family in Hawaii who is willing to take them in, then they'll be homeless. And, yes, there are homeless in Hawaii who have jobs. But Hawaii has one of the most expensive cost of livings in the nation, yet has one of the lowest wages in the nation. So Hawaii is very different from Oklahoma.
@@user-sg8kq7ii3y I get what you're saying. I'm not saying both places are the exact same. Hawaii is on the extreme end of what's happening or starting to happen a lot of places. Yeah, Oklahoma has a low cost of living, but the minimum wage here is $7.25/hour and it's been that rate since 2008. Two cashiers at Walmart here wouldn't be able to buy a home. I work in higher education full time and if I weren't married, home ownership would be out of my reach and I make over minimum wage. As it was, my husband had already been living in the house for quite some time alone and I moved in when we got married. There are working homeless people here too. All that to say there seems to be fewer and fewer affordable places that aren't very remote/rural. When did it start to get this extreme in Hawaii and why do you think things weren't reined in because I'm thinking the powers that be could see it would go in the direction it did?
@@jenanalleman6285 ' The powers that be ' in Hawaii like the politicians are paid by strong wealthy donors/influencers. I truly believe in 20 years only rich people will afford Hawaii. The governments unofficial attitude is, ' if you cannot afford Hawaii, beat it '. The politicians have done nothing to mitigate the rising hiigh costs of living. Look at housing, unless you inherit your house from parents, grandparents, or some relative, whom bought the property way back in the 1950's, 60's, 70's, and 80's, your shit out of luck. Only a few can make it. With what few government assisted ' affordable housing ' programs are available by lottery, is a cruel joke in itself to qualify. I was raised here, born 1961, so i seen the changes or business as usual (no changes). Greed and money wins all the time. A telling evidence that the state politicians no give a shit about homeless is way back in the 70's, was probably the last State low income housing project was built. Today, the no increase in low income housing units available to a population that has significantly increased has resulted in a very long waiting list and further encourages homelessness. I will agree, to make it in Hawaiii, you either rich or poor. Work hard will seem like you spinning tires and not going forward, and easily slipping backwards.So be careful.
Lol@lidat.I left after High School and I still remember in school when the poor teacher would be from the mainland and having to pronounce our names during roll call lol Thank you for a great video I think it is a mess wherever you go but, we just have to think positive and keep pushing for a better tomorrow❤🙏
I think the letter brings some points however with a lot of exaggeration. Lots of truth however. I think the big mistake people who move to Hawaii make is comparing living somewhere with vacationing somewhere. People always say it must be so great to live in Hawaii going to the beach all the time… I tell them that people who live there have to go to work, raise families, maintain your house. It’s not a life long vacation. I love Hawaii and understand it has a lot of challenges but it is still the most wonderful lace on earth. Very entertaining letter though. 😃
I think sometimes we forget that life in Hawai'i in the past was different then modern life today. Hawai'i has always been a little more expensive since statehood when compared to the mainland. But imagine in the 60s- the start of the 70s the average cost of a single family home was $85,612!!!! Same aina back then as today. Remember leaving doors unlocked or leaving your keiki to play while shopping and coming back and they ok? Remember having more time? Is this paradise? Lets not forget that we lived this way back then. So it was possible? Why and how could we? Not saying we didn't have issues back then. We did. Just different kine. I think we need to bring the reality of the past and how we lived it in discussions today. Focusing on the cultural changes on the islands.
@@brentsnyder5564 Agreed. I grew up in Kealakekua and we never locked our doors growing up. Also, just had to be in before dark. I love reminiscing about the past but, times change.
@@chasethe808 I agree Chase. Be patient with my response ok. My intentions are good here. Times do change but sometimes things never change. Look at Oahu as an example. We hear the word progress to justify major change. However progress often means to move forward. What we are seeing is not a move forward to something new on Oahu in a local or international, Hawai'i way. What we are really seeing is a replacement of one peoples old for another peoples old. I believe the western term for this is called gentrafication? Now don't get me wrong here ok. Modernisation is not the problem or even having a balance of international business here or culture. Hawai'is culture was build on this delicate ballance of cultures.It brought wonderful things. Today this balance of cultures has been lost. We see this in our unique social issues today and that never in history has more locals or indigenous hawaiians are lived off island then today. Even local generational business is becoming lost.. What would true progress or even moving forward would look like understanding our traditional local island culture and its values?
