Lang's Glimpse of Guam

After seeing different variations of Guam videos make the rounds on Facebook, I wanted to share our own Glimpse of Guam. I first made this video for some very dear friends as they moved off the island, and used it as a template for our own family's version.  Good memories!

Crazy for Ko'ko'

Once the sun starts to set and being outside is bearable, we love to hang out in the yard.
The neighborhood come alive! Kids are out playing, parents are out chatting, Molly is out greeting.

A while back, we spotted this unusual looking guy hanging out - trying not to be noticed.
But how could we NOT notice him! Have you ever seen such a creature?
Me neither!
It turns out he was an endangered Ko'ko bird (just a baby - which is why he's sporting such cute legs and head fluff!), trying to spot some of the neighborhood action.
















Here's what Guampedia says about this unique and unusual little guy.

• The Ko'ko or Guam rail, is the Territorial Bird of Guam.
• The Ko’ko’ is a large rail, standing eleven to twelve inches or about twenty-eight centimeters tall.
• It nests year round laying one to four eggs in a nest of leaves and grass on the ground. The eggs are tended by both parents. Chicks can run after four days.
• Considered flightless, the ko’ko’ can only fly very short distances. It is an omnivorous feeder but seems to favor animals. It feeds on seeds and leaves as well as snails, lizards, insects and carrion.
• Considered endangered by both the Government of Guam and the federal government. It has been extirpated from the wild and is held in captive breeding programs on Guam and the U.S. mainland. There has been an experimental population release on Rota, CNMI and in two locations on Guam.
• The Guam Rail was once abundant, commonly seen in backyards and agricultural fields. It was once hunted for food.
  Threats: Habitat destruction and predation by the brown treesnake as well as feral cats, possibly pigs and monitor lizards.

SYTYMG

(So You Think You Miss Guam)

I thought I would serve up a little reality check . . . .

• Gas went up .18 cents. Overnight. On base!

• It's the rainy season.

And the lightening season.

And of course the thunder season.

• We got cold . . . . . OUTSIDE!

• So many millipedes . . . .Everywhere!

• Still no guaranteed ice cream at McDonald's.

• Still coping with cliques!

• The new BX opened up at Anderson. We haven't seen it.

a) I don't want to pack a lunch for the drive up there.

b) Why drive up there if nothing will be in stock. (come on - you KNOW I'm speaking the truth)

• We were up close and personal with the dolphins over the weekend. The babies put on a jumping/spinning show for us while we watched from the comfort of the new tube/jet ski.

Swarming Season

You know of Guam's rainy season. You've heard of the dry season. Let me introduce you to swarming season. Jungle Termites!

After a delicious dinner of grilled veggie sandwiches, we decided to fit in a quick dip at Gab Gab as the sun went down.

It was picturesque. Swimming in the Philippine sea - high tide - watching the beautiful sunset over the Pacific.

As the darkness was setting in the jungle termites decided to come out!

As soon as our bodies ascended from the water the termites were on us. We ran to the safety of the Durango swatting our bodies the whole way.

The jungle termites are drawn to any and all light sources. The summer Mandy was with us - they swarmed her reflective blond hair.

We knew from years past - leave the termites OUTSIDE! So after a shimmy and shake (to rid your clothes and hair of the buggers) you try and sneak in through the door with as little opening as possible.


So how do you prep yourself for the sight of this upon entering what you thought was the safety of our own house!

Jungle Termites EVERYWHERE - coming up under the baseboards!

It was a long night for exterminator mom. I would clear them using bug spray and good old Dyson (by myself!) just to have them back by the thousands moments later.

I'm not ready for round 2 tonight.

Prayers are requested.

Let the mango season begin!

Mango season on the island is now in full swing.

Although the harvest may not be as plentiful as last year's, the village of Agat can still turn it into a party.

Biba Inarajan!

The people of Guam love to turn ANYTHING into a party!

(or in local terms - a fiesta!)

Almost every month of the year you can find a different village (neighborhood) celebrating their own patron saint.

We were invited to Inarajan's village fiesta by Ann Flores - one of the ladies at David's work.

Prolific amounts of people, beer and FOOD!

The poor pig had no idea what he was in for when he heard he was coming to the party.

