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Top 10+ Common Misconceptions about GUAM

Let’s start with “Have you heard of Guam?” It’s okay if you haven’t because you’re about to learn quite a bit about it. We’re heading to this tiny Pacific island in a few weeks to visit friends and family. I wanted to give a little introduction on a place I called home from elementary school until I graduated high school.

Guam Beach
Image courtesy of visitguam.com

Sadly, there isn’t that much information on Guam out there. It’s no wonder that my friends, family and I, who have moved out of Guam, have been asked some amusing, strange and head-scratching questions over the years. I’m happy to share some here. Hopefully, you can learn something along the way as I debunk some misconceptions.

Guam Tumon Bay
Image courtesy of visitguam.com

Where is Guam?

This is the most common question many of us are asked. It’s usually hard to find on a map. Sometimes, Guam shows up in a map depending on how good it is but it’ll usually be a dot. Our general answer is “It’s a small island in the Pacific Ocean”. Some of us answer in terms of flight times to/from well-known places – about 3 to 4 hours from Japan and the Philippines, 5 hours from Cairns, Australia and 8 hours from Hawaii.

Guam Map
Credit: Wikimedia Commons Public Domain

Guam is part of the Mariana Islands chain and is the largest and southernmost of these islands. It is 214 square miles (549 square km) – 30 miles long and 8 miles wide. Believe it or not, there were some places in Guam I actually haven’t explored despite its small size.

Guam south

Ferdinand Magellan, a Portuguese explorer, discovered it on March 6, 1521. It was colonized by Spain, briefly occupied by the Japanese during World War II and became an unincorporated United States Territory in 1950. Although, we’ve also been mistaken for being a foreign country or for a shortened name of Guatemala. Geography has never been a strong suit for many people.

Guam guns

What are the people called? Are you Americans?

Contrary to some assumptions, we’re not called Guamese, Guamian or Guamish. The island’s indigenous people are called Chamorros who still make up about 37% of the current population. Over the years, Guamanian was used for long-time residents regardless of their ethnicity.

Guam is a melting pot of other cultures where 26% of the population is Filipinos, 11% is from the neighboring islands, other Asians and North Americans have made their homes here. Guam has several military installations on the island. So, there is always an influx of military families moving in and out of here. I grew up with a lot of military kids who I’m lucky to still be friends with.

Guam flag
Guam Flag Credit: Wikimedia Commons Public Domain

Due to its geographic location and being the westernmost US territory, it has adopted the slogan of “Where America’s Day Begins”. As a US Territory and with a population of over 180,000, Guam residents are US citizens and yes, proudly claim to be Americans. We also use US dollars for our currency which answers another question we often got asked.

Guam sunset

Do you speak English? Why don’t you have an accent?

Yes, we do speak fluent English since it is our main language. Some of us may have a distinct accent but I’m pretty sure you can carry on a conversation with us. It still amazes me how people are surprised when they hear many of us speak. I’m not exactly sure if people expected us to have accents like our fellow islanders in the Caribbean. I’ve gotten quite a few “Your English is really good” comment over the years. I don’t know if I should have taken that as some sort of compliment.

Guam

The word Chamorro encompasses the people, culture and language of Guam. The Chamorro language is unique and has some Spanish similarities. It was a subject in school along with Guam history we were required to take. Unfortunately, I can only remember a handful of words now.

Guam Two lovers
Guam Reef

Do you live in bamboo/grass huts?

Some who have heard of Guam have a perception of an underdeveloped island. Guam is divided into 19 villages headed by mayors. But, residents don’t live in primitive or third world living conditions. My husband asked me how our houses looked and if our roads were paved when we first met almost 20 years ago when he learned I lived in a village. There is running water, toilets, electricity, etc. and residents don’t live in huts. Most of the houses are made of concrete with modern amenities to withstand typhoons.

Guam Tumon Bay

Speaking of typhoons, the whole island doesn’t get wiped out when one passes by. Some friends have been asked this question. Guam has endured many typhoons that it is well prepared to handle this natural occurrence.

Are your roads paved? Do you have cars?

