Kapolei, O'ahu

West O'ahu is what's known as "leeward," which means it gets a lot of rain. It was also the prime spot for early Hawaiians to live, because they could grow taro--a staple of their diet--and it was near fishing grounds. Europeans saw it as the perfect place for sugar plantations, which were huge. When the plantation era ended, the land was either left bare or used for housing.

Kapolei, where I met up with a friend after doing the interview, is sometimes referred to by locals as "Second City." The new, cheaper, housing there has led to an influx of families--putting a great strain on schools in the area. Some businesses have relocated from Honolulu out to Kapolei because there are plenty of workers and even their Honolulu-based workers prefer it because there's less traffic during the morning/afternoon commute. This signage is at the large outdoor-style mall where we met.Read more