Thinking about moving to Hawaii? Wonderful! It’s a beautiful place! You probably already know about some of the risks and downsides of living in Hawaii, from the high cost of living to moving far away from friends and family. But there is much, much more to learn before taking the big leap. And while you may be able to piece together all of the knowledge you need on your own, there is a much easier way. And that is Peter Kay’s Islander Ohana.

I have been watching Peter’s YouTube videos about Hawaii for several years. At first, sporadically. I was on the email list, but I didn’t watch most of the videos, because it was just kind of a novelty at first. I enjoyed watching this congenial white-haired man drive his convertible around Oahu talking about the weather and what-not, but it was no big deal, just another YouTuber having fun, I thought.

But the more I listened, the more I came to understand that he really knows his stuff, and I thought, maybe this guy actually has a few nuggets of wisdom. And before long it seemed to become essential viewing. When I learned about the Islander Ohana, I thought, ok, this is actually a pretty great opportunity to really dig in and learn about Hawaii. Even then I didn’t understand what I was getting myself into.

The information that Peter imparts in his videos and in the cohort meetings is literally priceless. He covers nearly everything imaginable, and if he doesn’t cover it in a video, he’ll happily answer any questions you may have.

And possibly the best part is that you get to mingle with other people who are trying to do the same thing you are doing… Moving to paradise! The sharing of knowledge, swapping stories, and learning from what others did right (or wrong) is invaluable. I genuinely want to meet and hang out with everyone from my cohort, or even the other cohorts.

If you want to become a nurse, you should go to nursing school. If you want to get married, you should speak with a counselor. If you want to learn martial arts, you should join a dojo. And if you want to move to Hawaii, you should absolutely join the Islander Ohana.

We joined the Islander Ohana because we thought we could learn some tips and tricks to make our move easier. But we ended up with so much more than just that! Our biggest transformation came from the Spirituality class, and trying to unlearn all the bad habits we’ve picked up from life on the mainland. The cohort structure is the best part – we’ve met people from all over who have become instant friends that we look forward to meeting in person in Hawaii. The small class size is perfect, each person has plenty of opportunities to ask questions and engage in discussions and it really feels like an Ohana!

My name is Jody and I joined the Ohana programme 2021 cohort, after many years of research and procrastinating about really deciding to move to Hawaii. I did a search online many times and little did I know I would come across such a meaningful course such as the Ohana course. The Ohana course Showed me so much about what it takes to move to Hawaii, to learn more about the culture of the Hawaiian people and also it helped me learn about myself and what I really wanted from Hawaii.

‘Making it financially work in Hawaii’ was such a great aspect of the course as for me coming from London UK, it’s a major factor to relocating and getting planted long term. ‘Ace the job interview’ has also been a great guidance in preparing for job interviews and letting potential employers know what my true intentions are for being Hawaii. Furthermore ‘Is Hawaii right for you?’ This was a very sensitive topic for me, as in life we may always have others say “that’s too far, the culture is too different, why would you move away from your family?” I had to really focus on answering the big questions back to myself, if I stayed home in the UK with what I have always known, the same job and the same cloudy skies….would I still long to live in Hawaii?…. and the answer was YES! It was a sense of community, island Aloha culture, a healthy way of living and the great tropical sunshine, with the opportunity to explore the masses of such beautiful, picturesque nature on the island each time that made my answer secure in wanting to move to Hawaii.

To me, the Ohana course highlighted so much more of what it takes to live in Hawaii. It gave me a sense of community, learning about other members’ journeys and processes to transition from Home to Hawaii. I enjoyed the course so much and Peter made the course weekly meetups online fun and meaningful. Also being able to achieve certificates along the way of completing each section of the course was very encouraging as I didn’t expect it but it also made it rewarding. I would 100% recommend this course as it helped encourage me and gave me more drive to want to make it happen by putting all into action this time and to make the final jump as I had support from Peter and encouragement from the group.

I absolutely recommend the cohort course. If you are serious about moving to Hawaii, you must absolutely take advantage of Peter Kay’s knowledge of all things Hawaii.

Most of us have idealized what a possible life in Hawaii could be, it behooves you to get the perspective of someone who has lived among the people since the 80s€”a touch of reality never hurt anyone.

After taking the course, I’m more determined than ever to relocate but I’m going into the process with a more fleshed out plan. I’m chaining my behaviors where I am right now to prepare. I am saving money, I am downsizing, researching neighborhoods and practicing my Hawaiian!. Take the course, I believe it to be an essential investment in your relocation costs.

“I would never want to move to Hawaii without first being part of Peter Kay’s Islander Ohana group.  It’s so amazing to have gained information from Peter and others in the group.  I look forward to the meetings and classes and just can’t get enough.  It’s fun being around people who share the love of the islands and we are there to learn from and support each other.  I’ve gained Peter and a group of people who feel like ohana.”

Our family of six was ready to buy sight-unseen during the coronavirus pandemic of 2020. After 8 months of research, we sold our house and almost all of our belongings. While waiting for a property to open up, we were able to take a breath…pause…and consider again all the facets of moving to Hawai`i by joining the Islander Ohana.

The best part of the group, apart from the kind host, is the encouragement and excitement in the group. By relating with other people who are also trying to live in Hawai`i, we remained optimistic amid the very real logistical struggle. After every meeting, I felt like hanging out with these folks if given the chance. The course cost is risking pennies by comparison if your move is a mistake or if you’re unprepared.

True, there is a wealth of information on the internet about moving to Hawai`i. What makes the Islander Ohana different is that it has a wealth of context from Peter and his partners are right behind ready to help you. He sincerely wants the “right” people who will make Hawai`i better to come. He demonstrates how Hawai`i returns the favor if YOU accept Hawai`i. You can feel the love he has for the people and the land of Hawai`i and wants to share and teach that Aloha Spirit with newcomers. Everyone’s experience and situation is different in the group, but with the help of the Islander Ohana, we were able to make a confident decision that Hawai`i is still right for us, albeit not “right now” with so many little ones we have.