Living in villages may also imply traveling by dirt roads to get around. Guam roads are paved and made with a mixture of coral and oil though you may encounter more than your fair share of potholes.  I liked this touristy picture of my brother riding a carabao too much not to post. It’s probably how some people think we travel around the island.

Guam carabao

Water buffalos or carabaos are still used in some parts of Guam for farming. But, this isn’t our mode of transportation. Guam residents love their cars since there really isn’t any reliable public transportation. Our idea of a road trip growing up was going around the island and with stops –  it took just a few hours.

Ritidian Beach

How did you get here?

One of my friends who lives in Southern California was asked this question. I’m glad I wasn’t asked this because I would have been so tempted to answer with “by paddling a canoe and it took months to get here”.

Guam boating
Image courtesy of visitguam.com

What food do you eat? Do you hunt your food? Are they cannibals?

While the native Chamorros hunted for their food, many people get their food from stores just like everyone else these days. Understandably, there’s premium on imported goods. There are still people who hunt and fish but it’s more for recreational purposes. The cannibal question was posed to my high school Physics teacher. I think we got mistaken for some other Pacific island who practiced cannibalism.

Guam fisherman
Image courtesy of www.visitguam.com

There has also been an increase of chain restaurants and fast food places in recent years on the island. Guam residents have an affinity for barbecued items. I will have a separate post dedicated to Guam’s food later. Below is a local favorite plate of BBQ ribs, chicken kelaguen (marinated chicken salad type), red rice (soaked and cooked with achiote/annatto seeds) and the local version of empanada (island style chicken turnover).

Guam food

Do you wear/own a coconut bra and/or grass skirt?

I’ve been asked this a few times. There’s more to the island girl image than a girl dressed as a hula dancer. We don’t walk around with loin cloths, grass skirts and coconut bras. The locals wear regular clothes but tank tops and shorts are common considering its hot and humid weather. And to answer the question – No, I’ve never owned a coconut bra or a grass skirt.

Guam Cultural dancers
Image courtesy of visitguam.com

Aren’t there a lot of snakes on the island? Have you seen the brown tree snake?

There have been enough reports over the years of the overpopulation of Guam’s brown tree snakes that people think the island is overrun with them. It’s unfortunate that the mainstream media usually only reports about Guam’s snake infestation and efforts to get rid of them like the famous tylenol-laden mice drop. These snakes caused the extinction of several of Guam’s native bird and lizard species. Honestly, I think I only saw a handful of snakes while living there and it’s not common to find them from inside the toilets or waiting to attack people at every corner.

Credit: Wikimedia Commons public domain
Credit: Wikimedia Commons public domain

What is there to do in Guam?

Surprisingly for a small island, there are a lot of activities to keep tourists and locals busy. There are plenty of water activities and beaches for playing and relaxing. It is popular for scuba diving sites and a cheap place to get diving certificates.

Guam Blue Hole Dive Site

It also has plenty of golf courses with ocean views. Keep in mind that things may move a little slower due to the laid back island lifestyle.

Guam Ypao

Guam’s main industry is tourism. It is very popular with Japanese and Korean tourists but sadly, still a hidden gem to the rest of the world. The Tumon area is known as the hotel district that caters to the over a million annual tourists.

Guam two lovers point

Guam also has some spectacular beaches, sunrises and sunsets – things I took for granted growing up.

Guam fire sunset

Here are some other interesting things about Guam:

  • There are plenty of high-end stores, duty free shops and a reasonable sized mall and outlet on the island but the Kmart store is the most popular shopping place and is considered a tourist destination. It is open 24 hours, 7 days a week and was once touted as the biggest Kmart in the world.
  • Despite being US citizens, the residents cannot vote for the President. There is a representative in the US Congress but is a non-voting delegate.
  • Roman Catholics make up about 85% of the population.
  • Hafa adai” (HA-FA-DAY) is the island greeting. You’ll hear it everywhere when on the island.
  • Guam has been labeled as the SPAM (salted pork with ham in a can) capital of the world. The people consume 16 cans per person per year according to this TIME article. It’s been reported as the world’s leading consumer per capita of SPAM.

Bonus: A funny bit on a US Congressman who thought Guam would capsize with the additional military presence on the island due to overpopulation.

