Shannon Said:

i was getting my medication from a local pharmacy and this big state trooper cut in front of me in line.......

We Answered:

I agree with you, some people are basically rude and don't care about others time. I guess you were a victim of one of those people.

Helen Said:

Living in Hawaii: realistic or just a dream?

We Answered:

It can be realistic if you're prepared. I fell in love with Hawaii when I was on vacation here in 1997 and made it MY dream to live here one day! I moved to the Big Island in 2000 but wasn't as well-prepared financially as I should have been, so I moved back to California after a year to pay off some debts and save more money. I eventually moved to Kauai in 2005 and have been here ever since. :)

Riding your bike may or may not be an option for you. As a triathlete, I'm sure you could handle the distances...it's the roads (narrow and sometimes twisty) and other drivers that could be a problem. If you work a fair distance from your home, it might not be practical to ride to work instead of drive. You also have to consider the weather. The windward sides of the islands get more rain than the leeward sides and we sometimes have very wet winters. Most of the rain occurs at night, but not always, of course.

Other things to consider are the high prices, local culture, and "rock fever." Let's start with prices. I did a cost of living calculator for Baton Rouge (just took a guess) to Honolulu (the only city/town listed for Hawaii). If you make $40,000 a year in Baton Rouge, you will need to make more than $66,000 for a similar lifestyle in Honolulu. There are cost of living calculators all over the net. I used this one: http://swz.salary.com/costoflivingwizard…
I like the one at CNN too: http://cgi.money.cnn.com/tools/costofliv…
(That one says you will need to make $72,000+ per year and that housing is 215% more in Honolulu than in Baton Rouge.)

Next is local culture. 'Locals' are people who were born in HI or who have lived here for a long, long time. 'Haole' generally means "white person," but it can refer to any newcomer to the islands. You may or may not hear it a lot. I am white and get called haole all the time, but not in a derogatory way. There is a woman I work with who is Japanese -- she calls me Haole Girl and I call her Japanee. It's just our funny little way of talking to each other. Neither of us take offense because it isn't meant to be offensive. We're just joking. For the most part, people around here are pretty relaxed about race. Hawaii isn't as politically correct as a lot of places on the mainland; we refer to people by their race. Haole girl, that popolo guy (black guy), Filipina, etc. are all commonly heard. Hawaii is a big mixed bag of races and cultures: Chinese, Japanese, Hawaiian, Filipino, white, Marshallese, Samoan, Tongan... so like I said, it's not that big a deal here UNLESS you're disrespectful or rude. It can be difficult for mainlanders to fit in sometimes, but that's just gonna take time and effort on YOUR part. If you are interested in others and make an effort to be friendly, you'll likely get the same in return.

OK, last thing: rock fever. I personally have never felt it, but I get off my island several times a year, so that's probably why. Many people who move here aren't quite prepared for how small the islands are. If you like road trips, forget it. Even the Big Island isn't THAT big. Going back to the mainland to visit friends and relatives is expensive. When you move to Hawaii, everyone says they will visit, but they won't. Some will, but most won't. It's just too expensive. If you can't afford to get off the island at least once a year, you may get rock fever. Then again, you may not. It's all about the individual. I am perfectly fine only visiting Oahu or the Big Island once in a while, but I do go to the mainland to see family and friends every other year or so. That helps a lot.

So there's a lot to consider. We do need medical professionals here, but I'm not sure that here is the place for you to train. It might be -- you'd have to look into it. I know that the outer islands refer a lot of "difficult" cases to Oahu (things like high risk pregnancies, major surgeries, and even sleep studies are done on Oahu -- there are no facilities and not enough physicians for those types of cases on the outer islands), so finding a job once you've become established might not be too tough. Do keep in mind though that Hawaii IS part of the United States and we are going through the same recession and unemployment spike as the rest of the country.

Good luck and feel free to email me if you have any more specific questions.

Aloha!

Lee Said:

Do I have a chance at getting in?

We Answered:

You have pretty good chances in my personal opinion. Keep studying for the SAT. I wish you the best.

Do not just try to get the highest grade but try to retain all the information you learn.

Ted Said:

Having Problems With My Best Friend's Boyfriend ?

We Answered:

As frustrating as it is, it is not your place to say or do anything about the situation. Support your girlfriend as best you can. She is the one that needs to stand up to his lack of contribution. Trying to set him straight may end up having your friend choose between you and the "guy" . Given that choice she will have to choose the guy as they are now in this "committed" relationship. Hopefully when the baby arrives reality will set in for him and he will learn the value of giving.

You may be able to talk to one of the men he looks up to to see if this respected man may be able to point the "guy" in the right direction. But I would still say be careful and do not do anything directly.

Perry Said:

what is a career that require little training and start at $30,000 beside nursing?

We Answered:

You can get certified in months for pharmacy tech. The starting salary is a little over $30k.