But the continental United States is growing as well and parts of it aren't the same as it used to be. Given that Hawaii isn't what it used to be for those that live here in the 50's - 60's -70's - 80's - 90's, neither are parts of mainland as well. Just as much crowded and built up. Crime, traffic, crowds, congestion, air pollution, trash. It has changes of weather, if you enjoy the changes. It has lots of everything if you need everything. It also has more climate change problems, hotter/dryer weather, shortage of water, colder/wetter periods. More floods, fires, earthquakes, tornados and hurricanes, colder winters. Some of us as we get older find life can be as good doing with less.
@@brentsnyder5564 ....my friend told me in the late 1960s her parents bought a small new house in San Diego near Miramar Air Base for $36,000. So looks like Hawaii has been more expensive than CA for awhile.
One word “RETIREMENT “..No Driving..No Schooling”…No Working. Just learn to respect, live happily. (Of course I’m speaking for myself). Think positive live positive 😊🤟
My wife's family is from Hawaii so we usually go often, In fact we just got back from a trip to Oahu last week. Each time I go I fantasize about moving there because it is just so beautiful. However, each time I seriously look at the prospect, it looks worse and worse each year. I feel like its only feasible for people who can afford to retire there because you don't have to commute and you don't need the public school system to educate your children. Do I think the COL in HI is unreasonable? No, I agree you guys haven't gotten there yet. I do think y'all are damn close tho. I fear what happens when the average Hawaiian can no longer afford the average rent even with multiple generations living under one roof. Many already have this problem. That email is pretty spot on about how I feel about Hawaii as an outsider. I know our opinion doesn't matter as much but its still valid. I love Hawaii. I think it's an unique special place with unique special problems, but if any mainlander seriously considers moving Hawaii they would would come to the same conclusion. It currently isn't ethically nor economically feasible to do so. For now I'll stick to being a responsible tourist who picks up trash and supports local business's.
I thought this was a fantastic discussion! Enjoyed many of the comments too. I've loved Hawaii all my life. I kept my 'thing' for Hawaii a big secret for years. Couldn't talk about it with anyone. Now all I do is talk about it. Couldn't make a living there as a young adult. But a well-compensated professional job on the mainland makes it easy for me to support a daughter there, now. It's a vicarious sort of thing. It amuses me that it takes two people for one person to live there. 😆🤔
Your daughter is very privileged then to be having her daddy underwrite living in Hawai'i. It's people like this and those with second homes who are the root of the issue.
I have been coming to HI since the 80’s. We owned property on Oahu & BI since 1970. At first we focused on ‘tourist’ things. Over the years we changed to really learning from the locals. There are many subcultures to learn about. Now, we actually have a place on the BI. There is even more to learn to be able to understand living there. The learning curve is real. We still love Hawaii and love living there.
I am on the mainland and thinking about investing in a rental in Maui, so I am contributing to the problem! I can't make the math work so far, and waiting for the real estate market to be a bit lower, as taxes and fees are so high in Hawaii:). I agree with you 100% about the cost of living compared to other places like Florida, SF or NY, especially for the locals.
I live in SF and the cost of living here is more, a lot more! Studio's start at 2K+ unless you want to live in a high crime area, where there are drugs and prostitution, then it's $1800. 1BD averages $3400+ and 2BD averages $4500+. If you want to live in a nicer, more popular area 1BD is between $3600-$4300! Not to mention, traffic is terrible, parking horrible, crime is everywhere, rampant homelessness, food & services are expensive, gas prices are the highest in the nation, and landlords demand that your income is 3x the rent! I don't know where you're getting your information, but it's inaccurate.
