Tag Archives: Saipan

2012

Why I’ll ALWAYS love Saipan!

“Once upon a time, there was a Jamaican civil engineer living in New York who hated his job, followed his passion, started a sideline business publishing his own books, made enough money to quit his job, escaped the rat race, ran off to a tropical island in the Pacific, and started a tourism business so he could give tours of the island to pretty girls every day….and live a nomadpreneur’s dream life.”

Saipan will always have a special place in my heart and soul for one simple reason: the CNMI was the first country that I consciously deliberately CHOSE to live as a self-aware human being.

Through a fortunate “accident” of birth, I landed in Jamaica, West Indies. And while I’m eternally thankful I did, I didn’t choose to be there (not consciously anyway).

When my parents emigrated to the US mainland, I wasn’t part of that decision-making process either.

But, Saipan! Ahhh, yes Saipan! I ended up here, motivated by the pursuit of my own definition of happiness. I didn’t come here for a job. I didn’t come here for family. I came here simply for freedom and happiness.

And to share that happiness, beginning in 2006, I started writing for the Saipan Tribune, did a few “saipanpreneur” workshops, gave a few tours to visiting tourists, and, beginning with WELOVESAIPAN.com, started a bunch of websites all of which you can view at BestofSaipan.com

Six years later, people are still discovering Saipan through those sites….which brings me to my request:

I’ve just revamped the WELOVESAIPAN site, but I need some new faces and stories to post on the site since a few of the currently featured residents have moved on. I’d especially like to hear from and feature those individuals who are currently active in bringing about change in the CNMI! (don’t be shy, you and I know who you are, and this is a good way to speak out and take control of Saipan’s image on a popular site that people find through Google)

If you’re a current–or even past–resident who’s coming back (and I’m hearing from a few), check out the new format of WeLoveSaipan.com. Email me with a testimonial of why you (still) love Saipan, and attach or link me to a photo you’d like to use! It’s that simple, but it will make a powerful public, and global statement!

Let me get you started: “It’s because I DO STILL love Saipan and want it to maintain its beauty, as well as evolve and prosper that I do what I do….”
2011

Jamaican in Macau!

Now, before you get too excited….and before I get too far ahead of myself, I am NOT in Macau. However, like any true and wise revolutionary, I do have an undisclosed number of face doubles, stand-ins, stuntmen, body doubles, affiliates and certified guest hosts to “sub” for me should the need arise. (I do, however, perform all dating and romantic assignments in house. These are rarely subcontracted.)

With that said, my friend Ron, the interim Jamaican on Saipan, whom faithful readers will recall from Friends in High Places…skewing the distribution and [SaipanTribune story:]There are more Jamaicans on Saipan was in Macau recently and took a few photos


While I’m away, I’ve even given Ron–as stand-in Jamaican– the keys to my secret hideaway on Saipan! Don’t get too comfortable, buddy…

2011

Meanwhile, back on the island of Saipan

bilocation: Bilocation, or sometimes multilocation, is a term used to describe the ability/instances in which an individual or object is said to be, or appears to be, located in two distinct places at the same instant in time. 

With that said, if you, too, happen to be on the island of Saipan at this very moment, you can head over to the Commonwealth Health Center–Saipan’s single hospital–and pick up a copy of a very touching book entitled The Boy Who Dreamed to Be With His Parents on Saipan by Riza Oledan-Ramos. Riza is a nurse on Saipan who I helped publish her first book. It gives a little peak inside a reality that many people never experience. It’s a true story inspired by Riza’s son, and, as people are discovering, is more than a children’s book. It’s akin to a letter written from the perspective of a young mind grappling to understand the world, his place in it, and the emptiness and longing that often comes with having parents who are seeking a better life for the family.  

Emmanuel Ramos misses his mom and dad. They are on the island of Saipan working. He is in Manila, Philippines, with his aunt, cousins and grandparents. Will his parents ever come back for him? Will he ever see them again? Will Emmanuel’s big dream to be with his parents on Saipan ever come true?  

On sale on Saipan! Congrats, Riza!

 

READ MORE AND ORDER NOW Also available on Amazon.com!

2011

How much does it cost to live on Saipan? Saipan Apartments?

I get that question quite often from many people who discover my SaipanLiving.com website, and are interested in visiting or relocating. So, today, as public service to the world, I shall answer it based on my own lifestyle.

