GAFollowers
  • CONTENT
  • Events
  • Lifestyle
    • News
      • Local
      • National
    • Georgia Eats
    • Comedy
    • Fashion
    • Movies
    • Peaches Of The Week
    • Music
    • Outdoors
  • Shop
  • About Us
  • ADVERTISE
  • Contact Us
Lifestyle, Stories 5

Why I Moved from Hawaii to Georgia and Never Looked Back

By Sophie Gaze · On January 12, 2017

I lived in Honolulu, Hawaii between 2008 and 2012 before I moved to Atlanta, Georgia. Whenever this topic comes up in conversation, people look at me like I’m crazy and ask, “How on earth did you end up here?”

I was certainly skeptical about the move, but I can’t emphasize enough how enormously underrated Atlanta is when you formally draw a comparison.

Of course, Hawaii was absolute paradise. What people don’t realize, however, is that there are so many things about Atlanta that make this city so appealing, even to the most seasoned traveler.




For starters, let’s discuss Hartsfield Jackson. Before you even step foot outside the airport, you have already been teased with Atlanta’s allure. The year I arrived in Georgia, Hartsfield was the world’s busiest airport.

For an island girl who literally just left a place nicknamed “the rock,” to arrive in such an accessible hub was extremely refreshing. Living in Hawaii, I had to fly five and a half hours just to reach the mainland. Suddenly both domestic and international destinations were now at my fingertips given Atlanta’s convenient location within the country and on the globe.

Once I settled on a job in Atlanta, it was time to find a permanent address. After living in paradise for four years, I had grown accustomed to the cost of paradise.

From groceries, to gasoline, I certainly paid for my time in Hawaii. When my apartment hunt began, I was told of a company called Promove who would help me find exactly what I was looking for… free of charge?

This was an idea out of fairytales to me considering I had searched Craigslist for my last apartment in Hawaii for months and months before finding something that met my budget and needs. I was also absolutely astonished to discover that nearly every apartment unit came with its own dishwasher, which would have been considered a luxury on the island.

What I paid for a one bedroom apartment in Hawaii would have gotten me a two-bedroom, two-bathroom apartment rental in Buckhead. We so often take for granted the affordable cost of living here in Atlanta.




My first kitchen in Hawaii.

 

My first kitchen in Georgia.

I moved to the city in June, so during my first few months I felt right at home in regards to temperature. As September came around the days began to cool off and I panicked. I was completely dreading how this beach girl would handle the weather changes off the island, but then I experienced the magic of fall in Georgia. Every year as the leaves begin to change, I savor the breathtaking beauty of this magnificent time of year. My first winter was rough, but I quickly learned that winter does not suck in Atlanta. And just when I thought it couldn’t get any better, spring arrived. The refresh of green and the sight of flowers in bloom everywhere completely sold me on this city. Rotating through a full change of seasons was so cool from my perspective and definitely a feature of Georgia that most ATLians probably don’t appreciate enough.

Fall in Georgia is perfect!






One thing that amused me when I moved to Atlanta was listening to residents here complain about the traffic. Now I’m not going to tell you that Atlanta traffic is not bad, it’s totally awful, but I am going to argue that it could be worse. And here’s why: on Oahu, we had one main highway that wrapped around the island. If there was traffic on that highway, then you were stuck. After I learned the backroads of Atlanta and found an alternate route to get to and from my apartment and work, I was so excited. This was such a new development for me because the concept of other roads to your destination in Hawaii just did not exist. So, the next time you hear on the radio about an accident on 85 Southbound and decide to take Peachtreee into midtown instead, be thankful you have this option!

Of all the things I love about Atlanta, my favorite aspect is the diversity of this city. Living in Hawaii was like stepping into a post card and the scenery was a dream come true, but after a while you do get island fever – yes it’s a thing! When I drove from one end of the island to the other, there was some variation, but all the palm trees and beaches started to feel the same to me. No matter where you went, it was all that picture-perfect imagery that you see in tour guide books. I love Atlanta for the fact that I can start at the bottom east side of the city for a classy bite at Ponce City Market and then drive all the way up to OTP for some off the hook barbecue at Swallow at the Hollow in Roswell. I love that I can hit up Little Five Points if I’m feeling creative, or go north to downtown Decatur if I’m in the mood for something more trendy. I love that I can order food other than pizza when I’m hungover. I love that there are dog friendly areas. I love the variation in work out options. I love that there are mountains and rivers and lakes just a short drive away. I am a Braves fan, a Falcons fan, and now an Atlanta United fan. This city has so many elements to explore and each time I discover another part of Atlanta, or Georgia for that matter, I fall even more in love. I challenge you to see the city through the eyes of a 22-year-old girl, who had just left paradise, and was looking for something more. Atlanta exceeded my expectations in every way!

atlantabuckheadfeatureFoodgeorgiatravel
Share Tweet

Sophie Gaze

My name is Sophie, the English Peach! I like to say that I am geographically confused: born in England, raised in South Florida, university in Hawaii, and then by chance, ended up in Atlanta, Georgia. I majored in Journalism with a minor in Marine Science, but I am a SCUBA diver by profession. As a self-proclaimed Beach Bum, I am not entirely happy unless my hair is salty and my toes are sandy. Although, sweet tea, Georgia clay, colored leaves in the Fall and redneck yacht clubs in the Summer have kind of stolen my heart since I moved to the South. I have a Goldendoodle named Sailor Jerry, a cat named Captain Morgan, and an amazing fiancé who is truly a pirate (two hundred years too late). At 27 years old, I am in a very chaotic, happy, transitory, busy, crazy, awesome part of my life. I hope you enjoy reading about my adventures around Georgia! Be sure to also visit my personal blog http://www.englishpeachatl.com

You Might Also Like

  • Lifestyle

    Basic Requirements for Setting Up an LLC

  • Local

    Governor Kemp Calls for Teacher Bonuses and More Support for Educators

  • Lifestyle

    Hard Rock Hotels Introduce New Hotel Brand, REVERB By Hard Rock in Downtown Atlanta

5 Comments

  • Patti Escobar says: January 12, 2021 at 1:04 AM

    Hey! I’m at work surfing around your blog from my new apple iphone! Just wanted to say I love reading through your blog and look forward to all your posts! Keep up the outstanding work!

    Reply
  • zortilonrel says: December 25, 2020 at 4:04 AM

    Heya this is kinda of off topic but I was wanting to know if blogs use WYSIWYG editors or if you have to manually code with HTML. I’m starting a blog soon but have no coding skills so I wanted to get advice from someone with experience. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

    Reply
  • Macie Guidroz says: December 20, 2020 at 5:23 PM

    As I site possessor I believe the content matter here is rattling great , appreciate it for your hard work. You should keep it up forever! Good Luck.

    Reply
  • Shantay Deperte says: December 7, 2020 at 9:03 PM

    I needed to thank you for this excellent read!! I definitely loved every little bit of it. I’ve got you saved as a favorite to check out new things you post…

    Reply
  • Dwight Kiggins says: December 4, 2020 at 4:44 AM

    Awesome post. I’m a regular visitor of your site and appreciate you taking the time to maintain the excellent site. I will be a regular visitor for a long time.

    Reply
  • Leave a reply Cancel reply

    Follow GAFollowers

    Follow @GAFollowers
    Follow on Instagram

    Find us on Facebook

    Follow @GAFollowers

    Tweets by @GAFollowers
    • About Us
    • ADVERTISE
    • Careers
    • Contact Us
    • Privacy Policy
    • Shop

    © 2015 GAFollowers LLC. All rights reserved.