Guam agat sunset

UPDATE: We LOVED our visit back and I hope you enjoy these latest Guam posts so far. I will be writing a lot more during the months ahead.

Have you heard of or been to Guam? Any other misconceptions?

126 thoughts on “Top 10+ Common Misconceptions about GUAM”

      1. I enjoyed seeing and hearing about Guam again. When I was in the Navy, stationed at the Naval Hospital, I played in the Guam basketball league. My proudest moment came when I was selected “ALL GUAM” after the season and received a watch.

      2. Really enjoyed seeing the New Guam. We left there in early 1972. Enjoyed our many years on Guam. Being an AF family and retired there we did R&R’s to Japan, Hong Kong and Taiwan. Many fond memories of all the local people and activities.

  1. Hafa Adai, I actually did know a bit about Guam because I read a lot of travel and boating stories, and I knew about the American Defence bases. I love that KMART is a tourist destination. Do you like Spam? I know there are other pacific islands that love Spam too. It is a beautiful island! The last photo is mind-blowing.

    1. Hafa adai, Jan! You’re one of the few who knows about Guam more than the average person. I’m not much of a Spam lover unless it’s mixed with fried rice. Hawaii loves their spam. My brother took that last photo on his iphone.

  2. Guam is a popular destination with Koreans, because of its close proximity. I’ve not been, but would like to go before I leave this part of the world. The beaches look fantastic.

    1. Christopher Q. Gumataotao

      As a resident of Guam, and working at a small hotel in the tourist district. I can comment on a few things I see. Japanese are the primary tourist who come to Guam. In recent years however, the Chinese and Russian arrivals have been steadily increasing. We also receive a major influx of regular military personnel from the US and allied nations here for training and exercises. A small but strong segment of Kiwis and Aussies also regularly fly through on dive tours, and will often stay a night or two on Guam, since we have more modern amenities in comaparison to many of the nearby islands. All in all, we see a diverse group of people make their way to our shores.

  3. Mary, can’t wait to read all about your visit to Guam!

    It will be a beautiful experience for your family! And thanks for teaching us more about this amazing island!

  4. Thanks for the interesting info.I’d heard of Guam, but did not know exactly where it was.
    Btw, I would think it is better the island remains a hidden gem as opposed to being overrun with tourists.

  5. In my early ‘cub reporter’ years my good friend and fellow journalist married a man from Guam and she went there to work on The Pacific Daily News that had the tagline, “Where America’s Day Begins”. You’ve brought back some great memories with this post.

  6. I’ve never heard of this place before, so I would probably ask the same silly questions, but it’s good to know there are shops around and you don’t have to hunt your breakfast in the forest :-). Amazing scenery xx

  7. Are they cannibals?!! Seriously? I can’t believe someone asked that but am laughing a bit about it. It’s funny what assumptions people have. When people in Malaysia find out that I’m from Texas, they always ask me if I ride a horse. That sunset photo is wonderful and would tempt anyone to head to Guam. It looks like a nice place for a beach getaway. Our school in Malaysia is in a sports league with a school in Guam, although I think that all the tournaments have been in the Philippines. I have learned a lot about Guam from this, so thanks for the info.

    1. Can you believe that question? What, you don’t ride a horse or have a cowboy hat? ;-) It’s a great place for a beach getaway which is why it’s so popular with the Japanese. That’s great to know about the sports league. Glad you got to learn something.

    1. I’ve been asked some weird questions about the Philippines too. I’m sure you’ve gotten some good ones. :-) There are a lot of Filipinos and most of my friends are Pinoys too. It’s too bad about the visa considering it’s so close to you.

  8. I never pictured you in a grass skirt Mary but very interesting to read about Guam. I have been enlightened and look forward to more of your posts. It should be a great family trip. Can you fly direct from LA?

    1. Thanks Leigh! There are no direct flights from LA. The most common routes are through Narita and Honolulu. One can be creative too and use the other Asian gateways to get there.

