Originally Posted by
747FC
A certain percentage really hate it here, at least initially (first six months). It is a different culture, and one has to move from being frustrated with how things are done to appreciating and laughing at the differences.
Indeed. I remember right after we moved we went to the only mattress shop in Hilo to buy a mattress. Having been used to same-day delivery in California from such shops, I asked "What time this afternoon will you be there?" The salespersons must have had experience with clueless mainland haole malihini so he gently explained the realities: the mattress was actually in a warehouse in Honolulu and would need to be put on the next barge to Hilo (if there was room).
Socioeconomic status plays a role in adaptation. If you are roaming professional circles, you won't generally find the hostile anti-Haole bias that is more likely to be expressed in a blue-collar environment. However, the blue-collar types shop and fill gas at the same places you will be, so you can always run into it. The best tactic is to be low-key. Very low-key. Like, don't toot your horn, or your car's horn.
I'm as haole as they come, and I very, very rarely felt any of the bias that so often gets talked about.
One might feel really isolated here unless there is a connection made through work or play activities. Volunteering will help you integrate.
Very true.
Re travel for work on the West Coast; just today, a friend's return flight was delayed many hours, jeopardizing his ability to attend an important meeting tomorrow. Lots of worry involved, and he had to drive many hours to an alternate airport to catch a flight home.
This. Don't underestimate the fact that in any given year, if you are flying with an HNL connection to Hilo or Kona, you WILL end up overnighting in Honolulu due to late arriving planes. At certain times of the year, it can also be a challenge -- if you need to fly outbound with little notice -- to get where you need to be. When a family member became critically ill on the mainland, there were NO inter-island flights to HNL available, and ONE such flight to OGG -- but due to the last-minute nature of the travel (and the high summer season) the cost was $2000 per ticket. This is when a large stash of FF miles becomes a necessity.