Bubbles in the Paradise

Yoga Mama

2012-01-12T09:57:00.000+10:00

(photo credit yogapose.com)

I'm still getting used to the fact that I'm going to be a mom this coming July! It still hasn't quite hit me yet except that I'm starting to show a little baby bump. I just entered my 2nd trimester (14 weeks) and so far I'm feeling great. My friend, Crystal, who is 30 weeks along invited me to her prenatal yoga class held at Brilliant Star School last night and I loved it! I'm thinking I'll try anything to help the delivery go a little smoother since there are NO epiderals given during child birth in Saipan. Yup, should be interesting! lol

A Sort of Homecoming

2012-01-09T08:50:00.000+10:00

G and I are back on island and were welcomed at the airport with some familiar faces! It feels great to be back home!

The Marine Mammel Center

2009-09-28T09:32:00.000+10:00

I've found a new way to meet people in the bay area who love marine life as much as I do! I've started a 5 week docent training at the Marine Mammel Center in the Marine Headlands.

The center is a non profit hospital, research, and education facility. The most common patients that we take care of are California Seal Lions, Elephant Seal pups, and Harbor Seal pups! We rescue, rehabilitate, and release these sick animals.

This facility is researching why many of our animals have stranded on our beaches. Some examples are diseases such as Demoic Acid (neurotoxin that causes seizures and eventually death), Leptosporosis (bacteria that affects the kidneys), Shark bites, gun shot wounds from fishermen. The list goes on and on.

I've got two more weeks of training to go and then I get to educate people about what this wonderful organization is all about! So far I'm loving it. More details about it later.

These are a few pictures of the facility. The first picture is of a sea lion statue that overlooks Rodeo Beach. The second picture is some of the pens that the animals are placed in. They have underground pools for them to swim in. The third picture is the classroom that we meet in. And the last picture are actual patients called Harbor Seal Pups! These are my favorite!! More about my new side job later=)

Moraga Mosaic Stairway

2009-09-02T10:43:00.000+10:00

We've been discovering other ways of exploring the city other than car, bus, or bike. One of them is setting out to climb every Stairway in San Francisco. I heard there were 300 of them! There is actually a book on all the Stairway Walks in San Francisco by Adah Bakalinsky. A patient recommended it to me and said this is one of the best ways to explore SF and it's unique views.

One of my favorite views of the city and the sunset district is from the top of this Moraga Mosaic Staircase! This was a community project that was started in 2003 and finished in 2005. A couple of local artists led the design and then over 300 neighbors helped design each tile! It's an amazing art piece. It starts with an oceanic theme, to land, and then ends with the sky.

After you climb 163 stairs it leads you to another set of stairs. At the very top is an amazing view of the bay, downtown, and the sunset district.

Work Life

2009-09-01T02:00:00.001+10:00

I work two days a week in this amazing office that is perched in the hills of Pacifica. Pacifica is a sleepy beach town just a 25 min drive from the city. Half of my room is filled with windows that swing open towards the ocean. I feel like I'm working outdoors with the ocean breeze coming through my windows! On a clear day you can see all the way out to the Farallon Islands. Also, when it's the right time of the year you can spot whales breaching from my window!

The other two days a week I work right in the heart of downtown (Union Square). I work on the 10th floor that boasts amazing views of the city. Of course the city office is a faster pace because everyone is always in a hurry but I meet the most interesting people here! I feel so lucky to have the best of both worlds.

Zucchini and Almonds

2009-08-29T12:41:00.000+10:00

I've been trying to cook more because eating out is starting to get expensive in San Francisco! I found this recipe in the Runner's World Magazine and wanted to share it with you. If you have a favorite vegetarian recipe please share it with me! I'd love to try out your recipes! Enjoy.

Zucchini with Almonds

1 cup whole blanched almonds
1 tspn Olive Oil
1 tspn Sugar
1 tspn ground Cumin
Pinch of Salt
Juice of half a Lemon
1 Pound Zucchini
1 cup chopped tomatoes
2 tbspn extra-virgin olive oil
2 tbspn white balsamic vinegar
2 tspn lemon juice
1 tbspn almond oil
2 tspn minced shallots
1 packed cup of mixed herbs: parsley, dill, mint, chervil
2 cups croutons
Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix first six ingredients. Spread on a baking sheet; roast for eight minutes until light brown. Set aside to cool. Slice zucchini into 1/4 inch semi circles. Saute for two minutes in extra virgin olive oil over medium-high heat. Remove to bowl and cool a little. Add almonds and remaining ingredients except herbs and croutons. Season with salt and pepper. Wait five minutes, then toss in herbs and croutons. Serves four.

Green . . . with Envy

2009-03-11T12:36:00.000+10:00

It's never a dull moment in San Francisco especially on the weekends. The San Francisco Orchid Society hosted their 57th Annual Orchid Exposition this past Sunday at Fort Mason in the Marina. We headed down with a couple of friends and started walking through a warehouse of beautiful orchids from vendors throughout the US.

I have new appreciation for orchids and didn't realize how many different species there were. I learned this weekend that Dendrobium Orchids are listed as one of twenty top ecofriendly house plants. I also learned that energy from the sun is stored as organic acids during the day, then used to fix carbon at night, releasing oxygen in the process. They do this so they don’t have to exchange gasses during the heat of the day and lose excess water. Through this natural process, these orchids use carbon dioxide, release oxygen at night rather than during the day as most plants do.

Anyway, just wanted to share a few of my favorites from the exposition. I ended up buying my first Orchid plant! They seem really easy to take care of. You have to just water them once a week. Fertilize them at least once a month. As long as you find a spot in your home that isn't in direct sunlight but gets good ventilation you should be fine. Let's hope I don't kill mine!

Some of these Orchids have such crazy beautiful patterns! They almost remind me of Nudibranchs! I miss diving!!

My friend, Julia, and me . . . AND our new Orchid plants! BTW, Julia and I are running the Santa Cruz Half in April. More on that later.

Sunrise

2009-03-10T13:07:00.000+10:00

One of the sweetest spots to watch sunrise just across the Golden Gate bridge at Marin Headlands.

Elbow Space and the MUNI 30

2009-03-08T04:12:00.000+10:00

One of the things I love about living in San Francisco city is that you can get just about anywhere by MUNI bus, Bart, bike, or on foot. I love not having a car or driving! I love that SF promotes an active lifestyle. Anyway, my day always starts with a bus ride to work into the city from the Marina.

Lately I have been experimenting with taking different bus routes to work. It's mainly because I dread going through Chinatown on Stockton Street. There are about 4 stops and at every stop MASSIVE amounts of people get on the bus. The whole bus is jammed packed! People are sitting and standing crushed up against each other. There's really no elbow space. What's annoying is that some people won't even move to let you off the bus for fear of losing their place where they are standing. I usually try and sit near the exit so I can squeeze by. Now, I'm not complaining because each day is an adventure in SF. It's just taking me awhile to get use to the crowds of people.

A couple of websites I have found extremely handy are the www.nextbus.com website and www.transit.511.org website. The next bus website on my phone tells me when the next bus is coming to my stop so I don't have to stand around and wait for it. Whoever created that website is in my mind, a genuis! I usually run out the door when I know the bus is coming within minutes. The transit.511 website can tell you how to get to anywhere in the city by route of bus, bart, or walking. So far I'm loving it here!

So I'm back from the blogging graveyard. Expect to hear more about my life in the Bay=P

My New Favorite Spot

2008-10-26T11:41:00.001+10:00

In Saipan my favorite place to be was Bonzai Cliff. I'd watch sunrise or sunset a couple of times a week. Sometimes though I'd find myself going if I was feeling sad or upset about something. It was just a nice place to think and be by myself.

Bonzai always seemed to cheer me up. On many occasions I'd spot a turtle floating below the cliffs. One time I even saw a pod of dolphins making its way towards Bird Island. That place just took my breath away.

Since I moved back to California I have been searching for a similiar place that made me feel at peace. This is a beautiful place called Point Lobas in Monterey. Fall is starting to set in and the air is chilly. I love the cooler weather. As I sit and admire this view I see a bunch of harbor seals playing in the water below. I love this place and am starting to feel at home. Most of all I'm itchin' to start diving in Monterey's cold water. Stay tuned for my dive adventures in Monterey.

Half Way There

2008-10-07T16:31:00.001+10:00

I survived my first half marathon! I ran straight until I hit mile 10. My right IT band was really killing me so I had to stop and walk it off a couple of times. Truthfully I was really pissed that I had to stop because I didn't feel tired at all. It was just my right knee that was giving me problems. I finished at 2 hours and 30 minutes at a 11 minute pace. Slower than I wanted but I'm just glad I finished the race.

There were roughly 15,000 runners at the San Jose Rock and Roll Half Marathon this past Sunday. The course took us around downtown San Jose and along beautiful neighborhoods in the city. We had perfect weather and rock bands at every mile to listen to. It was just a great experience overall.

Right now, running is the only thing keeping me sane while I'm still in transition. But I'll keep pushing forward. I'm half way there to a full marathon and I'm more hyped than ever.

Race Pains

2008-09-29T08:43:00.000+10:00

Hmmm, what can I say? Just when I think I'm wonder woman with invincible powers I am proven otherwise. I am green with envy when running comes so natural to others. I'm average and I have to work hard at it. I knew training for a marathon would be challenging but I didn't think it would be this difficult. I love the challenge though.

As the mileage starts to pile up I start to encounter annoying race pains like chaffing from my sports bra or tightness in my calves. Worst I've started to have some symptoms of runner's knee on my right side. I went down to the the running center and picked up a band to help support my patella. I ran with it today and felt pretty good with it on.

This mornings 11 mile run with the Loma Linda Lopers kicked my butt. I'm trying a new sports drink supplement called Accelerade. It's supposedly better than drinking water or Gatorade on the long runs because it has a 4:1 carbohydrate to protein ratio. So far I think it's giving me that extra kick for endurance.

Since I'll be in San Francisco for job interviews next week I've decided to run the San Jose Rock and Roll Half Marathon. (sigh) Wish me luck.

Up and Running

2008-09-15T10:06:00.000+10:00

Running with the 10:30 pace group in Riverside. Jessica is in the purple top.

Home stretch. All smiles after 9 miles. My right knee has been sore lately. I read on a running forum to try an ice bath. It works magic! You aren't as sore the next day.

Chasing shadows.

Running Inspiration: 50/50 by Dean Karnazes

2008-09-03T12:19:00.000+10:00

Need some running inspiration while you train for your first marathon!? Check out this book 50/50 by Dean Karnazes. . This book is about a guy who runs 50 marathons in 50 consecutive days! Now, I don’t have a desire to run 50 marathons in 50 days but some of the lessons he learned along the way have helped me tremendously with my training.

Along the way, he uses the various obstacles and inspirations he encounters to present a number of running tips. Some of the topics he discusses are: Marathon race day preparation, fueling, hydration, mind games, music, shoes, visualization, strength training, diet, and sleep.

Overall at the end of each chapter he gave me great reasons to lace up and run wild! I just really enjoyed his outlook on running and his positive spirit.

***marathon training update***

I think my middle of the week runs and cross training have been paying off. What also helped me was that I finally purchased a fuel belt. Plus I took a power gel at about 45 minutes into my run and the goo definitely gave me that extra push to finish. I ran 8 miles on Sunday at the 10:30 pace!! Woo hoo!

On Hope

2008-08-29T14:18:00.000+10:00

"Once you chose hope anything is possible"-Christopher Reeve

I've been following this presidential race closely and tonight I finally feel at rest for making the decision to vote for Obama. His speech was personal, straight to the point, and moving. I'm just inspired by his spirit and his determination to restore hope in America.

I love that he gave specifics on what his plans are for America's future. He addressed some topics that I feel strongly about like global warming, ending the war responsibly, and on personal responsibility. I'm with Obama when he says eight years is ENOUGH.

I was so hyped up after listening to him speak. I actually made a donation on his website because I want to support him.

We need a change in direction. I believe that Obama can bring it. I'm encouraging everyone to register and rock the vote.

The Road to L.A.