The writer clearly done some research on pros and cons of living in Hawaii. However, I do think there are a lot of exaggerations of the reasons why Hawaii isn’t the place for him. Almost feel like because he can’t afford to live there, he has to give a list of reasons why Hawaii sucks for him. The whole thing feels like a somewhat researched rant. Basically the guy would like to live in Hawaii but it has to be this and that to suit his needs. Otherwise it’s a no go and it’s Hawaii’s fault. There are definitely problems with living in Hawaii but there are problems living in California, Florida, Texas, New York, etc.. There will always be problems in every state of the union. It’s really more about going to a place with an open mind and go with the flow. If you want things your way, you will never be happy no matter whichever state you go to. I for one likes to retire in Oahu someday. I will first rent a place for at least six months to see if I can adjust myself to Hawaiian lifestyle. I think the trick to live in Hawaii is only move there if you don’t need to look for a job there. Money is one way to put space between you and any unpleasantness. This is not just for Hawaii but for any place you want to live. I find people who complaints a lot says a lot more about them than the subject they are complaining about.
Comparison with Florida… but you gotta actually live in Florida. Apples and oranges. Personally, I don’t think it’s a fair comparison. But I also don’t have an opinion on a better comp.
I know that outsiders are ruining Hawai’i in many ways, but I’d think this is a topic we can all relate to as we see it happening to many states. I do not mean to belittle what has happened to the beautiful native Hawai’ian people in any way and my heart goes out to them. Rather, we see many cities/states that were once “great” being overrun by many people from states like California and New York who bring in their issues. They ruin them and it’s frustrating!
I own my home in town and I just retired. Tax is not outrageous for me. Social security is not taxed, pension is not taxed, property tax is incredibly low with generous exemption and home insurance is relatively cheap. Gas is expensive but I just fill up once every ten days since I don't have long commute. Grocery is expensive, can't help. There are three hospitals within 10 minutes drive from my home. Airport is within 15 minutes. Crime is on the rise but still better than Florida.
Aloha I too was born and raised on the Big island and been living on the mainland.remember something the islands can only sustain so much growth at any given time and the amount of jobs can only suffice certain amount of job availability and to damper even further issues, the good jobs are even more comparative in a pool of fish that has way more fish then food.the problem is way too many people for the availability of jobs.had it not being for those of us who chose to move rather we like it or not would have devastated the pool of jobs available even further.now 30 years later we can see that the locals are being displaced in their own homeland as others with strong financial resources are able to purchase what few land and housing remains. As always (the money dictates evetything) so sad.my people has been scattered all over the world due to this displacement of my culture,my people and my kingdom.GOD HELP US ALL!!!
I’m just going to address one thing: Public vs. Private School. I’ve always wondered how different our educational system would be if private schools didn’t exist. Image if families and communities put the money they pour into private schools toward better public schools for all children of Hawaii. Utopian thoughts, I guess. Castle grad here, by the way. 🙋🏻♂️
Speaking as someone born and raised in Honolulu that left for the mainland after 34 years I think I can speak to this. Unreasonable? The bottom line for us was our careers were stagnant (like the economy), the cliquish (and racist) nature of business, taxes are ridiculous and housing costs are ridiculous. But the reality is the differential between the cost of living and wages. The "paradise" tax. It would not matter what the costs were if we made a commensurate income -- but we didn't, even with two college degrees. We now visit every year or so, eat all the foods we miss and go beach more than we could when we lived in Honolulu. We don't miss living in Hawaii.
Many of the leasehold properties were converted to fee simple in the 80’s and 90’s. I went to UH Manoa and studied under a number of great electrical engineering and computer science professors who were instrumental in creating the Aloha System which was a network of computers among the UH campuses. Although it used radios for the communications medium this network is the basis for what we now know as Ethernet. The networking protocols developed back then is used in every cellphone today.
I lived in Hawaii off and on during the early 80's and I found the cultures to be comforting, family oriented and friendly. However, being a Haoli, I did find young men did resent a white 30 something woman, but I did learn about the culture and was more accepted. I even was invited to work there. There were jobs then for social workers, consultants, political positions. I would have moved back in a split second from the SF Bay Area if my son had not been born with severe autism. I still dream of going back permanently.
Nikki, you low key make it sound like locals were gratuitously salty because you are caucasian. Now that is not nice to say aboot the host Island. See i don't think any caucasian appreciates the same reverse shady jab. considering you come with abundant mainland resources and you contribute to gentrification . And now you plan on giving your fragile years to Hawai'i when a resourceful fit Caucasian that contributes to indigenous busnesses would have been an actual asset. I cannot believe my ears, for real for real.
