Just Keeping it Real!

Aloha All,


So many have said to us how lucky we are to live in paradise. I guess I feel the need to clarify that it wasn't pure luck that brought us here. It was a deliberate CHOICE we made and executed. While it helped that we encountered some good luck here and there during the process, the decision we made to move here was totally owned by us. It wasn't an easy decision for many reasons. We made several sacrifices and compromises. We have faced challenges both in leaving Kelowna and in being here. But at the end of the day it's part of our unique family journey. So anyone out there who is thinking to themselves 'I wish I could move to Hawaii'...guess what? YOU CAN! I'm a firm believer that people have the choice to make their lives what they want whether it be living in Hawaii or anything else.


Enough about that...the next thing I want to talk about in this blog is the realities or "pet peeves" that can come with living in Hawaii. If you have never been to Hawaii or only ever on vacation it very well may seem like true paradise. It is! There's the ocean and stunning beaches, endless water sports and activities, incredible food from all corners of the world, beautiful sunshine and breezes almost 365 days a year. So I had thought twice before saying anything negative about Hawaii because who am I to wreck the fantasy by bringing up unpleasant topics when it comes to Hawaii. Yet, alas I am a realist! So here is my list (many items you will find consistently reported by others who have lived or do live here). For some people these can be minor nuisances and for others they can be deal breakers...here they are:




1) Being far from family and friends and it's expensive and you must fly over a large body of water to visit.


2) Rock Fever aka Island Fever: Hear this a lot and I have also read about it. I personally feel it from time to time - a sense of feeling trapped or vulnerable on an island - not easy to leave.


3) Risk of natural disasters. We are surrounded by water - help in or out of the island not quick or easy.


4) Bugs! The cockroaches are huge and gross. We have been averaging at least 1 or 2 a week inside, many more outside. They make a snap if you happen to step on one and you hope this only happens when you have on shoes! There are also lots of little tiny bugs I don't even know what they are maybe little ants and such. Geckos - everywhere and we live with one. He nibbled on our Gingerbread house (don't worry we didn''t eat it too).


5) Cost of Living: the average family could not afford to buy or even rent an entire house here by our standards. Food and housing are by far the big expenses here, gas probably next. Most people shop for groceries at Costco and we do too with getting a few things at Whole Foods here and there as a treat. $8 for a very small amount of broccoli is just too steep! Yes it might be local and organic but who can afford to buy it!!! Farmers markets are great but I have noticed you find a lot of the same prices and produce there as Whole Foods. 


6) Traffic. We've been lucky to live close to town on the side that's less crazy, Paul bikes to work and I generally avoid going into Honolulu as much as possible for this reason. Most of our activities are the east side (where we live) and traffic is not a big problem once you are over here so only about 10 min. drive or less to most things Natalie and I do on weekdays.


7) Education: you don't hear great things particularly about public schools, but also with many of the private schools. Issues such as very poor quality of teaching, Caucasian children may also face teasing for being Haole ("Howlie") - and have trouble making friends. I have met parents who commute clear across the island in horrible traffic just to have one of their children in a public school with a better reputation. The public schools with better reputations generally reside  in the higher socioeconomic areas. I have also talked to many parents with 2 or more children and their kids all go to different schools depending on their needs and abilities and where they simply 'tend to do best'. That's a lot of driving around and changing schools.


8) Health Care: if you have it can be really quite good but the fundamental differences between here and Canada are a tough pill to swallow. Hawaii is better than mainland states in terms of having a much higher percentage who at least have health care coverage and supposedly is considered one of the healthiest of all of the states on average (as well as the happiest!). So it depends on your beliefs and whether or not you have coverage here how you might feel about it and also which insurer you have chosen. Some people say HMSA is much better than Kaiser, others say the reverse. We have been healthy so not much we can comment on.


9) Racism: I touched on this in #7 but being Caucasian here you run the risk of not be wanted or liked by some individuals. Some natives to Hawaii and even some who aren't native at all think white man came here and tried to wreck things many many years ago which there is a lot of truth to actually. For the most part though if you treat people respectfully no matter where you live or what your ethnicity is, I believe we can all live together and people really do here. You will see every possible part of the world represented here which is absolutely an enrichment to our lives.


10) If you never experience the Aloha Spirit then numbers 1 thru 9 may send you packing. Luckily for us we have felt it a lot.




And then if anything ever gets you down...you look out from your lanai every morning and see that gorgeous ocean, palm trees, feel the breeze and the scent of plumeria trees and know that sand, sun and fun are about to occur and the rest doesn't seem so bad!




Pictures coming soon...




Mahalo


Lisa

It's 2014!!!

Aloha All,


Hope all of you have had a wonderful holiday season and I sincerely wish for a happy and healthy 2014 to  you all.


It's been a busy few weeks with Christmas and New Years for us and we've been making the most of our time here. A few things we have done over the last while...surfing, paddle boarding, more hiking and relishing the perfect temperatures and weather. Paul's happier cycling to work most days now too rather than taking the bus. He can take various routes and take in the scenery he chooses now. He said people at work are shocked that he cycles that far!  


This past Saturday we did the Diamond Head Hike and loved it. I am so proud that Natalie hiked most of it herself! Chatting with a local about it who said that his 2 sons weren't able to do until they were 6. (Natalie is 4.5) Girls Rule!


On Christmas and New Years Day we went to Waikiki and dabbled in a little surfing and paddle boarding. We have made friends with a super nice family (of seven!) here and all of them surf and have many boards so we spent Christmas day with them and they kindly gave us some pointers and lent us their boards. New Years day we went back on our own and had a great time too. Oh and by the way the new lingo is "SUP" for stand up paddle boarding...we are getting educated!


New Years eve was interesting - we had our own fireworks show in front of our lanai starting at 5:30 pm until well after midnight - the whole city tends to go crazy for fireworks but this year was especially quiet we were told.


Thank you to everyone who has been sending such kind messages and well wishes for Paul's Dad - many of you have been asking for an update: he is in a rehabilitation unit in hospital getting lots of physio. He is able to talk and has his wits about him, left side paralyzed and he is understandably devastated as are we but glad he is alive. We try to send little videos and audio messages and talk to him on the phone as well.

Natalie's swimming lessons have resumed after 2 week hiatus for Christmas - yesterday she completely rocked at trying to front crawl - amazing to watch her as she tries so hard. Next Wednesday she starts Hula lessons from a lovely, highly recommended Hawaiian woman at Hulamehawaii and can't wait. Natalie's been practicing!


I have a friend! Her name is Kirsten, a mother of 5, great person, we have already had many conversations about our love of chocolate! She's one of the few people I know that has it every morning with coffee just like me - such a bond! In all seriousness she may be a friend for life, she's a gem and I am lucky I met her. Her youngest is also Natalie's age so we'll be planning some play dates.


Well, it's been absolutely gorgeous weather and temperature here. "Winter" is definitely my favorites season in Hawaii, summer is too hot for me here. Sorry Canadian ohana, I know you are having some pretty cool temps back home!


I have met a photographer here too who has offered to give me a few lessons so looking forward to that - I love taking photos but always room for improvement! Speaking of which, I had technical difficulty uploading a bunch to go with this blog entry but have some great shots to show you - hopefully can get the problem fixed asap. Paul I may need you for that!


Until next time...


Aloha!


Lisa