Oahu odyssey

Name: Michael Barker
Age: 65
Hometown: Maple Ridge
Location: Honolulu, Hawaii
Job: Operations manager at Your Island Pages

I moved here because an exceptional opportunity arose through a former business partner to pioneer a phone book on Oahu.

The first thing I did was get a tan and familiarize myself with the island – grab phone books and see what the competition was doing.

The biggest shock was the price of everything from food to accommodation. And does it ever cool down?

The best things about being here are wearing aloha shirts for work, endless summer and a place overlooking the water.

The biggest challenge has been learning to pronounce Hawaiian words. When you’re driving to an appointment, looking at a map in one hand and you can’t pronounce the street, you’re at a disadvantage.

The biggest misconception I had was that I could earn more money here, but the dollar kept sliding down. The people are warm, hospitable and love to entertain. It’s important to share family and interests. In Hawaii, business is all about being part of the community. If you are not “local” you must strive to become “kama’aina.”

The standard of living is challenging for the local people. The mansion-dwellers and the homeless are testaments to a disappearing middle class. Hawaii is also looking at becoming more self-sufficient. Everything arrives via water.

The food is full of international flavours. Just remember to serve it up with “mac salad and two scoops rice.”

What B.C. could learn from Honolulu is, like the bumper sticker says, Slow Down: This Ain’t the Mainland. Seriously, I think there are more similarities than differences. Business integrity, respect and honesty are highly prized here.