Well, the lease is signed and the deposit for our new home on the Big Island of Hawaii is paid. All that’s left is actually getting there! There are just a few loose ends to tie up that include:
- Paying our pet quarantine fees for direct release to Hawaii (will be done in 2 weeks.. plenty of time)
- Purchasing the pet crates that will be used to fly them to Hawaii (will also be done in 2 weeks)
- Ship our stuff! We haven’t quite decided yet how to do this… (we are thinking either Fed Ex or Aloha Cargo Services)
- Buy our one way tickets to our new home on the Big Island of Hawaii!
There are ups and downs to this list; the good part is that there are only 4 major things left to do on our list! The bad part is everything on the lists requires money…
We’ve already decided that we’ll be applying for a geographical exception for our son’s school. This will allow him to attend Hilo High School as opposed to Keaau High School. We did this on the recommendation of our new landlords, who are both teachers on the Hilo side of the Big Island in Hawaii.
We’ve taken the steps to get our new services put in our name including power, internet and phone. Since we have water catchment, one less bill to worry about!
We will not be shipping a vehicle to Hawaii, instead we plan to purchase a more appropriate 4x4 the first week or two that we get there, we will use a rental car until we’ve found the right vehicle for us.
Friday, May 2, 2008
Sunday, April 27, 2008
Sealing the Deal
It’s just about official! We’ve got the lease in our hands for our new home on the Big Island of Hawaii, and we’ll be signing it tomorrow and sending it to the home owners with our deposit on Monday.
It’s still pretty surreal, you know, the whole move and all.
My husband’s brother was out for the weekend to celebrate his birthday that was last weekend.. my brother’s birthday was last weekend too and with my husband’s 3 brothers, our parents and all of our kids, we don’t get one month without a birthday!
Anyway, we’ve talked quite a bit with them about our move and it just helps to make it seem that much more real. My mother and brother live downstairs from us (It’s a duplex of sorts…) and are about to move to or near Bremerton, near my aunt.
So every day that seems to pass by, I am reminded more and more about this life changing event that is only a couple of months away. I get cold feet every now and then, so I can’t wait to get the lease and deposit sent off on Monday. This will eliminate that entire possibility so maybe I can focus on the exciting part of the move!
Leaving my family is the hardest part of this experience for me. I’m 31 years old and never lived away from my mother and brother more than 6 months at a time in my life!
But to me, this all adds that much more meaning to my new adventure in life. I’m spreading my wings, and most importantly I’m affording my son an experience most mainland children will never get; a real lesson in life and culture, and the way these cultures deal with each other.
I feel this to be extremely important, because too many times do we grow up totally oblivious to real life issues here on the mainland. There are no worries about anything that goes on around you, just the here and now. The success and money made is more important than the quality of life you lead.
I’m not expecting Hawaii to be some dream place to live where merry little sugar plums dance through everyone’s head all the time… but if I have to live in a World that has imperfections no matter where I am, I’d like to live in Hawaii, thank you very much.
There are no plans to move back if times get tough, there are no escape route maps made. Although we haven’t lived all over the United States, I feel safe in saying that my experience in Colorado, Utah, Texas, Las Vegas, California, Washington and Oregon, we’re able to adapt to our surroundings which I believe will take us a long way.
This fact also enables me to feel confident that no matter the trials and tribulations that lie ahead, we can overcome and adapt to them. On top of the fascinating life of the land, trees, lava and ocean we’ll be able to realistically balance the good with the bad as long as we strive not to take things for granted, and really stop to “smell the roses” every day.
It’s still pretty surreal, you know, the whole move and all.
My husband’s brother was out for the weekend to celebrate his birthday that was last weekend.. my brother’s birthday was last weekend too and with my husband’s 3 brothers, our parents and all of our kids, we don’t get one month without a birthday!
Anyway, we’ve talked quite a bit with them about our move and it just helps to make it seem that much more real. My mother and brother live downstairs from us (It’s a duplex of sorts…) and are about to move to or near Bremerton, near my aunt.
So every day that seems to pass by, I am reminded more and more about this life changing event that is only a couple of months away. I get cold feet every now and then, so I can’t wait to get the lease and deposit sent off on Monday. This will eliminate that entire possibility so maybe I can focus on the exciting part of the move!
Leaving my family is the hardest part of this experience for me. I’m 31 years old and never lived away from my mother and brother more than 6 months at a time in my life!
But to me, this all adds that much more meaning to my new adventure in life. I’m spreading my wings, and most importantly I’m affording my son an experience most mainland children will never get; a real lesson in life and culture, and the way these cultures deal with each other.
I feel this to be extremely important, because too many times do we grow up totally oblivious to real life issues here on the mainland. There are no worries about anything that goes on around you, just the here and now. The success and money made is more important than the quality of life you lead.
