If it's any consolation, it's very expensive to live in Hawaii. Maybe think about the South if you're looking for someplace warmer.

Sorry for the let down; but you know it just means something even better is waiting for you! :)

Florida awaits you, Kathy! There are TONS of nursing jobs here and we would welcome you with open arms. We are in LOVE with our state - come down, check it out and then, MOVE here - that's what I did and I couldn't be happier. Email me if you have any questions I might be able to answer.

Heck, I'd love for most of the KT to move here!!!!

I know the feeling! Warm is better according to my hubby who is making plans to go anywhere next winter. He does not like cold and snow. As to the expense, anywhere is expensive, but we were married in Hawaii, and lived there for 9 months when DH was in the Navy. Not expensive then but that was almost 60 years ago. I loved the field ripened pineapple, the people, and the other tree ripened fruits. We had thought about living there but the one thing I remember was because of being an island, not many things to do, and after a few months you felt you needed to go anywhere and had to always take a boat or plane. I felt like the Island was closing in on me. That is the one thing that has stuck with me. Just make sure you have the money to travel every so many months/years.
Marie

Kayjones...I thought about South Carolina but not Florida. Not sure why. I don't think I'd want to live in a big city. Lauren would but not me.

We have LOTS of small 'towns' - I live in one of 8,000 people, when there's no spring breakers here.

A friend of mine is with 'traveling nurses'. You can PICK where you want to go, AND, they make mega money. They also pay for her an apartment. She was working in Hawaii for like 8 months, and now I think she's in California. Maybe something to think about?
+

Don't think that would work Jamie, I have three pets.

A nurse friend in CA moved to Honolulu in the 80s. She loved it but would get island fever and would feel the need to travel back to the mainland. After about 15 years there, she did move back to CA. I realize you need to stay with VA for retirement purposes.

Be sure to check to see if there is a quarantine on animals being taken into Hawaii.
My DD had to leave her two cats here when she moved to Oahu but that was in the early 1990's.
She loved Hawaii but found the cost of living more than she could afford....but then she did not have a profession.
I hope things work out for you.....keep us updated, please.

Jamie, you are correct! My neighbor's wife is a traveling R.N. - she goes to different states for up to 12 weeks at a time, all expenses paid.

She's been in Pennsylvania for the past 12 weeks and just signed again for 17 additional weeks at the same place. Does her husband mind - no - they Skype every night and the money can't be passed up, according to him.

Will not help with the cold but have you looked at the VA hospital and/or VA nursing home in Clarksburg WV? We LOVE living in Clarksburg- moved here from Atlanta. Went from a metro area of 6+ million to a city of 13,000, could not be much happier. We have been pleasantly shocked as the wonderful places to eat here- lots of mom and pop spots instead of chains.

Winters can be cold but they are SOOOO much better than summers int he South. An summers here are great, plus you can walk outside barefoot and not worry about fire ants and such.

Clarksburg is still hoping to get the large PSY hospital in the near future so there will be PSY nursing jobs (but they would not be VA).

think you're gonna have to stay put for abit longer..at least till all the stupid across the board tax cuts tea party wants...would you be interested in san diego? it's va is in an awesome part of the town and about as close as you can get to hawaii....(and guess where we moved from to mi, lol)

Susan, thought about California but looking at the housing I would never be able to afford a home there. Plus aren't the taxes there outrageous? I also don't want to live in a big city.

I realize you are bummed. I hear you because I've had job negatives in the past.

However, I also view this as non-partisan taxpayer and I'm very very glad that the Government appears not to be paying to relocate people for jobs and that locals have highest priority for jobs in their state.

Off to work I go.

Hawaii is ridiculously expensive-housing, food,everything. I lived there for 7 years as a kid and my parents always said it was a nice place to visit, but not live.

The public schools are terrible. There can be some discrimination against "non-Asians" or "Haoles". My blond-hair blue eyed friend had a very difficult time finding a job (different situation for you). Your pets would need to be quarantined for a while when you arrive. Honestly, it would probably be cheaper to be a new (or used) car then ship yours over.

That being said, Hawaii is a gorgeous place, esp weather wise, but yes, expensive too. The mainland can seem a million miles away.

San Diego is beautiful, but I bet there are lots of small towns in California that would be more affordable that you'd like. The east coast (FL, SC) would be much easier and cheaper to move to.

