a sad side to Hawaii

I live on the "rough-er" side of the island.  this is where you find people in REAL poverty.  the homeless have been kicked out of countless areas on the island, but they seemed to be left alone here.  we live away from tourism, where the streets aren't "so pretty."


we originally came way out here because we'd MUCH rather live among the locals than living where the tourists often visit.  people who come here to visit, have a tendency to use it like an Mtv Spring Break Party type place, or maybe, like Vegas.  why come to Hawaii to get wasted?!  do that at home!
the rental prices out here are less too.  so when we first got here, we had money to live wherever, but we wanted to make it stretch.  good thing we did ... but that's another story for another day.


you drive by the residential areas, and you can plainly see how people have a tendency to hoard here - its an island, things are expensive, so when you come across something of worth (or not so much), and can think of a possibility when you might need it (or not so much), you keep it.

and as the stereotypes go, this is also an area where a lot of "users" live.  meth is popular out here.  I've seen a few deals go down, but with so much "aloha" no one cares, its all very mellow ... if that even makes sense.  aloha is a real thing, more than just a perspective. I'm sure many don't necessarily approve of using (the me now does, not so much the me of 15 years ago) but people here let people do whatever it is they're gonna do.













aren't these pictures awful?  these posters are up in various places in the community.  I realize they are to "scare people straight" but, I feel for my kids, its a tad too far out of the shelter that I'd take them.  they are 6 and 2.  I know some would say, it's never too early, and so, we've been forced to talk about it a little bit.


we rode the bus to the zoo last week, and there was one of these pictures up.  I was sitting with Elliott and he saw it right away, the one with just the teeth.  I told him "that girl is sick" and "she needs to brush her teeth, doesn't she?"  he repeats everything I say, as to assure me that he heard what I said.  its cute.  I'm glad he does that.


what would you have told your kids?
when will you have the drug talk?
something to think about.


we have never had any trouble living over here.  but we also live in a gated community and rarely go out a night.  whenever I take the kids to the beach for a sunset, as soon as it sets, I don't mess around and I pack them up to head home.  that saying "the freaks come out at night" is true!


I also have never heard so many sirens in my life.  we're not too far from the local fire station, but even so, we were hearing sirens every single day for awhile.  like living near train tracks, it takes awhile to get used to it.  but whenever I hear those ambulance sirens, I always wonder what kind of incident those EMT's are about to see.  and with those posters around town, I bet they see a lot of that, and worse.


I suppose my point to this post ... don't do meth.

1 comment:

Morgan said...

Eeew! Those pictures are pretty graphic. Thankfully, we haven't had to talk about drugs. The boys have idea what they are and have never heard the time, but I'm sure it will come up soon enough.