Why I enjoy living on Saipan?

During these desperate times it is vital that I remind myself why I enjoy living on Saipan. Once I remind myself of the reasons, I must fight to maintain them against anyone who is trying to destroy them.

During these stressful times when most of us are gripped with fear, anxiety, and depression, it is important to come to terms with them and ourselves or we will panic and run away. We must keep our heads cool and weather the storms buffering us. Which brings me to why I like living in Saipan?

In 1984, I discovered this land of enchantment, this land waiting to spring forth and become a budding flower of the Pacific Ocean. Upon my arrival in January, 1984, I marveled at Saipan’s natural beauty with its acres of diamonds waiting to be mined. After living in Hawaii for 10 years, I turned my back on it and moved to my new found home—Saipan!

Here I discovered warm and friendly people. Today I cannot walk 10 steps without someone smiling, nodding and saying, “Hello!” My biggest embarrassment is that many times after he or she passes, I scratch my head and wonder: “Where do I know that person from?” But in apology, I often tell people that I have seven holes in my head—two eyes, two ears, two nostrils, and a mouth—everything flows out so I remember little.

Where else do people smile so often and acknowledge one another? This warm feeling cannot be bought at any price in any other place. I have not found such friendliness in other places where I have lived such as Tokyo, Honolulu, New York. Here we seem less hurried and less pushy. We understand the value of family, friends, and the needs of one another. Here we seem to feel more compassion for each other more that I have felt in other places I have visited or lived in.

The skies are eternally blue and the clear ocean reflects the beauty of its bottom. I marvel at the mountain slopes majestically rising heavenward encircling the island. Hopefully we will maintain all this pristine beauty and not destroy it with our desire to develop the island into a concrete jungle. Simply put the combination of natural beauty and friendly people are the two main reasons for living here.

However, immense changes are taking place daily. Ones that unless we learn to understand them and their consequences we might just lose all we love. Change and improvement can come only after sincere introspection. Let us understand that the islands themselves have not changed, but we have. The world around us has. We also are seeing some negative changes such as daily pollution of our lagoon and some of our beaches. Sadly, our political arena which should have changed has not. This too is a major negative.

The CNMI today is not the CNMI of the Trust Territory days. Most of our former leaders are not with us. We owe them gratitude for the great job they did in charting the original course. It is we, the descendants and new comers, who must chart the new directions demanded by inevitable change. As the Japanese poet Matsu Basho advised: “Do not seek to follow in the footsteps of the men of old; seek what they sought.”

Here I also have found a diversity of ethnic nationalities. All of them try to blend while offering various backgrounds and cultures. Saipan is a true potpourri of nationalities. Each nationality brings its own food, play, and culture. This is one of my true delights for living here.

However, one of my dreams someday is to see various nationalities in our Legislature and administration just like I experienced in Hawaii. While there I witnessed a Hawaiian governor, a Filipino governor, a Japanese governor. And now there is an American governor. Their legislators have various national backgrounds as well. It is inevitable this too will come to pass in our CNMI. I feel that one of the strong points of any country is to have citizens of various nationalities share in the governance of the community.

One of the lesser mentioned reasons for enjoying living in Saipan is its proximity to countries such as China, Japan, Korea, the Philippines, and other nearby interesting countries. If we prefer we can escape for a weekend to any of them easily and quickly. We are only a stepping stone to most of the world’s most interesting cultures.

I could rave on and complain about the things I don’t like about Saipan such as too much nepotism, favoritism, and other negative things, but then where else in the world don’t some of these exist? The best is to keep my opinions to myself and find other activities to counteract them.

Many an evening I sit on my front porch and gaze at the setting sun and thank God for the home I have found here. I ask yourself why I live here—I migrated here. This activity is very important especially at this time.

Our love for our islands must not flicker. We created whatever mess we are in and we must clean it up. Let us temper our anger and frustration with creative action. Let us no longer tolerate the abuses and the corruption heaped upon us. Let us educate ourselves to what we want. Anger will not solve our problems, but determination and corrective action will.

Daily we must flow with change. And this change starts with us. Let us realize that Federalization will create great opportunities as well as confusion for all of us. It is a major change. But with change comes fear. Let us wrestle with this fear. We can overpower it.

Guam has been under stricter U.S. regulations for a longer time than we and look how prosperous it has become. We can enjoy the same benefits if we understand how to work them. All change says: “There is a better way to enjoying life.” We must not live in the past but adapt to the changes. If we fail to we will become fossils.

As I mentioned earlier my reasons for living here, examine what yours are and be willing to fight to keep them. If our reasons are meaningful, let’s fight for them and accept the necessary changes occurring daily. Today is the gateway to a glorious tomorrow. Come! Let us put our fears away, roll up our sleeves and begin. Let’s walk hand in hand towards a better tomorrow together.

Saipan is only as good as we make it. Curse those who abuse it and shame it. Combined together Saipan, Tinian, and Rota make up three of the most glorious gems in the Pacific Ocean. Now if only we don’t pollute them.

In closing remember: With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful CNMI! Be careful. Strive to be happy! I cannot think of a better place to live in then where I am now—Saipan!!

Keep SMILING! Watch the magic it performs. Have a great week!