I’m not expecting Hawaii to be some dream place to live where merry little sugar plums dance through everyone’s head all the time… but if I have to live in a World that has imperfections no matter where I am, I’d like to live in Hawaii, thank you very much.
There are no plans to move back if times get tough, there are no escape route maps made. Although we haven’t lived all over the United States, I feel safe in saying that my experience in Colorado, Utah, Texas, Las Vegas, California, Washington and Oregon, we’re able to adapt to our surroundings which I believe will take us a long way.
This fact also enables me to feel confident that no matter the trials and tribulations that lie ahead, we can overcome and adapt to them. On top of the fascinating life of the land, trees, lava and ocean we’ll be able to realistically balance the good with the bad as long as we strive not to take things for granted, and really stop to “smell the roses” every day.
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Having a Back Up Plan
Since my husband and I work from home by producing website content (www.content-gurus.com), we can live pretty much anywhere we want that provides internet access. This is especially nice for spending more time with our son, and the flexibility our jobs offer, give us advantages that can't be found in most other careers.
Although this is a great opportunity for us and we’re doing very well being self employed, I realize how important it is to have a back up plan. After all, just because business gets slow doesn’t mean the bills slow down. Living in Hawaii is just like living anywhere else in the world and having an income is essential in keeping a roof over our heads.
We’ve worked the office jobs, call center jobs, sales jobs and corporate jobs and I have to tell you, we hated every minute of it! Perhaps that’s one reason we’re still best friends after 8 years of marriage… among other reasons.
That’s not to say we’re not able and willing to do what it takes to put food on our table.
In fact, I don’t think there is anything we won’t do in order to support our family comfortably. This fact is one of the reasons we chose to move to the Big Island of Hawaii. Something special that Hawaii has to offer us is the opportunity to live off of the land and create multiple streams of income while still enjoying where we live.
We already have pineapple, avocado, coconut, papaya and guava tress waiting for us at our new Big Island Home. In addition, a vegetable garden that grows multiple varieties of lettuce, tomatoes, spices and other goodies are waiting for us to tend to. I plan to add to the garden with cucumbers, strawberries and bell peppers.
Our new home also utilizes a water catchment system that lets us use plenty of free, filtered water without having to contribute to the numerous drought problems our Country faces on a yearly basis.
The numerous farmer’s markets on the East side of the Big Island can help to supply us with both the opportunity to purchase the things we don’t grow ourselves at a great price, and to sell our own overstocked fruits and vegetables to friends and visitors of the area.
My husband has extensive experience being an executive chef in multiple different restaurants, and since Hawaii is known for its tourist oriented economy he should have no problem finding work in this area. He has also previously worked as a business consultant and should not have a problem consulting in Hawaii. More and more small businesses are started on the Big Island every day, so this niche is very penetrable.
As for myself, I will always work from home as a writer and will be able to generate an income from it. In fact, the Big Island of Hawaii offers me an entirely new way to market my services and gain new clients. New businesses, tour companies, vacation rentals, restaurants and surf shops among others always have an interest in marketing. I will also attend the Community college to study early childhood development and eventually attend the University to earn a teaching degree.
Our son is 14 years old and just recently told me a story about a 16 year old friend of his who doesn’t have a job or their driver’s license. He didn’t seem to understand why a 16 year old wouldn’t want to make some money and get their driver’s license! He plans to find a small part time job after getting acquainted with his new home. He wants to drive a moped and make enough money to support the extra curricular activities he’d like to do that we won’t pay for. (He can’t have everything on our dime! J )
He’s a good kid with an optimistic attitude like his old mom, and who sees the silver lining on just about everything. He’s naturally empathetic and is always concerned of other people’s feelings. I have no doubt he’ll succeed and benefit from living in Hawaii. In the end, this experience is something most people wouldn’t have the guts to do in a lifetime. We don’t plan to just dream about it, we plan to live it. We’ll live every bit of it; the good, the bad and the ugly… and we’ll be sure to say a polite hello to Pele everyday!
Although this is a great opportunity for us and we’re doing very well being self employed, I realize how important it is to have a back up plan. After all, just because business gets slow doesn’t mean the bills slow down. Living in Hawaii is just like living anywhere else in the world and having an income is essential in keeping a roof over our heads.
We’ve worked the office jobs, call center jobs, sales jobs and corporate jobs and I have to tell you, we hated every minute of it! Perhaps that’s one reason we’re still best friends after 8 years of marriage… among other reasons.
That’s not to say we’re not able and willing to do what it takes to put food on our table.
In fact, I don’t think there is anything we won’t do in order to support our family comfortably. This fact is one of the reasons we chose to move to the Big Island of Hawaii. Something special that Hawaii has to offer us is the opportunity to live off of the land and create multiple streams of income while still enjoying where we live.
