“Yesterday, yesterday, yesterday I go to Guam”

Translation from Korean first grader: “I went to Guam 3 days ago.” Since the end of June I have just been “visiting my sister” in Seoul, I decided I should “start” working because, of course, I wouldn’t think about working unless I had a visa. To get your first visa you have to be on U.S. soil. At about 4 hours away, Guam is by far the closest U.S. soil to South Korea. My trip was very brief, but I tried to make the most of it that I could.

Guam: In a Nutshell

Guam is the largest of the Mariana Islands. It is hot and humid throughout the year, and it is no stranger to typhoons. The local people are called Chamorro (pronounced like ‘tomorrow’). Magellan discovered Guam, and it became a Spanish colony until it was transferred to the United States after the Spanish-American War. Guam acted as a rest stop for American ships traveling to and from the Philippines. Shortly after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, the Japanese took Guam and were very brutal to the Chamorro people. The U.S. reclaimed Guam towards the end of the war, and it soon became an organized territory of the United States.

My Visa Run to Guam

This was technically a business trip. The purpose was to get in, get a visa from the Korean Consulate, and get out. I arrived at 2am on Thursday (ugh). When I woke up, I got online to research how to get to the Korean Consulate. I started in the direction I thought I was supposed to be going. After an hour of aimless wondering I decided I was probably off track, so I turned around to try my luck in the other direction. After much more time in the sun than I had expected, I stopped at a bookstore and asked for directions. Barb and Ahyen at the bookstore were very kind and a huge help to me. Barb even had her husband Larry pick me up and take me to the Korean Consulate.

It takes one business day to obtain a visa, so I had to return the next day at 3pm. I spent the rest of the night watching American TV, walking around all the resorts and hotels on “Hotel Road”, and meeting new people at the live show in the restaurant at my hotel.

Matt, a Japanese business man living in Singapore, and Suha, a graphic designer living in Dubai

I couldn’t wander too far away the next day since I had to return to the Consulate. In retrospect, I wish I had rented a car (it only takes about 4hrs to get around the entire island). Instead, I spent time on the beach, in the pool, and going to all the shopping destinations on the bus route. I got my visa with no problems.

That evening I went to Chamorro Village expecting to find some local culture, but it turned out to be really touristy. I ran into another teacher from Korea on a visa run, who I met on the plane and saw at the Consulate, Sam. I ate a local dish consisting of red rice and some deep-sea fish, and I enjoyed a Guam Beer, which, ironically, is actually made in Korea.

My flight was leaving at 3am, so I made my way back to the hotel and watched some live music at the restaurant in my hotel again up until 1am when it was time to head back to Korea.

I just got a taste of Guam, and I would really like to go back sometime to experience the beauty of the rest of the island.