Moving from anywhere on the mainland to Maui Hawaii can be an intimidating proposition. Here are a few tips to help make your move as painless as possible.

Research before you move. It’s important to understand the culture you’re joining. Do research online and find out about school systems, neighborhoods, parking, weather, public transportation, and laws that are native to this area. If you can, visit Maui before moving here and connect with someone who lives here or speak to someone who has lived here before.

Have a plan. There are a lot of steps to go through before you start packing the moving boxes. Find housing before you leave, or at least know where you’ll stay while you look for a home. Never sign a lease on an apartment that you haven’t seen. If you can’t get here, find a friend or an employer to check for you. Have a job waiting for you, or if that’s not possible, know what you’ll do for money in the first few weeks of living here. Try to line up things like driver’s licenses, car insurance, renter’s insurance, and parking passes ahead of time as well.

Get involved. Meeting people in Maui can be daunting. Don’t expect the neighbors to knock your door down with a casserole when you arrive: they’ll be at work or at the beach. Take the initiative. If there are things you liked to do here, find ways to do those things on the island. Try new things. Volunteer. Maui offers so many opportunities to engage other people, so find what you like.