Last fall, I took a leap of faith and traded the concrete jungle of New York City for the tranquil shores of Honolulu.
After six months of living in NYC, the winter blues finally caught up to me and I began to seek a different way of living.
I stumbled upon Surfbreak HNL, a penthouse where co-living and coworking come together for digital nomads.
The home is located on the entire top floor of a high-rise, where the walls were knocked down and rebuilt to form 20 rooms in a circle surrounding a common space, almost like a college-dorm floor.
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The penthouse is a 10-minute walk from Waikiki Beach, and the private rooms range from smaller spaces with a twin to corner suites with king beds. A room costs between $1,500 and $2,850 a month, depending on the size.
After speaking to a previous resident of the house, I applied to live in it.
From application to move-in, I didn’t know what to expect
The Surfbreak rooms vary in size.
Kaitlyn Cheung
After sending in my application online, I had a 30-minute interview and virtual tour of the space with the property manager.
During it, we discussed my goals for moving to Honolulu, my hobbies, and my personality.
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A week later, I received an email telling me I was accepted into the house. Since I originally planned to stay for two months, I packed only one suitcase and hopped on a one-way flight.
As I toured the floor, current residents whizzed by, some cooking in the kitchen or heads-down on their corporate laptops, others clad in their swimwear heading to the beach.
Each room is furnished with the basics, including fresh bed linens and a desk because most people in the house are remote workers.
The kitchen was stocked with basic ingredients, and we shared things like dishware, cookware, and communal camping gear.
Living with 19 other people was a lifestyle adjustment
For someone who was learning to deal with uncertainty, moving to Honolulu knowing no one was a personal challenge.
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As soon as I met my 19 roommates, the experience was a whirlwind of excitement and perpetual busyness. There was never a dull moment.
During a typical week, we would go out to dance and surf after work, then hike on the weekends.
As an introvert, staying sane in a house full of active people was challenging. I’d often find myself escaping the chaos by walking to Waikiki Beach, ordering an acai bowl at Sunrise Shack, and watching the sunset.
Although I loved the constant activity, I also found it important to keep my priorities clear and carve out time to rest and recharge.
I loved connecting with my fellow residents, who were remarkably open
I formed lifelong friendships while living in Hawaii.
Kaitlyn Cheung
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Unlike many of my friends on the continental mainland, everyone at Surfbreak seemed genuinely excited about exploring new places.
It can be difficult as an adult to break the barrier of small talk and get to know someone on a deeper level, but when you see the same people 24/7, vulnerability comes easy.
I noticed most of my conversations with others focused on the human experience of living, not where we went to school or where we worked.
I made close friends in the house and enjoyed getting to know my housemates on such a deep level.
Many people find that forming close friends as adults is hard but co-living effortlessly and quickly breaks down barriers to forming adult friendships like time, distance, and vulnerability.
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Although I no longer live in the house, I still have a friend group from when I did. And, to this day, I connect with other Surfbreakers who have lived in the house before or after me.
Surfbreak provided an amazing experience, but it doesn’t reflect what it’s actually like for many folks living in Hawaii
Living in the Surfbreak house for a few months gave me a glimpse into exciting expatriate life in Hawaii, but not what living in Hawaii as a local is really like.
It’s important for expats to appreciate the history and culture of the islands, which is something we visitors don’t always do well.
After all, Hawaii has a rich heritage, and temporary residents are responsible for respecting and protecting it.
I encourage anyone else who chooses to live in Hawaii temporarily or for the long haul to do their research, support local businesses and artisans, and participate in cultural activities with respect and humility.
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By doing so, we can ensure that our presence in Hawaii is not just a personal adventure, but also a positive and respectful contribution to the community and the land we’ve come to love.
SCITUATE, MASS. (WHDH) – The Scitutate community is fondly remembering a couple killed in a helicopter crash in Hawaii Thursday during a post-retirement trip.
Patrick “P.J.” Haskell, 59, and his wife Margaret Rimmler, 65, lived in a Scituate neighborhood near the ocean. They took a trip to Hawaii last week after Haskell permanently retired from the insurance business he ran with his father for decades.
“We figured Massachusetts was close enough for us, and then when we hear it was our next door neighbor – it was shocking. Absolutely shocking,” said Steve Osborne, a neighbor.
Neighbors said Rimmler worked in the tech marketing field for years, and Haskell had big plans for retirement involving his garden and bee hives.
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“He loved his gardening, and he had an overabundance of vegetables in the summertime,” said Mary Talbot, a neighbor.
“I had just spoken to him last week, and he had checked the bees and they all made it through the winter,” Osborne said.
On Thursday afternoon, the sightseeing helicopter the couple was flying in crashed near a remote beach off the coast of Kauai, killing them and one other person. Experts say the area’s geography of tall seaside cliffs and sharp mountain ridges can make for turbulant air and hazardous flying conditions.
In a memorial posting, Haskell Insurance Agency wrote, “Patrick recently retired and along with Margaret, deserved many more years together…Patrick’s kindness and selfless nature impacted all who knew him. He extended respect and compassion to everyone he encountered.”
