Denver and the World vs. Hawaii

My old co-worker and friend Maria stopped by today during her visit home to the islands. Last May she took off to Denver in search of bigger and better things. I don't blame her. It can be a little stifling here in Hawaii Nei.

One thing she had going for her was her adventurous spirit. That in and of itself will likely make or break you when making the jump across the Pacific. You've got to be positive when you're jobless in a new city. Well, that and have some cash on hand to cover your expenses.

Another thing she had in her favor was that her ex-boyfriend was moving to Denver as well. They'd be able to share an apartment and split the costs of living. By the way, he's got a pretty decent-paying job so despite the fact that she moved up there without a job, they'd still be ok for a while. There's nothing like not having that monetary pressure on your back to allow you to spread your wings and really find what it is that you love to do.

Watching her reach for the stars really got me thinking about life and what I want to get out of it. Do I really want to live my entire life here in the islands? I know for some people that would be their idea of paradise. I'm not so sure that it's mine. It's not that I don't enjoy living here, but I'd also like to be out in the world discovering things. Hawaii is so isolated from everything that it's really difficult to get a worldly perspective.

I suppose there are several ways for me to see the world. I could take my own leap across the pond and start a new life. This had been in my original plans, but I'm beginning to reconsider. This economy of ours isn't making it easy to just pick up and move to a new place. The opportunities aren't there and may not be there for a couple years. With so many people out of work, what's one more?

So my next option, which I am actively pursuing, is traveling. It'd be nice to get out and see different countries. This takes some planning and saving. I'm finding this is a bigger project than I imagined. There are so many places to go that narrowing it down is hard. Do you pick places for historical value, nightlife, art appreciation, food or level of exoticness? The options are limitless. Well, as limitless as your wallet can afford.

This brings up another issue for me. Because of this economy of ours, real estate prices and mortgage loan rates are pretty low. Now would be a good time to invest in my first home. That would take a commitment to living in Hawaii though . . . or at least planting firmer roots. It'd also take away from the "globe-trotting fund." A home is probably a better long-term investment than "experience," right? But it's probably not as fun and character building. Or is it?