8.18.2010

The Great Debaters

August 18th marked a milestone for Baldo and his news station. They brought exclusive coverage of the Gubernatorial Debate to the people of Guam. Politics are huge in Guam...like huge. It was no surprise that the debate was the hottest ticket in town last night, so how could I miss it?

Not only was GNW bringing live coverage, they were the only station bringing live coverage.
Word.

Reporter Baldo Besich was hard at work brainstorming,
interviewing,
and fine-tuning his live reporting skills.

I was in charge of tasting all the yummy food and desserts...
(Notice the lack of dinner pictures...my hunger outweighed the need to snap my camera)

The debate taught Baldo and I about the passion Guamanians have for their island. I was touched to hear the chants in the lobby before the debate began.

Vivà Republican!

Vivà Unidad!

Vivà Guahan!

We love this stuff.

8.14.2010

Chapter 3: Street Signs Are for Whimps

And a whimp am I. My FOB* status leaves me at the mercy of maps and street signs to find my way around Guam. Only, there is one problem; many of the streets here don't have signs. Trips to the grocery store resemble games of hide-and-seek, and of the six libraries here on Guam, I've only managed to find two. To save time, frustration, and fake swearing, I've started asking for directions. It only took a few times to realize the islanders use landmarks and not street signs to give directions.

Sometimes they are easy. Enter exhibit A:

"Excuse me, where do I go to get court clearance?"

"Do you know where the basilica is?"

"Yes."

"The courthouse is right across the street."

"Oh! Ok, thank you."

Other times the directions are more sophisticated. Enter exhibit B; calling a sushi restaurant for their directions.

"Hello, where is your restaurant located?"

"We are in the Blue Lagoon Plaza."

"Which road is that on?"

"It's next to the Holiday Resort."

"Is it on Route 1** or Route 14?"

"Ummmmm....."

"We are driving by Kmart right now."

"Oh! Ok, when you get to the Kmart go down the hill and turn right. You'll pass the Holiday Resort. When you see the Bank of Hawaii on the right get in the center lane. You'll turn left where you see the Subway. That's the Blue Lagoon Plaza. We are in the back."

"Ok, Thank you."

**Just a side note, calling a road by its route number is a dead giveaway you're not from Guam. Not many people on the island call, or even know, a road by its route number.

Then there are times when directions are so long they have to be written down. Exhibit C:

The most advanced directions involve made-up street names. Exhibit D:

"Where can I find the Dededo Cost-U-Less?"

"Do you know where hamburger road is?"

"Hamburger road?"

"Yeah, the road with McDonald's at the end?"

"Oh, right...yes I do."

Etc, etc.

And exhibit E:

"Which street is the hospital on?"

"Do you know where the Pizza Hut intersection is?"

"Let me guess...it's the intersection with the Pizza Hut?"

"Yeah, that's the one."

Etc, etc.

Different as this technique is, it is fool-proof. I never get lost when I follow their directions. Next time someone asks you for directions, consider using the island technique and your street cred will skyrocket.

(Dislaimer...the island directions technique has not been tested on non-island areas, therefore its success cannot be guaranteed. The authors of this blog are not responsible for any loss of street cred.)

*Fresh off the Boat


8.03.2010

"When the Moon Hits Your Eye Like a Big PIZZA Pie...

That's amorè."

To my husband, pizza is a major food group that should be consumed at least once a week. Imagine his shock when we saw a Little Cesar's Hot 'n Ready pizza for not five, but TEN dollars.

Hafa Adai, and welcome to Guam.

It was a matter of principle. How could we buy a ten dollar Hot 'n Ready when we know we can get it for five dollars at home? And we're only talking Little Cesar's pizza. Dare to venture how much a large pizza costs at Domino's? $22.50.

We held off for about a month. Come on, it was only a matter of time before I bought a pineapple for $4.29 because it was a really good deal. Don't judge me; you don't live here. The sticker shock starts to wear off after awhile.

We had one of those days and we needed something to make us feel better. Something round, cheesy, greasy, and saucy.

Oh, and two for one.

I am now a believer in thin crust pizza. It completes me.

It was worth paying $22.50 to see the look on this kid's face.

What do you get when you cross two large pizzas with a delivering episode of Big Brother?


A good night.

Two Inches Deep.

On a good day I like to consider myself a person of substance, but even people of substance have their moments of superficial weakness. I like pretty things. Some of these pretty things happen to cost a lot of money (translation=I don't get to own them). What's a girl to do? In hopes to cure my insatiable hunger for pretty things that are expensive, I share a few with you via a blog buffet. You are invited to feast your eyes along with mine. I won't be offended if you have better, more worthwhile things to do like clean up the BP oil spill, plant a garden, play with a child, read an inspiring book, solve the budget crisis, or discover a cure for the common cold. I understand. Let the shallow showcase begin!


1. If you know me, you know I have a love affair with Coach, and this spearmint colored tote strangely tickles my fancy. I attribute this attraction to the impending two-year summer I will experience here in Guam. It's bright, cheerful and would look so good on my arm.


2. My six-year old self is dying right now. I used to wear jellies like they were going out of style. Unfortunately for me they did, but two decades later they are gearing up for a reunion tour! I saw these pretties in a store down the street and fell in love. Fortunately for my bank account they didn't have any in a size bigger than a seven (No shoe was offered in my size: nine. Apparently I have freakishly large feet for Guam standards). Adding insult to injury, I already know what outfits I would wear with these...c'est la vie.


3. My heart has been pining after a beauty like this for a few months. Maybe Santa will be extra nice this year? The price tag isn't this only thing holding me back. Perhaps it's lack of photographic knowledge, but I'm willing to learn. My future children need this investment! Or so I tell my husband. Either way, this camera tickles my fancy.


4. I'm diverging from the path a bit since this box collection isn't terribly expensive nor is it pretty, per sè, but it's going to be a pretty amazing addition to my collection. Twenty-one more days until the mystery behind District 13 is revealed! Have I said too much?

Phew, I'm feeling better already. Now I can focus on the more essential tasks like getting a job.

But that's a story for another day.