I noticed something shady from the government in Hawaii when I was there. It had to do with Airbnb. Their new law about not allowing locals to rent short term anymore. It has to be above 30 day stays. This forces most tourism money to go to the large hotels and less to the people since most people vacation for less then 30 days. Correct me if I'm wrong but that just something I noticed.
That is funny that you mentioned that. I am not from Hawaii but I have been there 3 times since 2015. When I travel I usually prefer to rent a home/condo because I think it helps you to see a little better what life is really like in that place. The last time I went was after they had made this change to the 30 day stay. I managed to get around this with the owner of a place thankfully. The reason I thought this was put into place was because non-Hawaiians were buying up properties to use as rental income leaving less places for the locals to purchase. I think this rule only pertained to right around the Honolulu area but I could be wrong about that. But I can see what you are saying that maybe it was done to funnel people to the hotels where local people work to keep people employed. I guess I can see it both ways.
@@alanfrank1358 To me, it seemed like the big fish (hotels) might of complained that they were losing revenue due to airbnb vrbo etc. When I was there, I was there for 4 months due to work. I called the hotels looking for extended stay prices and they were still sharks with extremely high prices. Like 4-5k a month. They don't even give you a deal on parking. So I was forced to find something on vrbo and that were the locals told me about that over 30 day rule. It just seemed odd to me cause the hotels are in a huge monopoly there. $200 per night stays. While the noticed the locals struggling.
The government is trying doing the same thing with P2P car rentals like Turo. I wasn't going to get into it with my comment but the government in Hawaii seems to have been corrupted by big tourism who don't want their profits eaten into.
I read the comment and it is understandable about the complaint from a non-resident perspective. Maybe thinking about it from a resident perspective. Everyone wants to get a great deal, whether buying a house, value of house, selling a car, buying a car, taking a vacation. A deal means both sides agree that it is a win/win. Now, image if the great deal that one benefits from hurts physically, morally, financially someone that you really care about, is it such a great deal? If by hurting that someone, will they benefit from the great deal? In the case of Airbnb, or P2P, these operations operate on presumption of legitimate business model. Does legitimate mean recognized as legally allowed, licensed, taxed, enforceable? If so, then, if someone rents to you and the location is not what was agreed upon, would you have a complaint and why? If they said it had running water, but you had to draw from a well, and restrooms that turned out to be a outhouse yards from the house in the dark, is that what was advertised? People would complain. Now, imagine if the neighbors of such a location had to put up with a location that was residential neighborhood, but having vacationers disturbing their peace and quiet, taking up street parking and access to the home, leaving trash to blow into their property? If they wanted to live in a vacation area, they would have bought in it. If the neighbors are treated to hordes of strangers showing up in their neighborhood, would they feel safe in their own property? Or tying up the roads/infrastructure of the community with strangers wearing and tearing it down? If those Airbnb are not licensed or paying taxes, who's paying for the upkeep? Think of public rest stops, going in to use the restrooms, if they weren't maintained, cleaned, or repaired, who pays for it. It's the tax dollars which aren't being replenished. There are legitimate places to rent, just more regulated.
@Steve Murphy: Yup. Great for the owner, bad for young couples to afford buying. Plus, like other states, investment buyers coming in from out of the area buying up property over market price, jacking up values, renting them out pricing those families from buying. It artificially inflates property values, then if a recession hits the area, it suddenly deflates the values of the surround properties for rentals and sales, making the residents who thought they had a good nest egg to be hurting financially. Those outside buyers have made a profit renting, then selling when the market starts sliding and dumping before it hits rock bottom, then maybe picking up similar/better properties on owners that need the cash and buying dirt cheap again. If it works for the stock market, it will work for real estate.
My only critique of the email would be based on the comparison to Florida. I agree with the cost-of-living analysis for obvious reasons. Florida is most definitely cheaper, significantly cheaper. However, having grown up in Hawaii and lived in Florida for a sizeable chunk of my adult life in Orlando, the Space Coast, and Miami, the tradeoffs I made when moving back to Hawaii were worth it. Taxes in Hawaii suck; every year, I look at what I paid the state and realize I could take just my state income tax and buy a lovely home in most neighborhoods in Florida. Full disclosure, my wife and I used to want to move back to Florida despite being from Hawaii. We planned to move back once the kids were out of high school here on the islands. That being said, we fly back to Orlando about 2-3 times a year, and every time we go back, we have a more challenging time seeing ourselves trading Enchanted Lake for anywhere in Florida.
