eXodus – Why do People Move From Maui?

Note: This is my gimmicky X post for the A to Z Challenge – I can’t think of a good X word that fits my particular theme, which is Living on Maui: A Beginner’s Survival Guide.

In the ten years that I’ve lived here, many of my friends have moved. It happens over and over again. I can probably think of dozens of people who have moved away. Interestingly enough, a few people moved to Maui, then moved away for whatever reasons, and moved back here again. A couple of them are still here and a few moved away again. It makes me a little dizzy thinking about it.

The reasons that people to move to Maui are obvious:

·        Good weather

·        Beautiful location

·        A more relaxed and accepting lifestyle, at least on the surface

·        Possibly work, but usually as an afterthought

The reasons why people leave Maui or Hawaii are less obvious:

·        Want to buy a house, but can’t afford one.

·        Better work on the mainland, that pays more money.

·        It’s too expensive to live here.

·        Illness, like a particular cancer, that is better treated on the mainland.

·        Parents died and you’ve inherited property somewhere else.

·        Divorce.

·        Love – falling in love with someone who lives elsewhere

·        Desire to be closer to family, who live on the mainland.

·        Parents are ill and you have to go back to take care of them.

·        Feeling isolated here, miss friends back home and haven’t found your social niche here.

·        Public school system isn’t great and private school is too pricey.

·        It doesn’t feel like you’re getting anywhere with your life – you still have the same two or three jobs and are driving the same beat up car, and “you’re not really making it here.”

·        Education – what you want to study isn’t offered here.

·        Job troubles – getting fired or not getting along at work, and not finding something better.

·        Better opportunities for your children – one couple moved to the mainland because the son showed promising talent as a race car driver of all things, and there is no way to really develop that skill here.

·        Travel – wanting to see the world. (Gasp! Could there be other places to see besides Maui?)

There are probably many more reasons, but these are the first ones that come to mind. 

During the first few months of living here, it’s a honeymoon period. Everything is wonderful. Then reality settles in and there are things that can be really bothersome, like local bureaucracy or the slow way of doing things, getting tweaked with vog or cane burning, or one can’t find work because no one wants to hire a new person, or missing family and friends… A lot of people move away during the first year. If someone lives here for at least a year, they’ve reached the “one year hump” and have a chance of staying here longer.

When people on Maui talk about who stays or leaves Maui, often someone will remark, “Mother Maui decides who can stay” or “The island decides.” One friend who lived here for four years was told, “Not everyone can make it on Maui, so don’t feel bad about leaving” and “Mother Maui doesn’t let everyone stay,” implying that the “spirit of the island rejected her.”

This kind of talk irritates me. Who is this Mother Maui character anyhow? I think Mother Maui is a made up haole new age boogie woman that lets people who have moved to Maui feel innately superior to the rest of the common folk around them. Usually those people have deep pockets.

In Hawaiian mythology Maui is a Hawaiian trickster god who lassoed the sun, so this new age Mother Maui rankles me. Uh oh, maybe I’m on her SH*T list! When I grew up on Oahu, there was no talk of Mother Oahu rejecting people or kicking them off her island. 

Here on Maui, if you move, people often feel sorry for you, especially the more spiritual types.  Your moving implies that some divine law of nature has been invoked and you were found “lacking.” If Mother Maui was all so spiritual, wouldn’t we say to friends leaving the island, “Mother Maui supports your move" or "You're on the right path"? I would think Mother Maui would be upset about all the changes taking place on her island, but she hasn't kicked out any corporations yet. 

My ideal Mother Maui would be like the slogan of the Hard Rock Cafe, "Loves all, serves all." Amen. Namaste. Om Shanti Shanti. Aloha. 

Tomorrow's post will be a little more upbeat!

                                                                                                       

(By the way, while I have your attention, three friends are running interesting projects:

The Aloha Project: Words, Music and Compassion

44 Children Are Filming Their Message From the Earth
Bring Coworking to Maui)

Here's a shortcut to the archives for the A to Z Challenge and other blog posts.

The theme of this year’s A to Z Challenge is Living on Maui: A Beginner’s Survival Guide. While I can’t include everything in only 26 short blog posts, this is my foolish attempt.