PIC honors two loyal guests

From left, Anastacia Panchenko of Pacific Island Club, Chernyshev Iurii, and Ivashchenko Galina. (Bea Cabrera)

Pacific Islands Club Saipan is training its spotlight on two of its loyal guests, Chernyshev Iurii and Ivashchenko Galina, both from Russia, who have been coming to the islands every year for the last 10 years and find great pleasure in making PIC their second home.

Iurii, 80, a lawyer who has practiced criminal law for the past 50 years, has been coming to Saipan since 2008, once or twice a year, to get away from the cold winter in Russia.

“My wife and I come…and stay for more than a month, sometimes during different seasons but we definitely come here to avoid the cold winter season. There is no place like this in Russia,” he said.

Iurii learned about Saipan through a travel agency and it was at the agency’s advice that he and his wife came to Saipan.

“It was like a risk because we had no knowledge what Saipan is all about. We came and kept coming back,” he said.

Iurri’s wife passed away in August this year. Finding the courage to come back alone was hard but, he said, also inevitable.

“In Russia, we have a phrase that we really like to say: ‘A small house in the countryside.’ That means a small house in the village where you feel comfortable, a place where you can laugh and be with warm people and place,” he said. “I treat PIC as that house and Saipan as the village where I find comfort, peace and happiness.”

Making PIC his second home came naturally. Iurii said that nothing can match the special service he experiences every time he is on Saipan.

“It’s not service but special care. PIC pays attention. They do not treat you as a customer but as a person. I feel the warmth and professionalism of the PIC staff and this makes a big difference,” he said. “My day would be spent in the beach and an hour in the lazy river.

“I hope other Russians would come here and stay at PIC. I have a dream that all people from Russia, especially the ones with children, to come during the wintertime because Saipan is like no other place,” he added.

Finding inspiration

Galina, a writer, said that Saipan always gives her inspiration. “Saipan always brings inspiration to me. I have been to Saipan, Rota, and Tinian and I have written stories about the history of Saipan, Rota, and Tinian in my books, titled Island Saipan,” she added.

Galina only started writing when she turned 50. She recounts that she was always busy in her younger years. “I would write something and then set it aside. Finally, my time as a writer has come.”

So far, she has already written three books. For this trip, she is working on her fourth.

Galina describes her experience of being on Saipan and staying at PIC as akin to feeling like a “bird.”

“I live here like a bird because I am the ‘on the wings of happiness,’ so to speak. I always write my books here and when I am here, I forget all my problems, troubles and have a good rest on Saipan,” she said.

Galina learned about Saipan through the recommendations of her friends.

“I came and began having short trips—10, 20, and now 45 days, maximizing my visa. I feel I belong here as I have many friends here who are not only Russians but locals as well,” she said.

“I come when it is the beginning of winter in Russia. I fell in love with the weather and people here. I can describe the people and the island Saipan in just one word and that is “warm” and staying at PIC makes it warmer because I know everybody and everybody knows me.”

Galina is set to go back to Russia on Dec. 25 after 45 days on island and plans to immediately return in January and stay at PIC.

“I will go back to Russia to finalize the stories and poems that I wrote here and have it published. But I am set to come back in January next year because paradise on earth is very limited and Saipan is one of them,” she said.

“My stories and I come alive when I am here, that is why I come back as much as I can. I used to travel to many different places but now I just come to Saipan.”

PIC is grateful

PIC is showing its appreciation to Iurii and Galina by honoring them this year since this is their 10th year of coming to Saipan and staying with the resort.

Anastasia Panchenko, PIC’s sales & marketing assistant manager, said that PIC had robes made especially for the two, together with other special gifts to make their stay more memorable.

Pachenko said that whenever Iurii and Galina returns, it feels like homecoming for family members.

“The relationship has grown much deeper that we treat each other as friends. I was already working at PIC [in 2008] and knew them since they first came,” she said `

“I am glad they feel at home at PIC and we always strive to be better in our service and personal care to returning customers. People like Mr. Iurii and Ms. Galina make our work here at PIC rewarding and they serve as an inspiration for us to be of better service so others will also find PIC their home away from home,” she added.