19:30 I was a big supporter of Rail. After all the cost over-runs and other problems, I regret my rah-rah attitude in the past. Aloha Stadium is being rebuilt. How much more is it going to cost and how long till it is actually built and ready to use?
Great Video and great letter! I live here now - from the east coast... I agree with a large majority of it. Luckily I love the outdoors. There are a few other issues if you happen to be a home owner and landlord. Or if you like healthy eating. Or nightlife.
I have to move to Hawaii for one year in the Honolulu area, and I have never been to Hawaii, but I am honestly not looking forward to moving there because of the high cost, the heat, the isolating feeling, and the humidity. I have about three months until I have to move there for at least a year.😢
I lived on the Big Island for 30 years and can say that as a resident I always felt that the BI was treated as a poor relation to the “State of Oahu.” Stuff that was top priority if it occurred on Oahu, was treated indifferently by lawmakers at the state level. My classic examples are invasive species such as fire ants, coqui frogs, etc. These were largely ignored by the state until they showed up in Honolulu and then politicians would suddenly say “we don’t want what’s happened to Hawaii Island to happen here” and then immediately throw whatever resources and $$$ were necessary to address it.
I subscribed to your channel because after living there for two years and vacationing there at least 6 or 7 times, I find a lot of what you said is true. It is a wonderful place to vacation, but it is a wonder to me how anyone can afford to live there. I thought of moving there after I retired but quickly abandoned the idea after doing a lot of research. I have never been treated badly by any of the locals, but I know a few who have. For those few, I have tried to explain some of the reasons, which seem to coincide with some of the things you mentioned. What really saddens me is that the very rich seem to be buying up the entire state. Maybe it will become the American version of Montecarlo. All the more reason for the Hawaiian people to fight to hold on to their culture. Just do not ignore progress. It is one of the things that will eventually level the playing field. Become more self-reliant, and diversify the way you grow your own foods. I'll be there in March. Aloha.
This was really informative. A lot of what you went through was really valid. I live in Las Vegas, NV considered the 9th Island 😉. The population in Las Vegas is over 100.000 thousand plus. I have a lot of Friends that moved from Hawaii due to lack of housing etc... I just got back from Maui, and would love to live there I just think its so unobtainable . So glad to hear and listen to a local living in Hawaii 😃. At the very least I will be traveling there , I cant wait to go back to Hawaii its a magical place and you are blessed.
i dont think i could live in hawaii full time either, mostly because i never see bands have concerts in hawaii lol i feel like id have to go to the mainland all the time to go to festivals and concerts
I don't follow you, but I found this video entertaining. I live in New York City and I've worked alongside the greatest finance professionals. Please investigate the Jones Act and the cost it contributes to virtually everything in Hawaii. Cost differentials between Hawaii and California are linked directly to the Jones Act. The great citizens of Hawaii need to become educated about the JA and petition to exclude themselves and Alaska from compliance.
I lived in Honolulu Hawaii for a long time...I fell in love and got pregnant with a locals baby from the North Shore and as a white woman I was treated like trash. I was called Casper the friendly pregnant ghost. I was with the baby's father in a long term relationship however, I faced a lot of racism and the Hawaiians are very resentful towards tourism due to what its done to the island. I love the Island but at some point we had to leave and move to the mainland to be free of judgement.
You're a smart guy and so is your emailer. I lived there 20 years, in "the good ol days", when you could still work and have some free time to go out and party and go to the beach (probably cant do either now). Maybe a bit of a trust fund kid too. I share your videos because the people around me always have this "paradise / easy life" impression of Hawaii. Everything you said there could be summed up in one impression: Hawaii dug itself into a hole where it is reliant on everything from the outside, even as you said "importing the teachers", money for living / roads/ transit, tourism. Everything comes from the outside, with almost zero self-reliance. So you could say Hawaii is one big trust fund case, just on a huge scale. This is also why it always votes blue and as you say is afraid to change anything. I love my aina and I truly wish the best for it, but I am afraid the change (in mentality mostly) that is needed to fix things will either never come or will come difficultly. I truly wish the best for the kama'aina and kanaka.