This post was edited by teresava on Wed, Feb 27, 13 at 10:13

Have you thought about TX, AZ etc for the heat thing....or New Mexico....TX has VA hospitals...We live in Kerrville, TX which is an hour out of San Antonio and 2 hours out of Austin when we need a big city fix...but Kerrville has wonderful medical facilities including a VA hospital...

Son and daughter bought a condo in/on Maui about a year ago....unbelievably high priced real estate....

Sorry you are disappointed, but I'm sure something even better is in your future!

Orlando is getting a new VA hospital...of course it was 'supposed' to be open already, now slated for early 2014. it is part of a huge medical complex area called Lake Nona...Nemours Childrens just opened a new hospital there, UCF has a medical school there and a medical research center, waiting on Dental school approval, Burnham Institute a stem cell research co in there too. If we weren't moving to the Tampa side already I would move to this area of Orlando. Orlando has a tremendous amount of new construction going on all over. But I do understand about Hawaii LOL ;-))) also about the disappointment :-/ it has been a roller coaster over the last year on the job searching for us. DH finally took an unbelievable job w Verizon Tampa Jan 1 which is why we will be moving this summer. ~ liz

I looked at Temple, TX, Ruthie. I may wait to apply somewhere until after Lauren goes off to college now.

I didn't find eating, shopping for food much more expensive than here when I was in Hawaii a couple years ago. I realize the housing is much more expensive, though. I thought about Hilo because it's a small clinic, peaceful town, warmer weather. I froze my behind off tonight going to my car even though I got a ride to the parking garage. By the time I went up in the elevator to the fourth floor I was shaking and am still chilled. It's raining/sleeting out there right now. I'm so sick of the cold. Tired of driving 40 minutes or more (depending on traffic) to and from work.

My friends moved to Hawaii and ended up sending their daughter back to the mainland for school. She was treated so awful at school in Hawaii.

kathi while san diego is a larger city, it's more friendly than some and the way the northside has grown, you'd probably never drive into the downtown area unless you wanted to play tourist...and frankly you'd probably look at condos, rather than an actual house (think retirement)...it does have it's fair share of problems..but one day on the beach or driving into the "back country" can sure change that...

Besides the weather, there's not much else great about California. Taxes are horrible and just getting worse. Businesses are leaving like crazy. If i didnt have family here, I'd be out of this state.

Just a thought... depending on where the college your daughter wants to attend... think about in-state vs out of state tuition... Out of state is 2.5 to 3 times the cost of instate.. and usually there's a rule about having to have lived in state a certain length of time to qualify...

Kath, since that doesn't seem like it will work out and you need a change in climate, you may want to look at Florida. We have a small VA clinic here in Ocala and a very large VA hospital in Gainesville just 40 miles north which is associated with Shands hospital--a very large hospital affiliated with UF and their excellent medical school.

Right now, Ocala is a very, very inexpensive place to live. We were hit hard by the recession, but harder yet by one of the largest companies in town going under (the head of that mortgage company is now spending probably the rest of his life in a federal prision). So, housing is really affordable. The town itself has only about 45,000 people, give or take a few. We have all the shopping, restaurants, etc., of larger cities. Traffic drives me nuts sometimes, though.We also have a small 4-year college here. And we're about 1-1/2 hours to Daytona and 90 minutes to Orlando.

You would feel at home here--lots of horse farms and ranches with rolling hills.

We lived in Gainesville for a year and loved it. Wish we hadn't moved, but it's more expensive there than here.

Well, whatcha' say--did I sell you??

Hmmm, maybe Patti....will check it out. Lauren is thinking of going to a college somewhere in KY. Alex is talking about moving to Japan. I think he's obsessed with all things Japan now. I wish my mom was alive so he could converse with her in Japanese. ) :

Kathleen, your kids are growing up waaay to fast!

how close is your dd from going to college? if you did look in ky for a job and she went to a state school it SURE would cost less if she was a resident..out of state is tuition is crazy, unless she can get some sort of scholarship?? or to save money take lower division classes at community level and transfer...

I know Patti, Alex turned 21 today. Hard to believe. Lauren has one more year of high school. She's taking a class or two in high school next year that qualify as college credits. She's also thinking of the Air Force or just going to college in Western KY....she loves biology/science and wants to be a medical examiner. She's going to be in school for a long time.