  9. Mary…I’ve always thought your English is very good, I must say! (LOL) I grew up in a military family and have always wanted to go to Guam. After hearing stories from friends and colleagues about the typhoons, water outages, and bugs (more than snakes) it’s held a fascination for me. Jim’s been there, with the Air Force, and I’m sure I’ll get a chance to stop in some day. Enjoy your visit. I look forward to your future posts.

  10. Great post, Mary! Really enjoyed reading it. I haven’t known that you grew up on Guam. What a pretty island! I’ve heard about it many years ago, but haven’t known much about the island until I found out that Leo Babuta was from there. That made me curious to find out more. Your post brought many more interesting bits and facts. Have fun and we’ll follow your adventure on Guam (cannot wait to see more photos!).

  11. Very informative, so glad you shared this! I have a friend who has been to Guam so I have heard about it, but did not know much about the land or culture. One of my favorite parts of traveling to lesser known destinations are the reactions and questions that other people respond with. Some of the questions you were asked sure gave me a good laugh!

  12. I did know where Guam is located, but not very much else, so very interesting post this, Mary. The status of Guam sounds to be a little like Puerto Rico’s. Is there an independence movement or are people generally happy to be associated with the USA?

    1. Thanks Sophie! Guam is a territory and Puerto Rico is a commonwealth which is one step above to statehood. People are generally happy to be associated with the US since they get the federal benefits. There may have been some independence talks awhile ago but highly doubt it’ll happen with too much reliance on the US.

  13. I knew where Guam is and actually would love to visit the island one day! I just wish it was a bit easier to get there without going broke :) Maybe I’ll have enough miles for a free, round the world ticket and finally get there on a stopover!

    Your photos look just gorgeous!

  14. Spam is also #1 in Hawaii since it’s a very mixed culture here also….love that pic with your brother on the Carabao – what a photo moment (that should have been you)

  15. Wow, this post was so interesting! I admit I’m one of those people who has only vaguely heard of Guam before, but had no idea where it is, or what kind of people live there. But I think I fell in love a little with Guam from your post! Small island life has always appealed to me. I hope I can make it there someday!

  16. This is a wonderful post Mary! I have to admit, I was one of those that was left with the “So… what is there to do on Guam?” I knew it was a small island in the Pacific but when I met my one and only friend from Guam, I embarrassingly couldn’t think of anything intelligent or educational to ask her besides the snake which we learned about in biology class. I hope to visit one day, it looks so beautiful. Funny, a lot of these misconceptions remind me of Hawaii, they eat a lot of spam there too!

  17. Love this post and now I totally want to visit. You come from such a beautiful place! And I’ve definitely been someone who has searched “where is Guam” before.

  18. I’ve heard of Guam, but didn’t know too much about it other than it is a US territory and located in the Pacific. Very interesting to hear from a native of the island. I look forward to reading more about the island! It’s so beautiful. I’m surprised Guam is the Spam capital of the world – I thought Hawaii had that down.

  19. My mother was born in Yona and was sent to boarding school in Hawai’i (where I was born / rasied) when she was eight. She never took us back to Guam, though I really wish she had. I’m doing some research now, hoping to make the journey sometime in the next few years. Sadly my mom passed in 2011, having never been back to Guam since at least the 60s. I really wish we had all been able to go as a family. The photos you share here are remarkable. Thank you very much!

  20. Great post. I’d heard of Guam, and was pretty sure it was a U.S. territory, but wasn’t exactly sure where it was. I must admit I was surprised to see how far it was from Hawaii. Thanks for the information, and correction of so many myths. (Cannibalism? Really??)

  21. Vanessa @ Green Global Travel

    Interesting post! I only knew a little bit about Guam, so this was informative for me. Funny picture of your brother on a buffalo as you point out that it’s not the main mode of transportation! All the other pictures of Guam are beautiful too though. Thanks for debunking a few things!

  22. Never heard about Guam before! But it looks so very beautiful, it should because it is untouched by touristy crowds. The beaches look pristine, and it must be a great place to take a week off or two!! Learnt a lot about a new place today :)

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  24. I lived on Guam for 15 years until I needed to move to a cooler climate due to cardiac arrest in 1980. I must add to your info on Guam. The people are the friendliest and, as a teacher, I found the children the most respectful and the best kids in the world! I do miss “my” island!

