Is Aloha real? Longtime residents sometimes ask if aloha, the loving spirit for which Hawaii is famous, still exists, if it ever existed, or was just the figment of the tourist industry’s imagination. But newcomers from less gentle parts of the world know the answer is yes, aloha is alive and well.
Prolific Maui-based author Toni Polancy’s seminal sociological work “So You Want to Live in Hawaii” addresses this topic and finds that “Aloha Spirit” permeates the day-to-day interactions of Hawaii residents among each other and with newcomers and tourists. People just naturally smile and are welcoming, they assume the best of others and this makes for a genuinely friendly and welcoming culture. Exercising your smile muscles also lowers stress and tension and enhances health, according to local studies.
Toni’s book, available at amazon.com, reports on the good and the bad, culture shock and pleasant surprises, for mainland folk relocating to Hawaii. Highly recommended if you are considering moving to Maui.

 

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Peter Gelsey
Wailea Makena Real Estate, Inc.
www.petergelsey.com
direct (808)  344-8000
email peter@petergelsey.com