With more than 10 years of experience as a professional writer, Megan holds a degree in Mass Media from her home state of Minnesota. After college, she chose to trade in her winter boots for slippahs and moved to the beautiful island of Oahu, where she has been living for more than five years. She lives on the west side but is constantly taking mini-road trips across the island and visits the neighboring islands whenever she can getaway. She loves hiking, snorkeling, locally-grown coffee, and finding the best acai bowl on Oahu.
Though it is true that Hawaii is one of the least stressed states in the country, and the islands’ residents spread the love and Aloha wherever they go, locals can only put up with so much before lose our cool, laid-back style. If you want to stay on the good side of Hawaii locals, be sure to avoid these 13 ways to make someone from Hawaii mad. (Just a friendly reminder that this list is meant to be funny; these 13 things are generalizations, and obviously don’t apply to everyone, so please, don’t get mad at me.)
While we are more than willing to share our beautiful islands with you, we are not tour guides. We can’t just take time off to show you around the island, especially since the cost of living in Hawaii is so high compared to our average wages - some people need to work two or three jobs just to make ends meet, and we don’t have time to play tour guide for you.
Being Hawaiian isn’t the same as being a Californian - Hawaiians are a race, and only those who can trace their roots back to the islands’ original Polynesian settlers. In fact, only about 10 percent of Hawaii’s population are native Hawaiians; everyone else is a Hawaii resident, or local.
I’m sorry, but anyone who is from Hawaii knows how to pronounce it correctly. You’re the one who can’t pronounce it correctly, but we don't blame you for that.
6. Make a mockery of Hawaiian culture.
Lindley Ashline/Flickr
The Hawaiian Islands are as unique in culture as they are in landscape, and we treasure our islands’ cultural traditions and history. So, please, don’t make a mockery of what is so important to so many locals.
Tourists have this nasty habit of slowing down to take photographs while they are driving, and they often like to use their car horn, which is just something you aren’t supposed to do - unless a local is angry at said tourist for stopping in the middle of the road, obviously.
Touching an endangered green sea turtle could result in up to 30 days in jail or a fine of up to $2,000. Just give the sea turtles and monk seals some space, please.
There is a reason Hawaii is home to some of the cleanest beaches in the country - because we view littering as an extremely awful offense. Please respect Mother Nature, and our mission to keep Hawaii beautiful.
Now, it probably won’t matter if you accidentally steal a wave or two, but if you are constantly trying to move in on local surfers - and not giving them the respect they deserve - you might end up in a fight.
13. Console us with “but you live in Hawaii” whenever we have problems, or just need to complain.
Just because we live in a tropical island setting that so many tourists visit each year, doesn’t mean we get to live like we’re on a constant, never-ending vacation. We are not immune from the stresses and problems of modern-day life just because we live in "paradise."
What makes you angry? Don’t forget to check out the 14 most common mistakes made by tourists while visiting Hawaii, or these 14 things that everyone from Hawaii absolutely loves.
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