Today is Saturday. At about 6:30am, I typically head out to the Sabalu Market in Susupe to buy my produce from local farmers.

Then, I might stop at the local supermarket to pick up a few more items. Here is a photo of me and today’s take.

 Here’s the itemization. This also includes images and prices of items I purchased on different occasions.

Click on image to see larger version. The numbers correspond with the items below

 

FROM THE SUPERMARKET

1. Joy 12.6oz Ultra dish detergent
(they’ve run out of Dishmate Earth-Friendly liquid)		 $1.55
2. Mason Jar (32oz)
(for making my own kimchee/culturedveggies)		 $1.09
3. Kitchen sink trap $1.57
4. Food For Life Gluten Free tortillas (specially ordered by Gemma at Joeten just for the fringe dwellers)
5. Health Valley Cereal $5.59
6. Wholesoy Soy Yogurt $2.65
7. Red Kidney beans 160z
(to make Jamaican style rice & peas!)		 $2.19
8. Baking soda
for brushing my teeth)		 $0.65

 

FROM THE FARMER’S MARKET

9. Cherries (50c each tray) $1.00
10.Grated coconut
also for Jamaican style rice & peas!)		 $1.00
11. coconut oil (8oz) $4.00
12. dry coconut $1.00
13. bananas bunch of 14 $0.50
14. lemons $1.00
15. plantains (3) $2.00
16. Papaya $1.00
17. 3 sweetsop (ati) $1.00
18. 6 large nessberry (chico) $2.50

 

FROM THE HARDWARE STORE

19. Toaster $14.99
20. Juicer (purchased on Guam) $
21. Coffee bean grinder
(No, I don’t drink coffee. Remind me to tell you about coffee enemas,if that’s not too much information)		 $9.95
22. duplicate house key $2.00
23. Bottled Spring water (2.5gal) $3.65

The stainless steel pots in the photo (aluminum pots leach aluminum which causes Alzheimers and the coating of non-stick pots are toxic) were purchased in New York and brought to Saipan. (Caused some raised eyebrows when the TSA agent at the airport saw them in my carry-on luggage–see Jamaican on Saipan, the book)

I’ll add another post about apartment living on Saipan soon!

 

For more about living on Saipan, visit: www.Saipanliving.com.

PAPERBACK | ebook


Saipan Living! The Book!: A comprehensive guide for moving, finding and working a job, living or vacationing in the Northern Mariana Islands including the islands of Saipan, Tinian and Rota

 

2011

…not to impress you, but to impress upon you….the importance of dreaming big!

Here are some recent happenings with two of my books:


Chun Yu Wang on Saipan
Chicken Feathers and Garlic Skin: Diary of a Chinese Garment Factory Girl on Saipan (which I co-authored with Chinese national, Chun Yu Wang), is being used as a suggested text for a Women’s Studies course at California State University in Fullerton, CA. This is the third such use I am aware of. The first was for a Denison University Women’s Studies program, the second was for a French textbook company. There may be others, since there’ve been other large quantity orders through my wholesaler, and through Amazon which may also have been for educational purposes, or maybe even book clubs–no way to tell for sure.)


Arthur Wylie Only the Crazy and Fearless Win Big
An excerpt from my book, Turn Your Passion Into Profit, is being used in a new book by Arthur Wylie (with Brian Nicol) entitled Only the Crazy and Fearless Win Big! I’ve read the chapter on passion, and it’s pretty inspiring. According to the preview: In Only the Crazy and Fearless Win BIG!, he shares a little secret that few books discuss — to win big you have to be fearless and, sometimes, even a little crazy. Wylie outlines real-world examples from some of history and present-day’s most well-known names and everyday entrepreneurs in every industry, profession, and segment of the economy. Only the Crazy and Fearless Win BIG! shows how their decisions raised eyebrows, dropped jaws, and met resistance— yet proved to be right.”

The book is due out in January.Check out Arthur’s site at www.arthurwylie.com, where you can pre-order.

