Relocated

Would You Relocate To Live Off-The-Grid In Hawaii?

This couple built a sustainable compound for a less stressful life.

by Irina Dvalidze
Updated: 
Originally Published: 
A girl enjoying her day on a terrace of a Hawaii wooden house

Arina and Zen Moriya have a pretty familiar narrative. After years of the corporate grind in California, the pair reached the point of burnout and started thinking about alternative living arrangements. Their relocation journey landed them in the Puna jungle on the Big Island of Hawaii. There, they built a self-sustaining compound that includes a 1,272-square-foot main house, 384-square-foot cottage, and a 360-square-foot bungalow, along with a thriving garden, where they grow their own food. Zen sat down with Bustle as part of our Relocated series to break down what the venture cost and how he and Arina maintain a fully off-grid lifestyle. Hint: The hard part is getting started.

In his interview with Bustle, Zen describes their lifestyle as a mutually beneficial sustainable transaction: “We take care of the land we live on, and the land takes care of us.”

You can follow Zen’s photography work on Instagram, @rootdownandriseup.

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Executive Producer: Whitney Buxton. Executive Creative Director: Lauren Sofair. Supervising Producer: Irina Dvalidze. Producer: Irina Dvalidze. Production Coordinator: Danielle Alfredo. Post Supervisor: Amy Eakin. Editor: Fia Ramo. Motion Designer: Jeff Donlan.

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