I was considering moving to Hawaii from Florida, but after intense research I decided I will stay in Florida. I would not be able to buy the type of home I have in Florida in Hawaii for $450-$500K!! I also understand that some homes in Hawaii cannot be insured due to their location near the lava flow (USGS survey.) Most upgrades I have seen in homes do not have permits, hence they are uninsurable or you cannot get a mortgage. The volcano can spit VOG gases and the air quality might be compromised. The cost of living in Hawaii is much higher than in Florida, like gas, groceries, eating out, and other overall expenses. Property taxes are lower in Hawaii, but then they get you with State Tax for IRA contributions (which I do get monthly since I am retired.) No State Tax in Florida at all. Then there is the isolation syndrome in the islands, being far from great Hospitals (I have some health issues), theme parks, shopping malls, etc. And last but not least, the weather in a specific location has its own micro-climate, which can be annoying since you cannot get a home in a consistent climate area. In Florida, what you see is what you get as far as climate- dry and comfortable in the winter and humid/rainy in the rainy season (May-Oct.) I decided to stay in Florida, since I still have my tropical climate, access to great theme parks, lower cost for homes, cars, food, gas. etc. I live inland, in Ocala, so I don't really worry about hurricanes (I prepare anyway, but I never had to evacuate in 30 years since living in Florida.) Hawaii is very beautiful much like California, but after careful research (based on my annual retiree IRA/SS income of $45K), the bang for my buck will go a longer way in Florida than Hawaii. It's all about economics not ergonomics.
If you don't need to live right smack in the middle of Honolulu, venture out west and the rent drops a lot. Literally 10-15 miles away rent is anywhere between $1200-1500 for usually 3 bedrooms.
Also, Welfare/food stamps/WIC once you're at 3-4 kids those will pay your rent, food, doctor etc., you have to work but it can be a minimum-wage job. That's how to raise a family on a minimum-wage job, that's how people do it.
It's interesting to suggest that tourists should speak up about the issues in Hawaii. When I read posts and comments on Reddit or FB about issues in Hawaii, the OP is immediately dogpiled with locals telling them to either leave or never come to Hawaii. I see the same sentiment over and over... "tourists, come visit, leave your money, and leave." The disdain for tourists is pretty extreme here. Heck, I'm pretty annoyed with how busy it gets in the winters, but at the same time it's locals who're usually cutting me off then driving 10 under the speed limit. Honestly, it's pretty absurd to suggest that Hawaii become less 'tourist dependent'. Really, what would that look like? What jobs would people have? Our main 'export' is tourism and I think we'd do well to appreciate the money it brings. The biggest down-side is that much of that money goes to overseas investors and little of it actually does stay in the State/Counties where the money comes in.
The diversification of the Hawaiian economy is a topic that could be discussed more. I think it comes down to not relying on the “natural advantages” of Hawaii like tourism, geographic location, climate,etc. and starting from a blank slate. I personally think the answer lies in tech and entrepreneurship, which requires a huge mindset shift. This is an interconnected issue that requires support from the government as well as people in the community.
People that love it and can see themselves living there and people that have reasons why they can never live here. Both are right. Living is subjective. I know people that have lived in Hawaii and cannot wait to move and people that are sad to go. I have always wondered about people that can live in a paradise but still can find something to complain about. They will never be happy no matter where they live. I have told people it comes down to this. If your're a have to have it kind of person then you may not be the most happy living in Hawaii. Just an observation. Everyone has an idea of what they can and cannot live without. Subjective is the best word to use for Hawaii. 🤙🏽 I really enjoy your content BTW. Very honest outlook on everything and well organized.
