Fact is, I have tons of video footage and clips that never make it to Army Wife 101. I recently found this one which explains why I thought Hawaii was a dump at first. For the lovers of Hawaii…NO , I am not bashing it just sharing what I originally thought. Check out the clip below:
Feel free to share your thoughts on your first impression of you’re duty station .
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Army Wife 101
Krystel is the mom of two and an Army Wife. In addition to Army Wife 101 she is the Co-Founder of SoFluential.com a digital media agency that connects brands with the military market. She has appeared on MSNBC ,FOX LA and formerly was a weekly contributor to HLN's "Raising America". She has written for various outlets including Sheknows and Lifetime and is a big fan of cupcakes and french fries.
Krystel is the mom of two and an Army Wife. In addition to Army Wife 101 she is the Co-Founder of SoFluential.com a digital media agency that connects brands with the military market.
She has appeared on MSNBC ,FOX LA and formerly was a weekly contributor to HLN's "Raising America". She has written for various outlets including Sheknows and Lifetime and is a big fan of cupcakes and french fries. 9 Comments on My First Impression of Hawaii
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My first impressions of our current duty station (Joint Base Lewis-McChord)….insane traffic, rain, shitty drivers…. yeah, I still feel the same way.
Tattoo parlors and car lots is accurate, but you forgot strip clubs! ha Most of the posts I’ve found have somewhat of a ghetto surrounding them making it difficult not to let that be the first impression of the area.
This is Wilikina Dr. outside of Wheeler Army Airfield & Schofield Barracks. It has been here for a very long time (WW II) and has not improved much since. The businesses you see are a direct reflection of the local military economy. I wish the video would of shown the thousand other more beautiful things surrounding this particular area. Hawaii is NOT the Mainland. Our lives, lifestyle and way of life are completely different then what most are used to, and why so many military end up disliking Hawaii so much. The military is a guest here (ask any Base or Unit Commander), it would serve them well to remember that. In the meantime, treat the Aina and its People with Respect and you will be surprised by the positive response.
@Sean I appreciate your feedback, but I clearly stated that this was my INITIAL FIRST IMPRESSION. If you go through my site you can see alot of lovely photos and pictures of Hawaii.
Thank You!
I don’t blame you for that first impression ;) I feel the same way too when we get to new posts* Right off of the main gate(s) are businesses new AND old flooding the streets.Even off of other gates,there are areas that make you think “oh lord* should I be worried driving through here?!” (lol) It may be a little intimidating,But it’s smart* Most towns/cities that our families are based out of THRIVE off of military installations;Think about it ;)
But I also agree with [Sean Hitchcock] :)
Where I’m from (GUAM) the military families come off as somewhat bitter and critical about our Isla* They say there’s nothing to do on island,our people are disrespectful,and they HATE Guam!
tsk..tsk..tsk..
And there are others that I’ve met traveling in this lifestyle that say,they LOVED it there!
So I guess what I’m trying to say,is that…we ALL need to give our new homes a chance :) Try to look at things in different views;LEARN about our station(s) and the people FROM there :) New places,New Friends,New learnings,New experiences* (1 of the many things that I LOVE about being a part of this lifestyle*)
I enjoy your blog updates,and I can’t wait to read up more =)
God Bless —
I TOTALLYYYYY agree with Sean. Dont believe the negative video. Hawaii IS beautiful! Come and see for yourself!. I am stationed on Oahu and its awesome!
I just got to the island from Virginia and when I landed in the airport (HNL), I was sort of weary as the airport looked grim. I also had some concerns with some of the areas but you are right, in your video, you did mention that there were some bad parts as it is in any town. The is my husband’s second tour here and I must say that he tells me that a lot has changed since 1998. I have come to accept that it is “island living” but I am very shocked to see little Hawaiian culture (expcept for the tourist spots) and more Japanese, Chinese, Korean, and Phillippine culture.
As far as the job goes. I am having a hard time as well. Not sure what the deal is here but it is not Military Spouse friendly. Thank you for posting this video. I am glad that someone else feels like I do.
Krystel is correct, it is a bit surprising at first but Surf for the Nations is actually trying very hard to revamp the Wahiawa area. There are your usual military establishments but that’s a very tiny area and the people and island are just amazing. Most I’ve met that had a negative experience never ventured outside of their own culture (outside of a restaurant) or even made friends with the locals! Personally, I’m at Bragg now and have yet to find any area that is even fairly decent. To find a decent area I have to drive to Raleigh (an hour away.) This town is very large here and you would think there would be at least SOME area that wasn’t so ghetto but no such luck yet… And yes, I’ve ventured out! I’d take Hawaii again and it’s people ANY DAY!!