I'm back.

So I haven't written for a while now.  Been busy.  Officially moved off Guam and back to the east coast of the United States.  Just started a new job in marketing and sales, and teaching diving on the side whenever time permits.  The pace is picking up quickly and there is less time available for writing and photography.  Hopefully I will get round to filling these pages once again.  Until then, have a nice life.

The truth about Guam from the perspective of a civilian, Haole, single guy.....

Guam is a beautiful place if you enjoy tropical climates and love to dive.  Some of the best diving in the U.S. is here on this rock where the Philippine Sea meets the Pacific.


But that's besides the point.  If you aren't local (Haole or "Howly,")  or military or female, it's pretty much the end of the earth.

Basically from being here almost a year, I've found out several painful realizations.  This place is great if you're a single military guy.  That's what the talent here is looking for, a nice big fat meal ticket with perks and benefits.  That's what landlords are looking for too because they know they can rent for ridiculous prices.  I've never thought that I'd ever see so many gold diggers.

Most jobs here are minimum wage at best.  The work ethic here is pretty pathetic and everyone knows everyone so forget landing anything salaried because it's contracted out or given to someone's cousin regardless of the qualifications.  Also most of the people who I've met who come here from the states who aren't civilian contractors, Navy or Air Force, are just dead beats who couldn't keep it together back home.

Being form stateside and a civilian with aspirations of teaching diving this was a good idea on paper but now I think otherwise.   At least the training was as cheap as it gets.

So if at first you don't succeed, then don't stay somewhere were you keep getting strung out......

Next up.  My best friend from high school is getting married in Honolulu next week.  I'm going to wish him best of luck and because I need to see what the options are over there.

I have no idea where I'll be in a year.

Happy belated New Years!

Life just got a whole lot busier.  Now back on the tropical island in the middle of the pacific after a mild xmas and new years split between New Jersey and Nagano, Japan.  I've come to realize winter is only fun when you're on skis.

Now working full time as a driver for an aerial tour charter company.  Just testing the waters here.  Hopefully a higher paying job will present an opportunity soon.  The perks at least with this job is I get to fly the company airplane around on my days off to build time towards a possible commercial pilot's certificate in the future for a reduced fee per hour.  Hope to get many hours of x-country time back and forth between Guam, Saipan, Rota and Tinian.  I'm also using my Japanese on a daily basis.

Still diving, finished my emergency first response instructor course. Now just have to wait it out until the instructor diver course happens in march.

More photos to come when I don't feel exhausted after work.

2010: better than '09 but hopefully '11 will be even better!

Here we go around the sun again.  2010 was fun.  2009 being the worst year of my life I think I'm back to my regular wanderlusting self.  Working in New York City for a non-profit although interesting was going nowhere as was living on the east coast.  Frustration with the economy, weather, obnoxious drivers and pedestrians not to mention just being exhausted at the end of every day was no way to go through my early adult life.  So it  was time for a change of address.  How far away could I get without needing a visa?  I moved some 7,000 miles away to the northern Pacific to the island of Guam.  

Meeting Shanon and Wes and the Micronesian Diver's association was great!  I went from being an Open-Water diver all the way to Divemaster (should be done in a week!) and have begun the training to become an instructor.  I've got my diver's lungs back too and am more comfortable in the water than I have ever been.  I've met some really awesome people who love to dive spontaneously (I'm talking about you Kelsey!)  Night diving is my new favorite way to pregame an evening of live music and good beer (The Boonie Dogs!) 

Hopefully My boss Mr. Miyaji at Micronesian Air gets that new engine installed soon, we'll all pile into his Cessna for a long weekend of diving and exploring Saipan and or Rota.  

I've just returned from 3 days of skiing my legs off in Shiga Kogen, Nagano and am back in Tokyo.  In 12 hours I'll be on a plane headed back to Guam.  Last week was hectic as I was spending the holidays with my extended family in New Jersey.  Managed to meet up with my ex-Czech flight instructor Jozef  for 30mins of white knuckle landings at my home strip N05.  Also hit NYC with old friends from Tokyo: Mike and Brian for too much jagger and waking up in a strange apartment.  

Got my dose of winter, now it's time to return to the endless summer of the island.