How come, you no stay now you ova hea?
(Why did you leave Hawaii for the mainland?)

Being on the mainland from Hawaii has been a great experience.  People often ask me why did I leave?  I ask them. "Where are you from?"  they reply, "I'm from Somewhere City, USA" then I say, "Imagine never leaving there."  "Oh, I understand now." is their usual reply.

Being from Hawaii I grew up on an island.  You can only drive so far.  You can only see so far.  You get to know the area, you get to know the people, the culture and the limits.  Its comfortable.  I was comfortable.  I had a great job atIBM, a house near the beach (Punaluu) and a pretty good deal going.  Then IBM changed.  The company began more consulting and services versus just hardware and software.  Consultants and specialists came from the "mainland" to do work.  I be-friended a few of them and they all told me.  " Eh Steve... you know there is more to life then working and living in Hawaii"  I said... "You're crazy, I live in Hawaii..."  But it sunk in.  I live in Hawaii.  I have never left, never lived somewhere else. So I decided, its now or maybe never.  I was fortunate that my boss Cathy K was also from Hawaii but lived on the mainland.  She said, "go... in fact we'll get something good."  So we put some feelers out.  I made it very hard.  I said to her and myself. "I'll go if; a) I get a promotion, b) I get a raise to cover our Cost of Living Allowance, c) I get the company to cover my moving expenses.  Well, the timing was right I got three offers with IBM to do just that.  As the date for my decision came closer, one fell through and the other did not offer to cover all my COLA.  So I took the job working with Universities and here I am.

Being here since 1/99 I have had more experience in a couple years - equivalent to at least 6 years in Hawaii.  The projects are larger, the complexity is greater and the possibilities are huge.  It has been a non-stop learning and growing experience.  Would not trade it.  Don't regret it.

The people in California have been interesting and really better than I was told to expect.  In Hawaii I thought I was "diverse".  Well I was not.  In California, we have diversity.  And it is interesting and such a great experience.

I miss running around Diamond Head, I miss swimming at Ala Moana, I miss the family and friends, I miss Young's Laulau and Kam-Bowl ox-tail soup.  But, I can go back to visit.  So look for me at these places.

Well that is my story of coming to the "mainland".

Aloha.