David wears his bestowed title of chamhaole with pride.

He kept asking if he should chenchule’* - in which they would all laugh and pat his arm in response. "You even sound locol!"

*Chenchule' is a contribution. Whether that be in the form of labor, food, drink or other supplies. However, money has become the most favored form of chenchule'.

Ai Adai!

Dave: Hey Hon - wanna run to the commissary with me? I need to get stuff for the BBQ on Saturday.

Chan: The commissary? Ai Adai!!!*

I don't know -

Is it pay day? Is a typhoon coming? Are any visiting ships in port (either foreign or domestic)? Are the freezers still broken?

No? . . . . . there may really be food to buy! Hurry - let's go!
Madi: (Hollering after us as we head out the door) Good Luck!

I guess the planets just weren't aligned. Ai Adai!

Seriously - the daily "commissary experience" is paving my pathway to a much hotter place than Guam!  (hopefully it's less humid)

I've known incredibly strong women brought to tears after a typical shopping trip!
Thank goodness for Grandmas and Priority Mail!

*Ai Adai (i uh-day): As best I can tell this is generally an expression of exasperation.

One typically will shake their head from side to side and make a "tsk-tsk" sound while uttering this phrase. Although I've also heard it used to express surprise or slight shock as well.

One of these things

Is not like the other.

No Spring Snow Here

High Today of 89. Heat index 97.

Boonies of Guam

A sampling of "Boonies" . . .

In no particular order

Night Spear Fishing in Merizo

Every so often a member of our tiny little branch family invites the guys to come down to Merizo for a night of spear fishing.

Now we all know David is a little less adventurous - so he just hangs out with Albert's "extended" extended family while the others fish.
David's night of "fishing" included an ukulele concert and pickled pigs feet.

We're in Carabao Country

What is the Carabao?

The carabao, known as the water buffalo elsewhere, are enormous!

They have huge curved horns and a long, concave face with a flat rectangular muzzle.

They also have funny hairy lips.

With a description like that - it's a good thing that they are placid, gentle beasts.

It also makes for a very entertaining episode watching David try to get the courage to take a photo of these intimidating animals.

The animal was once Guam’s traditional mode of transportation and used widely to pull carts and plow fields.

Over the years, they have come to symbolize strength, hard work and humility by the Chamorro. Carabaos are still bred by local farmers today and can be found all over the island - both living and statuesque.

Our favorite carabao of all is the one we usually see being walked along Marine Corps Drive each morning. (Just like walking a dog on a leash - only very very slowly.)

An Amazing Afternoon

My heart was litterally all a flutter today. That's the only way I can describe the moment when I realized the dark spots I was approaching on my jet ski weren't snorklers - they were dolphins!

We've seen pods of dolphins before - but it's always been from a pretty good distance. Today, we got within arms reach of these guys.

They stuck around long enough for me to go back to the beach to pick up Madi. (I'm not sure she really believed me until she saw it for herself.) We spent a good hour plus with them.
We figured they were playing a version of hide and seek with us. Popping up on one side of the jet ski - then swimming directly under us just to pop up on the other side. At one time we counted over 20 - basically surrounding our little jet ski.
We spent a long time just bobbing in the "dark blue" so we could listen to their blowholes and even a few squeaks. AMAZING!

(you must understand here: Madi HATES to go over the reef line - to the deep dark part of the ocean. Hence - the "dark blue")

Here we were having this opportunity of a lifetime. A pod of dolphins were swimming all around us. Playing with us in their natural habitat!

Honestly, it was a little surreal.

Every once in a while we are reminded that we are living on a little tiny tropical island in the middle of the really big Pacific ocean.

Why David loves Guam!

Bow chica bow wow wow!

(tell her she completes you . . .)

What Lives at the Hospital?

Coco the Hospital Crab, of course!
O.k. -at first glance you'll notice Dave's stubby fingers. Get past that and you'll meet Coco the crab.

Chris Morrison - a good friend of Dave's at work - came across this crabby friend at the hospital on Thursday. He kept him in this trash can the rest of the day so he could bring him home to show . . . . .

well, the neighborhood.