2008-08-11T04:16:00.000+10:00

Training for my first L.A. marathon has been really challenging. I usually do really good at the start of the run but towards the middle of the run I start to lose momentum and all of a sudden I'm plagued by thoughts of stopping. Its those damn hills! I'm still trying to learn to love the hills. Most of the time I'm chasing my pace group.

My goal for this race is to finish never mind how long it will take me . We are on mile 6 so 20 more miles to go. Luckily the Loma Linda Lopers has different pace groups you can train with . There are several groups ranging from the 7 minute mile group to the 17 minute mile group. Jessica and I started off in the 10 minute mile group but later dropped down to the 10.5 mile pace group. So far we are keeping up with are two weekday runs and the one long run on Sundays.

Every Sunday we meet at the Drayson center for our short lectures. This past weekend was on water stop etiquette! We stretch together and then off we go to our different pace groups.

Here's a picture of the Loma Linda Lopers. Jessica and I are in the second row in the front. There is usually a flood of pink people running down the streets in Loma Linda on early Sunday mornings. What I love about joining a running group is that you get to meet so many cool people! Plus everyone is always giving you great running and motivation tips.

Everyone needs a running buddy to keep you accountable. Jessica is my running inspiration and I'm so glad she's on the road with me to L.A.

Scattered Thoughts

2008-08-10T03:42:00.000+10:00

I'm on overload. Some thoughts today:

1. My legs are sore. It's painful running up hills.

2. I want to be on I Survived a Japanese Game Show!

The making new friends in Japan episode is so funny!

3 I'm changing my blog title and layout in the next couple of weeks.

4. I'm thinking about getting a dog soon.

5. Wherever I end up I need to live by the beach.

6. There's too many people in this cafe. I wish I was back at Cafe by the Park in Saipan.

7. I haven't found a church that I feel comfortable at yet. I prefer a small church vs. a big church.

8. I need new loupes.

9. I need to send some resumes out.

10. Guns, Germs, and Steel

by Jared Diamond is such a great read!

11. I'm trying to get Jessica to run the L.A. Nike 10k Human Race with me.
12. Do I really want to go back to school?

(sigh)

Highlights from Belize

2008-07-30T05:53:00.001+10:00

Morning walks on the beach in Sarteneja.

Riding our bikes on the streets of Sarteneja.

Drinking fresh Watermelon Juice and eating at Liz's taco stand in Sarteneja. One of our best meals for only $1.

Relaxing in the fresh water pools.

Experiencing Blancaneaux, one of Francis Ford Coppola's hidden retreats in the jungle. I'm having Blancaneaux withdrawal.

The entrance to the Blacaneaux experience.

Cavetubing seven miles in underground Mayan caves at Caves Ranch. The Mayans believed these underground caves were the entrance to the underworld. There were spectacular cave formations and bats!

Exploring another Mayan ruin at Caracol near the Guatemalan border.

Learning about Mayan culture and its gods.

Hiking a two and a half mile trail from Blancaneaux to Big Rock waterfall.

Enjoying a perfect Blancaneaux morning at Big Rock!

Diving in Belize and seeing huge grouper fish!

Sipping on Hazelnut Cafe Lattes at Amor y Cafe in Caye Caulker!

Tasting every flavor of authentic Italian gelato at Tutti fruiti in Placencia! My favorite flavor was mango!

Eating fresh corn tortillas at a tortilleria in Sarteneja. You could get half a pound for less than $.25

Ziplining in the jungles of Belize.

Mile 3

2008-07-23T02:59:00.000+10:00

I'm back on track and it feels great to start training again. After finishing the Xterra triathlon the intensity of my training went down hill. OK, truthfully I've been a little lazy. Now I feel like I'm starting from scratch! So I've dusted off my mountain bike and bought new running shoes to get me started again.

Aside from my goal to train for the Xterra championship in Saipan next year, Brit inspired me to start training for the L.A. Marathon in March 2009. My running buddy, Jessica, and I joined a local running group called the Loma Linda Lopers. This running group has been around for over 30 years and has over 250 members in the Loma Linda chapter alone. You can't miss us because most of us are wearing our hot pink tank tops and are along the main streets in Loma Linda.

What I love about this running group is that you get to train with people who truly enjoy running and the challenges of it. Every Sunday mornings we meet up at 6:30 and have really great lectures on proper stretching, weight control, shoes, motivation . . . Then we break off to our different pace groups and go for our long runs in the morning.

We are following a weekly schedule which consists of two weekly runs on our own and a long run on the weekend with our pace groups. So far we are on Mile 3 of 26!!! A long way to go but I know we'll eventually get there!

Belize Revealed

2008-07-18T03:10:00.001+10:00

My Belize trip was the perfect transition after leaving Saipan. Greg and I just spent about four weeks ziplining through the jungles, exploring Mayan ruins, and diving in the second largest barrier reef in the world! Whale Sharks are amazing, but more on that later.

These pictures are from our afternoon trip out to my favorite Mayan ruin known as Xunantunich (Stone Maiden). It's just located a few short miles from the Guatamalan border.

From San Ignacio you can either take the local bus or a cab to the site and it's about a twenty minute commute. On your way to the site you must cross the Mopan River at the base on a hand cranked vehicle ferry!

Without a doubt, this site has great energy and the climb to the top is definitely worth the visit. It's set on a leveled hilltop and is the archaeological pride of Belize.

This view was pretty impressive. I kept thinking I can't believe I'm here!! Did you know that only about 5% of Belize has been excavated. If they could only find a way to get more funds to do more research and uncover more sites like this.

This site once flourished as a ceremonial center and is thought to have been abandoned after an earthquake around AD 900. It's tallest building, El Castillo, rises about 40 m (131 ft) above the jungle.

More posts to come about my other adventures=)

Adieu Saipan

2008-05-28T03:21:00.022+10:00

I’m terrible at goodbyes.

Amy, what would I have done without you?!

So I’ll keep this short and tell you how you guys were the BEST part of my every day. Thank you for your friendship and the memories. I’ll never forget the laughter and happiness you brought to my life. Here are a couple pictures of my last week in Saipan.

My Saipan Family

My scuba buddy, Harry! Thanks for coming to the airport to see me off.

The SDA Dental Clinic had a farewell party for me. A favorite patient baked me a yummy Apple Coffee Crumb cake!

My daily sunshine at work! I'll miss Mark and Tammy James. Thank you for throwing me a farewell party at your house! I will also miss Aunt Judy and Uncle Dennis for teaching me how to scuba dive. You introduced a whole new world to me and now I'm ADDICTED!

Ken and Crystal gave me a beautiful lei from Chuk! I have had the time of my life and I'm so glad I got to spend it with them. They were my spiritual mentors in Saipan and have encouraged me to follow my passion and dreams. I'll miss you guys!

My good friends, John Dax and Mai. Always there to listen to me Rant about everything! There's Noah squeezing his cute face in the pic.

Lunch at 360 with Angelo. Thanks for the laughs!

If you have ever read the book Eat Pray Love you’ll understand me when I say that living and working in Saipan was my “India” experience. I came to Saipan on a quest for personal and spiritual growth and left with so much more. This journey changed my life. My heart has awakened and my soul is at ease.

This picture pretty much describes my experience in Saipan: A blast!

My beautiful friends.

And now I’m ready to grab life by its two horns. I hope you will continue to enjoy the ride with me. I’ll keep the same blog address but there will be some changes in the next couple of weeks. I’m still trying to come up with a new title. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Scott and Atsuko Eck baked me this yummy choco brownie cake! Thank you!

What’s Bubbles’ next adventure? Scuba diving and searching for Whale Sharks in Belize this June! Greg found this one just recently in Belize. I hope they come out when I get there. Stay tuned Neh !!!=)

Whale Sharkey! Picture taken by Greg Moretti.

Palau Scrapbook 2008

2008-05-15T20:40:00.000+10:00

This year Real Christian Theater's annual trip was to Palau. These are some aerial views of the Rock Islands during my flight into Palau Wednesday morning last week. I flew in early to get in a couple of dives before Real's school and church tour started. The rest of my group were scheduled to come in Wednesday night.

Palau is considered one of the world's natural wonders both above and below the surface of the water. I came here in March 2007 for a week long dive trip with Ken and Crystal Pierson and had a blast. Much of our time was spent underwater. Now I'm not complaining about being underwater at all because I love diving . . . but I didn't get a chance to explore the island at all! During this trip with Real Christian Theater I was hoping to see more of the island, the culture, and it's people. Check out the water! I was itchin' to drop into the deep blue!

A picture of the bridges that led into Koror, Palau's main center where most visitors stay and eat. We were staying at Palau Mission Academy about 30 mins away.

Real Christian Theater is about sharing our belief and love for an amazing God. We perform skits with underlying themes about forgiveness, dependance upon God . . . We strive to not only perform the skits but to actually LIVE what we perform. Sometimes its easier to talk the walk than walk the walk. I'm definitely not perfect. I know that sometimes I struggle alot with what I believe and what I do. But I learned and grew a lot during my stay in Saipan and during this Palau trip.

Sean preached Saturday morning at the Airiri SDA Church. He talked about whether you have a relationship or a religion. I think that sometimes you can get discouraged when you try to keep all the rules and fail. Sometimes when you focus on doing everything right you start to lose sight of what is really important. I've often felt that religion can suck the life out of you if it becomes to legalistic. I think that what God is seeking is my heart not perfection.

Different members from our drama team took over parts in the divine service. Some performed special music, read scripture, or prayed. Miss Veronyka below read and directed the children's story.

A picture of our team with the kids at the SDA Elementary School. They were all so friendly. Some even prayed with us after our skits. They just felt really blessed and it made us feel like God was really speaking through us.

I remember how tired we were starting to get towards the end of our trip. We woke up at 8 am and didn't go to bed till 11 pm every day. School tours can be tiring because you are constantly on the go. One of the highlights of this trip was being able to perform last minute for the local prison. Here's a picture of Joy, Xian Xian, and Tali performing a skit entitled The Big Question. The prisoners were so thankful for our visit. It was a really touching experience to see them on fire for God. This visit to the prison was the perfect way to end our year.

*** Diving in Palau***

Last time I went diving in Palau the weather was perfect! We had sunny skies and the water was like glass. Unfortunately this time around in Palau it was a bit stormy. Actually there was a typhoon just passing over Palau so the water was rough. I have learned from past experiences that just because its gray skies doesn't mean you'll have a bad dive. You just have to make the best of every situation.

The first day I went diving by myself with Sam's tours at Saies Tunnel just west of Ulong Channel. The current was strong and the visibility wasn't too great. When I first dropped into the water at Saies Tunnel I looked down and saw a Manta Ray!! How lucky am I to see that when I first got in. I was so shocked that I was fumbling with my camera to take a picture but by the time I turned on my camera the Manta was gone=( But I saw turtles, sharks, and all kinds of marine life on this dive. The Second dive I went on was at a shipwreck called Chuyo Maru. Plenty marine life and coral that has grown on the wreck! I had such a great first day of diving.

The following day on Thursday Sean, Mai, Jess, and I headed out for a two tank dive with Sam's tours. Unfortunately the weather got worst and the dive boats weren't allowed to go outside the reef because of the strong current conditions. That was bad news because outside the reef are were the great dive sites like Blue Corner, German Channel, Blue hole, and Ulong Channel. We couldn't even go to Jelly Fish lake.

So you can imagine that we were all pretty bummed that we weren't going to see everything that we had heard about. We ended up diving Pincher's cove and the shipwreck Chuyo Maru. We didn't see any turtles or sharks on the second day like they were hoping=( I guess its just another excuse to make a trip out here again because the underwater show at Blue corner is truly amazing. I'll never forget that experience on my last visit. The second day of diving was heaven for me since it was mostly macro diving. I was looking for Nudibranchs and other cool things.

The famed rock island Arch.

A huge clam I found on the beach where they filmed Survivor Palau.

Diving around the shipwreck Chuyo Maru. The tops of the masts are gardens of corals and sponges that attract schools of fish.

Giant Sea Fans

Cotton Candy Corals blooming on the sheer walls that drop. You can't even see the bottom when you are diving!