  25. Magellan didn’t discover Guam. Guam was occupied for thousands of years before that lost sailor set food on this island.

  26. As one born and raised on Guam and a longtime journalist, mostly with the Pacific Daily News – I find your words simply … beautiful. Thank you for taking the time to educate others.

  27. Funny. When one says they live in a village, I think ‘dirt roads’ because even in the US, where I live, there are a lot of smaller towns that maybe have one or two paved roads, and many more dirt ones.

  28. Good read! We are a military family who lived on guam for just under 2 yrs. I got lots of these questions from friends/family. I miss the awesome snorkeling and “boonie stomping”.

  29. As my husband is Air Force, we moved from the UK to Guam for a four year tour. I am originally from a tiny village in Scotland and so I enjoyed the whole “everyone is family” atmosphere! I loved being ten minutes from a beach, (almost any where you live on the island) I loved the boonie stomping, the boonie peppers (oh yeah….those are hot as hell, but it’s mostly how long they burn for that got me) but most of all, I loved the people. We were made to feel welcome and as I became a citizen in Guam, I consider myself an honorary Guamanian. In the for years we were there, I never saw a brown tree snake, lots of geckos and monitor lizards but no snakes. I also loved Pagat cave, lost pond and the diving….beautiful island, I will return there if it’s the last thing I do!

  30. This is super interesting story! I have recently flew over this island on my way to New Zealand. Didn’t know that there is such amazing land down there. Thanks for sharing there beautiful pictures with us!

  31. I’ve been asked many of the same questions on here. I’m glad you shared and will share it with my “stateside” friends and family. Thank you…

  32. The only place you can find over 20 different versions of Spam in the grocery store! =) Been a few years since I last saw home, and wish to go back soon. Those are common questions, but how many of those people have ever thought you actually meant Guatemala? lolz

  33. Cleo Solivar Blumer

    Hafa Adai! We are truly kindred spirits because I share the same philosophy…I want to see the world before I leave it!!! I really enjoyed your article and have been asked all those questions too…I, too, was born in the Philippines but grew up on Guam since I was 4 months old until 2008. Lived in Oregon, Hawaii, Texas, and Oklahoma. Traveled to Asia (Saipan, Philippines, China, Vietnam, Korea, japan, Indonesia, New Zealand, Australia, Ottawa, Canada, and Europe (Amsterdam, Coppenhagan, and Ireland). Currently my husband daughter(13) and son(11) are traveling across the U.S.A. (California to Florida)…Dreams do come true. We just have to perceive, believe and achieve!!!

  34. As natives of Guam, my husband and I always talk about how we took the island for granted. I’m from the village of Talofofo and the beach is 2 minutes from home…Party-ques were always held at the beach and so were “skip” outs. As my husband calls it. I so miss the smell of rain on the island or the comfort food you get ready to eat during a typhoon. Champolado and mason biskuchu….oh it makes me miss home

  35. Great post!! Brings back memories!! I remember when K-mart first opened, and there were people that camped out waiting in line. LOL I also have had people ask me, what kind of money does Guam use? I told one person ” We use rocks”…LOL

  36. I enjoyed this post of yours about the misconceptions. It made me chuckle. Having been born and raised on Guam and leaving for the military at 18 (a long time ago), I had to address almost all of these misconceptions when people would ask questions about where I’m from too. Not to mention fun poking jokes such as what brand of coffee do we drink — Maxwell Hut! Hope you don’t mind, I’m going to post a reference link to your entry from my blog for my visitors who may also be curious.

  37. I have to admit that I did not know about Guam. It looks absolutely gorgeous over there, a paradise.
    Love the photos and very interesting explanation thanks.

  38. Hi Mary, such an interesting read about Guam. Other than knowing where it is and that there are many Filipinos living there, I admit I don’t know much about Guam It’s great to learn about what’s going on there, the culture, etc. It sounds like a nice place to live – small but beautiful, developed but still laid back. Thanks for introducing your Guam to us. I look forward to read about your recent visit. Hafa adai!

