Kama’aina refers to anyone who is a Hawaii resident. And as Big Island residents in particular, we are spoiled with the vast beauty and incredible weather the island has to offer. But what this tropical paradise fails to provide, is a variety of options for medical care. So, we island-hop over to Oahu. Honolulu plays host to specialists in nearly every medical field that cannot be found on the Big Island or its smaller neighbors.

I moved to Hawaii from San Diego just five years ago. My husband and I were thrilled to be moving away from the city and into the countryside to raise our kids far from the commercialized, superficial and materialistic lifestyle we were brought up in. Even as kids we dreaded the occasional trip into Los Angeles where we’d undoubtedly get stuck in traffic and gag on the smog. So, my first trip to Honolulu to meet my endocrinologist had me scowling at the dirty city streets, frustrated by the traffic and vowing to never move back to the city.

Today I returned again and tried to look at the capital city intensity from a different perspective. I can now see the beauty of the architecture, the hillsides dotted with plumeria trees and cozy homes, sharp angular lines surrounded by swaying palms and pools filled with koi. The city can be quite stunning.

Don’t get me wrong, I certainly miss the convenience of having all our needs so easily met by living in a big town – but the country is where I belong!