Reflections

Sometimes I pause to wonder how we got here in the first place.  Everyone thought we were crazy packing up so quickly and hauling it out over the Pacific to an island nobody has ever heard of, in a commonwealth that nobody knew existed, near Guam, a place nobody knows where it really is.  Way to make it complicated, Tara.

To tell the absolute truth, I wasn't sure if I should accept the contract to work here or not.  But I knew that I was getting closer and closer to September and still jobless in Seattle.  I ultimately gave the choice to Noé (so you can blame him!) and he said yes.  I do feel guilty for moving us to a place where he can't study or hardly find a job, although he's trying.  He now agrees that he prefers Rota to Shoreline, although we have many friends back home.

Now the real truth: we are really, truly happy here.  Our life is very laid back, I have a job to support us, the community has pulled us in and treated us like family.  There are few problems here on Rota, if you can accept the oddities of a "developing country" feel but with the blessings of healthcare, clean water, internet, air conditioning, U.S. soil, and a job that pays like in the USA.  We don't need a car, and recently we've even sworn off the AC and bought two fans, opened up the doors and windows to let the breeze in.  This is truly island life.

A colleague talked about being on Guam for the weekend and still getting looks from the airport personnel when he said he "lived on Rota".  "Why?" is always the response, apparently.  I guess it's not for everyone, but if you want to live where you know everybody, where people waive at you when they pass, where you can hitchhike without even sticking your thumb out, where you can see a rainbow practically every day, where it's the place on earth with the most equitable climate, and where coconut palms waive in the wind serenading your cool evenings, then Rota is a perfect place to live.  Sure, there are only a couple types of toothpaste to choose from, tuna in oil instead of water, spam galore, a variety of only about as many different fruits and vegetables as I can count on both hands, and a couple typhoons tempting us each year.  You also have to give up the consumerism that is taking over the mainland - but then again, you can always order it online and be surprised when it shows up a month later after you've forgotten having ordered it!  Or you can fly to Saipan or Guam, just a half hour away.

Needless to say, we open our home to all that would like to come visit our remote, Micronesian island.  We offer our spare bedroom, coral reef and snorkel, beautiful sunsets, birds chirping, and Rota hot peppers to anyone who dares to come visit.  Please consider it.