His claws were incredibly strong! One of the neighbors was using a pampered chef bamboo spoon to check him out (o.k. - poke at him, I guess) when he grabbed hold of it and he wouldn't let it go! I can see how they easily break into the coconuts without breaking a sweat. His underbelly was a beautiful brilliant blue - with orange specks. Honestly - such a waste that you have to pick him up to be able to see the color! (How will he ever find a suitor with that tactic!!!)

After the ooohs and ahhhs - along with the photo shoot - the kids took the creature back into his favored environment. The jungle seems to suit him much more than the trash can.

Gecko Time

It's supposed to be a sign of good luck when you find a gecko in your house.
At 8 Anderson it's quite the opposite, scattering everyone until Mom has proven capture!

I have become the official gecko getter over the past 3 years. Honestly - I think they're amazing little creatures that travel faster than the speed of light! Amazing that is until I see a tail separation coming.

You probably know that lizards are very casual about losing their tails. Unfortunately I don't have any photos of a lonely tail still wiggling around after being abandoned by its owner.
But then again - it's not an image I truly enjoy reliving by choice.

Then there are skinks. They are the rather plain brown lizards that you see running around on the sidewalks outside. I think the skinks are suicidal. When I'm mowing the lawn they get all upset and start running around.
The first place they try to hide is under the lawnmower.

The critters among us

Here's a fact for you . . . . .No matter where you are in the world you are never more than 6 feet away from the nearest spider.

I'll take that statistic any day over running across one of these scary looking beasts!

This particular "critter" was found outside a hanger up at Andersen Air Force Base. These crabs are the largest "hermit crabs" in the world. They can't swim but they live near the water - hence living on Guam. Their claws are so strong that they can crack a coconut and they eat the meat inside ... ta-da! the name Coconut Crab.

Now let's put that claw fact into perspective here. When us humans want to savor some fresh coconut meat, it takes plenty of sweat, strength and a hammer to get through that outer shell. (unless there's a machete around - but that's a different story)

Some locals catch coconut crabs when they are smaller - keep them until they grow a bit and then eat 'em. I've known some people to kill them by putting them in the freezer. I think that the only way this guy was going to fit in a freezer is if it was a walk-in type!
I certainly hope that I don't see one of these things when I'm on my evening walk.

Liberation Day

We just got back from the commissary.
Our big purchase included milk, cereal, and frozen pot pies. I guess you can tell when Dad's not around by our shopping cart. He's enjoying the land of plenty - San Diego. Seriously, he went to a Padres game last night with 30ish OB Jennifer - and stayed for the whole thing! He never did that with us when WE lived there. PLUS, he bought a new shirt for the event. Granted, it's because he's freezing his fanny off there - but I only get t-shirts and uniforms! Nope, not jealous. Just pooped from having to deal with my unusually sick 10 year old and haven't had a moment to myself since my airplane ride home from Utah in April.

One good thing about Madi's being sick - it's kept us here to actually see Guam's Liberation Day.
*little history lesson here*
Guam celebrates the 21st of July - when the U.S. Marines arrived back on Guam to liberate the Chamorro people from the Japanese occupation. It's really been quite interesting and stirring to hear some of the survivors stories from the "occupation". The concentration camps, what the Japanese did to the people, POW's etc. The Japanese attacked Guam one hour after the Pearl Harbor attack (Guam was under the US Navy at the time). The Japanese held control in Guam from December 41 until July 21st, 1944. Guam is the only US owned land that has endured "occupation".

It's very similar to the 24th of July with pageants, a little carnival (no rodeo, but you can ride a carabao) and of course the big parade . . . .with families camping out along the parade route. The kids and I drove up and down the route the night before and I was telling them how it reminded me of the 24th when I was little. But one major difference . . .every single canopy (Guam, remember) had a BBQ going. And I'm not talking portable propane - we're talking drums with charcoal. (Propane is such a haole thing!) And each canopy had HUGE plastic banners across the front saying things like "Biba Guam! Gumataotao Family" You could smell the smoke all over the island.
My party poopers wouldn't even watch the parade on the t.v. - let alone go sit in the rain to watch. They wouldn't even entertain the thought of going to see the fireworks! Humpf!
I'm off to attack the trail of ants leading around the tub. The kids are hollering up a storm about it!