Crossroads help please! Where to next?! Hawaii or Portland?!

Hi everyone,

Wondering may I be so bold as to ask for some advice please. I'm looking for a vegan friendly place to live (preferably somewhere warm!).. a fresh start as such!

I've put a fair amount of thought into where I think I'd like to go and Hawaii or Portland Oregon seem to keep coming up for me. Hawaii is beautiful and warm. Portland; also very vegan-friendly but with better access to the arts and work.

I'd love to give Hawaii a go first but I've been told the cost of living is very high, compounded with the fact I've no job history there, contacts or permanent address, competition high and the whole interview-job process seems to be culturally very slow. I only have very limited funds so I can't afford to spend 2-3 months waiting to 'maybe' get a job! Alternatively, do I try to find a vegan co-op/community/permaculture/off the grid place? Get back to nature.. do some WWOOFing maybe and hope that maybe I can pick up a job along the way? I don't need a lot of money to survive but I would need a small income of some sort in case of emergencies.

Or.. head to a larger city like Portland or San Fran and go back to a professional job, a more traditional route till I get back on my feet? This is where my practical and live off grid sides clash! I'll be on my own with only virtual support from friends (that's if I can get free wifi!).

I guess I really would love to know have any of you out there done something similar? Do any of you know of any vegan support groups or co-ops that might be of help or even get me set up in lieu trade labor for food? or any cheap rooms to let in a vegan house? or anyone that needs a house-sit or pet-sit or vegan-sit?!

ANY suggestions, guidance, advice, shared experiences both meh or yaay would be very much appreciated! Thank you! x

I hope you find what you're looking for Turtle.

Can't say much more than that as I'm of the 'stay put and kick butt' school of thought myself.

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Clueless Git

I hope you find what you're looking for Turtle.

Can't say much more than that as I'm of the 'stay put and kick butt' school of thought myself.

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Thank you : ) I know what you mean but I feel like I've been kicking butt for years now, I think it's finally time to play dodge-kick for a while till I gain some more bum padding! :)

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Turtle.. thatisall

Thank you : ) I know what you mean but I feel like I've been kicking butt for years now, I think it's finally time to play dodge-kick for a while till I gain some more bum padding! :)

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You should maybe try some physical Tai-Chi and see if you can apply the principle to the non-physical aspects of life Turtle.

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Clueless Git

You should maybe try some physical Tai-Chi and see if you can apply the principle to the non-physical aspects of life Turtle.

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Will keep a-trying! thank you : )

I've had a short holiday in Hawaii, Big Island, and I found it a bit difficult obtaining vegan food. That said, we were in self catering and I didn't want to cook much. But I did eat loads of lovely fruit, fresh bananas from the garden, pineapples, oranges etc. And a few places we stopped at did me vegan food.
It is expensive compared to mainland USA, but it is an amazing place. We hope to go again in 2 years time. And I will probably cook more food so it will be easier!

Thanks for that.. yup.. a lot of people are saying the same.. Still researching!

I would go with Portland - we are thinking about moving there as well. I am sure Hawaii is nice and you can find plenty of good vegan options but Portland is really a vegan mecca. The only problem I am struggling with is the lack of sunshine (being a desert dweller). That is why for our next move we bounce between LA and Portland (LA has the weather for sure, and is a vegan mecca in itself but also higher cost of living, bigger city, traffic, air quality, etc)

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RiseAgainst

I would go with Portland - we are thinking about moving there as well. I am sure Hawaii is nice and you can find plenty of good vegan options but Portland is really a vegan mecca. The only problem I am struggling with is the lack of sunshine (being a desert dweller). That is why for our next move we bounce between LA and Portland (LA has the weather for sure, and is a vegan mecca in itself but also higher cost of living, bigger city, traffic, air quality, etc)

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Hi, thanks for that : )

Most likely I'll end up n Portland eventually as I can't get it out of my head but for now I have a one-way ticket to Hawaii in my hand! :) I may never get another chance to go there so I'm taking it now! A friend of mine is there right now so at least I'll have a bit of support and he said the vegan community there are really lovely people so that's reassuring! I have a good feeling about it : )

Is Portland weather really that bad? : / I lived in AZ for a while.. I was parched but loved it! :D Yeah, I agree with ya on L.A - good for vegan stuff but so polluted.. what about San Fran? Haven't been in years so I'm sure it's changing a lot too. Portland is just about the right size I reckon!