Hawaiian Perspective

by Tom Conger

A surprising percentage of RVM residents have roots in Hawaii. The reasons for this are several, primarily: very few folks can begin to afford retirement in Hawaii’s unconscionable cost of living. And, yes, there is no CCRC anywhere in the Islands which offers all the amenities that RVM does. So the kama’aina flock to the Rogue Valley.

Now, bear in mind that not only are these immigrants coming to So. Orygun from a different state, but that [newest] state is also the most remote habitation on the planet. As a former monarchy there are, uh, cultural differences which persist unto this very date, and English is often spoken as a 2nd language—if at all.

Given the distance from continental US, in the middle of a temperate ocean which modulates weather and temperatures, one of the first differences transplanted Hawaiians experience is seasons—it gets freakin’ cold here! I mean, not the modest cool of a December trade-wind evening, down to 60°F, but cold!—like below 32 degrees, which our high school biology class told us is freezing! Gotta wear shoes, you know… And that calls for acquiring a whole new wardrobe – call it Adaptation #1 – phased to the changes outside as the earth wends its annual way around the sun. Who knew…?

Further, as we circle our central star, we meet Adaptation #2: Daylight Savings Time. One bleary Sunday morning, before it’s even officially spring, we turn all our clocks/timers an hour ahead. Now it stays light longer in the evening—and the Islands are three hours behind us—kinda nice in summer, as it’s still light on the lanai when bedtime draws nigh; but a bitch on that Sunday in fall when it’s all of a sudden dark an hour earlier—and the 49ers play the second half under the lights…

Of course, these differences from the isles prevail most anywhere one moves to (except AZ…); what’s specific to Orygun is that it rains—a lot. Not the kinda rain (”mauka showers”) we’re used to, but an insidious, persistent drizzle, from dark, clouded, leaden skies, where you don foul weather gear, go get the mail, and come back soaked, without really noticing it was raining… ugh. Why do you think the University mascots are Ducks and Beavers…? 

But there are some nice things particular to OR. There is no sales tax: an item marked $10 on the price tag costs $10 at the register. What a surprise! Another nicety of life in OR is you don’t pump your own gas. Not sure how/when this originated, but it is kinda pleasant to pull up to the pump and have the attendant get the gas on his hands/overalls.

Mainland living does differ from the island lifestyle. We’ve mentioned seasonal changes, and Daylight Savings; but how about driving for miles in a single trip, crossing into other states? Why, back at home one must board a commercial airliner just to get into the next county…

Another adjustment, merely from relocating to the PacNW, is that live TV comes on later the farther east one travels. Remember when local channels used to tape-delay Monday Night Football in order to prevent folks from tuning in during normal work hours?

Nobody in the Rogue Valley has mango trees, nor papaya or guava, in their back yard.  Meals in our fine RVM dining halls are not often accompanied by rice, no matter how many scoops,  Talk about a differential in the flavor of life…!