Neighbors said the couple will be sorely missed.
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“They were just the nicest people, the nicest people,” said Osborne. “Every time I look out over there it’s just so sad.”
Federal authorities are investigating the cause of the helicopter crash.
(Copyright (c) 2026 Sunbeam Television. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
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KEA‘AU — The 2026 BIIF track and field season continued over the weekend, with Kamehameha-Hawaii hosting the meet for the second straight week.
Konawaena senior star Violet Schaut made her return to the track after missing last week’s meet, making her mark with wins in the girls 100 (12.37s) and girls 200-meter dash (25.19s). Schaut was also part of the 4×100 relay team with Kaella Masters, Jazmin Fillmore and Dasha Kala — winning the race in 50.19 seconds, which was a stadium record.
Schaut, who continued her dominant runner career by establishing herself as one of the best in the state in 2025, is picking up right where she left off in the new season — collecting seven total wins through two meets.
Schaut’s teammates, siblings Paxton Sokham and Aden Sokham, had a nice day on the track — with Paxton Sokham finishing first in the boys 400-meter with a personal-best 49.94-second finish and placing second behind Aden Sokham in the 100.
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The Sokhams were also part of the winning 4×400 relay team with Kareem Walker and Lucas Carvalho. who broke a venue record with a time of 3:29.95.
While Konawaena looked strong in the short-distance races, Kealakehe made its mark in the long-distance ones — as sophomore Zadie Bolton took victories in the girls 800 (2:27.62) and girls 3,000-meter race by over 20 seconds (11:13.01). Bolton has had a strong season already, earning six individual wins through three meets in long-distance running.
Fellow Waverider Elisa Childers, one of Kealakehe’s strongest long-distance runners, won the 1,500-meter run in just over five minutes, 26 seconds. The senior also placed second behind Bolton in the 3,000 race (11:35.54). Teammate Lily Marhsall won the girls 400-meter dash with a personal-best time of 1:04.65.
In the boys long-distance bouts, Hawaii Prep junior Jack Soon-Ludes claimed victories in the 800 (2:08.48) and 1,500-meter race with a season-best time of 4:22.24. Through three meets, Soon-Ludes has won five long-distance runs.
Leading the hurdles once again was Kamehameha-Hawaii junior Judah Kanoa, who won the boys 110-meter hudles for the third time this season with a time of 14.54 seconds. In the 300 hurdles, Kanoa won for the second straight week, crossing the finish line at the 39.89-second mark.
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Kanoa was also part of the Warriors’ 4×100 relay team that won in 43.93 seconds. His fellow teammates on the squad were Iopa Quintana, Hawaii Iokepa and Tanoatoa Muskat.
Kanoa has been outright dominant in the boys hurdles since last season, and has already collected six individual race wins thus far.
In the field events, Kohala junior Mari Ontiveros broke a venue record in the girls shot put — throwing for a distance of 12.57 meters (41-03.00).
In the discus throw, both the boys and girls winner notched personal bests — Kamehameha’s Chanse Kaaua-Long throwing 47.44 meters (155-08) and Hilo’s Wai Krismunando launching 31.19 meters (102-04). Saturday marked Kaaua-Long’s second straight week winning the event, while it was Krismunando’s first win of the year in any event.
Leading the high jump was Kohala sophomore stud Na‘i Rivera, who won the boys contest with a leap of 1.75 meters (5-09.00) — equaling his personal best that he set last season. Rivera has won the high jump twice in 2026.
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In the pole vault, both winners matched their personal-best launches — Kaimanamaikalani Bowman of Kamehameha leaping 3.96 meters (13-00.00) in the boys field and teammate Taliya Nishida clinching the girls contest with a vault of 3.04 meters (10-00.00).
Bowman has won the boys pole vault thrice this season, while Nishida has won the girls portion twice.
Konawaena senior Trenton Wong Yuen earned his second long jump win this season after matching his personal-best leap of 6.64 meters (21-09.50). Kealakehe’s Ia Pabre won the girls triple jump after launching a season-best 9.70 meters (31-10.25).
The season will continue this weekend in North Hawaii, as Hawaii Prep is set to host this upcoming Saturday’s meet.
Visit https://live.athletic.net/meets/58847 to view the full results from this past weekend’s contest.
WAIALUA (HawaiiNewsNow) – The free mobile medical clinic serving North Shore residents is relocating.
Starting Monday, March 30, the free mobile clinic, operated in partnership with the University of Hawaii’s John A. Burns School of Medicine and its Hawaii H.O.M.E. Project, will begin operating at Waialua District Park.
The clinic will continue offering free medical assessments and treatment Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Paramedics and Emergency Medical Technicians from Honolulu Emergency Medical Services, along with a nurse from the Crisis Outreach Response and Engagement program, will work alongside doctors and medical students from the H.O.M.E. Project.
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Officials said the clinic has treated nearly 100 individuals for illnesses and injuries related to the recent Kona low storms.
Copyright 2026 Hawaii News Now. All rights reserved.