We already have pineapple, avocado, coconut, papaya and guava tress waiting for us at our new Big Island Home. In addition, a vegetable garden that grows multiple varieties of lettuce, tomatoes, spices and other goodies are waiting for us to tend to. I plan to add to the garden with cucumbers, strawberries and bell peppers.
Our new home also utilizes a water catchment system that lets us use plenty of free, filtered water without having to contribute to the numerous drought problems our Country faces on a yearly basis.
The numerous farmer’s markets on the East side of the Big Island can help to supply us with both the opportunity to purchase the things we don’t grow ourselves at a great price, and to sell our own overstocked fruits and vegetables to friends and visitors of the area.
My husband has extensive experience being an executive chef in multiple different restaurants, and since Hawaii is known for its tourist oriented economy he should have no problem finding work in this area. He has also previously worked as a business consultant and should not have a problem consulting in Hawaii. More and more small businesses are started on the Big Island every day, so this niche is very penetrable.
As for myself, I will always work from home as a writer and will be able to generate an income from it. In fact, the Big Island of Hawaii offers me an entirely new way to market my services and gain new clients. New businesses, tour companies, vacation rentals, restaurants and surf shops among others always have an interest in marketing. I will also attend the Community college to study early childhood development and eventually attend the University to earn a teaching degree.
Our son is 14 years old and just recently told me a story about a 16 year old friend of his who doesn’t have a job or their driver’s license. He didn’t seem to understand why a 16 year old wouldn’t want to make some money and get their driver’s license! He plans to find a small part time job after getting acquainted with his new home. He wants to drive a moped and make enough money to support the extra curricular activities he’d like to do that we won’t pay for. (He can’t have everything on our dime! J )
He’s a good kid with an optimistic attitude like his old mom, and who sees the silver lining on just about everything. He’s naturally empathetic and is always concerned of other people’s feelings. I have no doubt he’ll succeed and benefit from living in Hawaii. In the end, this experience is something most people wouldn’t have the guts to do in a lifetime. We don’t plan to just dream about it, we plan to live it. We’ll live every bit of it; the good, the bad and the ugly… and we’ll be sure to say a polite hello to Pele everyday!
It's Finally Happening!
On July 1st, 2008 my husband, my son and I should be at our new home in Hawaiian Paradise Park (HPP) on the Big Island of Hawaii. We've gone through the insane Quarantine laws for Hawaii in order to bring our pets (a dog and a couple of cats) along with us. We're about to get rid of just about everything we own (furniture, kitchen stuff, beds....) and our poor cats have to stay with family for 2 months before they come to live with us in Hawaii.
We haven't even arrived at our new home yet, but somehow I already feel the benefits of making our decision to reside on the East side of the Big Island.
Specifically we've chosen our own little palace in HPP, on an acre of land with plenty of fruit and vegetables to grow and eat! We don't have an ocean view and we're happy to stay clear of living too close to the ocean (due to tsunamis) but we sure aren't more than just a couple of miles from the land's edge either.
We're pretty close to the volcano too, which probably scares some people. After all, Mt. Kilauea hasn't stopped erupting for the last 25 years. But the truth is that no matter where you live in the world there are natural disasters threatening to obliterate its surroundings.
They say California may be literally broken off from the rest of the United States when the right earthquake strikes, and any volcanoes located in the mainland or other places around the world pose great threat to those living within hundreds of miles of their erupting points. At least with the constant flow of lava in Hawaii, there's a good chance you'll know its path.
Worries about living in any place in the world are legitimate and for good reason; there are lots of things to be wary of!
I'm aware that in Hawaii I'll live with coqui frogs, centipedes, spiders, ants and cockroaches. These things don't impress or intrigue me in any way, but it's all about balancing the good with the bad.
Where I live now (In Lincoln City, Oregon) we deal with raccoons that get into our trash and litter our yard, and pesky spiders that leave huge webbed homes inside of our house overnight.
However there are no bugs like roaches or ants in the house, and we've had pretty much a mosquito and pest free experience in the last few years that we've lived here. This isn’t to say we didn’t experience roaches in Las Vegas and mosquitoes in California and Washington.
But what we have had are endless winter seasons (even summer feels like winter here), very cold weather averages with high humidity on any given day, and miserable winters that reach 70 MPH winds. We live less than a ½ a mile from some beautiful beaches and we can’t enjoy them because it's too darn cold!
Hawaii may have warmer weather, but that wouldn't be enough to get me to move there. What I like about Hawaii is consistency. The ability to grow vegetables and anything else really, year round is a huge benefit thanks to Hawaii’s temperate and reliable weather. There isn't a need to wear coats, and if it gets too hot.. it’s time to go swimming!
The society found in Hawaii is similar to any other struggling community in the nation, and that's just fine with me. Whether it's Hawaii or Nevada... California or Miami... Missouri or Mississippi.. there are problems found in each and every state in America.