So, why do I share this with you? Well, not to impress you, but to impress upon you what’s possible when you follow your passion, and what’s possible when you dream big. These frequent  acknowledgements and validation (and the money from sales!) I receive, are the reward for finding my purpose as a “guru,” following my passion as a writer, creating products that are expressions of that passion, and marketing them for profit and prosperity…all while helping others achieve their dreams as well. As a result, I get the personal sense of fulfillment that comes from seeing my work appreciated and shared with others, and I enjoy the freedom to escape my previous life and live true to my self in a way and in a location that makes me happy. Anyone can do it, but it all starts with daring to dream something different–something bigger–for yourself. Finding it difficult? Well, perhaps all you need is permission.

 

As I wrote in an email just a few days ago to a coaching client, and special person in my life who was finding it challenging to reconcile her dreaming  with what she felt she was entitled to:

” ‘Reba’,
You have MY permission to dream and dream big. Go ahead, It’s okay. I want to know what your big dreams look, feel and taste like. Do it for me. I’m very curious. You deserve to share in all the abundance that the universe has to offer.  There are no other requirements to fulfill. You already qualify. As a child of the divine, of the universe, of God, if you will, there is nothing that  exists that you cannot have access to.  There is no definition and identity that you cannot adopt. It’s all yours by birthright. You are entitled to it because of your existence separate and apart from your learned identity and limitations hereon the planet. All of that is just a construct we need to practice stepping outside of.”

“There are no limits, no practical considerations, there is just desire and imagination. What would you attempt, if you knew you could not fail? What would you create, if everything you needed for its creation would be guaranteed you? What would you desire if “how” was not a part of the equation? What would your ideal life look like? You are not being asked to build. You are only being asked to envision and design. The truth is, “how” is none of your business. The universe always provides the “how” as you’ve already discovered for yourself. Your task is simply to dream. Animals don’t shy away from the food they need to survive and thrive. They seek it out. Plants don’t shy away from the sun, nor their roots from the water they need to grow and expand. They seek it out. The dreams of who you are are like the seeking of the food, sunlight and water you need for your fullest expression. Go for it. Do it.” [end of email]

 

Yes, sometimes you have to be fearless and crazy, but life rewards those who dare to dream of something more.

 

2011

Encyclopedia Goodridge presents Unfinished Business: Harvey The Rat returns with a vengeance!

If you recall from page 74 of Jamaican on Saipan, I had a little run-in with a rat while I was living in Chalan Kiya. I thought that that sordid episode had ended. Well it seems that “Harvey” didn’t think so. He’s back……and he’s pissed. But let me start at the beginning.

A few nights ago, I returned from a night out at the Liberation Day festivities here on Saipan to find this:


A hole in the bottom of the screen door to my bedroom balcony with a paper towel sticking out. (Crime scene recreated for the benefit of the investigation.)

I know why it happened. Without getting into too much detail, I use coconut oil for massages. (For more, see I want to date a Jamaican in China (“Don’t speculate! Ja-Make-A-Date!”)

In any event, while I was out that night, I had left a little measuring cup of coconut oil and an oil-soaked sheet of paper towel on the floor by the bed. (Neatness has never been my strong suit).

Harvey must have caught the aroma of sweet oil as he was making his nightly rounds, and decided to take a souvenir home with him. My measuring cup was gone and the paper towel, as I mentioned, was stuck halfway through a hole in the mesh at the bottom of the sliding screen door. It’s the sort of mesh screen that keeps out mosquitoes, but was never designed for determined, committed, goal-oriented rats.

So, just so we’re clear: “Yes, officer, a rat broke into my apartment from the balcony, stole my plastic measuring cup, came back, and was halfway through his second incident of breaking and entering and first degree theft, when my return scared him away.”

The next morning, I measured my screen door, then went to Ace Hardware and got some higher/stronger gauge screen, some screws, bolts and washers to construct a rodent barrier!

I had the mesh cut about two feet high, as the sales rep at the hardware store and I both agreed that the rats wouldn’t climb up the mesh to get to the weaker mesh above. I took my purchase home. (I felt like Wile E. Coyote with a new contraption from ACME, or Elmer Fudd)

I attached the higher gauge screen to the smaller gauge.


I’ll stop you yet, you wascally wodent!


I was so proud of my handiwork

Well it seems the hardware rep and I were wrong. I went to bed thinking that all was right with the world. However, at 4:00am this morning, I was awakened by the sound of some scratching. I opened my eyes and found myself staring at the underbelly, and into the glowing yellow eyes of a rodent, two feet off the ground, perched on the top of the high gauge mesh, still outside, but about to begin his toothy assault on the smaller gauge mesh to gain another entry into my apartment.


