macmacmoo Posted June 7, 2013 Share Posted June 7, 2013 We are moving in the fall. We got a list this week with the three possible locations: North Carolina, Washington DC, and Hawaii. We have no say on where we go, if they are nice we'll get a two months heads up. I can make tentative plans for the first two, but Hawaii is a curve ball for me. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freckles Posted June 7, 2013 Share Posted June 7, 2013 It depends on which island. I lived on Maui. It's very different from Oahu. Expensive No A/C in a lot of places Beautiful Pack carefully. Most of my dishes and appliances were broken in shipping. Did I say expensive Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NotSoObvious Posted June 7, 2013 Share Posted June 7, 2013 For the military? On Oahu? I have one friend there now and another on her way. It's expensive and can be isolating because it costs so much for people to visit you and for you to go home. We've been to Oahu three times and my husband used to live there. I loved every minute of it. We had friends who sold everything and moved to Oahu because they really wanted to be there. They lasted two years. They just couldn't support themselves. The public schools are ok in some areas until about middle school, then all the kids start to transition to private schools. They couldn't afford that and didn't want their kids in the public schools. There can be a lot of racism. It's a different culture, so there can be some culture shock. The big island is...magical! I'd move there in a heartbeat if we had the money to survive there!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NotSoObvious Posted June 7, 2013 Share Posted June 7, 2013 I should add that DC is also super expensive, but you can get in your car and drive out of there, which is impossible on the islands. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
macmacmoo Posted June 7, 2013 Author Share Posted June 7, 2013 Schofield Barracks on the big island. How's the weather? How do computers fair? Books: bring them, buy there, or go digital? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NotSoObvious Posted June 7, 2013 Share Posted June 7, 2013 The only Schofield Barracks I see is on Oahu. Are you sure it's the big island? Which side? One side is wet and one is dry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
macmacmoo Posted June 7, 2013 Author Share Posted June 7, 2013 DH said its on Oahu, the big island. I'm guessing he got that part wrong. Opps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
*lifeoftheparty* Posted June 7, 2013 Share Posted June 7, 2013 Schofield Barracks on the big island. How's the weather? How do computers fair? Books: bring them, buy there, or go digital? Schofield Barracks is not on the Big Island, it's on Oahu. We were stationed there. You will want to live on the portion of the island that the base is on. Not down near Waikiki, not over by Kaneohe. The traffic can be crazy congested. We lived in Kapolei and really liked it. It's only just started being built up when we were there 10 years ago, so a lot of the stuff is new. We actually lived in Barber's Point which was military housing that was privatized. We loved it because the commute wasn't bad and it still had a small commissary, gas station, GIANT pool and fitness center. Even though civilians can live there, they can't use the military facilities, so it wasn't very crowded. Plus, it was only a short drive to the Lagoons at Ko Olina, which was one of our favorite beach spots. It is expensive to live there, but if you are military, you will be fine. We enjoyed every minute of it! And yeah, the schools suck.... So homeschool or have a boatload of money for private. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
*lifeoftheparty* Posted June 7, 2013 Share Posted June 7, 2013 DH said its on Oahu, the big island. I'm guessing he got that part wrong. Opps. Oahu is not the big island, lol. The big island is the one named Hawaii. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KungFuPanda Posted June 7, 2013 Share Posted June 7, 2013 My sister PCSed from Hawaii to DC last summer. She was excited to move to the mainland so things would be cheaper. She was disappointed that not only could she not live for less in the DC area, the Army doesn't supplement this high COL area like they did Hawaii so it's essentially MORE expensive for her. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
*lifeoftheparty* Posted June 7, 2013 Share Posted June 7, 2013 As far as books and what to take. Just realize that houses are a LOT smaller for the money there. You will be lucky to have something to live in that is 2000 sq. feet. You will not have tons of space. You won't have to worry about shipping costs , if you are military. I wouldn't plan on buying furniture there, VERY expensive and not much selection. But DO keep in mind, if you have big furniture, that your living space will be small. The weather is great. Almost always sunny, 72 degrees with a breeze ;) ETA: We currently live 26 miles from DC, so I can help with that too ;) ETA again: You will want to try and line up housing before you get there, if possible. Most people, us included, had to stay in military hotel for weeks b/c housing options are limited. Staying on post always had a waiting list. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eagle Posted June 7, 2013 Share Posted June 7, 2013 If I knew my stay in Hawaii had a time limitation of a year or two I would unschool and enjoy every minute of the experience. I would also want to ensure my children were good swimmers because they will want to be in the ocean. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