Tomato Clownfish

Hawksbill Turtle!!!!

Plenty Sharks!

Siaes Tunnel

Nudibranch

I have no idea what this is! Anyone know?

Tridacna squamosa (Giant Clam)

Overall the dive wasn't a total disappointment for me. Seeing big things like Manta's, sharks, and turtles are exciting. Sometimes we forget that the small macro stuff is just as fascinating as the big stuff. I have a feeling that I'll be back to conquer Blue Corner and hook into the reef on my next visit! What a great trip and a great way to kick off my year in Micronesia.

Real Christian Theater girls on the bus ride to Koror

Tres amigas: Mai, Me, and Jessica

True Island Baby

2008-05-14T07:46:00.012+10:00

Sweet Max. I just want to squeeze this little guy every time I see him. My good friends, Mike and Gemma, from Guam came to visit me in Saipan. We took them on a classic island tour. Max really loved the Bonzai Cliff view.

You know you are a true island baby when you've got a zorrie tan!=)

Happy Mother's Day

2008-05-12T11:06:00.003+10:00

There’s no doubt in my mind that my mom is the greatest influence in my life. Mom and I didn’t always get along while I was growing up. I think I had MCS (middle child syndrome). I was pretty much the troublemaker in the family!

When I think about the Filipinos struggling in Saipan to make a better life for themselves and their families I think about all the sacrifices my mom made. She worked hard and earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing at Philippine Union College. My dad and her later moved to California to work and build a new life together. Mom was the breadwinner in our family. She worked twelve-hour shifts three – four times to a week and frequently put in overtime whenever she needed to. She worked hard. We weren’t rich or poor. We lived comfortably on one salary. She provided for our basic needs and still managed to surprise us every now and then with little luxuries like new clothes and toys. Till this day I am still amazed how my mom managed to take care of five people, pay for three kids to attend private school, pay the mortgage, and bills on one salary. She taught me the value of hard work and sacrifice.

I also learned about the character of God from mom. Mom is the most spiritual person in my life. The most important thing I knew was that she accepted me the way I was and loved me unconditionally. Though there were times she didn’t always agree with how I lived my life, she still let me make my own decisions. Most of my decisions ended up in a lot of trouble and heartache. But the point is that she stepped back and let me make my own choices in order for me to learn and grow. Also mom was always there for me even when I pissed her off or let her down. She never turned away from me much like God never turns His back on me.

I also learned about the power of prayer from Mom. Ever since I could remember Mom was giving thanks and problems in prayer. When dad had his stroke it was really hard for her to deal with it at first. But as time progressed I saw Mom turn to God even more so instead of away from Him when things went wrong. Most people would blame God for the hardships they go through. She set an example for me to always keep God close and trust Him no matter what hardships may come my way. She reminded me that God was always on my side. It was her support and her encouragement to seek everything in prayer that has made all the difference in my life.

I love you, mom. Happy Mother's Day! I'll see you soon=)

Happiness is

2008-04-27T21:10:00.001+10:00

. . . Flame Tree season in Saipan. I love the brilliant orange hues.

. . . Seeing White Tip Reef Sharks when you dive at Obyan Beach!

. . . my Sunday morning bike rides from Hyatt to Suicide Cliff with Crystal and Lorrie.

. . . standing on Mark and Tammy's terrace that overlooks their beautiful pool and Lau Lau Bay. Can you imagine coming home after working and having this view to look at everyday!?

. . . friends who inspire me in so many ways.

. . . hearing the kids have a big belly laugh at our drama skits. Real Christian is getting ready to perform at the schools in Palau.

. . . Sabbath and picnics at Pau Pau Beach.

Shaking Things Up

2008-04-16T21:12:00.006+10:00

Lately I haven't been scuba diving or mtn biking on the weekends. To shake things up a bit I've just been reading and enjoying the sun. Amy and I usually hang out at Pau Pau Beach or the spa on the weekends.

One of my New Year's resolutions was to read more and I'm really happy that I've kept up with it. We started a small book club that meets every 2-3 weeks. At our book review sessions everyone brings something tasty to eat. I always look forward to Vero's Cuban desserts!

This past Saturday night we all huddled in a circle on the floor and reviewed the book Love in the Time of Cholera. The power was out so we had to light candles in the room. Losing power still didn't keep us from having great conversations and a chance to bond over one of our favorite passions - literature.

Meet You Where You're At

2008-04-11T21:51:00.006+10:00

As I kneeled on the platform one by one the hands of my friends and family touched my shoulders as my pastor prayed for me. A million things were going through my head during my missionary dedication that took place at the Garden Grove SDA church almost two years ago. I was about to embark on spiritual journey.

One thought was how will my spiritual journey in Saipan change me? I knew that change was inevitable but I wasn't sure exactly how I would change. As silly as this sounds I was scared God was going to turn me into one of those REALLY religious followers. Some people refer to them as the "bible thumpers". I really dreaded that thought. For those of you who really know me, know that I'm more spiritual than religious. I simply just wanted to follow God. And I wanted to dedicate the years that I'd spend here to learn more about Him and to share with others what He has done in my life.

First off, I had this idea that missionaries had unshakable faith. I also thought missionaries always came back home stronger in their faith after serving time in the mission field. I have learned that being a missionary doesn't make you any less susceptible to experiencing weak moments and doubts. There was a point when I even questioned the existence of God and the existence of organized religion.

My spiritual experience in Saipan has been the hardest point in my life. It has challenged me to think about what It is I actually believe not just what I was taught all of my life.

Though I struggle with my spiritual daily walk I know that no matter what phase I am in my walk . . He will always meet me where I am at.

Blogger Meet up

2008-04-10T06:39:00.006+10:00

Angelo mentioned another blogger meet up. It will be on April 30 (Wed) at the 360 restaurant at 5pm. I'll be a little late, but I'll be there. So go go go! It'll be my last meet up since I'm leaving in May. Hope to see you there=)

Tuesday Round up

2008-04-07T21:25:00.009+10:00

Yes yes, I have been slacking off a bit.

Firstly, I dislike CUC. I'm REALLY irritated with the rolling black outs. It would be nice to have a nice dinner at a nice restaurant and not worry about the power going out. Or it would be nice to play our championship volleyball game without the lights going out in the middle of our last set. Thats right, the lights shut off at Ada Gym during what was suppose to be our last game of the season. We had to reschedule or last game a couple of days later. When the power goes out some schools actually shut down and send their students home. Such a shame that CUC can't get it together.

Well at least our team, the Yoyo's, defeated the Pikan Gaga girls in the next round. Thats right, we sweat like men! We are the champions!! Woo hoo.

Secondly, I have a new crush! j/k Jake Shimabukuro. My favorite song of the night was Let's Dance. He's the most amazing Uke player ever!

He's brilliant! His performance at the Beautify CNMI was absolutely magical. The VIP seating was totally worth it! He's just really passionate about music and I love that he encouraged the youth to follow their dreams. What an inspiration. Also, Gus and Jun, performed some medley's on their Uke's which I adored.

Thirdly, I planned beach vespers at Ladder Beach and beach volleyball night at PIC for the SDA Youth group with the help of Amy, Mai, Judith, Jessica, Rikki, and John.

One of the goals this year was to try and combine the youth at our central church with the newly built Kagman SDA church. The girls from Kagman are sooo shy but I think they are starting to break out of their shell. We were just happy that they were able to make it to our vespers.

Joy played melodies on the guitar while we sang a couple of our favorite praise songs. One of my favorite songs is Grace like Rain. Its kind of the youth version of Amazing grace but a bit more upbeat.

We had yummy veggie haystacks for dinner and just enjoyed each other's company. The sun was starting to set. I paused and enjoyed the view. Before we knew it was dark and the stars covered the entire sky. Some of the kids saw a shooting star and I heard them laugh and wish. . . Wow, it was a beautiful night.

John talked to the kids about making plans and where God fits in. We went around in a circle and talked about our plans. The kagman kids had great dreams. Some wanted to be a teacher, a policeman, or in the military. Some of our kids wanted to be doctors . . . Me? I guess I have goals but I'm not one to make plans. I dont' even know where I will be at the end of this year. I said I wanted to travel for a bit. See more places that I didn't know much about. Thats about it.

After we closed with prayer we toasted marshmellows and made s'mores! The perfect ending to a perfect night.

Fourth . . . Greg crossed the finish line after his grueling 8 day Cape Epic Race in South Africa.

It's probably the hardest mtn bike race in the planet and the mother of all stage races. He averaged on the saddle about 9 and a half hours and sometimes ten hours on his bike every day! So proud of him and his partner Rou! Mtn biking rocks. I gotta find a crazy partner to do this race with me before I turn 35. I've got five years. =) *nudge nudge* Crystal!

A Bittersweet Ending

2008-04-02T11:43:00.009+10:00

I've been thinking a lot this past week. Stay or go!? Stay or go?! I'm going crazy. Leaving Saipan is a bittersweet feeling for me. I could stay another year but I'm hesitating. Something doesn't quite feel right. I just think it is time for me to move on.

Maybe I have island fever. I just know that I can't hack it here till Sept. So, my early departure from Saipan will be on the 19th of May since I have to go home anyway for my best friend, Michelle's wedding.

Real Christian Theater performs at the schools in Palau early May for about a week and then I'll work one more week. You know what that means?! I'll spend my last dives of this year in Palau! I'm so excited.

One thing is for sure, I came alive in Saipan. I'll never forget that here is where I learned how to truly forgive and how to trust God.

Weekend in Guam

2008-03-26T12:36:00.019+10:00

I love blogging. Blogging is my lazy version of scrapbooking. When I leave Saipan I'll print all these entries up and make a book to remember
all my little adventures.

This past weekend I met up with some good friends in Guam. The picture on the left is of my friend, Gemma, and my cute nephew, Max. Max is showing off his little Noah's Ark tool set that he made during Sabbath School.

I found out that my girlfriend, Nikki, was going to be in Guam while passing through to the Philippines. So I booked a ticket to meet up with her and my other friends. While we were in Guam Mike and Gemma gave us an island tour.

We ended up at Fort Soledad. A lot of rich American history on this little island when the US recaptured Guam from the Japanese in WWII.

On my left is Sydney, Mike's brother. He's graduating Medical School at Loma Linda University this May and is finishing up his last rotation at the SDA Clinic in Guam. He definitely inspired me to go back school. For what? Eeek. I'm still deciding. I just know I don't want to do dental hygiene full time.

This picture is of Magellan landing. There is a tribute by the water that says "Magellan landed some where near here"!

A picture of the Mercado family. From Left to right: Gemma, Max, Mike, and Sydney.
Gemma is a MD at the Guam SDA Clinic and Mike works as an MD on the Naval Base in Guam.

Look out point near Talofofo Falls near the Yokoi Cave. On my next visit to Guam I'd like to see the Yokoi Cave. There is an amazing story behind this cave. Yoki was a Japanese Solider in WWII that retreated in the jungle of Guam and hid from the US forces going unnoticed. He survived in a cave for 28 years before being discovered by local farmers in 1972.

Nikki and I enjoying dinner at the Mermaid Tavern in Guam!I recommend this place because they've got delicious food! I had the seared Ahi with mash potatoes and salad. Not only did we have a great meal there was live Blue Grass music! Nikki is one of my best friends from California and I'm so glad I got to see her again. Last time I saw her was almost a year ago.

Awkward moment

2008-03-25T20:50:00.008+10:00

awkward = uncomfortable or abnormal. It all started when I went to get a massage in Garapan with Crystal.

Most of the time I'm really anal about who I get my massage from and where I go. I almost never change because the times that I do I always regret it. I usually go to a girl named Tre at the Summer Holiday inn. She's amazing. Today was a little different. I felt like being adventurous and looking for a new spot to hang out at..

At first glance this spa reminded me of Bali. Its got dark flooring, stone textured walls, and beautiful furniture. The girl that gave me my massage was really good but after I got up I noticed that my eyes felt funny. I realize that my eyes are swollen almost shut. I looked like Wil Smith in the movie Hitch! lol

I must of been allergic to the oil that she was using. I tried to ask the girl what was in the ingredients of the oil but she couldn't understand English. She just stood there and looked at me as I tried to tell her that my eyes aren't normal. There was an awkward moment of silence. She didn't understand so I just paid my $25 fee for an hour massage and headed out to get some medicine.

