Soaking in the Familiar, Bracing for the New

It feels like we’ve really settled into life here on Guam more than any other place we’ve been to so far. I make my grocery list based on the layout of the grocery store just like I did in Coloardo, and we eat most of our meals at home. We have a walking route we like and can drive almost everywhere without assistance from GPS. Everyone is feeling relaxed and we are in a good workout routine, which has proven difficult in other locations. And now we have to think about moving on.

From Familiar Shores to Uncharted Waters

I knew this country would feel familiar, but I didn’t anticipate it feeling hard to leave. I feel anxious about moving on and stepping back into the unknown. Guam was the location that sparked the idea of taking a family gap year, and for some reason I haven’t thought too much beyond this point. We researched Costa Rica because it was our first stop, and Japan because it was the country we most wanted to visit. We’ve been researching Guam for years. As we are headed back into uncharted waters it feels a little overwhelming!

We booked the next portion of our journey this week and will leave for the Philippines the day after Thanksgiving. Our next home will be in the city of Pasig, which is in eastern Metro Manila and on Luzon island. This is an area not heavily affected by the recent typhoons. It is a bit higher and therefore not prone to flooding. Since proof of onward travel is required upon entry, we’ll also need to book flights to Vietnam before leaving Guam.

Beaches, Boats and Night Markets

We’ve been savoring the things we love about Guam, like walking on the beach and night markets. I love how the scenery changes based on the tide and time of day. We always see something new when we go to the beach and I never tire of the view. A family we met last week from Oregon that now live on Guam suggested we go to Ypao Beach for snorkeling. I love getting a local recommendation.

It was windy when we went, so the water was pretty choppy, but there were still so many fish! Alexis said it was like the Fish Eye Underwater Observatory only better. It was hands down the best snorkeling I’ve ever experienced. I can’t wait to go back on a calmer day.

Braxton recently built a boat out of materials he found around the trees outside our condo and along the beach. He has been planning this boat for a long time. He started making them in Tokyo and realized he needed something to help hold it together. While we were in Osaka, he looked for discarded rubber bands every time we walked somewhere. He collected a bunch and brought them to Guam to build his boat. He made several variations before the final product.

Corolla and Chamorro Night Market

Since today was our original departure date from Guam, we had to swap out the rental car. We were all beyond excited when they handed us the keys to a 2025 Toyota Corolla. We still often reminisce about our old Corolla. It will be fun to drive it around for the next week before we leave.

We went back to the Chamorro Village Night Market tonight. Our first visit here was underwhelming, so we were excited to check it out again. It was much more lively tonight and we all had a great time! We stood in line for a long time for the best Chamorro food we’ve had so far and another stray dog joined us while we ate dinner. He was very cute and equally as polite as our last visitor.

Dave and I both had separate encounters tonight with people who have been to Manila, Philippines and wanted to share their opinion. We have found that most people are eager to share what they know, whether we ask for their opinion or not. I spoke with a local woman who just got back from her first time in Manila. She enthusiastically told me about how clean and cheap everything is. The guy Dave talked to said Manila was one of the worst places he’s ever been, describing it as dirty and people on top of people. I guess time will tell what our opinion will be!