3) DISCRIMINATION/LOCAL ISSUES
3a) HARD to find work here. After I started work (finally), I saw my boss throwing out resumes if there was any Mainland experience listed.
3b) When the local company I worked for found out an employee, who had been there a year, was a military wife, they let her go and replaced her with a local candidate. The company president said, "No more military." I had to HIDE my husband from my work so I could keep my job. I quit after 2 years.
3c) If you are mistaken for a local you might get better treatment. I have twice been in line at a grocery store, not commissary, behind people with a full carts of goods and witnessed checkers tap the person BEHIND me in line for immediate service at a new line. I also presented my military ID for proof of age to buy alcohol and had the checker respond, "Oh, you're one of THOSE."
3d) Honolulu will be putting in a metro rail to alleviate the horrible traffic. Though it runs East-West, they will not allow it to have stops at Pearl Harbor/Hickam nor at the airport. It is being run through neighborhoods to benefit locals only.
3e) While checking in at Makalapa Clinic on base, I overheard a woman telling the sailor behind the counter (who had just said thank you to her for updating her information on the clip board), "You (sic) in Hawaii. It's 'mahalo', not 'thank you.' We didn't ASK the U.S. to come here and take over. You in Hawaii you better speak Hawaiian."
3f) Hard to make friends with local population. If we invite all the neighbors over, only the military people show up.
3g) Most places give a kama'aina (local) discount for a Hawaii state I.D. but no discount for your military ID.
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