Well, two Benadryl tablets later and my eyes are starting to go back to its normal size. Note to self: bring my own oil for the massage and no contact in the face area. Grrr.

Riki Turns 21 and Spring Break!

2008-03-20T17:31:00.010+10:00

Great things come in small packages and Riki is one of them. We celebrated her 21st birthday over dinner at Spicy Thai.

We crammed together in the corner at one of the low tables. You're either sitting cross-legged on a pillow or on the bamboo mat . The thick lacy curtain blocks our view of the outside and there are colorful Christmas lights still hanging from the ceiling. I really like it here and they have the best Thai food

In the meantime various plates are being served to us. Lets see, there was Phad Thai, Fried vegetable rice, Tofu Yellow Curry, Spicy Papaya Salad, Mixed Vegetables, and Veggie Egg rolls. All my favorites! Great company and good eats. Life is good.

My how the school year has flown by. Spring break has started and some of the teachers will go to either Australia or the Philippines for a week. I'm going to Guam for the weekend to meet up with my girl friend, Nikki, from California.

In about two months the teachers will be leaving and I will have to say goodbye again=( Riki will be attending Loma Linda University in June for the Masters in Occupational Therapy degree in California. The other girls have all made plans already. Me? My contract ends in September. I feel like I'm floating inbetween dreams right now. Not quite sure where I belong yet but I kind of have an idea.

Well, where ever we end up . . . I'm so thankful that God brought us together here in Saipan. I know I'll always cherish the moments we spent together.

Where's Your Sense of Humor?

2008-03-18T06:38:00.006+10:00

Sometimes I can take things or decisions in life too seriously. I'm still learning to lighten up. In the meantime I love surrounding myself around really funny, passionate, and positive people.

If you know me you'll know that I laugh REALLY loud! I know Angelo makes fun of me. I mean, I really belt my laughs. My mom says its not proper for a lady to have such a hearty laugh. My head tilts back and you could probably see my tonsils! But when I think something or someone is really funny I really let go! I love sharing a good laugh. I think it really bonds you to someone. Mostly because they get you and your silliness.

Anyways, I need a laugh today so tell me your funny and corny jokes. Ok, here's my joke: What did the Salmon say when he hit the wall? He said, "DAM!" he he he Get it? Dam? Damn?! Ok, you're turn ;)

My 8 Favorite Eats in Saipan

2008-03-15T20:49:00.009+10:00

Looking over my budget I notice that most of my money is spent on food! I love food. Food makes me really happy! Sometimes I enjoy food with company but most of the time you will find me eating out solo w/ a good read. Yes, I'm a loner. lol I guess you can say that I'm not shy about enjoying a nice dinner alone whether it is in a nice restaurant or low key eatery.

Anyaqq tagged me to list 8 facts about me. I am going to modify this meme since I've already done that here and list 8 of my favorite eats on Saipan. I've been wanting to do this for awhile now. So here goes in no particular order.

1. Spicy Thai- I am a big fan of Thai food especially if its EXTRA spicy! On the menu I recommend the Pad Thai with Tofu, Vegetable egg rolls, and Thai Iced tea w/ Milk. The service is usually fast and friendly.

2. Remington Cafe- I go here sometimes for lunch. I try and stick to my Vegetarian diet as much as possible but sometimes its hard. Before I came to Saipan I was a Vegetarian for nine years. Since I arrived in Saipan sixteen months ago I started eating fish and then chicken. Now I just believe that everything in moderation is okay. On the menu here I recommend the Chicken Katsu meal with Iced Coffee. The iced coffee has coffee ice cubes in it! I love the Japanese people that work there. Every time I go in there I add a new Japanese phrase or word in my vocabulary. The decor in this cafe has a modern feel to it.

3. The Bean Cafe- I'm a morning person so my favorite meal of the day is breakfast. One day I am going to throw a party and have everyone bring their favorite breakfast food. My favorite thing to eat on the menu here is the French Toast accompanied with an Iced Hazelnut coffee. Crystal and I used to have breakfast here after our long bike rides on Sundays. I love feel of this small jazzy coffee shop. I also love that no one smokes in there and that they have wireless connection.

4. Taste of India- I never really liked Indian food before until I tasted a dish called Alogobi. Its got eggplant and potatoes cooked in a curry. It's absolutely delicious. Try also the Vegetable Samosa, and Bhatura Bread. The drink that I am hooked on is the Masala tea.

5. Capricciosa-I know that this Italian restaurant is kind of expensive but there is one dish that keeps me coming back. It's the Cream of Tomato Mushroom Spaghetti dish with fresh Parmesan cheese on top.

6. Len- This little restaurant makes me feel like I'm back in Tokyo. I just love the way this restaurant was designed. You'll have to keep your eyes peeled out because if you are not familiar with the location you can easily pass it. On the menu I recommend the hot pot! It comes with chicken, tofu, and all kinds vegetables that you cook right in front of you. The garlic chicken is tasty!

7. Grotto 2298- If you are a diver you will love this little restaurant! The owner is a diver and has decorated his walls with beautiful underwater pictures. On the menu try the Sweet and Sour Eggplant, Tuna Sashimi and Avocado, Japanese Spaghetti, and Fried Garlic.

8. Oleai's Bar and Grill Restaurant-Two words: dollar tacos. This place has become a favorite to us for lunch after our morning dive on Sundays. I usually get a couple of veggie tacos and an ice tea. Oleai's is located right on the water's edge so you've got a great view of the lagoon during lunch. I love it here.

I just ordered a couple of books on amazon. One of them is My Last Supper: 50 Great Chefs and their Final Meals. I thought it would be a fun and interesting read. So I leave you with this question: If you were to die tomorrow, what single dish or what one mouthful of food, would you choose as your last?"

Humm, I'd have to go with Italian food. The Cream of Tomato Mushroom Spaghetti dish would be my last dish!

Green Flash: Myth or Fact?

2008-03-12T20:36:00.005+10:00

Tonight Amy, Ken, Crystal and I did the tank swim after work. It was low tide and we were almost swimming on our bellies! After our swim we watched the beautiful sunset and kept our eyes peeled for the infamous "green flash"! I saw it tonight! Woo hoo! It does exist! Has anyone seen it?

The green flash is from the Sun. Just as the setting Sun disappears completely from view, a last glimmer appears startlingly green for just a few seconds. It's rare so you are lucky if you see it! Just one of Saipan's simple joys.

Next time your out on a sunset walk on Saipan's beaches check for the green flash=) Here's a sample picture of what it may look like.

XTERRA Triathlon Finisher

2008-03-09T09:00:00.028+10:00

Dr. David Khorram wrote a post about what he liked about Saipan. The part that I loved the most about his post was about self-discovery. It is true that for some reason Saipan is a place that you can do anything or be anything you want to be. I look back at the person I was when I first set foot in Saipan and I don't even recognize her. I was shy, didn't like changes, and didn't take any risks.

I came to Saipan sad and wounded from a previous relationship that lasted 10 years. I was spiritually broken and in search of a new life on my own. God has healed my heart and answered my prayers ten fold. And in Saipan He has given me a life I would have never ever imagined.

In Saipan I set out to LIVE more and to do the things I've always dreamed of. One of the things I have always wanted to do was to compete in a marathon or triathlon. Many people inspired me such as Ken Pierson, Greg, Lewie, Genevieve Koh, and Ed, my brother. Their marathon achievements and encouragement helped me through my training for the XTERRA event.

All week long I was anxious about this race! It really shows on my previous post because I almost quit the race before it even started. I was filled with self-doubt and I was just really worried about the 750m swim because swimming is my weakest link. Plus hearing about how there would be people kicking and hitting you when you entered the water was nerve wrecking for me.

Fortunately my swim coach, Mike, gave me some great tips. He just told me to take it at my own pace and to just be in the back and let everyone go first. Who cares if I am the last one in and out of the water. That my job is to finish the race and not to win the race. Surprisingly the swim was easier than I thought. Sometimes when I would breathe to the side I would catch a glimpse of the bright blue sky above me. I was just happy to be in that very moment! There was a current but like dolphins my friend, Rusty, and I rode the waves and finished our two laps in the lagoon. I was out of the water in 25 minutes.

All week long I had been worried about the swim when instead, I should have been worried about the bike ride! lol Greg kept telling me about the Saipan's terrain and long climbs. The mountain bike portion of the race was a 20k and it was brutal for me. I was on my bike for three hours. Let me tell that I almost didn't think I could make it.

The previous day it had rained a lot so all the trails like on wireless were muddy and slippery. I had to walk alot of the trails. There were portions of the bike ride where I had to carry and push my bike up muddy hills. I started cramping at the foot of Mt. Tapachou. I knew I had to make it up the climb to Mt. Tapachou in order ride down the trail towards Navy Hill. Though this was the hardest thing I have ever done I still had fun. I am just shocked that I made it through. I wanted to give up so many times on the bike ride but I kept going. After racing down Navy hill I made it back into memorial park to transition for my 5k.

The 5k was an easy lap around the American Memorial park. I made it in at 4 hrs and 11 minutes. What an amazing feeling to finish the race and hear people cheering you on. Here's me loading up on bananas and oranges after the race.

Here's a picture of the woman's first place winner, Renata Bucher from Switzerland. It was her fourth time to win in Saipan! She finished in 3hrs 12 minutes and 46 seconds.

Thank you to my friends and family who left messages on my blog, emailed, and called to wish me luck on the race. I really appreciated your support. Also many thanks to the locals that cheered me on while I was climbing those tough hills. They kept me going. I also wanted to mention a special thanks to some of the competitors who stopped and asked if I was okay. They often gave me their water and power gels to keep me going.

Atsuko and Crystal came by to cheer me on. Thanks to them and Mayuki for taking the pictures of my race!

Tammi, Judy, Julie, and Dennis are here cheering Rusty and me during the swim!

Angelo stopped by with Oreo to say congrats.

I placed 2nd in my age group! I am addicted to triathlons now so you can bet that I'll keep up my training=) Here's the quote that kept me going through the race when I was in pain and in meltdown mode:

Pain is temporary. It may last a minute, or an hour, or a day, or a year, but eventually it will subside and something else will take its place. If I quit, however, it lasts forever. -Lance Armstrong

XTERRA Race Anxiety

2008-03-05T12:20:00.010+10:00

The XTERRA Race is this Saturday! Guess what! I'm not doing it! What?! I'm having cold feet! I know, I'm all talk. Hey, I don't see your bum out there either except for amazing Lewie . I have been training for this race but I seriously don't feel ready. I'm too slow!

I think I should start with the enticer tri races or smaller races first instead of jumping into a big one. I need to build my confidence. Everyone says just to do it. Who cares if you are the last one but I am having anxiety. I wonder if this feeling is normal before a big race. I'm nervous! blah.

Some people crave competition and the adrenaline rush. They are my heros!

All Look The Same?

2008-03-03T21:04:00.004+10:00

I hear about racism all the time. Its all over the news. Last week I read a report on how four white students in South Africa at a university made a video of black housekeepers being mocked and also served them stew laced with urine. I was just disgusted but mostly saddened by how cruel some people can be.

This situation made me think back and remember a time when I had to deal with racism. I was visiting Toronto, Canada with my friend, Maria, just weeks before I came out to Saipan. I was walking around town minding my own business and stopped to admire the view of the CN tower. Out from no where a Caucasian Male comes up to my face and says that "all Chinese people should die". That "we don't have any business being here". That we are "filthy". It happened so fast. He just laughed and walked off. I was left there stunned and tongue tied. I look back and sometimes think about what I should of said as a come back. One of them was "I'm not Chinese you idiot!" j/k I'm kind of glad I didn't say anything to him. Whatever. I'll have to forgive him and his ignorance.

