The islands’ broken education system: Why Eric Lee left Hawaii

Via Grassroot Institute, December 28, 2021

I chose to leave Hawaii because it is expensive, crowded and lots of locals seemed to have a sense of entitlement. My wife is a mainland girl and she pointed out that the education system in the islands is broken. Kids were fighting with the teachers and teachers were being threatened by parents.

We moved to where housing and land is affordable. There are lots of job opportunities and better pay. The education system is among the best in the country. Ethnicity is diverse and rich. Not as much as the islands, but good enough.

Eric Lee

Apple Valley, Minnesota

Former resident of Kailua, Oahu

  *   *   *   *   *

‘I didn’t know how much better it is outside of Hawaii’; Why Pearl Hori left Hawaii

from Grassroot Institute, December 20, 2021

I was born and raised in Kona. I was 49 years old when I left for the mainland in 2017. Kilauea had been erupting constantly since 1983, and the air quality was horrible. I ended up with asthma and susceptible to pneumonia.

Initially I went to Washington state on vacation. By the second day I realized what it was like to breathe clean air.

While I was there, I also noticed the lower cost of products in the stores. Food and housing were so much cheaper. Within one month of going back to Kona, I decided to move to Washington for good. I could buy a mobile home for $40,000, and there were lots of available jobs. Within three months I got an awesome job with the Washington state government. I’ve been here four years now.

I came alone with my two dogs and a few boxes to start life again. Most of my family is still in Hawaii. A few are in different states. They moved for schools, low costs of living and higher pay.

I wish I had moved before 2017, but I didn’t know how much better it is outside of Hawaii.

Pearl Hori
Lacey, Washington
Former resident of Kailua-Kona, Hawaii Island