Letter is shallow and over reactive. We live in one of the most remote places on earth. Yes, many good points that are based in truth but presented unrealistically. Very good and incredibly fair response. Your response brings credit to the entire topic quite accurately. 👍🤙
When I got the visit Hawaii 9 days with me and my wife it was a beautiful paradise it was sad to see all the homeless people I looked in the living there there's just no way I could afford to live there the jobs didn't pay very well the people were great didn't experience any racism I'll be saving for the next 2 years to come there again I was there in December been wanting to go there by whole life glad I got to make it at least once love your videos please keep making them aloha
Interesting, but it seems your viewer has a very limited experience that they draw from. They seem to be stuck in a conservative feedback loop. "Public schools bad", "high tax rate=government waste", "California is a liberal disaster,", etc, etc. They provide no solutions, just criticism. The Florida comparison is, however, a good one. Florida has major tax revenue from tourism, like Hawaii. Hawaii seems like they haven't spent that tax revenue well. but, the problem is not solved by adopting laissez-faire policies. Actually, they are correct to reference another conservative favorite mentioned by your viewer, Singapore, but for vastly different reasons. Like any successful business, investment is crucial. If you spend your tax revenue on building your resources (people, education, infrastructure, public transit, innovation subsidies ), you will grow the economy and increase your tax revenue.
There are no solutions to Hawaii's problems. With the democrats in charge, the islands will be in decline for all these years to come. Many of Hawaii's children are now moving to the Mainland where the opportunities are a whole lot better. California is a big place, and we decided to live in a more Conservative atmosphere. We could do without the freeway shootings, smash and grabs, Asian assaults, and the rest of the crime that SF and LA's democrat liberals have brought their cities. When your whole purpose is to win elections and nothing more, you don't care how it is done, and you sure don't care about those who voted for you.
@@Jose_Jimenez Uh...aren't a lot of people leaving California? Conservatives love to hold up California as an example of what happens when Democrats are in total control.
CA IS a disaster. The train thievery mess in Lincoln Heights. SF mayor walking right past people shooting up and on the ground in the BART station. LA city officials constantly wanting money for the homeless yet doing nothing with it. Unfriendly business taxes. Pelosi stocking up on $9 ice cream and getting her hair done while we're in lockdown. Garcetti and Newsom-eating mask less at a $200/plate restaurant in the middle of a pandemic while we can't look at each other for fear of contagion-in public photo ops without masks while we have to wear one in public. 405 and 5 freeway traffic. 3 cities with the highest homeless populations. Oh...rent prices.
@@Jose_JimenezJimenez : Comparing the second largest state with much more economic resources, transportation access, education, corporate and communication hubs is not something that is only political party issue. Since agriculture departure which are corporate decisions not based in Hawaii, that left only Tourism and Defense as hubs of economy. Attracting new business investment into an island in the Pacific would not easily be achieved if there were more conservative policies, which existed prior to the 1960's. The solution to Hawaii's problems is everyone's responsibility and not just politicians, as everyone needs to be part of the solution, otherwise, they are just part of the problem. If most of the occupants in the canoe don't paddle, you can't blame the few that paddle.
@Lenny Miyasato I believe the issue with the rail is that Oahu doesnt have a traffic problem or a population problem. It has a development and cultural value problem. The issue is not modernisation. You can have modern buildings, tech etc and not lose who you are or your cultural values. Those in control have developed Oahu based on foreign cultural values that are not inline with traditional island values. So we see the major traffic issues, the boom in population. We also see the loss of the international local culture and displacement of local and indigenous people of Hawai'i.
Traffic is bad, I'm old and I remember traffic being bad on Oahu *40 years ago* lol. Because Hawaii is part of the USA, there's the "religion of the car" where if you don't have a car you're a failure, so there's been less emphasis on public transportation and things like motor scooters and bicycles.
This guy who's writing in to you ... he really needs to consider TONS of other places that have the pluses of Hawaii like tropical weather, relaxed attitude, etc., but are MUCH cheaper, like parts of Florida, the Caribbean, parts of Mexico, and so on. Plus most of the rest of the Pacific. There are the various Pacific Islands some of which are almost part of the US like Guam and American Samoa, and then there's even places like Okinawa, which is like a blend of the best of Hawaii and of Japan. Do some research!
Grandpa moved to Kailua in 1918. Now I think it was to escape the pandemic in New York state. IMAGINE that move?!? So dad was transferred (Hawaiian Tel) to California when the phone co was bought out. Then they moved us to Florida where I grew up and met a certain Mouse King, THEN they moved us to Chicago... oh my... so I moved back to CA when I could, on my way back to Oahu. That was in 1987, because the film biz in Honolulu is so much harder to break into than it is here. But I'm also a home builder, and that almost got me back, but isn't it The Jones Act which contributes to the high cost of goods shipped to US islands? Anyway, I am seriously considering finishing my move and coming home. Maui Strong!!
