Escape to Guam

12/19/18

First of all, I'd like to point out that the theme of the week is "You never told me that."

This Christmas will be my first Christmas celebrated without anyone. On the 22nd I'll be flying to Guam, where I'll have a ride waiting to take me to a house and car that I'll be staying in, under the condition that I clean and prepare it for new guests coming on the 5th. (The trade seems unbalanced, but I'll find a way to make it up to them.)

What I know about the trip:

1. I'll have a place to stay, near to the University.
2. Dennis will be on Island, and he'll most likely want my help preparing entrance exams.
3. I'm going to eat like royalty (aka organic, fresh veggies.)
4. Bathing suit, shorts and tank tops will be utilized (because I can.)

What I don't know about the trip:

1. How I'll spend Christmas and New Years day.
2. What to expect of "my" home and car.

I'll be playing most of the trip by ear, which will make things more interesting.

I'm excited to see what I've been missing. It's not that I'm missing things at all, but more of, I'm excited to experience the "oh yeah, I forgot about _______" moments. There're so many blanks that I've forgotten about, including but not limited to: Bathtubs, roads, groups of people, food, internet, shoes that aren't missing, hospitals, public anything, etc.

I can also promise you that I won't miss: Children with machetes (drunken or otherwise), patriarchal bigotry, my knees being considered perverse, limitations as to where I walk, what I buy, who I'm with, what I "am"/ my general existence as a female, MSG in everything, sugar in everything, grease in everything, bones, blood and guts in the kitchen at all times, and other daily norms.

Don't get me wrong, It's amazing here, I love this place, its beautiful, and the kids I teach are magical, but my preferences are slightly more westernized and liberal than is preferred.

It'll just be nice to rebuild myself over the break. Just 2 more days, and I'm free to relax.

12/22/18

I've arrived at my destination in Guam.

Firstly, I can't believe the kindness i've been shown by Roberta Abaday and Fumiko Harada.

I contacted Roberta expecting to make plans for dinner or an evening out, and she's introduced me to Fumiko, who's given me her home and car, and a refrigerator stocked with food, and wine that i'm instructed to drink or throw out. I mean... if you insist...

Roberta greeted me at the airport with a string of shells, took me to the store and bought me groceries, gave me a Christmas gift, and made plans to pick me up tomorrow to show me the island, before leaving me to do whatever I would like to do. I'm overwhelmed with all of this... not to mention the shock that i'm already in from getting back in touch with the modern world...

First of all, grocery stores hurt to be in. There's too much crap.  Quality crap, but still too much.

Secondly...women have knees, and you know what's attached to those? Thighs. Also, holy hell.

Thirdly, a house is a big room that is so large, that you can put walls inside of it to make "rooms". There are windows, air conditioning, and beds inside too... I wish I could expound, but my brain has reached its data limit.