Madame Ovary
03-05-2003, 12:06 PM
Hi, Hawaii moms!
My dh and I have been hatching a plan to live in Hawaii for years, now. We've just returned home to Durango from Oregon (on a where-to-live trip), rather discouraged. Durango is really nice, but no place has ever felt as right to me as Hawaii. We've been to the big island 3 times in the last 13 years, and I went to Maui many years ago. We're trying to figure out how feasible it is to live there, and whether it would really be right for us. Living in a place is, after all, quite different from visiting!
We have 2 kids: 7year old dd, and 3.5 y.o. ds, both homebirthed, and APed from the start. We unschool, but I would send them to a good Waldorf school if I could afford it. Our dd really loved the big island when we were there last winter. Dh is a songwriter, which can be iffy financially. I am a sahm, and artist-on-hold. Our plan is to start a restaurant this summer (or autumn if we move)which would feature lower-priced sushi, local beers, sourcing from the local economy, that sort of thing. The kind of place people can have a good time, eat lots of sushi and not go broke, kwim? We garden organically (permaculture-- which works especially well in tropical environments, btw, but that's another thread!) live naturally, and are earthy, spiritual people. Dh really needs to be near the ocean in a place that doesn't get too hot, and I really need a place with lots of green, growing things that doesn't get too cold. The kids really need to be someplace they can run around barefooted a lot. Hmmmm... sound familiar? We also use natural medicines, and if we ever have another baby, we'd homebirth again.
So, given the need for like-minded people, a network of friends for home/unschooling, a market for our restaurant, the availability of natural foods/products, a midwife, a naturopath, and a little shack with room for a garden.....
Which places, which islands should we investigate?
Are there places with more or less racial hostility, which we were warned about a few years ago? (Hawaiian homelands issues?We're white as homebaked sourdough, though we wouldn't want to live around racial hostility whether directed at us or not. Living in harmony with those around us is very important.)
What places would a restaurant get lots of local business, so we wouldn't be dependant on the inconsistencies of a tourist economy? (Another reason it won't be an expensive restaurant!)
Where can people like us afford a little house without being too isolated?
Sorry this got so long, but-- whew-- we can't just jump in the car and show up in Kona!
Thanks!
My dh and I have been hatching a plan to live in Hawaii for years, now. We've just returned home to Durango from Oregon (on a where-to-live trip), rather discouraged. Durango is really nice, but no place has ever felt as right to me as Hawaii. We've been to the big island 3 times in the last 13 years, and I went to Maui many years ago. We're trying to figure out how feasible it is to live there, and whether it would really be right for us. Living in a place is, after all, quite different from visiting!
We have 2 kids: 7year old dd, and 3.5 y.o. ds, both homebirthed, and APed from the start. We unschool, but I would send them to a good Waldorf school if I could afford it. Our dd really loved the big island when we were there last winter. Dh is a songwriter, which can be iffy financially. I am a sahm, and artist-on-hold. Our plan is to start a restaurant this summer (or autumn if we move)which would feature lower-priced sushi, local beers, sourcing from the local economy, that sort of thing. The kind of place people can have a good time, eat lots of sushi and not go broke, kwim? We garden organically (permaculture-- which works especially well in tropical environments, btw, but that's another thread!) live naturally, and are earthy, spiritual people. Dh really needs to be near the ocean in a place that doesn't get too hot, and I really need a place with lots of green, growing things that doesn't get too cold. The kids really need to be someplace they can run around barefooted a lot. Hmmmm... sound familiar? We also use natural medicines, and if we ever have another baby, we'd homebirth again.
So, given the need for like-minded people, a network of friends for home/unschooling, a market for our restaurant, the availability of natural foods/products, a midwife, a naturopath, and a little shack with room for a garden.....
Which places, which islands should we investigate?
Are there places with more or less racial hostility, which we were warned about a few years ago? (Hawaiian homelands issues?We're white as homebaked sourdough, though we wouldn't want to live around racial hostility whether directed at us or not. Living in harmony with those around us is very important.)
What places would a restaurant get lots of local business, so we wouldn't be dependant on the inconsistencies of a tourist economy? (Another reason it won't be an expensive restaurant!)
Where can people like us afford a little house without being too isolated?
Sorry this got so long, but-- whew-- we can't just jump in the car and show up in Kona!
Thanks!