    1. Katie, I don’t think you’d find the island to be backpacker-friendly. The terrain is rough; the undergrowth grows back very fast, so you’d be blazing your own trails through sawgrass and forgotten caches of deteriorating WWII explosives; there’s no public transportation other than a bus route through the tourist district, and the roads are without sidewalks/shoulders. You CAN hike, but the “boonie stomps” are short day trips and you’d likely only have water/snack/first-aid.

  39. We have been lucky enough to live on Guam a few different times, beginning in 1978 and still go for visits. It is indeed a very special place and your article captured many of the wonderful things about it and brought back many of our wonderful memories. Enjoy your visit!

  40. Who knew the SPAM capital of the world would be so beautiful?! I learnt a lot from this article Mary, you must have so many wonderful childhood memories growing up in a place that has such vivid nature, and going back there must have brought many of them back.

  41. Lucinda R . [ Cox ] Grochowski

    We lived there from 72-74 . We lived on the Navy Base . My dad was on a Ship .
    I had the best time there .

  42. I lived in Guam for a brief period of three years. Being a second home to me Guam made my stay very memorable. I.ll always be grateful for that. Pretty much like my beloved Philippines’ climate , culture and history, it helped my acculturation process very well especially for a first time migrant. I love Guam. How can one forget the cherished memories.

  43. Love the post Mary! Please feel free to check out my Blog/Site about more info on GUAM. It’s called (Guam Is Paradise) Enjoy, I enjoyed your blog. Eata -Aaron site below

  44. My time in Guam wasn’t all fun–there are plenty of idiosyncrasies that are frustrating, and supply chain management hasn’t arrived to the island yet. Even still, Guam has some good points, too. I second the author’s comment regarding diving–some unique sites and cheap to get certified. And Guam is home to the best burger in the world, found at Meskla Dos. Try one–your mouth will thank you.

  45. I was on Guam during my Navy days. Guam is a shithole. Women are treated like cattle and the sex slave trade exists openly. Cops are on the take. Truly fresh food is only available at the very expensive Tumon Bay hotels.

    Do not gloss over the horrible things about Guam.

    1. Wow! Shit hole! Only you who’s had a horribly experience could paint an ugly picture. Seems those who aren’t from Guam don’t have anything decent to say. I am in the military and have traveled abroad and have seen some real disgusting places. But I’m not one to advertise as you do. I’m sure if you’d share where your from ,You would feel awful about what comments you’d receive ,if you’d even care!

      I usually hear nasty comments from those who are in the service …such a sad way to represent .

    2. So sorry your stay on Guam wasn’t more satisfying. It is true there are, like any place on earth, good AND bad things about Guam–we certainly saw both during our 3-year tour. We chose to focus on what was good about Guam and, after some (occasionally difficult) adjustment, fell in love with this tiny island and her friendly and welcoming people. I would move back in a heartbeat…

  46. Why hasn’t the mention of critically acclaimed director James Cameron been stated here that he visited Guam to measure the depth of the Marianas trench, which is basically in it’s (Guam’s) backyard!

  47. This is a well done piece that explains in very good terms “GUAM”, job well done… Born and raised on the island it is very difficult how to explain the “GUAM Experience” to my adult children (9 of them), but this piece with the narrative and pictures is just awesome. Please continue to update this piece. Thank you.

  48. Hello Mary! So pleased to see your post showcasing our beautiful island and the “much needed answers” innocently ignorant questions asked… which many of us probably would have asked about other Islands and Countries, and ones that I personally have been asked about. You really should design your post into a brochure sent out to travel agencies (online or otherwise) promoting the island in this HUMOROUS style. If you do, I would love to have a copy to share here in Ecuador where two Chamorros are residing now. Thank you. Love your pictures.

  49. Hello,

    Thank you for clearing the record about Guam. I am from Guam. Born and raised. I toltally enjoyed everything you mentioned here on this site. I have experienced having to respond or answer to these misconceptions as well and oddly as it sounds it is very difficult to tell the story and paint a good picture at the same time. But they surely believe me afterwards. Great site and you nailed it answering these curiosities that people have about The island of Guam. Thanks for sharing.

