Aloha Paradise Realty Inc. (808)676-3400

Moving Your Household

One of the biggest challenges when relocating to or from Hawai'i (or even to another Hawaiian Island) is transporting your car, furniture and other large household items, pets and more safely over land and sea.

To start, research and talk extensively with shipping companies to determine which can operate within your budget and time frame. Companies such as CSX Lines and Matson provide full shipping services at decent prices, from most locations on the U.S. West Coast.

Sell or ship? Some people decide it's more economical to sell certain items than it is to ship them — such as older cars valued at less than a thousand dollars. That is often a wise choice, but if your household items are in good condition, it makes sense to take them with you to the Aloha State. In Hawai'i you'll find higher costs for manufactured goods, and your choice of replacement merchandise may be limited.

Time frame: Shipping a car or container of household items generally takes three to four weeks. Cars are shipped in individual containers, but many sea carriers will allow partial containers of household goods (a three-bedroom home will likely fill a 24-foot container). Check with your shipping company or an authorized trucking company; they may be able to deliver the container to your house for packing, then retrieve it for delivery to the docks.

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Bringing Pets to Hawaii

In 2003 the state relaxed its pet quarantine system, making it easier for out-of-state pet owners to bring their pets into Hawaii and for kama'aina pet owners to travel outside the state.

The rule change shortened the quarantine confinement for pets that meet requirements before they get here, reducing the stay to five days or less rather than the present 30- to 120-day quarantine.

State officials have enforced a quarantine since 1912 to ensure that rabies is not introduced into Hawaii, the only state free of the disease. Till now, the confinement period was reduced only once — in 1997, when a 30-day option began.

The main fear has been that a rabid pet could come in contact with a mongoose or other feral animal, spreading the disease in the wild.

Veterinarian Isaac Maeda, program manager at the state's rabies quarantine branch, has said a department analysis last year showed that reducing quarantine to five days 'does not substantially increase the risk of introducing rabies into the state,' as long as the program includes proper rabies vaccination, blood tests and a 120-day waiting period before animals arrive.

The five-day quarantine is a third option for bringing pets to the state. Under the new program, pets that meet state criteria may be released from the airport directly to their owners or stay a maximum of five days at the quarantine station.

To have a pet released at the airport, an owner would also have to provide documentation 10 days before arrival that the other requirements had been met.

Pet owners hoping for shorter confinement of their animals upon arrival must present proof that their animal has had two rabies vaccinations, microchip implantation for identification and clean results of blood serum tests. Quarantine costs for the reduced confinement program will be $165 if the pet qualifies for direct release from the airport and $224 if the pet must be held for up to five days.

NEW RULES SUMMARY:
To qualify for a five-day pet quarantine, owners must prepare at least four months in advance:

• Pets will need a microchip implanted for identification.
• The pet will need a rabies shot and a booster, which can be no less than three months apart and not more than one year apart.
• Animals should have passed a blood serum test, with results e-mailed to Hawaii officials by the testing lab. Pets cannot enter the state till 120 days after the blood sample is received by the state.
• Hawaii officials must receive a health certificate from the pet's veterinarian at least 10 days before the animal's arrival, with all test results and health certificates sent by e-mail to prevent fraud.
• At the airport, animal quarantine officials will inspect every incoming pet, check its chip to confirm its identity and release the animal to its owner if everything is in order.
• Contact info:

Hawaii Department of Agriculture
Animal Quarantine Station
99-951 Halawa Valley Street
Aiea, Hawaii 96701-5602
Phone: (808) 483-7151
Web site: www.hawaiiag.org/hdoa/ai_aqs_info.htm

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Setting Up House on Oahu

Some key information needed to fully set up your house and register any vehicles you may have brought with you:

Hawaiian Electric Company (HECO)
900 Richards Street
Honolulu, HI 96813
Phone: 808-543-7771
 

Hawaiian Telcom (Phone, DSL, and Wireless Services)
1177 Bishop Street
Honolulu, HI 96813
Phone: 808-643-3456
 

Oceanic Cable
200 Akamainui Street
Mililani, HI 96789
Phone: 808-625-8100
 

Honolulu Board of Water Supply
630 South Beretania Street
Honolulu, HI 96813
Phone: 808-532-6510
 

Hawaii State Motor Vehicle and Licensing
808-532-7700 (7:45 a.m. to 4:15 p.m.)
www.co.honolulu.hi.us/csd
The state gives you two choices in registering your vehicle: Transfer it to Hawaii registration, or get a permit to operate it until the out-of-state plates expire.

Before you go to register your car, you must have a Hawaii Vehicle Inspection Certificate from any authorized safety inspection provider on the island, such as a gas station which displays a state-authorized Safety Inspection seal. You'll need to show your Hawaii proof of motor vehicle insurance card to get your Hawaii inspection certificate.

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Schools in Hawaii

The state of Hawaii offers public and private schools statewide, including some of the finest universities in the Pacific region. When searching for universities, schools and general information about Hawaii's education system, check out these resources:


Reports & General Information:
•2004 State Test Scores
•Department of Education (State of Hawaii)
•Status of Education in Hawaii
•State Library System

Kindergarten through Secondary:
•Public School Web Sites
•Public Charter Schools
•Private Schools Directory

Post-Secondary/Graduate:
•University of Hawaii-Manoa
•University of Hawaii-Hilo
•University of Hawai‘i Community Colleges
•Hawaii Pacific University
•University of Phoenix
•Chaminade University
•Brigham Young University-Hawaii
•Wayland Baptist University-Hawaii Campus
•Argosy University/Honolulu (Psychology)
 

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Island Customs

Hawaii's many distinct customs are a reflection of the state's rich mix of ethnicities and accompanying cultural practices, most of which have been nurtured and preserved over a span of several centuries.