Saipan is a melting pot of different cultures. The cultures range from Vietnamese, Chinese, Filipino, Thai, Indonesian, Chamorro, Korean, Japanese,and more. Since living on Saipan I have learned more about each culture and its values. We're all very different in amazing ways. I think I've even come to recognize which asian is which. Most people say that we "all look the same". Click here to take my test and see how well you do at identifying the different asian races. Tell me your score on a comment. I want to know how you did. I got 10 out of 18.

Happy Feet

2008-03-02T20:48:00.007+10:00

I got to dance the night away on Saturday with Lori Serna and her friends. Lori is one of the dental hygienists at the SDA Clinic. She celebrated her 40th birthday at the Aqua Resort and we had a blast! She's a genius to have a salsa birthday party!

She hired four dance instructors and during the party I got to dance with some of them. Free salsa, Cha Cha, and Merengue dance lessons. I'm addicted and I think I'll take advantage of the $10 salsa lessons. You can't beat that price. Sometimes Angel and them may even come to your home and give you lessons. From left to ride: Me, Lori (bday girl), and Laurie.

I think Salsa is life changing. It's just so much fun and you just learn to lighten up even if you do stink at dancing! I think its a shame that some guys don't want to learn how to dance with their significant other. What better way to connect and add excitement to your relationship. I just love learning new things. Oh, and I love a guy who can dance and let loose on the dance floor. ke ke ke

This Made My Day

2008-02-27T17:30:00.002+10:00

Gerber daisies are my favorite flowers! Thank you for my surprise!

Marianas Cup Beach Volleyball Finals

2008-02-24T20:21:00.010+10:00

Kim and I made it to the finals on Sunday. Our first game of the day was against pro-volleyball players, Fedarica and Dawn, from Hawaii. We got spanked again 8 to 21. Even though we lost I had a great time playing with them. They're really amazing to watch. What I love about them is they communicate and work well as a team. Also, whenever we made a good play they always said encouraging things. I was really cheering them on to win in the finals against the players from Japan.

Here's a picture of EJ, Feda(right) and Dawn(left)

Dawn and Fedarica battling the ladies from Japan. This game was so intense. Each team brought their game. Here's a picture of Dawn hitting.

Even though the Japanese players were shorter than the other team they still could get up just as high! This was a great play! This Japanese player spiked the ball and it hit Dawn's hands popping it back deep over the other side right over the other players! The crowd was going crazy. They're both such smart players.

This picture was game point. The Japanese player hit through the block by Dawn and the game was over! Dag nab it! The ladies from Japan won. It was such a great game!

Marianas Cup Beach Volleyball Women Champions 2008 from Japan. Saipan always flys back the winners to play in next year's tournament. They also get $3600 in cash for winning.

Last years Champions battle it out with Randy Steele and Paul Baxter

Saipan blogger, Randy Steele and Paul Baxter Marianas Cup Beach Volleyball Champions 2008 Congratulations to Randy! He kept up with this Pro-Volleyball player, Paul Baxter.

I took a picture with the number one AVP volleyball player in the world! Phil Dalhausseris six foot seven inches tall! Check out his vertical and jump serves!

Game on with Chris Nelson and Phil jump serving.

Marianas Cup Beach Volleyball: Day 1

2008-02-23T21:16:00.010+10:00

The 16th annual Marianas Cup Beach Volleyball started today! What a great turn out this year. There were about twenty-five Mens teams and twenty womens teams. Our first game in the morning we played against two ladies from Japan. Man, we got spanked! They were amazing. I won't even repeat the score.

My team mate was Kim Hutchinson. Our stats for the day was two wins and two losses. Not too bad, eh? We fortunately get to advance to the finals on Sunday. Just wanted to share a couple of pictures from today. Here's a picture above of Gin and Linda getting ready to receive a serve. It rained off and on today but it was still a beautiful day.

A couple of women pro-volleyball players came out from Southern California to play. They are such awesome players. Here's a picture of Pro-volleyball player, Jen Synder, battling it out with Aubrey and Lisa from Guam. Aubrey and Lisa from Guam are short but can catch air and pound that ball. The final games are going to be very intense. I can't wait to see who wins.

One thing I love about tournaments is that you get to meet new people. Some girls come all the way from Japan and Guam to come play in the Mariana's cup. Here are some new friends I made, Jessica and Tara, from Guam.

(sigh) I'm so tired! Tune in on Sunday for the final results! Come down to the Pacific Islands Club resort to watch our games!

Support Live Theater in Saipan

2008-02-21T07:08:00.008+10:00

Real Christian Theater will be putting on a dinner show called The Mystery of the Kiss Kiss Diamond. It will be a one time performance on Sunday, March 9. The time will be announced later. The tickets are $15 for adults. The kids have been working really hard to make this play come together. Currently we are trying to raise funds for our school trip to Palau in May. We will be performing a lot of skits for the local schools in Palau in hopes of sharing our love for drama and for God. Please come out to support us!

I watched the play "In Transit" and the "Vagina Monologues" by the Voices of the Marianas last year and it was hilarious! I'm guessing that this play will be just as good! Check them out. Bloggers, Jeff and Brad, have parts in this play.
You won't want to miss this!

SDA Youth Valentine's Day Party

2008-02-19T21:03:00.013+10:00

I asked Judith and Mai to share a devotional for the youth at our Valentine's Day Party. Mai started off with a touching story about a father's love. He worked for a train station operating a bridge that would let the train pass through.

One day his son was with him at work. While working in the booth the father got a call that a train full of passengers was coming through. He had to put the bridge down. He looked frantically for his son and realized he was playing near the bridge. There wasn't enough time to go down and tell his son to move. He knew he had to make a decision. To make sure his son was safe by not putting down the bridge or to allow a train full of people go over the edge.

The father couldn't bare to let a train full of people go over the edge so he made the agonizing decision to put down the bridge and hope that his son would get out of the way. Sadly the story ends with the son dying but the train full of passengers safely made its way through the bridge.

Valentine's day is overshadowed by candy, flowers, and other gifts. Sometimes we forget what the meaning of true love is. God sacrificing his son's life so that we may have the chance to live eternally with Him.

We closed out the Sabbath with this devotional and to Riki jammin' on her guitar while we sang praises.
Amy helped me prepare Haystacks for dinner and for dessert we had chocolate fondue with bananas, apples, oranges, and broccoli! Yum!

Dive Snapshots from President's Day Weekend

2008-02-18T20:22:00.022+10:00

So I kicked off my 4 day weekend with an afternoon dive with Harry at the Grotto. Funny how it doesn't take much convincing for Harry to get wet. He got a new camera and has been dying to test it out.

The grotto is probably my most favorite dive spot in Saipan. Its just so unique and I feel like I'm in heaven going through the exit holes.

The visibility was unbelievable! Probably about 50 meters across the way. We spotted a huge Napolean Wrasse much like the one that was recently caught. He didn't wait too long for us to catch up with him because he just took off! Here's a picture of Harry below me taking pictures of this turtle. Check out his blog for beautiful close up pictures.

Here's a creature that I am definitely intrigued by but too scared to get too close. The Spotted Morey Eel has really sharp teeth and I just don't want get in its face.

I was actually really surprised to see this Parrotfish. It's either a Bumphead Parrotfish or a Steephead Parrotfish. If someone knows . . . let me know!

I'm so happy that I get to share my love for scuba diving with so many people in Saipan. There is always someone to go diving with on the weekends. This afternoon Sean, Mai, Jessica, Rikki, Mark and Tammy James, Dr. Hunt, Atsuko, and I rode the Aqua Jet out to two dive sites.

This was the SDA Teacher's first dive boat experience in Saipan and they did really well! Of course they had great instructor, Judy and Dennis. Here's a picture of Sean, Riki, and Jessica Crusin' into the deep blue.

I'm going to be dreaming of Pyramid Butterfly fish tonight! Plenty in the water. Mai is surrounded by them!

You know what we were all hoping to see-Eagle Rays! And we did! Five of them! We sat perched ontop of the Ice Cream Dive site and watched the Eagle Rays come swoop into the cleaning station. They were soo close to me! It was amazing! I think one of them winked at me!

This Hawksbill Turtle dropped right in front of us and I didn't even notice him at first until Atsuko pointed him out. I was looking for Nudibranchs and realized he was dropping right in front of me!

I found Nemo! Here's a Duske Anemone Fish.

Here's a picture of an Orange Fin Anemone Fish

Bowlines

2008-02-14T23:32:00.009+10:00

My favorite thinking spot on Saipan is the one that I am sitting at on my banner on my blog. Its the lookout near Forbidden Island.

Its a grueling bike ride up that gravel hill . . . but when you make it to the look out
the view is incredible. Here's a picture of sunrise over Forbidden Island.

I watched the movie Bucketlist with Amy and loved it! Go see it! There is so much that I want to do. My head is spinning with ideas.

Just wanted to share one of my favorite quotes:

"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbour. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover."

-Mark Twain

Attack Plaque

2008-02-13T18:52:00.014+10:00

Does anyone ever really remember their Dental Hygienist coming to their classroom to talk about teeth and good oral hygiene? The kids won't remember my name. They'll remember me as the lady that carries around a big toothbrush. Seriously! I have to show them how to brush with my big teeth and big toothbrush.

This morning I taught a couple classes at WSR School. They said, "gooooood moooooooorning Miss Beeeeeeev!" I tell them a silly story about the Three Friends teeth and quiz them afterwards. If they get a question right I reward them with stickers. The kids go CRAZY over Sponge Bob stickers! Geez. I had to calm them down a couple of times.

Then I ask for 4 brave volunteers and have them chew on pink tablets to disclose their plaque in their mouth. They are so cute!

They always get a kick out of that! Hey don't laugh! If I gave you a pink disclosing tablet your teeth might look like that too!

Serendipity

2008-02-11T20:54:00.000+10:00

You can interpret this postcard in many ways. I laughed when I saw this post card on the Postsecret website. Why? Because it reminded me how pathetic I once was at a point in my life.

In a STC episode Charlotte says, "where is he?" Her friends reply, "Who?" Charlotte says, "My night and shining armor!" It was such a funny clip. But seriously, as Valentine's Day rolls around I'm sure there are many girls wondering that same thing.

It's true that in your 30's your perspective on love and yourself is much different than in your 20's. You just don't settle for anything less than what your worth.

When I have a daughter someday. . . I am going to tell her to LIVE your life and do what you love. Don't wait for love to happen because it's so true that it happens when you least expect it! ;) When you are out there doing what you love, you'll meet people with the same passion. I believe in chance encounters. I believe in Serendipity <3

Managaha Island Campout & Eagle Rays

2008-02-10T06:45:00.001+10:00

I love camping on the beach! I really look forward to the SDA School's yearly retreat to Managaha Island with the kids. Managaha Island is just a quick 15 minute ferry ride away from Saipan.

Every time we come out here we ALWAYS say we need to come out more often. It's just really peaceful and beautiful out here.
The times that we did camp out here we were the only ones on the island besides the security guards. Where else in the world can you have a whole island to yourselves?!

The kids set up their tents on two sides of the Pavilion. The boys are on one side and the girls are on the other. I felt like I was in junior high again! Amy and I ended up sharing a tent. It rained sporadically throughout the night. We didn't have the right tarp to cover our tent so we ended up a little wet in the morning. We still slept better than we both expected.

Our tents were lined up right along the shoreline close enough to hear the waves crash at night. Like our tree decorations?!

I woke up early on Sabbath morning for a sunrise walk on the beach. Sometimes I think I must be crazy to leave all this beauty and my life here behind. I'm trying to savor the time I have left here. Life is simple and so meaningful out here.

Some of the best memories of my childhood were from my school days. My mom worked really hard as a nurse to put my brother, sister, and I through SDA private school for all twelve years at Loma Linda Academy. At every SDA school we have something called a Week of Prayer. The school schedule is modified to accomadate a special hour in the day that focuses on God. This past week was Saipan SDA's week of prayer.

Jammed together under the Pavilion we would listen to Rikki and Joy jam on their guitars as we sang praise songs to start our worship service.

All week long I heard about a pastor coming out from Florida to preach to the kids. When I arrived I introduced myself to him. We looked at each other and he said " I think we've met before!" I didn't recognize him at first because the last time I had seen him was in junior high. His brother, Greg, was my classmate and Glenn was my younger sister, Gin's, classmate. Small world!

