Kathy Pagapular, a teacher on Saipan, first saw the film Sharkwater at American Memorial National Park, which hosts a free public showing of an environmental movie on the first Friday of each month. She liked the film so much, she purchased it offAmazon.com and showed it to her sixth grade class. The students loved the movie, too, and decided to write to Sharkwater’s director and editor, Rob Stewart, to ask him to come to Saipan to help them protect sharks. -Source
My second to last day on Saipan, the day I should have been packing my bags and cleaning my apartment “ours party team” instead took a splendid (gratis!) day trip to Managaha, that speck of sand sticking out of the Saipan lagoon.
The party team is from left to right are Nika (a.k.a. Mia), Emma and Vyka (a.k.a. Richi). The trip was Vyka’s brainchild. For various reasons we hadn’t all gotten together for weeks and she was determined for us all to meet one last time. I’m glad she did.
The girls have had a long standing, open invitation for joyrides to Managaha from the boat operator (Bongo at Seahorse Tours) and we had a blast getting out there.
We enjoyed a few blissful hours on that lovely island. In between dips in the salt sea and over beers we told each other stories about what we’d seen and done since we had been together last. A really beautiful and wonderful way to top off the past months we’ve shared together on this gorgeous (and crazy) island.
What else could any of us ask for?
This Tuesday morning I spent in American Memorial Park, just a block north of my apartment. A beautiful park, complete on this Veteran’s Day with a flag from each 50 states plus one from each of the statelets. (My coinage for the various U.S. commonwealths, protectorates, territories, etc.)
A beautiful morning, spent in the shade on the periphery of the main event with Peter’s family. Under the tent were the governor, the mayor, the delegate elect, and the entirety of the legislative and judicial branches. They watched a nervous Parks Department director’s introduction and ROTC cadets in chrome helmets handing out patriotic art produced by school children. Meanwhile we lounged out of earshot. Auntie Tina and Si Joe brought three of their youngest, Ping Ping, Christopher, and Kaitlyn. (A special thanks to Kaitlyn, she was my photographer in the ones that I am in.)
Above is Sam and Jeen’s beautiful baby, Wylynn.
I’ve said it before but Sapan parties are incredible events and I hope you already have an idea of what Saipan local hospitality looks like. (If not remind yourself of Pete’s going away party.)
Friday night was the Romeo and Juliet party for PJ’s cousin Linko and her fiancée Ralph. A Romeo and Juliet is a shower thrown in honor of a couple about to be married. And it’s a surprise.
By the time Linko and Ralph arrived the band had sound checked, the food had been set out and the coolers were full of beer. They had no idea anything had been planned, and it was a lot of fun. It was a weekend of cold beer, plates heavy with food, starry nights and great conversations.
Last night the sky over Garapan filled with dusty purple clouds that washed the streets with a paintbox hue unlike anything I’ve ever seen. It was as if the air itself had grabbed hold of one end of the spectrum and squeezed out this royal shade.
This strange sky is thanks to a very large weather system, Typhoon Juan (A.K.A. Typhoon Megi). It passed us by but rolled right over the Philippines and now it’s grinding toward Southern China. Thankfully here on Saipan we saw only a little eddy thrown off by the main storm. We had dark skies yesterday, some rain, a little thunder and lightning, and these magical purple clouds.