A very relatable and well written story. I graduated from high school on Maui and then went to NYU thinking I would never return because the consensus was that success can only be attained on the mainland. Personally, I'm thankful for that fallacy, because it forced me to adapt to new environments, which ultimately led me to reevaluate what success means, what kind of life I want to live, and to realize how special Hawaii is. I think a lot of people believe success is notoriety, wealth. Like you, I've come to realize that it is completely subjective. I'm 24, recently returned to Maui to work for the Department of Education, and have to explain myself to Reed-like characters from time to time. Perhaps one reason for the stigma is a lack of imagination. There's no reason why Hawaii can't be cutting edge - in some aspects we already are!