Pastor Glenn talked about how he never thought God would call him to a Pastor. He said, "I wanted to be a dentist, but I never could pass Chemistry!" Funny how you plan your life out but God has something better and greater than you could ever imagine. I really feel that Glenn touched these kids lives. Towards the end of his sermon he invited those who wanted to give their lives to Christ. Many of these kids wanted to give their lives to Christ. Glen currently is a pastor at the SDA Church in Miami, Florida. We hope that he can come visit us again someday.

Amy planned a lot of the team building activities for the kids. She's currently the preschool director and has been a real blessing to us. She's so creative and you can really tell how passionate she is about teaching and being around kids. Here's a picture of Amy and Rikki setting up for a game called Shadow Charades! This was fun. Here's some pictures of some bible stories the kids were trying to act. I just love abstract art!

Creation! God creating the world.

Jesus hanging on the cross.

The Israelites worshiping the Golden Calf before Moses came down and broke the Ten Commandments.

Some snapshots of the SDA teachers and the kids cooking our lunch.

Pastor Glenn and me

The funniest kid, Noah and his mom, Carol Paez.

During down time I walked over to the dock because I heard a rumor that you could spot Eagle Rays from the dock right before sunset and just after sunrise. Its true! I saw these three Eagle Rays around 7 am Saturday morning just hanging out around the dock! I wanted to jump in the water to get a better picture but I didn't have my underwater housing with me=( I'm really excited to see them because there's a good chance I'll see them again at the dive site Eagle Ray City on President's day weekend!

Here's a bird's eye view of the three Eagle Rays!

And to top off the camping trip I went snorkeling! I spotted an eel and tons of fish! Just love how the water is like 82 degrees=) Ahh, what a great weekend!

My Top 5 Daily Saipan Reads

2008-02-07T17:04:00.000+10:00

Angelo proposed a meme for the month of February. These are my top 5 daily reads in no particular order. I picked blogs that are updated regularly.

The Rules:

1. Once you are tagged, you must write up short review for 5 blogs that you read regularly, including the blog of the person that tagged you.
2. Leave a comment tagging the blogs you've reviewed, telling them to continue the meme.
3. If someone writes a review of your blog, you must respond by writing a review of their blog (unless you've already written one for them).
4. After a few days, you must write a post compiling what all the other bloggers say about you, good or bad, true or untrue.

Adventures of Ken and Crystal: Ken and Crystal exemplify the type of marriage that I want to have someday. They work together, play together, and serve the community together. They've got great underwater pictures and stories to share about their life together in Saipan.

Swim Bike Run Saipan : Lewie is truly an inspiration to me. I love hearing about his mountain bike adventures and seeing pictures of his races. He inspired me to train for the Xterra Tri. As of late, we pass each other on the hair pin turn towards Bird Island early Sunday mornings. He is usually racing down and I am pedaling my butt up the hill. It's true that you start to recognize people with their helmets on! I know its Lewie cause of his Shiny White Smile!

Mai at a Glance : She's Canadian! Need I say more why I love her blog so much?! Mai and I stayed for a second year in Saipan. I feel the most connected with her since we share so many of the same memories from last year. I love that Mai is able to share openly how God has blessed her in her life. She inspires me to try a little harder and be alittle better with my devotionals.

The Journal Online: I want to be like Sean. He's well rounded and super cool. He's such a great writer and I just really enjoy his posts about his daily joys with his students, thoughts about God, and now . . . his new adventures underwater!

Beachcomber on Saipan: He's a genuis! Actually I just really enjoy looking at his artwork. I love how he's so nerdy smart!

The Saipan Blog: I tune into Angelo's blog everyday because I know he ALWAYS has something to say about anything. He's quite entertaining as well as informative. Though some people leave mean comments on his page, I give him props for him not changing who he is for anybody.

February is National Children's Dental Health Month

2008-02-06T20:45:00.000+10:00

Me: Open your mouth really WIDE like a shark!!
Kid Patient: *opens REALLY wide*
Me: Good job!
Me: Now, let’s count your teeth! How many teeth do you think you have?!
Kid Patient: Yells ten! *giggles*
Me: 1,2,3 . . 11,12. . . 20! Yikes! You have 20 teeth!
Kid Patient: *cheers*

She is my most favorite patient ever! She opens her mouth really wide, sits still, doesn’t cry, doesn’t bite my fingers, and is a good brusher! Most of all she is always happy to see me! Okay, maybe she’s only happy to see me because after her cleanings I give her stickers and a pink toothbrush=)

Each February, the American Dental Association sponsors National Children’s Dental Health Month to focus on providing oral health education to all children despite their economic status. The best part about my job is going out to the public and private schools in Saipan to teach the kids about good oral hygiene and how to brush their teeth. Lori and I tell them a story about teeth, ask them questions, and give them stickers. You hope that they remember the importance of brushing. But good oral hygiene starts at home with the parents. Help your kids avoid unnecessary tooth pain by taking them to their dentist every six months. You can use these tools to help encourage your kids to brush here .

Snorkel Pau Pau Beach

2008-02-04T20:56:00.000+10:00

I really cherish Saturday afternoons in Saipan. After church we usually go hiking at Forbidden Island, Old Man By the Sea, Bird Island, or the cliffs in Dan Dan. As of late we have been hanging out on the beaches in the North part of the island. The water is a lot cleaner on the north end and its less touristy.

Amy, Rikki, and I headed out to Pau Pau for an afternoon of snorkeling and relaxation. Pau Pau is a great beach because its got little nooks and crannies that you can bum around in. Another bonus is because it has a lot of trees and shaded areas that you can hang your hammock in. Chilling in your hammock with a good read and a view of crystal blue waters is true bliss for me. Ok, maybe you can add fresh coconut juice and I'm good to go.

I've been thinking a lot lately about how to keep Sabbath without feeling bogged down with all the legalistic aspects of religion. Many SDA's have different views on how Sabbath should be kept. I suppose there really isn't one true way to keep the Sabbath since everyone's beliefs range from ultra conservative to really liberal. Everyone is different. I guess you can say I'm somewhere in the middle. Definitely not the most religious. I believe that God knows your true heart of worship.

What I have learned is that when you focus too much on the do's and don'ts . . . you start to lose the true meaning of why Sabbath is meant to be so special. I think being out in nature is how I feel I connect best with God. Just seeing all the amazing creatures and beauty He created renews my love and joy for Him in my life.

What I love also about Sabbath is spending time with those who really lift my spirits up. So thankful for all my friends at the Sda clinic and SDA School.

Secret

2008-02-02T08:06:00.000+10:00

So every Sunday I log onto Postsecret and read a new set of chosen postcards. If you haven't heard of post secret it was started by a guy named Frank Warren who invited people of all backgrounds and nationalities to send him creatively decorated postcards bearing secrets they have never before revealed. It has become a global phenomenon.

These secrets expose our deepest fears, desires, regrets, and obsessions. Some of them are a bit crazy! Everyone has a secret whether good or bad. Some secrets we wouldn't tell another soul. Postsecret.com has been an outlet for many.

My outlet is God. He knows how much I have been struggling with my spiritual walk. To the point where sometimes I wonder what I am doing here. This postcard reminded me how far He has brought me in every aspect of my life. It also helped me remember to keep talking to Him during my darkest, loneliest moments. He knows my secrets, fears, and desires before I even tell him.

I really believe in my heart that He told me to come here. Thats how real I believe He is.

Magnolia's Buttercream Cupcakes

2008-02-01T21:30:00.000+10:00

I've kind of lost the urge to blog as much. So what have I been doing lately besides working? Mostly mountain biking and baking. Great combo,eh? Crystal and I biked from Hyatt to Suicide Cliff and back last weekend! It's about 23 miles. A huge improvement for me considering I could barely make it up the hill towards Bird Island before. I'm learning to love the hills and enjoying the ride down!

So since we train two short rides during the week and one long ride on the weekend . . . we can afford to eat some sweets! I went to Manhattan, NY with my friend, Nikki, a couple of years ago and fell in love with the cupcakes at Magnolia Bakery. Here's my favorite cupcake recipe that I made for some friends this weekend.

Magnolia's Buttercream cupcake Ingrediants:

1 1/2 cups self-rising flour
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
2 cups sugar
4 large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

ICING:

Vanilla Buttercream (recipe follows) or Chocolate Buttercream

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Line two 12-cup muffin tins with cupcake papers.
3. In a small bowl, combine the flours. Set aside.
4. In a large bowl, on the medium speed of an electric mixer, cream the butter until smooth. Add the sugar gradually and beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the dry ingredients in three parts, alternating with the milk and vanilla. With each addition, beat until the ingredients are incorporated but do not overbeat. Using a rubber spatula, scrape down the batter in the bowl to make sure the ingredients are well blended. Carefully spoon the batter into the cupcake liners, filling them about three-quarters full. Bake for 20–25 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in the center of the cupcake comes out clean.
5. Cool the cupcakes in the tins for 15 minutes. Remove from the tins and cool completely on a wire rack before icing. At the bakery we ice the cupcakes with either Vanilla Buttercream or Chocolate Buttercream.

Vanilla Buttercream Icing:

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
6 to 8 cups confectioners’ sugar
1/2 cup milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Place the butter in a large mixing bowl. Add 4 cups of the sugar and then the milk and vanilla. On the medium speed of an electric mixer, beat until smooth and creamy, about 3-5 minutes. Gradually add the remaining sugar, 1 cup at a time, beating well after each addition (about 2 minutes), until the icing is thick enough to be of good spreading consistency. You may not need to add all of the sugar. If desired, add a few drops of food coloring and mix thoroughly. (Use and store the icing at room temperature because icing will set if chilled.) Icing can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Mmmm, Enjoy!

Lau Lau Beach Dive with Missy

2008-01-23T14:34:00.000+10:00

Grrrr. My dive buddy, Missy, has left Saipan and won't be coming back. We spent the weekend doing all the things she wanted to do before her flight home to Michigan.

Sunday we had time for one last dive. Grotto looked rough so we ended up diving at Lau Lau Beach. We ended up dropping in the swim through on the left and headed towards the coral garden. Check out this brilliant blue Saipan water. How could you live here and not dive!

It's been a tough week and diving is exactly what we needed. I almost instantly forget about everything once I drop in the ocean. We came across a Hawksbill Turtle that was perched on top of some coral. We were so close to it!

I'll miss Missy but I know that we will see each other again when I move back to the states. We're planning on going on a dive trip at least once a year. See you soon Missy.

I'm In Love Again

2008-01-22T21:21:00.000+10:00

Woo hoo! The Indoor Volleyball league started tonight! I love Scuba diving and Mountain biking . . . but my number one love is indoor volleyball. Our team is called the YoYo's with Gin Gridley as our captain. Mai and I have an awesome team! I felt like I was back in College Varsity again=)

The Ada Gym was packed with volleyball players as well as plenty spectators. I honestly didn't expect that great of a turn out. The roaring crowd, catching air when you are about the spike the ball, and team work are what excites me about this game. I get to play in the league every Tuesday and Thursday nights. Most of our games are at 7 pm. If you're bored come out and support us, Neh!

A Brand New Year

2008-01-14T21:21:00.000+10:00

Wow. Its already mid January! This year is going to fly by. My contract is up in September and I am going to maximize the time I have left out here. Where will I go next . . . I have no idea. Since moving to Saipan I have learned to live in the moment.

Dr. Khorram and Angelo tagged me to list 20 things I remember about Saipan. I've only been on island for a year so I can't tell you much about what landmarks have changed. So I'll list 20 things I remember about my first year in Saipan.

1. I remember Ken and Crystal Pierson, the dental clinic staff, and the SDA student teachers patiently waiting for me at the airport at 1 o'clock in the morning to welcome me to Saipan. Everyone looked like they rolled out of bed! I felt so loved.

2. I remember my first heavy betelnut case! It was like layers of tar that would not come off. The other hygienists chuckled and said "welcome to Saipan".