I believe one of the biggest things we forget in discussions like this is just that. We forget or don't know. We talk about the issues of the modern life on Hawai'i. Yes there are issues. However if we look at history and haven't forgotten? Life and issues on the islands were different. For example, In the 60s-70s on Oahu the average cost of a single family home was $85,612. Same aina, same land as today. Growing up on the islands back then was different also compared to typical mainland living. Even in honolulu back then we could leave our doors unlocked. This would be foolish today. The point of my post is not to bring stink or be negative. I just wanted to point out that life in Hawai'i always has issues. However what or what kind of issues we have is dependent on our cultural values at the time. Todays issues like Homelessness, highest cost of living, etc were just mainland issues decades ago. I think we miss that in discussions today or forget that life on the islands was different in history. I believe we forget that culture is important and is often forgotten in discussions like this. I also believe we forget that history is our friend. We can use it to be a measure for modern life.
I lived in Hawaii in the 70’s and I loved being there because I loved being outdoors. But the points the person made about what is wrong with Hawaii are very true. They definitely did their research. Not saying Hawaii is a bad place to live it’s the exact opposite, it’s a great place to live. If you can afford it or are willing to have less disposable income.
The comments from the person who wrote/commented seems strongly influenced by mainland/western American perspective. That person seems to assume everyone in Hawai'i has the same beliefs and values as they do. Furthest from the truth. I've been in Las Vegas since 2001, grew up, raised, went to school & lived (as a young adult) in Puna & Hilo of the Big Island. My life was/is way different from someone who grew up in central Honolulu, Makaha, Kailua or Hana Maui, Kaunakakai Molokai, or from Kauai. There is no one way anyone can generalize or speculate how life is in Hawai'i. It's way different and can't be categorized the same. My Hawai'i is different from theirs.
I'm excited some people think Hawaii is a mess because maybe they will leave Hawaii. This would be good because negativity isn't so helpful. Places are like shoes. You've got to find the right fit and style for you. It isn't a one size/style fits all
Thank you for another outstanding video. I know where you are coming from as you have lived here on the Mainland unlike many who have not. Take care and keep making these wonderful videos. BTW, do you remember the black snow that would rain down once in a while, or running after the DDT truck going through the neighborhood?
@@HelloFromHawaii Back in the 60's and 70's and before, they would burn the sugar cane around Ewa Beach before the harvest, and the ashes would rain down like black snow. The DDT truck would go around the neighborhood spraying for mosquito abatement, and the kids had a blast running in the smoke as it came out the back. The things we did as kids... I may be old, but I don't feel a day over 60.
@@Jose_Jimenez When the wind was right and they burned the cane around Waihiawa/Waialua, the ashes would even fall down where we were up in Pupukea! As for the DDT truck, it would make a smell like rotten eggs lol.
When I was wealthy man in the 80 in CA I was very happy and welcomed. Today I am homeles living of ssi and I don't even get better card because I have cancer and most food is a poison to my body
Aloha and allow me to promote an optimistic view of Hawaii, What we have here is the gateway to the Far East economies of Asia, why are we not a major trading hub? that alone would really bring in well-paying jobs and create niche markets, we are sitting on top of a potential economic gold mine, let me put it this way we could have a Honolulu stock exchange that would rival Wall St. and London. Hawaii should be the envy of all the other 49 states & US territories scattered around the globe. It is sad to hear of locals having to go back to the mainland just to get a better paying job when there should be jobs where they can earn a living wage here on the isles. Praying everyday for a better Hawaii.
Honolulu stock exchange would be hard because of the sheer remoteness of Hawaii - look up latancy in communications, there have been some interesting NPR and PBS documentaries on this. But as a gateway to the East, I agree absolutely. Hawaii is like a blend of East and West. There's a lot of mixture going on, like the University of Hawaii has a really good architecture school because they work with universities in Tokyo on such things are earthquake-resiliance.
If your credential read Harvard would you know favoritism too? Sal Khan asked the interesting question. Try the Remarkable People podcast with Guy Kawasaki.
I use to live in Hawaii. I try to educate people here in Portland, OR. They still think Hawaii people is still living in Huts. I lived in Hawaii for most of my life. I am looking forward to going back home.
