I moved to Hawaii but left after 6 months. Here's what I'd warn anyone who thinks it's a dream place to live.

• Lexi Matejeck is a travel influencer who moved to Hawaii and regretted her decision.
• She learned that with the influx of foreigners in Hawaii, housing is unaffordable to Natives.
• She says Hawaii is not just a romantic, trendy getaway — it's someone's native land.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Lexi Matejeck, a travel influencer. It has been edited for length and clarity. 

I lived in Florida my whole life and always loved being at the beach. Moving to Hawaii felt like a step up.

It's beautiful, talked about a lot, and seemed like a dream place to live. I watched different TikTok influencers and people move there, and their videos about Hawaii's nature, beaches and culture drew me in — I knew I wanted to move there, too.

Before moving, I heard people mentioning that visitors should respect the locals, the land, and the beaches. I also heard "the island is beautiful, don't destroy it." So I tried to educate myself on Hawaiian culture by watching YouTube videos and documentaries.

Learning about Hawaii was a huge priority to me and I tried to soak in as much as I could before moving there. At the time, I thought I educated myself. But I didn't realize how much more there was to learn until I lived there for 6 months.

While I'm happy to share what I've learned to hopefully stop others from making the mistake I made, I believe that the voices we should be listening to are those that are native to Hawaii.

Hawaii is seen as a trendy place but it's more than that — it's someone's native land

I lived on the Big Island of Hawaii and volunteered on a fruit farm where I took care of the land and the animals.

In exchange for my volunteer work, I lived there for free and got to eat for free: I ate fruit and vegetables grown on the land, along with basic dry foods such as rice, beans, oats and honey.

I paid for my own car, gas, and some outside meals, too. I had saved up about $5,000 before moving and was able to pay for these things with that money — I was really budget traveling. 

During my last three months in Hawaii, I found a nanny job online. In exchange for taking care of their kids, the family let me live in their condo. So I was getting free food and accommodations and was given roughly $185 a week. I mainly supported myself through work exchange.

I eventually learned that with foreigners like myself living in Hawaii, housing prices were going up for the locals. I saw how few Natives were able to afford to live on their native land and how many of them were being pushed out to the contiguous 48 states, or the "Mainland." I saw the homelessness firsthand.

My original thoughts were that I wasn't part of the problem. "I'm not really going to be renting." But realistically, I was still very much a part of the problem. My presence in Hawaii didn't feel right when I saw how much the Natives were struggling.

It was also difficult to see how tourists and non-Natives treated Hawaii. It's not just a trendy place to show off your glamorous beach life, but it's someone's land.

Hawaii is beautiful, but my problems didn't magically disappear

Personally, I also learned that the problems I had back in Florida didn't magically disappear when I moved. My mental health and my financial problems didn't suddenly get better by moving to Hawaii.

I've learned that no one place is going to make me happy, even if it is Hawaii. If I'm not happy on the inside, no city or state will change that for me.

So even though I tried hard to educate myself, volunteer, and give back, I knew it was best for me to leave. And I now know I only want to be in places where my presence is beneficial.

After living in Hawaii, I have been focusing on ethical and sustainable travel 

The experience taught me a lot about myself, and I've learned the importance of being an ethical traveler. 

I now spend even more time volunteering. I'm conscious of shopping and eating locally instead of at chain restaurants. 

When traveling, I think it's important to always keep ethics at the forefront of your mind. Before I travel anywhere now, I consider if my presence will make a positive or negative impact.

If you have a travel regret and would like to share your story, email Alyshia Hull at ahull@insider.com.