3. I remember my sweet Korean neighbors, Lizzie and Pastor Dewie. They often invited me over for dinner and always checked up on me. I'll never forget their kindness.

4. I remember joining the Fall beach volleyball league at PIC when I first arrived. I didn't know anyone and ended being drafted on one of the top teams that made it into the playoffs undefeated! I made so many great friends.

5. I remember seeing Moreno with the kids on a Saturday afternoons getting ready to do a hike with them. He inspired me to work more with the youth.

6. I remember singing in choir and practicing long hours for our Christmas concert last year.

7. I remember my first breathes underwater at Sugardock during Scuba lessons.

8. I remember date night with Grant, Mai, Missy, Layla, and Brit.

9. I remember watching sunrise at Bonzai Cliff and seeing sea turtles below.

10. I remember snorkeling under a starry sky with Moretti looking for coral spawning.

11. I remember dollar veggie tacos and iced tea on Oleai's terrace after diving on Sundays.

12. I remember camping at Managaha Island and bonfires on the beach.

13. I remember teaching good oral hygiene at the elementary schools. Hearing the kids laugh was worth all the work.

14. I remember the infinite pool and watching sunsets at the Mandi Asian Spa.

15. I remember tank swims with Crystal and Ken on Friday afternoons.

16. I remember paddling Tuesdays and Thursdays from Kilili Beach along the reef before sunset after work.

17. I remember Malou's tasty breadfruit dessert.

18. I remember my long walks and runs along Beach road.

19. I remember potluck lunches after Church.

20. I remember thinking I would only stay in Saipan for one year. But I am now four months into my second year.

So there you have it. 20 things I remember about last year. My second year only keeps getting better.

Wreck and Muck Diving in Tulamben, Bali

2008-01-08T19:55:00.000+10:00

My favorite part about my Bali trip was being able to dive a couple of days in a hot spot called Tulamben.

I split from the group and went on a grueling 3 hour drive up and around the central mountains just north of where I was staying in Ubud. I got car sick but at least we avoided all the mudslide areas since it had been hammering rain earlier that week. I arrived in the evening and checked into a place located right in front of the USS Liberty wreckage called Puri Madha Bungalows for about 225,000 R ($25) a night. I could have spent way less somewhere else but I really needed a place with hot water.

Access to the wreckage from my cottage was so easy. All I had to do the next couple of mornings was wake up at 6 am for a sunrise dive, put my gear on, and do a shore entry or get in a boat. Brrr, the water was cold and the visibility was about 15 meters. I'm in love with muck diving! The best months to dive Tulamben though are July, August, and September.

I have to be honest and tell you that I was nervous going on a dive without any of my favorite dive buddies =( But my scuba instructors, Judy and Dennis, taught me well. I felt so prepared to dive solo. At first glance my dive master, Angel, looks like he is in his early teens!! He was my size, sported sun bleached dreadlocks, and was in his early 20's. I felt bad because I asked him how old he was in an uncertain voice. I hate it when my patients ask me how old I am and how long I have been in my profession because it makes me feel like they think I'm incompetent. Anyway, Angel turned out to be a great dive master. It was just the two of us. I told him that I'm on a quest to see Nudibranchs like this one called Thecacera pacifica ! I just love him cause he's bright orange and blue like my bike =)

The other dive hot spots to hit are Drop off, Seraya's Secret, and Coral Garden. I saw plenty brilliant colored soft corals, Thorny oysters, huge Bumphead Parrotfish, Anemone Fish, Racoon Butterfly Fish, shrimps, Nudibranchs, Blue spotted Rays and so much more. Too bad not all my pictures turned out. I know, I know . . . big surprise eh? So my new years resolution is to work on my underwater photography skills!

Here is a picture of a Thorny Oyster. These were in the shaded areas of the wreckage. Careful not to get to close they do bite! But aren't they beautiful?

What blew my mind was seeing these huge Bumphead Parrotfish! They were fantastic! They come out before sunrise and after sunset. I was making my way inside the wreckage and ran into one of these. It kind of scared me especially after that one Trigger fish attack I had a while back. I didn't go to close to him and cruised right by him. He seemed really friendly though. I stole this picture from a website to show you how huge these fish are!

More Nudibranchs! Overall I had a great time diving in Bali. I didn't make it to the Gili Islands in Lombok though. I'll have to save that trip for another time.

Warm Sun and Mtn. Biking in Bali: Day 6 & 7

2007-12-31T12:58:00.000+10:00

Day 6:

I have discovered the yummiest cafe and bakery in Central Ubud! Its a place called Casa Luna. This bakery serves a delicious range of fresh bread, pastries, cakes, and more. Its the perfect place to just chill and people watch while sipping on a Cafe Latte. The Balinese people are very nice and the customer service is excellent. Way better customer service in Bali than in Saipan. Why is that?

Anywho, the highlight about this Casa Luna is that it offers Balinese cooking classes. Everyday of the week is a different meal that is taught. The first thing you do is tour the Ubud market place for your ingredients and then head back to the restaurant where Janet de Neefe teaches you how to cook an authentic Balinese meal! This is a must do in Bali if you love to cook! I am enjoying eating out here more than shopping =)

The sun finally came out today and I decided to be lazy and relax by the pool for the rest of the afternoon. Good news is that I finally ran into my friends, Rebecca and Ben, and we had dinner together with some other friends at a place called The Lotus Cafe. It was so nice to see familiar faces in Bali.

A few words about this restaurant is that the food wasn't all that and it was pricey. The only thing I enjoyed was a traditional Balinese dance show that you can see right in the back of this restaurant. The dance show is called Chandra Wirabhuana. Great entertainment and exquisite costumes! Loved this show.

Day 7:

My friends and I decided to go on a three hour 45 km mountain bike excursion from the top of Kintamani all the way down towards Tegalalang. I was suppose to meet my friends at their hotel at 8:30 am but I was late! By the time I got there it was 9 am and they had already left. The tour company sent a young fellow to shuttle me up the mountain on a moped! This was the only case where tardiness paid off because I had a blast riding on the back of the moped racing up the curvy roads like the locals do.

By the time I got up there Rebecca, Ben, Autumn, and Ana had just finished their breakfast on a terrace that had an amazing view that overlooked the active volcano Mount Batur and the lake. I was so glad that I came up here again because last time I came up it was too cloudy to see anything.

Now keep in mind that I thought this was suppose to be an easy downhill and fun bike ride. I only came to Bali with my flip flops. We started down the road and passed through a lot of traditional villages and through the countryside. The kids from the villages would come out and give us high fives as we zipped on by!
They were so cute. It was beautiful scenic ride until we hit this steep hill that looked exactly like Navy Hill. We had to walk our bikes all the way up this hill. We tried to race through some muddy pathways but ended up walking in the mud. Normally I wouldn't be complaining about this but I didn't exactly have the right shoes and gear. Wish I had my bike here.

To make a long story short I was racing and peddling really hard up this one hill. My bike chain popped off and my foot crashed against the street. I'm only wearing flip flops mind you. Ouch. I stopped and realized that I bashed my big toe really bad that it was bleeding. They ended up taking me to the hospital so I wasn't able to finish my bike ride =( This bike ride was fun but it was alot more technical than I thought.

So the damage was that I didn't quite break my big toe. I just really bruised it and 3/4 of my toe nail practically was hanging off. The doctor had to yank the broken part off. That part hurt really bad. So now I'm walking around with a white big bandage on my big toe=( So sad. But the good news from my doctor is that I will still be able to dive!

I'll spend New years Eve in Ubud tonight with my friends and then make my way up towards Tulamben and the Gili Islands in a couple days. Until then, Happy New Years! Cheers to a new chapter and exciting adventures to come in 2008. So far this was the best year ever!!

Bliss in Bali: Day 4 and 5

2007-12-29T09:45:00.000+10:00

Before this solo trip to Bali I never really understood why people choose to travel alone. I just thought it would be tragic to be in such a beautiful place and not be able to share that with someone. But there is so much to gain from traveling solo.

Bali is truly a romantic destination for couples. There are couples everywhere! They're strolling hand in hand down the streets. They're sipping lattes and laughing in a cafe together. They're nestled in a corner having a candlelit dinner. I'm not jaded rather I think love is wonderful when its with the right person. A year ago this sight would have made me really sick but I am actually quite surprised that I feel content on being alone in Bali.

Traveling forces you to be more outgoing. I made a friend while having breakfast by the pool. Her name is Lisa and she was backpacking Bali on her own from Taiwan. We chatted a bit and she mentioned she was going to Lovina!

I asked if we could share a driver and a hotel room in Lovina which was three hours away from Ubud since I was going there anyway. She was fine with it and off we went to Lovina.

Our driver, Nyoman, was really nice. He only charged 300,000 Rupas ($30 usd) to take us from Ubud to Lovina. If I would have done it over again though I would advise backpackers to just take the perwista bus. Its only 70,000 rupas($7 usd)and it takes just about the same amount of time. We passed through the countryside and up the windy roads through the central mountains. It was still cloudy and rainy so there really wasn't much to see on the way there. We stopped at a great restaurant on the mountain called Ngiring Ngewedang. It serves great tasting Balinese food at a travelers fare. We did get to see the famous temple on the lake, Pura Ulun Danu and the Hot springs, Air Panas Banjar.

When we arrived in Lovina we checked and then walked around. Lovina is a beach town that people come to just chill out at. It's got black sand beaches and great little eateries along the beach. Mostly it was just a place to walk and relax. We had dinner at a restaurant that the Lonely Planet Bali Guide suggested called Waru Bali by the beach. I had Nasi Goreng (fried rice) and veggie spring rolls. Excellent service and prices were cheap.

The highlight of this trip was going out at 6 am the next morning in search for dolphins! I'll have to post pictures when I get home from my trip because the sunrise was spectacular. We saw tons of dolphins everywhere!
I just kept thinking how lucky I am to be here in Bali to experience this. Being out here is pure bliss. Next adventure is diving the shipwreck in Tulamben and the Gili Islands in Lombok! Oh, I'm so excited!

Off the Beaten Path in Bali- Day 3

2007-12-28T23:07:00.000+10:00

So I'm such a terrible traveler! I forgot to check the weather before I came here. Doh! I packed my bikinis and beach wear thinking I would catch some rays by the pool but it's rainy season till Feb. In fact, its been so windy and rainy that the power has been on and off throughout the island. Whatev. I'm more amused than pissed since stuff like this happens in Saipan all the time.

Ubud is charming but is still too touristy for me. I asked Mendra to take me where all the locals go to eat and shop at. He took me to a favorite local Balinese restaurant where everyone stops at if they're headed for a long trip to the mountains. The restaurant is called Nasi Ayam Kedewalan right off JL. Raya Puputan Rd. This place is nestled in a quiet garden and there is only one plate featured on the menu! For lunch I had SPICY chicken, rice, and long beans. Balinese food is so simple yet very tasty. Meals are like 150,000 Rupas ($1.50 usd).

After lunch we zip passed a lot of rice fields and lush rice terraces featured in my trusty Lonely Planet Guide for Bali. The rice terraces are breathtaking.
Another thing that I love is how the Balinese drive! There are only two lanes but many times those lanes don't exist! There could be as many as three cars or motorcycles on the road going really fast in opposite directions! They are constantly over passing each other. It's madness! It's amazing that there are hardly any accidents.

The first panoramic view Mendra takes me is at Cahaya Dewata Resort Spa. If you are standing in the restaurant it over looks the Ayung River and beautiful rice terraces. The Ayung River is where many people go for white river rafting.

I decide last minute that I want to see the volcano Ganung Batur (2 hours from Ubud)even though its a little cloudy. On the ride up we drive on Tegallalang Road which is the longest road in Indonesia (5 miles long) that features all kinds of handicraft shops. I'm pretty sure the stuff you see in Kuta and Ubud you can get here at whole sale prices. We also zipped by a dozen of fresh fruit stands! I miss fresh fruit like mangos, mangosten, rambutan, papaya and passion fruit!