    V/r,

    Gina Garrido
    Taotao Hagat (Haw-Gat)
    From the village of Agat

  50. Hello, I was stationed on Guam from 1965 until 1967 at the US Navy Hospital. I would love to go back to visit, I probably would not recognize the place now. It was a nice beautiful island then, I had a lot of friends there..Hafa Adai

  51. Well said, you have given a wonderful example of the little Paradise that I once belong too. I hope to one day return and visit. Thank you for the reminder of home.

  52. Hafa adai! I’m half Guamanian and have sadly never been to Guam, although I plan to one day as I still have some family there. My Nana forever made chicken kelaguen and red rice, my Papa was the master of bbq ribs, and I now make sweet tortillas for my two little white boys here in Denmark – it’s one of their favorites. :D Just passing a little Chamorro pride around the world. Oh, and Spam is mother’s milk to me – it goes with everything. ;) Thanks a bunch for the great post and keep the pics coming!

  53. You forgot (or hadn’t heard yourself) about the crazy myth that was going around about fathers on the island paying men to deflower their virgin daughters. Where that ever got started, I don’t know. But it has to be the worst story about Guam there is!

  54. Loved your pics and comments. Was there 69 to 71, loved it when I was there but at the time I was glad when it was my time to leave , but now I would love to go back and visit. I went around the island a lot. I was in the motor pool at AFB so I always volunteered to take groups from the base at times also.

  55. There have been shape pointed teeth found in the river mouth (the one from in yona) recently from the new bridge installation… This indicates that the past inhabitants of Guam at one point in time were actually cannibalistic. Thankfully, we are no longer that kind. Just wanted to share. Loved how your sharing more… I so can relate to these questions when I lived in LA for a year. I swear it was hilarious how much Americans do not know of our tiny island we call home.

  56. Wow! Those are some really ridiculous questions that you’ve heard! I was laughing aloud! I visited Guam about 6 or 7 years ago and loved it. I did a lot of snorkeling, diving, and hiking and the island is stunning. The one thing that surprised me was the amount of litter, especially in natural areas. It didn’t turn me off, but as a biologist it made me a bit sad.

  57. Loved It , your story sounds like me telling it!!! I also grew up on Guam , did all my schooling there, moved to US at age 20, and yes the many questions, I was told I spoke english well and Im WHITE….LOL..People still ask many questions when they find out I grew up there.The funniest was did I know what McDonalds was? Visited 4 yrs back and had a blast. I love educating about the island , the Jap war , and vietnam war ending, Guams wild life haha…would have to bring pics up on computer because people didnt believe me…And yes when young took the beauty and uniqueness for granted…I LOVE MY ISLAND!!!!

  58. Guam is where America’s day begins because it is so far EAST (vice west) which is why it has the earliest clock time of any U.S. territory. From the mainland perspective it is the first place in the US west of the international dateline, which actually makes it east longitude so each new day, month, & year begins in Guam for America. For the commenter who “didn’t realize there were so many Americans there” you should realize that they’re ALL Americans, much like everyone who was born & lives in the US is American. Guam is actually part of our country & so are Puerto Rico & Washington DC. Although DC is slightly different than our territories, all of these places are part of the US.

  59. I lived on Guam from 1988 to 1992, not military, I worked at a resort, I loved my job and the island, I met my best friend their which is a Chamorro she is a native, I have not seen her for 23 years, although we stay in contact, I would give anything to be back on the beautiful island of Guam, I have seen the brown snakes, been through typhoons and been to beautiful areas of Guam, would love to retire there, thank you for bringing back memories, waiting to see more!!

  60. Just love getting surprised when GUAM’S name is mentioned on a T.V. show or a movie, but get upset when they use it in a downgrading demeanour.
    Born and raised on GUAM,our island and our people <3
    There's no place like home as we say, we can only hold on to our memories on how we grew up on our beautiful island.
    Thanks for setting the record straight that we are none off the above, we lived a simple life with respect and dignity!
    Missing my home and family, we should all meet again someday!
    Biba GUAM!
    Si Esther L.G.

  61. Please make the following correction: it wasn’t Magellan who discovered Guam, it was the CHAMORRO people who discovered Gusm thank you.

