Post #148277 by christiki295 on Mon, Mar 21, 2005 9:41 PM

The following Q & A frames the issues (which appear to boil down to employment and housing):

1.) Is there a reliable, accurate website or websites I can go to to find jobs and apartments?

2.) In your opinion, based on my experience, where do you think I can best find a job. (ex. Honolulu?)

3.) Can you paint a picture of my costs and challenges relocating?

For item 1, not really, you can try http://www.monster.com, and the local newspapers websites. [http://starbulletin.com/ and http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/]
Honestly, it will probably be easier to look once you arrive and contact a professional placement agency, as well as ones located in the outer islands. Perhaps you can try contacting an agency directly now, before you move.

2. Definitely Honolulu, although I understand many people live on the outer islands and commute (yes, via plane each day) to Honolulu and back home. They do this because the costs of property is significantly lower in other places (except Maui, its expensive there too).

3. Unfortunately, I have no professional experience with relocation costs. I only have my own personal experience. When I moved, I only brought my luggage and sent three boxes. But that’s because I didn’t know if I was going to stay here for very long. How much moving will cost depends entirely on what you want to move and from where. If it’s a whole house, I recommend you look into the large shipping (freight) companies. (Try searching Google for “moving company”.) Depending on the time of year, your move may be somewhat cheaper. I would avoid the tourist season (May-August) and the holiday season mid-November-mid-January). The housing and job markets get very sluggish from about Thanksgiving until mid-January.)

Consider putting aside as much savings as you can spare set aside for the costs of the move, your flight, getting storage, renting cars, having to make a security deposit (usually 1 month’s rent), making copies, phone calls, and purchasing items you’ll need when you move in, as well as to cover your expenses for at least two to four months. In Honolulu, rent for a single person in a one bedroom can run from $700 to $1,200, gas is about $2.35 per gallon, the city bus costs $2.00 per ride (there are transfers for extended trips), cars (if you decide to buy a good quality used car) run about $2,000-8,000, electricity may run from $30-$70 per month for a single person; automobile registration is about $120, while food depends on where you shop and whether or not you eat out.

The biggest challenges you will face will include finding housing and employment. Because you will settle the issues of where to live and work when you arrive (that’s exactly how I moved here!) I would recommend that you make at least a two-fourth month contingency plan trying to anticipate what you will need and what it may cost you.

When I arrived, I put the bulk of my belongings in storage and proceeded to visit all the islands, with my resume and other credentials in tow (you’ll want to bring bank statements in case for when you apply for a rental). [Now that I think of it, bring copies of your final “credit” statements for electricity/gas, phone bill, and where you currently rent. Since you have no references on the island, everyone (phone company, electric company, the bank, and the land lord) will want t know that you are a worthy risk.] Also, pay a visit to the local bookstores as soon as you arrive, they sell the best maps of the islands.

Transportation: Plan on renting a car. Although there is a bus system, next to a bicycle, a car is the easiest way to get around. Especially when you are exploring neighborhoods. There are both national and local automobile rental agencies. Consider the latter, the cars aren’t perfect, but they are much cheaper. I rented a “so-so” car for a month at $200. Be prepared to have a cellphone or to buy many rolls of quarters for calling jobs and places to rent. Consider getting a P.O. Box shortly after you decide which island you’ll move to.

The other major challenge is simply keeping it all organized and expecting the unexpected should things not go as planned.

Another challenge will be adjusting to the oddities of life in Hawaii. It’s the U.S., but it is different. Violent crime is low, but property crime is high (my car has been broken into twice, my home once, and I’ve had mail packages stolen). Its paradise, but you’d be surprised how much traffic and stress there is here in paradise!

Culture and Language: there is a common local “pidgin” dialect that many people of all walks of life use. (I‘ve even picked up a bit.) I found it a little confusing at first, but it gets easy after a while.

There are some “cultural norms” here that are different from the mainland. Nearly everyone removes their shoes before entering someone’s house, drivers rarely honk, the elderly are treated with greater respect, men rarely wear suits or ties, you always bring a small token when invited to someone’s home for dinner, flower lei are given for all occasions of note (birthdays, arrivals, departures, for new hires, honored guests, and honored hosts, etc.), “Aloha” (Hello) and “Mahalo” (Thank You) are used frequently, and being open and friendly to your neighbors and co-workers is much appreciated and in many ways expected.

Life moves a little bit slower here (except where looking for housing is concerned), that said, expect to wait a little longer for some things to happen. (The mechanic, the plumber, the lines at the phone and electric companies and the shops.)

http://www.askanowner.com/qa/view.asp?s=1&qid=149816