Guam

Hafa Adai!

I've been greeted with "hafa adai" everywhere here on Guam, which is funny because I don't remember hearing that very often when I lived here. It's becoming as endemic as "aloha" in Hawaii or "God bless" in the South. So, since the greeting has popped out to me on this trip, I too will use it as I greet you, the reader.

At the time of my last blog post, I had just landed in Guam, rediscovered its amazing tinyness, and felt the blunt of Micronesian humidity. A lot has happened since.

Wednesday

• With my body still stuck on Pacific time, I woke up at 3:45 am. I decided to go for a run to begin the day. I ran down the hill past darkened shops and apartments, jogged non-chalantly through the lobby of a mega-resort, meandered along the resort's lazy-river and kiddie-pools, and popped out along the entirely deserted Ypao Beach. It was really quite an awesome experience to have an entire beach to myself, with the stars out, and the gentle lapping of waves. Quite surreal. 
• After picking up my rental car, I drove north to Yigo. I lived in Yigo for 3 months in 2010 as a missioary, and I was eager to see the ol' stomping grounds once again. I drove down pretty much every street. It was so much fun to pass a house and instantly remember the people I met there and the conversations we had. I sat outside my old apartment for awhile, which instantly brought back a flood of memories (being quarantined for a week with the mumps, filling out the 2010 US census on the porch, etc.). I was tempted to knock on the door, but decided against it. Not much has really changed in Yigo in 4 1/2 years, other than an odd street here-and-there that has been paved.
  
   
  My old apartment in Yigo (top left)

• I sat for a time on the blinding white sand of Ritidian beach on Guam's northernmost point. It really is a fabulous beach, and if you ever visit Guam, Ritidian is a must-see. 
   
  Ritidian Beach

• In the evening I drove to Agana to watch the sun set and visit the Chamorro Village night market (only on Wednesdays). As I sat in the park watching the sun set over the Philippine Sea, I ran into a senior missionary couple in-charge of family history work for the LDS Church in Micronesia. We talked for a good long time as surfers caught their last few waves, rowers powered out to see in a traditional canoe, and as a Buddhist monk in bright orange robes strolled along the sea-wall talking on his cell-phone.  Once the sun set I grabbed a "fiesta plate" from a food tent at the night market: Chamorro BBQ sticks, red rice, chicken kelaguen, and pancit. I was planning on buying some souvenirs at the Village, but I didn't find anything worth buying. The atmosphere was amazing though, as usual.
  

Thursday

• I had never been further south than the Navy base, so my first priority today was to drive to the very south of Guam (some call it God's Country) to see what the other, less-inhabited side of Guam had to offer. It truly felt like a different island. While northern- and central-Guam can feel crowded, urban even, the south was rural and much more like other islands in Micronesia. Southern Guam features a series of different villages, each centered around a Catholic church. The first village I came across was Umatac - the landing point of Ferdinand Magellan on his round-the-world voyage in the 1500s (Guam was claimed for Spain, and remained a Spanish colony until 'Merica won her in the Spanish-American War of 1899). I mostly just drove around and explored, but I also found some time to take a swim on a lovely stretch of sand outside Talofofo, until a storm rolled in and I thought it wise to get out of the water.
   
  Umatac Bay, the sight of Magellan's landing in 1521

• As I mentioned, I ran into a senior missionary couple last night. During our conversation it came up that I had a missionary companion from Chuuk, Elder Kuss. He was from a very tiny island in Chuuk, and I had thought that I may never see him again. Well, as you can imagine, I was floored when this couple told me that Richard Kuss was living on Guam! I HAD TO FIND HIM! They gave me his phone number, but every time I tried it the phone went straight to a busy-tone (likely disconnected). So, this evening I ran over to the chapel to ask if they knew of any other way to get a hold of him.  Well, no, they didn't, but they were very helpful in trying to find someone who would. As luck would have it, Bishop Nicerio of Kuss' ward showed up at the church. He told me that Kuss was with a large group of members attending the annual Guam multi-faith Day of Thanksgiving inter-faith service and potluck, and that he would be going over right away and that I could come. So, I ended up sitting in on an 1 hour inter-faith meeting at the Methodist church, replete with readings of the Qur'an, Chamorro spiritualism chantings, a Buddhist song/chant, etc. Quite the experience. Even the governor of Guam was in attendance (I said hi after. Nice guy.) At the conclusion of the meeting I finally got over to see Kuss. He was as shocked as I was! It was soooooo great to see him again! We talked and talked and talked. He couldn't believe that I was on Guam. I couldn't believe that he was either. It was so amazing to see a good friend that I had convinced myself I would never see again. We talked and I drove him back to his place in Dededo. It was hard to say goodbye again, but it was so fabulous to get caught up.

 Me and Pwipwi

 Tonight's sunset from Two Lovers Point

There was, of course, much more that I did here on Guam. Unfortunately, there isn't enough time to write about all of it here. Tomorrow morning I fly to my favorite place on Earth. Off to Pohnpei! Kaselel!

-Taylor