    1. Thank for stopping by, Michael. While I agree that the Chamorros were there first and discovered it originally, I believe Magellan deserves some credit for discovering it and introducing it to the western world. I think there’s a reason they still call March 6 Discovery Day.

  62. We spent five years on this beautiful island. We owned a business there and our oldest daughter was born there. Would be interesting if you told some stories about “load shedding” or “powersharing” or the betlenut. We spent the years of 1993-95 and 2006-2008. My heart will always be on that small island in the Pacific.

  63. I came to Guam in 1983, with the Air Force, having known, really, nothing about it. Within a year I was in love with the island, the people the pace, the weather and the lifestyle. I’m still here and still love it. It may have brought out a tiny mean streak in me though; I will confess to maybe posting too many island beauty pictures when my family back in the midwest are up to their dagans in snow.

  64. I lived on Guam for four years. So pretty. We were Air Force at the time. The plate of food reminded me of going to the flea market and eating food. They would fill our plate up for so cheap. The best food ever! Red rice is great! I love going to weddings and fiestas. You can get lost on this small island as it has a mountain range. Just ask the marines! The food was amazing. When we were there unfortunately the crime was high. But we loved the people.

    1. In addition to the last post we had many snakes in our dryer (rat snake) and all around the house on “Andy South” we snake snorkeled a lot. Kids loved it. That was in the 1980s

  65. Very interesting! I never heard of Guam before… but it seems a very idyllic place, specially if it is not yet widely known as a touristic destination :)

  66. Loved reading this, Mary! We just returned to the states after 3 years on Guam, stationed @ US Naval Hospital, and I miss the island terribly!! I’d move back in a heartbeat–adore the Chamorro people and, after some early adjustment, became quite comfortable with living on “island time.” We lived in Tamuning, and I walked on the beach at Tumon Bay (as seen in several of your photos!) virtually everyday–I miss watching the paddlers compete!

    Just a note for any military families who are headed to Guam–there is an outstanding USO in the Royal Orchid Hotel in Tumon (I volunteered there regularly) — voted best USO in the Pacific for 3 years running–please make an effort to go by there if you can! The staff and volunteers are the best in the world, friendly and engaging, and it is a great place to relax, have a bowl of their world famous chili, play a game of pool, watch TV, get online, make calls back to the states–all at no charge! Donations are gratefully accepted in boxes around the center.

  67. My father was stationed at the Air Force Base from 1958 to 1961. We loved our time on Guam. Would love to visit some day.

  68. Thank for the post, I was in the Air Force and was stationed on Guam in Oct 1958, I was a Jet Engine Mechanic. I met a local girl on Liberation Day, and we got married in Oct 1959 ( short courting period ) WE are still happily married after 56 years. I left the Air Force in April 1961 and we flew back to the states ( Space Available). Marie was back to Guam in 1983 due to visit ailing father and took my 18 year old daughter with her. My daughter fell in love with the island and wanted to stay. WE now live in Ohio, and many of Marie’s relatives come to visit. To all out there, the island is a beautiful and you will love the people. I’ll eat Spam and fried rice any day. Hope to return some day, we were young and missed a lot. God Bless

  69. Thanks Mary. I didn’t have any wired questions like you answered. I had a brother-in-law from Guam that introduced me to some of the foods and culture. Now 30 year later I finally made it to Guam to experience the culture for myself. I love the spam and eggs, fried rice, bbq ribs and chicken marinated in soy sauce… the food is great and the people are friendly! So far so good.
    Thank you again.

  70. I’m visiting Guam in February as part of my goal to visit all of the territories (I completed the 50 state goal last year). Most people I talk to have either never heard of it, or have no clue where it is. Living in a northern state, the tropical weather will be very inviting!

    I want to get a nice mix of the touristy area and the local culture including food and history.

  71. I loved Guam. Stationed in 1970 aboard the USS Proteus near Piti. Loved Agana. Made friends on the island and visited Talafofo falls often. The most beautiful water ever. Watched B52 aircraft launch off the cliffs at the Andersen AFB. Wonderful natural beauty and awesome people of Guam. Must visit if you can.

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