*lifeoftheparty* Posted June 7, 2013 Share Posted June 7, 2013 If I knew my stay in Hawaii had a time limitation of a year or two I would unschool and enjoy every minute of the experience. I would also want to ensure my children were good swimmers because they will want to be in the ocean. Yes. This. When we PCS'ed to Hawaii, WE had to take a swim test. We had to be able to swim in full BDU's and jump off the high dive to be a "strong swimmer" and your classification was noted in your records. I would definitely make sure the kids were strong swimmers and took some water safety type courses. I remember snorkeling at Hanuama Bay once and I got to a place where I was surrounded by coral reefs and there were some moray eels poking their heads through and I was scared to death to be around them and panicked, lol!! Luckily, DH saw me panicking and came and rescued me ;) It would be a great time to do in depth studies in Biology, Botany, Marine Science, Geology, etc. soooo many field trip possibilities. Oh, and maybe a study on insects if your kids are so inclined.... There are bugs EVERYWHERE. The Centipedes and roaches are positively prehistoric in size ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinder Posted June 7, 2013 Share Posted June 7, 2013 Oahu is not the big island, lol. The big island is the one named Hawaii. A lot of people are confused about this because Oahu is the main island with the state capitol and about 3/4 of the state's population. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Mungo Posted June 7, 2013 Share Posted June 7, 2013 We just moved to Oahu for the second time. Like a previous poster, the house we are renting (not privatized military housing) is near Kapolei. We lived near Kapolei the last time we lived here too. I brought all of my books with me, but I have older kids. There are actually few big bookstores on Oahu now, and they are all down in the Honolulu area. So, from Schofield you are talking an hour drive. Free shipping is rare or is media mail to Hawaii. It is better to buy and bring stuff with you than to buy here. Whether you have a/c depends upon where on the island you live. The Kapolei area is a little hotter and drier than other parts of the island. The homes are also newer. Nearly all of the homes out there have a/c. Most of those on post do too. Schofield is rainier than other parts. But, temps everywhere are fairly stable between 72 and 82 nearly every day of the year. The inverse problem? Some areas (including Schofield) can get a little cooler in the winter at times (and you get very acclimated to the warm weather) and very few homes have heat. It is common for people to wind up in a hotel for 60 days waiting on housing. We actually found a house and put down a security deposit before we arrived on island. I agree that it can be isolating. The neighbors who lived on either side of us did not much speak much English. But, we had more friends and family visit us in Hawaii than any place else we have lived. And I found support groups that worked for me. It is expensive, but BAH and COLA mostly make up for that. Outdoor types fare better than other types. We loved it enough to come back as soon as we could manage it! :) But, we love to hike, swim, snorkel, kayak, etc. We visit the beach as often as we can. Not everyone likes those things and non-outdoor activities are more limited, those are the people who don't like Hawaii. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tammi K Posted June 7, 2013 Share Posted June 7, 2013 Schofield Barracks is not on the Big Island, it's on Oahu. We were stationed there. You will want to live on the portion of the island that the base is on. Not down near Waikiki, not over by Kaneohe. The traffic can be crazy congested. We lived in Kapolei and really liked it. It's only just started being built up when we were there 10 years ago, so a lot of the stuff is new. We actually lived in Barber's Point which was military housing that was privatized. We loved it because the commute wasn't bad and it still had a small commissary, gas station, GIANT pool and fitness center. Even though civilians can live there, they can't use the military facilities, so it wasn't very crowded. Plus, it was only a short drive to the Lagoons at Ko Olina, which was one of our favorite beach spots. It is expensive to live there, but if you are military, you will be fine. We enjoyed every minute of it! And yeah, the schools suck.... So homeschool or have a boatload of money for private. We were there from August 2005 until September 2010. Barber's Point closed. The fitness center was taken over by our old church. I used to teach swimming lessons in that pool as part of our 'Sunday School' time. Public schools do suck. There is no nice way of putting it! Private school are expensive. Homeschooling is easy. Schofield's elementary school is a Core Knowledge school so if you are on base, it is a good non-homeschool option. Things are expensive off base. Our house in Makakilo ( just above Kapolei) was 1,700 sq feet for $600,000 with no AC. Yards are small, too and you are just feet away from your neighbors. The weather is beautiful. On the west (dry) side you can expect 360is days of sun a year. You will get rain every few nights. On the east side (wet) side, it generally rains a bit everyday but it's usually passing showers. Traffic on that side is crazy. It can take hours to get from Honolulu to Schofield (16miles) if you hit rush hour. Walmart, Kamart, Costco, etc keep prices reasonable for most things. There is a big Barnes&Noble in Waikeli which is near Schofield. There are a few others in the island too. Lots f great beaches. All beaches are public. The ones on the west, especially toward the north of the island have lots of homeless living in tents. There was a move to clean it up a few years ago, but people just move farther down the beach and set up shop again. There is a great water park in Kapolei. Season passes make admission reasonable. We went a lot. Hali Koa, the military hotel in Honolulu, has a large pool. It's open to you with your base ID. You can also take guests if it's not crowded. They restrict access when it gets full. You can run into some prejudice. Your kids may get called 'haole' by the locals. My son went to middle school and hated it. we pulled him and homeschooled. On the other hand, my daughter went to Kapolei high school and did just fine. The education was dismal but she had lots of friends of every ethnicity. Many people love it. I had a love /hate relationship. I really, really hate the heat so I was miserable for many hours of the day. But, it is beautiful and there are some very nice people. We left behind dear friends. But, I love to tell people that moving to Alaska was my reward for putting up with 4 years in Hawaii! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Mungo Posted June 7, 2013 Share Posted June 7, 2013 There is a big Barnes&Noble in Waikeli which is near Schofield. There are a few others in the island too. Nope, that was a Borders and it is closed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MBM Posted June 7, 2013 Share Posted June 7, 2013 Isn't there a decent used boook store in the town where Obama stays? I could've sworn there was. I think Hawaii is comparable to Chicago but a tad bit cheaper and nicer! Don't care much for Waikiki though. You'll want a Costco card. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tammi K Posted June 7, 2013 Share Posted June 7, 2013 Nope, that was a Borders and it is closed. You know, I think that actually closed right about the time we left. Either that or I remember hearing it was closed. What about Pearl City? Was that Borders too? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Mungo Posted June 7, 2013 Share Posted June 7, 2013 Isn't there a decent used boook store in the town where Obama stays? I could've sworn there was. Sure, but that is about and hour and a half from Schofield. You know, I think that actually closed right about the time we left. Either that or I remember hearing it was closed. What about Pearl City? Was that Borders too? Pearl City was Borders too. Downtown, Ala Moana and Kahala are the Barnes and Noble locations and Kahala is about to close, they didn't renew their lease there. :( I loved the Borders in Waikele. They were SO helpful! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
*lifeoftheparty* Posted June 7, 2013 Share Posted June 7, 2013 We were there from August 2005 until September 2010. Barber's Point closed. The fitness center was taken over by our old church. I used to teach swimming lessons in that pool as part of our 'Sunday School' time. Public schools do suck. There is no nice way of putting it! Private school are expensive. Homeschooling is easy. Schofield's elementary school is a Core Knowledge school so if you are on base, it is a good non-homeschool option. Things are expensive off base. Our house in Makakilo ( just above Kapolei) was 1,700 sq feet for $600,000 with no AC. Yards are small, too and you are just feet away from your neighbors. The weather is beautiful. On the west (dry) side you can expect 360is days of sun a year. You will get rain every few nights. On the east side (wet) side, it generally rains a bit everyday but it's usually passing showers. Traffic on that side is crazy. It can take hours to get from Honolulu to Schofield (16miles) if you hit rush hour. Walmart, Kamart, Costco, etc keep prices reasonable for most things. There is a big Barnes&Noble in Waikeli which is near Schofield. There are a few others in the island too. Lots f great beaches. All beaches are public. The ones on the west, especially toward the north of the island have lots of homeless living in tents. There was a move to clean it up a few years ago, but people just move farther down the beach and set up shop again. There is a great water park in Kapolei. Season passes make admission reasonable. We went a lot. Hali Koa, the military hotel in Honolulu, has a large pool. It's open to you with your base ID. You can also take guests if it's not crowded. They restrict access when it gets full. You can run into some prejudice. Your kids may get called 'haole' by the locals. My son went to middle school and hated it. we pulled him and homeschooled. On the other hand, my daughter went to Kapolei high school and did just fine. The education was dismal but she had lots of friends of every ethnicity. Many people love it. I had a love /hate relationship. I really, really hate the heat so I was miserable for many hours of the day. But, it is beautiful and there are some very nice people. We left behind dear friends. But, I love to tell people that moving to Alaska was my reward for putting up with 4 years in Hawaii! Barbers CLOSED??? The housing too? Or just the amenities?? That makes me so sad :( I had such a great time there- so many fond memories.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Mungo Posted June 7, 2013 Share Posted June 7, 2013 Barbers CLOSED??? The housing too? Or just the amenities?? That makes me so sad :( I had such a great time there- so many fond memories.... The housing too. It still looks much the same, it is just owned by a civilian company. BTW, OP, we had three weeks notice on our last move, joy! We just moved from NC, several posters here live near Fort Bragg. