To see all the Hawaii residents interview responses see the Index, just Click Here.
To take this survey yourself, Click Here
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What Is Your First and Last Name?
Cassandra Roman (Cassandra – do you have a photo I can put here? Maybe 300 pixels wide, a head shot?)
Do You Have a Website or Something Else You Would Like Us To Link To?
No Thank you.
Which Hawaiian Islands Have You Lived On?
Oahu.
How Many Years and Months Did You Spend Living in Hawaii?
3 years 10 months.
How Many Members of Your Family Stayed in Hawaii With You?
Spouse and me.
Pets – Choose One That Applies
No Pets
If You Had a Pet, Would You Recommend Pet Owners Moving to Hawaii Bring Their Pets to the Islands?
N/A
Was Your Income Adequate to Do 90% of What You Wanted To Do Beyond Your Normal Living Expenses?
Money was a real issue…I worked for the school district. Unfortunately we don’t get paid very well for growing Oahu’s future.
What Were Your Main Activities Outside of Work – And, Did You Find You Had Enough to Keep You Occupied?
Beach, hiking, fishing, concerts, kayaking, SUPing
Did You Find It Easy to Make New Friends in Hawaii? And, Were People “Like You” Easy to Find?
Yes, I made friends easy. I started working at Kunia Elementary school with Autistic Children. I made friends quickly because we all had a passion to help these kids and ended up having similar personalities and interest :) Plus my uncle had moved to Oahu 17 yrs prior and was married to a sweet local lady so her family accepted me like their own… true wonderful people.
Did You Experience Any Incidents of Racial Discrimination, Hate, Etc? Can You Please Explain As Much As You’re Willing?
I did not experience any racism. I am of Spanish and Mexican decent. I tan to a nice dark caramel color and I had long curly black hair. Folks thought I was always from around the area.
What Did You Think About the Traffic and Parking Situation?
Traffic and parking can be pretty terrible in Oahu. Luckily for me, I lived in Central Oahu (the Wahaiwa Area) and worked in Kunia so I would take the back 250 Kunia road to work. Most of the time is was a slow but smooth ride unless the military or plantations backed up the road. My uncle and Aunt would always complain about the horrible traffic on the H1. They drove from Makaha to Aiea and Honolulu.
What Do You Like Most About Living in Hawaii?
I loved the clean living, the nature, the Lifestyle – Ohana first, slower pace.
What Did You Dislike Most About Living in Hawaii?
I always wished there would be a PUBLIC road that could connect Makaha to the North Shore. That would have made life a lot easier. I originally came from San Diego, CA. so things are pretty expensive there, but when I came to Oahu I was still shocked by the food and gas prices. Last but not least, traffic can be a pain.
Rate Your Happiness Living in Hawaii…
10 – very unhappy
Did You Have Any Experience With Public or Private Schools in Hawaii?
I worked at Kunia Elementary with Autistic Children. Love the school, staff, and children. I was very happy there. One thing I believe they could have improved on was there English Curriculum. I remember some of the English classes having a great deal of pigeon. I always thought in my head, “if these children every want to go to the mainland to pursue their college degrees, English class is going to be very tough for them.”
Was There Enough Shopping On the Island?
Yes, That was not a problem.
Roughly How Much Money Did You Spend on Food Each Month?
$1100 (me and spouse)
Do You Have (Did You Have) a Business in Hawaii?
No.
Is Hawaii the Ultimate Place to Live Whether You Have Money or Not?
Yes it is the ultimate place to live. My Mother ended up getting Breast Cancer so I moved back to San Diego to take care of her and help her beat the cancer… and SHE DID!!! So worth the move back to SD but I do have my mind set to move back to my lovely Oahu and continue to tranquilly and happy life I left behind.
Anything Else You Want to Say???
PS: I’m so glad I took this survey. It brings back the colorful and cherished memories of Oahu.
Mahalo and Much love.
-Cassandra Roman”
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Vern’s Comments
Thanks Cassandra for your answers on this Hawaii survey! I’m very happy to hear that your mother kicked cancer’s butt. I have a 74 year old friend that had 2nd stage and just got a clean bill of health after some intensive chemo!
I have talked to a number of people that have worked as teachers in the Hawaiian Islands and while all emphasized how important the job was, how much they put into it, all were also frustrated at various things. I didn’t have kids in the school system when I lived in Hawaii, so everything I have heard is third-hand from parents and second-hand from teachers. It seems like that is one area that all parents can agree – needs serious help. If Hawaii could clean up this one aspect of life on the islands, it would make living there unbeatable I think. Parents want to give their kids better education than they themselves had. In Hawaii if you cannot afford an expensive private school, your kids are not going to have the greatest school experience on average. They might have fun. They might enjoy it. They won’t be getting all that they could be getting though.
If you have any friends that would like to take the survey Cassandra, can you point them to it? Mahalos!
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If you have lived in Hawaii in the past or present, and you would like to take this short survey – here is the link:
What do you think?