Re-enactment featuring professional rat actor paid rodent scale. No animals were harmed in the making of this.

A few milliseconds later, a thought entered my mind: “Excuse me, you’re lying on a bed two feet off the ground and you’re staring at eye level at the furry underbelly of a rat hanging from a mesh screen, suspended in the air two feet above the ground about to gnaw his way into your apartment. Hello?”

 At that point I sat up, and my quick movement scared him away.

Ah! yes! I love a battle of wits and will! (even if it’s with a rodent!) Bring it on! I lay in bed staring at the ceiling and spent the next few minutes figuring out my retaliatory (or would that be “defensive”) strategy. Would I have to use high gauge mesh on the entire screen door? Would I have to keep my glass door shut at all times (unacceptable, since I don’t believe in or use air conditioning, and  prefer to have a breeze flowing through my apartment). Think, man! Think!!! Poison? Rat trap? No good. I don’t believe in  killing–not even ants–plus, a dead Harvey the Rat would simply be replaced by another, angrier friend or family member. I’d have to launch what would eventually become known as “The Great Jamaican Rat Massacre of Saipan!” I’d have to sleep with a shotgun. Frankly, I don’t have the resources.

And then, as I stared at the mesh, and the sliding door picturing the rat climbing up, it hit me! I think I found the solution!

Encyclopedia Goodridge and the Mystery of the Bypassed Barricade

I’ll pay homage to Encyclopedia Brown, Boy Detective, one of my favorite series of children’s books growing up, and ask: “What did Encyclopedia Goodridge realize that could make all the difference in the world to keeping the unwelcome rat outside the apartment?”  If you think you know the answer (or if you simply want to make a suggestion), email me (walt@jamaicaninchina.com) enter, and then click the link below for the answer!

CLICK HERE to learn the answer!

Diabolical, don’t you think? Well, I’ll let you know how it works out…..stay tuned!

Moral: If you run away to a tropical island to escape the rat race, beware, the rats might not be too far behind!

 

2011

Those lazy, hazy, crazy days of perpetual summer on Saipan!

I live a simple, natural life. Nothing fancy. Nothing extravagant. But, I have my freedom. That’s always been the most important thing for me. So, the question I’ve been asked is: with all that freedom, what do I do here on Saipan when I’m not traveling around China?

Well, let’s see…just kinda hangin’ around, I guess….


Hanging out with friends…


shopping at the market…


enjoying the scenery


listening to music in the car (note the coconuts in the back seat)


Helping an occasional tourist


and chasing rainbows


Hey! Is that a pot of gold?

2011

The highlight of Saipan’s Flame Tree Arts Festival…without a doubt

Last Sunday, June 12, marked the final day of Saipan’s annual Flame Tree Festival–now in its thirtieth year!  Each year, artists, sculptors, and artisans of all stripes come to sell their wares to an appreciative public.

There are also food vendors, performers from across Micronesia and the Pacific. This year’s festivities were held at Saipan’s Memorial Park.




artists…


performers…


Onlookers…

Yes, the festival has been proceeding on its own for 30 years. However, I think I can confidently speak for everyone there on Saturday, that the high point of the day for all in attendance came when a certain Jamaican on Saipan took the stage to learn the Haka dance from the visiting New Zealand delegation. Well, at least it was the highlight for me!

Jamaican takes the stage


Jamaican learning the Traditional New Zealand Maori Haka dance

2011

The Changing Face of Saipan Tourism

With a title like that, I’m sure you expected a lengthy article. However, this is just a quick observation.

First of all, if you’re not aware, Saipan is a tourist island. Traditionally, visitors from its closest international neighbor–Japan–comprised the majority of visitors. In recent months, and then pivotally, as a result of the ongoing nuclear situation in Japan, visitors from that country have dropped to record lows.

Meanwhile, the number of Chinese tourists is increasing. One source on island told me the number of Chinese hotel occupants has doubled from last year.

Personally, I’ve also been meeting some great people from Shanghai and Hong Kong throughout my own travels around the island, and also through my DestinationSaipan site.

I also believe that what Saipan is really offering, as well as what people are attracted to is changing slightly, but more on that later.


Hotel on Saipan


Tourists enjoying a Saipan sunset. I think I may have seen my first green flash!


The changing face of Saipan tourism! Welcome Shanghai!