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Esse Quam Videri Posted September 13, 2013 Share Posted September 13, 2013 Anyone still here? Moved to Oahu a couple of months ago, we're in Ko Olina for now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Mungo Posted September 13, 2013 Share Posted September 13, 2013 We actually just moved back to Oahu this summer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dashka Posted September 13, 2013 Share Posted September 13, 2013 Are you homeschooling or putting children in public schools? If you are planning on using the public schools, be careful where you choose to live. I lived in the Makaha/Waianae area, which is(was?) one of the cheapest for housing. We rented a house with a nice yard a block from the beach, 3 bedrooms 1 bath for only $1200/mo. But the public school was a problem. When I lived there I was subject to severe bullying in my intermediate (middle) school. It escalated and I was pushed down wet cement stairs and I landed on my back. Lots of kids passed by me and no one offered to help. I have a permanent back injury due to that. My only crime was being white and a straight A student. Even if you don't use the public schools, still be careful where you choose to live due to children's friends (or lack thereof, due to possible prejudice), and possible break-ins (had to deal with that a few times). The people were not all bad there, but I would say the kids and the younger generation of adults were, for the most part. The middle aged women and men were very sweet!! :) Also, as others said, the shipping is a pain there. If you buy a certain curriculum that you plan to continue using, I would highly recommend pricing it out online and seeing the cost of shipping (if they do ship to Hawaii; many places have an annoying policy that they only ship to the 48 continental States). If at all possible, it's better to buy those things beforehand (unless you find that the shipping is not a problem with whatever websites you use). The weather there is lovely unless you melt in warm weather! The ocean is beautiful, and usually warm enough to be comfortable and still be cooling on warm days. Definitely make sure you take the time to explore the island! Go to popular beaches, find waterfalls, visit the Polynesian Cultural Center (wish I went there more than once!!). There are so many things to see and do, you'd have a great time! Also, I would recommend island hopping every now and then; it's relatively cheap and it opens up lots more in terms of experiences. That is one thing I wish I had been able to do, and if I go back to Hawaii that is my plan! Good luck with your move, whereever you end up!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SemiSweet Posted September 13, 2013 Share Posted September 13, 2013 We moved here (Oahu) in January, we live on Hickam. We tried the public school for 2 months and that was a no-go. We are really enjoying our time here but will be ready to leave when the time comes. Get a Costco membership and Amazon prime. I buy everything from Amazon, their prices are great and shipping is fast and free. The commissary is similarly priced to the the mainland, but certain things are much more expensive. The produce sucks, we have ours delivered from a local farm and it's much better. We are Air Force and hops to the mainland are not the most difficult thing to accomplish if you have a flexible schedule (yay homeschooling!). Pros: It's beautiful, there is tons to do The weather is always nice, we spend a lot of time outside Cons: No seasons :( Isolated Terrible traffic Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Mungo Posted September 13, 2013 Share Posted September 13, 2013 Cons: No seasons :( Isolated Terrible traffic The traffic can be *really* terrible. I'm sorry you're feeling isolated. Have you joined one of the military homeschooling groups? They do park days, field trips, support meetings, beach days, there is really a lot going on in some of them. Private message me if you'd like more info. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SemiSweet Posted September 14, 2013 Share Posted September 14, 2013 The traffic can be *really* terrible. I'm sorry you're feeling isolated. Have you joined one of the military homeschooling groups? They do park days, field trips, support meetings, beach days, there is really a lot going on in some of them. Private message me if you'd like more info. :) Thank you. I just meant isolated from my family, in fact this is the first place I've lived as a spouse where I've made a few friends and have great neighbors. :) We are part of a couple homeschool groups too and just went on a field trip this morning. My dad is very ill though so being so far from my family is rough, but it was the same when I was active duty too, so it's nothing new. We are actually really enjoying it here but I do love seasons and will most definitely be ready to go when our 3 years is up. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Esse Quam Videri Posted September 14, 2013 Share Posted September 14, 2013 Awesome to know there are other WTMers here :-). I'd love to hear about some good hs groups. I'm on the FB group and its pretty much a mess at times- far too many people and no structure so it's can be crazy hard to sign up for field trips. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tammi K Posted September 14, 2013 Share Posted September 14, 2013 It depends on which island. I lived on Maui. It's very different from Oahu. Expensive No A/C in a lot of places Beautiful Pack carefully. Most of my dishes and appliances were broken in shipping. Did I say expensive This. :iagree: Except that I actually had very little in the way of damages. And Freckles forgot to mention: HOT :mad: (This is my HOT face. Not pretty.) It's hot pretty much 365 days out of the year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tammi K Posted September 14, 2013 Share Posted September 14, 2013 The traffic can be *really* terrible. Just how terrible you might wonder. One morning about 6 am, I awoke in pain and decided that something was wrong and I need to have either my appendix, gallbladder, or an ovary removed. (Turns out it was my appendix) I roused DH and asked to be taken to the emergency room. He suggested Queens (downtown Honolulu - approx a 20 minute drive in off-traffic hours.) I adamantly said, "No, St Francis" ( arguably the worst hospital on the island). Yes, I decided to go to the worst the island had to offer because I knew that the normally 20 minute drive would take over 2 hours in rush hour and it hurt too much for that to happen. So, there you have it. At least on person was willing to risk their life (literally) to avoid sitting in Oahu traffic! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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