Immigrants from Europe, the South Pacific, Asia and other parts of the world joined Hawaii society following English explorer Capt. James Cook's arrival in 1779 — most of them explorers, Christian missionaries, businessmen, whalers, plantation workers and, more recently, those simply seeking a better way of life. This convergence of foods, languages, religions and family values with the native Hawaiian culture has resulted in a blend of centuries-old traditions that today largely typifies the distinct character that is called the 'Hawaiian Island lifestyle.'


Read about a few of these customs:


Giving leis
In Hawaii it is customary to give a lei as a gesture of congratulations and aloha (love) to those celebrating a milestone or receiving an honor. It is also common to present a lei to a friend or relative who is arriving in the Islands — no matter from where or how long they have been away — as a hearty welcome. Leis are normally worn around the neck and can be made of tropical flowers (such as the fragrant tuberose or plumeria), maile (green, shiny leaves), or nuts and berries.

Lei signify special occasions, just as they did in ancient Hawaii. On birthdays, graduations, weddings or any day of personal or professional celebration, friends and relatives ensure the honored person is adorned with lei on the special day and perhaps even several days afterward. At an Island wedding you'll likely see the bride wearing a haku (lei encircling her head) and around the groom's neck, a maile or cigar lei (tiny, tubular flowers strung in a tight, spiral pattern).

Each spring the children of Hawaii string hundreds of flower lei and, on May Day (May 1), place them on the graves of soldiers at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific (Punchbowl). This sign of respect and love also extends to great people of Hawaii's past, such as Kamehameha the Great. During the Kamehameha Day holiday and celebration each year (around June 11) the statue of Kamehameha the Great in Honolulu's Capitol District is draped with hundreds of feet of carefully strung lei as a sign of respect and honor for the Hawaiian warrior who, in 1810, united the Hawaiian Islands under one rule.


Wearing slippers (and knowing when not to)
Hawaii residents are quite possibly the planet's least concerned about what they wear on their feet. You'll notice at the door of many Island hale (homes) a small collection (or large, depending on the size of the family) of 'slippers' — flip-flops, as they are called elsewhere. The most casual of footwear (next to bare feet), slippers are worn out to dinner, school, family functions and — the fancy kine, at least — even occasionally to church and the office.

Two things to keep in mind in the Islands: take off your slippers and other footwear when entering someone's home, and always be prepared, with an extra pair, for slipper 'blow-out.'


The Hawaiian blessing
When a place of business or a new home opens its doors, it is common to have the location blessed by a Hawaiian kahu (guardian or minister).

The blessing ceremony dates back to the early days of Hawaiian culture. Though it has come to incorporate Christian elements since the arrival of missionaries in Hawaii in 1820, the ceremony is based on the traditional Hawaiian belief in kapu (taboos) that can be placed on a physical space. Although some societal kapu were immutable, other kapu, such as curses or negative energy, still linger in modern-day places. During a blessing ceremony, a kahu clears any kapu that might have been placed on a space, so the new occupants may move forward with a 'clean slate.'

The details of this ceremony can vary depending on the occasion — whether it is a home, office, building or other enterprise being blessed. Kahu often personalize blessings with readings and chants they specifically select for the occasion. Three elements are fairly universal to a blessing, however: the asking for blessings from Akua (God), the sprinkling of salt water, and the untying of a maile lei (made from the leaves of a fragrant, native twining shrub) that has been gently draped and tied across a real or virtual threshold.

An extension of huikala (a ceremonial cleansing with the healing waters of the ocean), salt water is sprinkled by the kahu on both the space and the people involved in the venture, to cleanse them of impurities. The untying of the maile lei, made from a plant sacred to Hawaiians, opens the space being blessed. The threshold may then be crossed; the kapu are amama (done, finished).

• More about the Hawaiian language »


Lu'au!
One of many ways to experience a slice of Island culture, the lu'au (LOO-ow) is a Hawaiian tradition: a feast to celebrate accomplishments, honor important people and commemorate great events. In old Hawaii it was a time to pay homage to ancestral gods with song, dance and offerings of food, a grand celebration that sometimes lasted for days.

For many a lu'au is a chance to relax and enjoy family and friends with good food and music. This spirit prevails in nearly every aspect of life in Hawaii. One of the most dutifully observed local rituals is the 'baby lu'au,' a grand celebration staged on a child's first birthday. Lu'au are also held for graduations, class reunions, and other important events.

If you're visiting the Islands and you decide to 'do' a lu'au, rest assured that time will likely be some of the nicest — and most culturally enriching — you'll spend in Hawaii.

• Reserve your spot at one of Hawaii's best lu'aus! »


Making cranes
As a symbol of longevity and good luck, a bride and her wedding party will fold 1,000 tiny golden origami cranes — withe the groom contributing the final crane for a total of 1,001. The cranes are then flattened, mounted, framed and presented at the wedding reception as a good-luck keepsake for the couple.

The art of origami is widely practiced in Hawaii; and though the crane tradition is of Japanese origin, brides of many ethnicities have adopted it.


Aloha on the road
If, in your daily driving routine you're accustomed to blaring horns, rude drivers and merging forcefully into lines of traffic, you may find Hawaii a refreshing change (unless YOU'RE blaring your horn). Most Island drivers practice aloha (love, the spirit of giving) on the road. Rarely will you hear a horn or shout in traffic, and more often than not you'll be waved into traffic or through a stop sign by a courteous fellow driver. If this happens, smile, wave or — better yet — flash 'em a shaka (stick your pinky finger out, and fold the rest of your fingers over...takes practice).

 

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