Tag Saipan

Entries 25 Total

Thirty Days, Sixty Days

Sep 19, ’10 1:01 AM

Mark the time. As of this post’s publication I’ve been on island for thirty days. From my perspective it feels like no time has gone by at all, or like all the time in the world has past. It’s been an absolute blast so far. My friends have asked me as I was nearing the four week mark what impression I’ve made of this place. My answer stays the same, it’s absolutely amazing here and I can only look forward to the next sixty days with enthusiasm.

But what will time bring my way? Work? Travel? Something approaching a tan? Whatever life has in store for me here I’m sure the weather will be beautiful.

Also, the Facebook thing

On another note, I’d like to thank everyone who clicked my new Facebook like button in the rightmost column on this page. It’s a little something new I’m trying out. By clicking the “like” button your photo is added to the box and you become a lker of the kvncsy.com sister page on Facebook. Eventually I’d like to integrate FB’s comment system with my own, and adding the little box there is a start. (I’d welcome links or advise from any crack shot Facebook/WordPress programmers on how to do that.)

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The Apartment

Sep 11, ’10 12:37 AM

The post introducing my little apartment lacked a photo of the exterior. Well, here it is in all of it’s glory. I live three floors up, behind the third door. Previously I had the floor all to myself, but as of a few days ago a neighbor moved in to the apartment to the right of mine. Except for some wall-quaking electric grinding/drilling sounds a few mornings ago, she’s been great.

Also for those of you who have asked for more photos, have you been checking my Picasa Web Albums? A lot of the photos I’ve taken are there along with many that didn’t fit into a post. So check ’em out.

TOMORROW: FORBIDDEN* ISLAND**!

Tomorrow PJ and I are doing the unthinkable, the unrecommended, the expressly forbidden. We are determined to visit… (Deep breath) Forbidden* Island**.

In preparation we have consulted a dizzy shaman who divined the island’s location and drew a map for us. According to the few decipherable scribbles, the journey will take us down a “dirt road” around a “mountain” to the treacherous stretch known only as “Forbidden Island Road.” From there, no man has returned [without having seen Forbidden* Island**].

When we return, nay, IF we return, I will make a post about it. An epic, forbidden* post.

* Island may not actually be forbidden.
** Also the island may not be an island.

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Senders Receive

Sep 9, ’10 2:35 AM

Wanna postcard? Here’s my Saipan address, borrowed from PJ’s family:

Kevin Casey
c/o Auntie Tina
PO Box 5347CHRB
Saipan, MP 96950

As far as I’ve seen there are no street addresses in Saipan. PJ said that for some government forms where a resident’s location is required, a little box is provided for drawing a map to your house.
No consistent street addresses means no mailboxes or mail slots, no curbside delivery or pickup. None of the R2-D2 blue boxes for dropping mail off either. Post office box numbers are very limited and the wait-list to have one assigned is years long. That’s why I’m happy to be able to share this box with PJ, the Christastamo’s (that’s auntie Tina’s family) and a few other family members.
If you feel like it (especially you non-commenting readers) drop a note my way. Remember, Saipan is a part of the USA so a postcard is $0.28 and a letter stamp is $0.44 until the end of the year.

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Boys Climb Trees

Sep 6, ’10 7:43 PM

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My Tiny Studio

Sep 5, ’10 6:07 PM

Here are a few shots of my little palace in downtown Garapan. As far as I’m concerned this white washed, 10′ x 18′, concrete, kitchen-less studio is the Taj Mahal. It’s comfortable, close to everything, it even has a balcony and a bath tub. It’s handy to shops the internet and best of all I have access to turquoise water and a postcard beach just two blocks west. I’ll brag just a little bit more: rent is less than $10 a night.

Finding the place was fun too. The day after Pete, Mary Ann, and Alyx left, Peter dropped me off downtown and I began the hunt. Starting at Micro Beach Hotel and Food Court (fourth floor unfurnished kitchen-less studio, $250) I criss-crossed the small central area dialing every “For Rent” number and calling up to balconies, “Any vacancies here? Where’s the office?” There are a lot of vacant apartments in downtown Garapan. One I looked at and liked (unfurnished, one bedroom, with kitchen, $300) had been tenant-less from the day it was finished years ago. (Finished as in work stopped on it, it was without A/C, fixtures, appliances. There wasn’t even a power meter installed yet.)

I happily settled for my apartment when I saw it. There were “For Rent” signs all over, but no one answered the phone. A woman in an adjoining shop shook her head saying “for Japanese only,” when I asked about it. Fortunately I loitered long enough to meet Edgar the caretaker who told me these apartments are no good and too expensive. I disagreed with him and meet with the manager later that night, negotiated rent down $40, signed a month to month lease and moved in.

This place suits me fine. The bed’s a little hard, tiny ants march to an from left out food and there’s no wi-fi to steal but the positives far outweigh the negatives here in this numberless apartment in it’s nameless building.

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