Drugs problems, low school scores, homelessness, gangs, theft, robberies, murder... you name it! It happens everywhere.. sure, some things more than others depending on where you choose to live. But the chances of any of these crimes happening to you (unless you are actively involved in shady dealings) are about the same as you getting into a car accident or having a heart attack.
The bottom line is that home is where you make it. It can be in Antarctica or in the Caribbean. As long as you feel like you belong there, that's all that matters. I look forward to enthusiastically immersing myself into the culture around me in Hawaii by joining the canoe club in Hilo, volunteering at the Kea'au humane society, and donating to the Hilo Food Bank on a regular basis.
I also look forward to attending the community college in Hilo and seeking a degree in early childhood development as well as taking basic Hawaiian language and history courses.
I'm excited for my son who shows great passion for the Japanese culture, and plans to learn the language fluently throughout high school (He will be a freshman this year!), and then visiting Japan during College and possibly beyond...
I'm also very happy to share this experience with my husband who has always seemed to feel like Hawaii was home. He grew up in California and has visited Maui and the Big Island frequently throughout his years, so getting him to commit to the move was pretty easy!
I'll update as things happen upon more plans for the move, our new home, our arrival and beyond.
We haven't even arrived at our new home yet, but somehow I already feel the benefits of making our decision to reside on the East side of the Big Island.
Specifically we've chosen our own little palace in HPP, on an acre of land with plenty of fruit and vegetables to grow and eat! We don't have an ocean view and we're happy to stay clear of living too close to the ocean (due to tsunamis) but we sure aren't more than just a couple of miles from the land's edge either.
We're pretty close to the volcano too, which probably scares some people. After all, Mt. Kilauea hasn't stopped erupting for the last 25 years. But the truth is that no matter where you live in the world there are natural disasters threatening to obliterate its surroundings.
They say California may be literally broken off from the rest of the United States when the right earthquake strikes, and any volcanoes located in the mainland or other places around the world pose great threat to those living within hundreds of miles of their erupting points. At least with the constant flow of lava in Hawaii, there's a good chance you'll know its path.
Worries about living in any place in the world are legitimate and for good reason; there are lots of things to be wary of!
I'm aware that in Hawaii I'll live with coqui frogs, centipedes, spiders, ants and cockroaches. These things don't impress or intrigue me in any way, but it's all about balancing the good with the bad.
Where I live now (In Lincoln City, Oregon) we deal with raccoons that get into our trash and litter our yard, and pesky spiders that leave huge webbed homes inside of our house overnight.
However there are no bugs like roaches or ants in the house, and we've had pretty much a mosquito and pest free experience in the last few years that we've lived here. This isn’t to say we didn’t experience roaches in Las Vegas and mosquitoes in California and Washington.
But what we have had are endless winter seasons (even summer feels like winter here), very cold weather averages with high humidity on any given day, and miserable winters that reach 70 MPH winds. We live less than a ½ a mile from some beautiful beaches and we can’t enjoy them because it's too darn cold!
Hawaii may have warmer weather, but that wouldn't be enough to get me to move there. What I like about Hawaii is consistency. The ability to grow vegetables and anything else really, year round is a huge benefit thanks to Hawaii’s temperate and reliable weather. There isn't a need to wear coats, and if it gets too hot.. it’s time to go swimming!
The society found in Hawaii is similar to any other struggling community in the nation, and that's just fine with me. Whether it's Hawaii or Nevada... California or Miami... Missouri or Mississippi.. there are problems found in each and every state in America.
Drugs problems, low school scores, homelessness, gangs, theft, robberies, murder... you name it! It happens everywhere.. sure, some things more than others depending on where you choose to live. But the chances of any of these crimes happening to you (unless you are actively involved in shady dealings) are about the same as you getting into a car accident or having a heart attack.
The bottom line is that home is where you make it. It can be in Antarctica or in the Caribbean. As long as you feel like you belong there, that's all that matters. I look forward to enthusiastically immersing myself into the culture around me in Hawaii by joining the canoe club in Hilo, volunteering at the Kea'au humane society, and donating to the Hilo Food Bank on a regular basis.
I also look forward to attending the community college in Hilo and seeking a degree in early childhood development as well as taking basic Hawaiian language and history courses.
I'm excited for my son who shows great passion for the Japanese culture, and plans to learn the language fluently throughout high school (He will be a freshman this year!), and then visiting Japan during College and possibly beyond...
I'm also very happy to share this experience with my husband who has always seemed to feel like Hawaii was home. He grew up in California and has visited Maui and the Big Island frequently throughout his years, so getting him to commit to the move was pretty easy!
I'll update as things happen upon more plans for the move, our new home, our arrival and beyond.
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