My travel plan to the beach town Lovina in search for dolphins is affected due to the mudslides and bad road conditions towards the central mountains. I decided to hire Mendra to take me around the outskirts of Ubud for one more day. By the time we got up the mountain to see the Volcano it was freaking cloudy. I saw no Volcano or lake. I advise all travelers not to even attempt going to see Ganung Batur on a cloudy day even if your driver says lets try.

Anywho after that lame attempt to see Ganung Batur, Mendra made up for it when he showed me this really cool temple located in Tampaksing. There is this Holy Springs temple called Tikta Empul. When I walked into the hot springs there were people bathing in different areas. If you need something healed you bathe in one section and if you have done something wrong to someone you bathe in a different section. I guess it is sort of like a purification process. Pretty interesting to see. Here's a picture of one of the gods.

Our final stop on the way back home was a coffee and spice plantation called BAS Agrowisata. (moreno you would have loved this place). The aroma of all the different spices (vanilla, chili, black pepper . . . etc) was pretty amazing. On the terrace they served us free hot ginger tea, lemon grass tea, Balinese coffee, and Hot chocolate to try. I met a couple from South Africa and we chatted about our travels. The best part about traveling is the interesting people you meet along the way. Coffee and great company was the perfect ending for the day.

Next day . . . Lovina here I come.

Zen and Healing in Bali: Day 2

2007-12-26T11:34:00.000+10:00

Bali is a spiritual and deeply moving place. Ninty percent of Bali is Hindu and the other ten percent is mixed with Muslim/Christian. This is my first exposure to the Hindu religion and I find it absolutely fascinating.

Whereever I go, I chat with people and ask them to teach me about what they believe. I ask why every street and shops are filled with fragrant flowers and burnt incense. They tell me that everyday they give thanks for the blessings and life that they were given. They tell me that everything (plants, animals . . .) has meaning and purpose. Their passion for life and how strongly they believe is inspiring. I want to know more.

I stepped onto the street this morning without a plan. I'm going to wing one more day in Ubud before I make my way through the countryside through the rice terraces and towards the hot springs in Lovina. I can't believe I'm here!

On my second day I spent the morning at Zen Bali Spa. Four hours to be exact. Bali is infamous for getting five dollar massages and four dollar pedicures. I really splurged and got a package. Before I tell how much I paid I'll tell you what I had done. This package included a one hour body massage, Milk and floral bath, Cucumber and honey facial, manicure and pedicure, hair creme bath and lunch. It was heavenly. So I only paid $35(USD)! That was a sweet deal considering I used to frequent Burke Williams in the states and a hour massage alone would cost well over a hundred. After my visit I felt like a goddess. Ok,I felt more like jello after relaxing so much=)

After lunch I went to a couple of musuems and called it a night. Tommorow I leave Ubud and backpack up towards Lovina. Until then . . .

Bali Revealed: Day 1

2007-12-25T11:08:00.000+10:00

At the Guam airport I ran into some friends that were on the same flight as me! I met Rebecca and Ben during the Fall Beach Volleyball league when I first moved to Saipan. They're such a great couple. I'm just happy to know that I can hang with them and their friends at any given point of my trip.

It was only a four hour and fifty minute plane ride from Guam to Bali. I ended up with a whole row of seats to myself so it gave me a chance to catch some zzzzzzzzzz. We arrived around ten pm in Bali. Getting our visa ($25) and going through immigration was madness! There were so many tourists for the holiday. I finally made it out and exited the airport only to find myself engulfed in a sea of drivers holding up colorful signs with names on them. I had to walk over three times before I found my driver, Ketut Mendra.

Judy and Dennis gave me a referral to their driver they used when they were last in Bali. I was glad to have someone honest and reliable to take me around since some drivers over charge you if you are not familiar with the rates to different locations.

Anywho, I went my seperate way from Rebecca and Ben at the airport. They went with friends to Kuta (aka party town) with some friends and I headed off to Ubud. Ubud is about forty five minutes away from the airport. They are going to meet me in Ubud in a couple of days.

Ubud is such a charming village. I love this place! It is perched on slopes leading towards the central mountains. The people here are gracious and take time to chat with you. For the first couple of days I am staying at Adi Cottages. Its in the middle of the main road Monkey Forest Rd in the middle of all the shops and cafes. I'm on the upper level with a patio that over looks the pool and lush gardens. It's only $29 bucks a night but I will be moving to the White House Bali Cottages for only $15 bucks a night to save money.

It was hammering down rain today. Unfortunately it may rain the whole week dag nab it! I wanted to see sunrise at the volcano but there might not be much of a view. It's ok. I don't mind the rain since it gave me a chance to start reading my new book Eat, Pray, Love. This trip was really all about me relaxing and exploring Bali on my own pace. The first day I spent wandering Ubud Market, Ubud Palace, rice fields, cafes, and the shops! There is so much to see in Ubud. I will need to spend atleast a couple of days here before I move on.

The food is amazing here! They've got all kinds of food for every type of budget. Whether you eat at a warung (food stall on side of the road) or trendy restaurant the food is all delish. My favorite cafes so far are the Three Monkey Cafe and The Rice Noodle Bar.

I read some travel blogs before I came here. Alot of the blogs warned against "vultures" or locals trying to sell you things nonstop. So far I haven't really experienced that although the locals think I look Indonesian. Maybe that is why they haven't bugged me as much. I love that I can just blend in wherever I go. Well except for Europe (another story to tell later).

The highlight of today was visiting the cute monkeys at the Monkey Sanctuary. Its a nice park just to walk through and observe the monkeys. If you want you can feed bananas to the monkeys. There is a raging river that runs through this forest. Just really loved it here.

Anyway, I'm going to have breakfast and start my venture. Merry Christmas to my family and friends back home! I heart you.

*I uploaded some pics =) 1/7/08

Glee

2007-12-23T07:18:00.000+10:00

I'm on vacation! Woo hoo! I've spent the last couple of days in Guam with my close friends, Mike, Gemma, and Max. Just enjoying some down time before I fly out to Bali tonight. I am so excited about backpacking Bali! I booked a couple of nights at a hotel online but will probably look for something for a lot less once I settle in. I've heard that you can find rooms as low as $10 a night. I've got an itinerary but I'm sure it'll change when I get there. One thing is for sure, I want to get in a couple of dives around the Gili Islands. It's my first time backpacking alone so I'm a little nervous considering I make everyone else navigate for me when I go on trips. This is definitely going to be an unforgettable adventure. For the sake of my family's peace of mind, I'll be blogging from Bali. Happy Holidays everyone!

About Me

2007-12-14T09:58:00.001+10:00

Sorry for the lack of posts. It's just the nature of December with the holidays rolling around. Its nice to have some down time though. One more week of work and then I am off for vacation for two weeks in Bali. I can't believe I'll be spending Christmas and New years in Bali! So i'll be spending the first week in Bali all by my lonesome and Missy will meet up with me after new years. I was a little hesitant about traveling alone but I say screw it! I'll conquer Bali on my own. Every year just keeps getting better despite little glitches here and there. Whatev.

Aunt Judy forwarded me this and I couldn't resist to fill this out.

1. What time did you get up this morning?
10:00 am

2. Do you like diamonds or pearls?
Duh, diamonds!

3. What was the last film you saw at the cinema?
Enchanted

4. What is your favorite TV show?
Sex In The City

5. What do you usually have for breakfast?
cereal with soy milk, fruit

6. What is your middle name?
Mae

7. What food do you dislike?
Durian fruit

8. What is your favorite CD at the moment?
Bebo Norman-Between The Dreaming and The Coming True

9. What kind of car do you drive?
Mirage

10. Favorite sandwich?
Turkey, Avocado, and swiss cheese

11. What characteristic do you despise?
gossip

12. Favorite item of clothing?
tank tops

13. If you could go anywhere in the world on vacation,
where would you go?
I want to back pack India for a month or zip line in Brazil!

14. What color is your bathroom?
Mocha, white, and Coral

15. Favorite brand of clothing?
Jcrew

16. Where would you retire to?
Anywhere with the love of my life and family.

17. What was your most memorable birthday?
My 30th in La Jolla, California with my best friends.

18. Favorite sport to watch?
Volleyball

19. Farthest place you are sending this?
East Coast

20. Who do you least expect to send this back to you?
Joy

21. Person you expect to send it back first?

Rae

22. Favorite saying?
shooot!

23. When is your birthday?
5/21

24. Are you a morning person or a night person?
Morning

25. What is your shoe size?
6 1/2

26. Pets?
none yet, I want a dog when I move back to the states.

27. Any new and exciting news you like to share?
Last Weekend I spent three days in Tokyo with Greg. Toyko rocks.

28. What did you want to be when you were little?
Nurse

29. What are you today?
Registered Dental Hygienist

30. What is your favorite candy?
Currently it's Expressions Chocolate covered blueberries

31. What is your favorite flower?
Pink Peonies

32. What day on the calendar are you looking forward to?
New years.

33. What church do you attend?
Lately i have been doing my own devotionals out on the beach or at Bonzai.

34. What is your full name?
Beverly Mae Cabanatan

35. What are you listening to right now?
Christmas music

36. What is the last thing you ate?
Hyatt Veggie Fajitas at street market

37. Do you wish upon a star?
Sometimes

38. If you were a crayon, what color would you be?
Red

39. How is the weather right now?
Warm Sunny skies

40. Last person you spoke to on the phone?
Michael

41. Do you like the person who sent this to you?
yes

42. What is your favorite soft drink?
Diet Coke

43. What is your favorite restaurant?
Grotto 2298 in Saipan
Splashes in Laguna Beach, California

44. Hair color?
Black . . . thinking about getting high lights and cutting it.

45. Siblings?
1 big brother, Ed and 1 little sister, Gin. Yup, i'm the middle child

46. Favorite day of the year?
Friday. I only work a half a day.

47. Your favorite toy as a child?
Easy bake oven

48 Summer or winter?
Winter. I miss snowboarding and wearing winter clothes like scarfs, beanies . . .

49. Hugs or kisses?
hugs

50. Chocolate or Vanilla?
Chocolate

51. Do you want your friends to email you back?
yes

52. When was the last time you cried ?
when i crashed on my bike=(

53. What is under your bed?
nothing

54. Who is the friend you have had the longest?
Raelene, my best friend since the second grade.

55. What did you do last night?
Walked street market and ate alot of food.

56. Favorite smell?
Fresh Plumerias

57. What are you afraid of?
losing a loved one

58. Plain, buttered, or salted Popcorn?
buttered

59. How many keys on your key ring?
two

60. How many years at your current job?
one year in Saipan.

61. What is your favorite day of the week?
Sabbath

62 How many towns have you lived in?
four

63. Do you make friends easily?
yes

Gobble Gobble

2007-11-25T09:13:00.001+10:00

Dang. Now I know why they called the bike race "Tough Love" up Mt. Tapochou. Not even your mama can help you! Call us insane to run up those steep gravel hills at 6 am on a Holiday but it was so much fun. My calves were on fire. We ran the Turkey Trot Race from Lower base to Capital Hill all the way up Mt. Tapochou on Thanksgiving Day. The run up was a killer but what a spectacular view from the top!

What I love most about training and doing these races is that you get to meet alot of cool people on the island. The sports community on Saipan is huge and I just love how active everyone is here. I've made friends from beach volleyball, scuba diving, soccer, swimming . . . you name it! It was good to see alot of familiar faces.

The Piersons and Moreno also came out to do the Turkey Trot. My only goal was to make it to the top alive! The song that kept me going was Till I Colapse by Eminem. Its a song about digging deep inside yourself and finding something that you thought you never had to give you that second wind. The run was tough but the reward was worth it: another stunning sunrise.
I think the Turkey Trot is a great tradition to keep up on Thanksgiving day. Back home in California my friends and I had the Turkey Bowl! A bunch of us would come together and play a friendly game of flag football before we all celebrated Thanksgiving with our families.

********Gobble Gobble*********

This year I got to celebrate Thanksgiving twice. Lunch at the Blaylocks and Dinner at the Maycocks. Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday for obvious reasons: great eats and having the chance to spend time with those you love and care about. Though I really miss my family back home in California I still am fortunate to have my Saipan family. Here's some pics of our dinner at the Maycocks. We had a yummy potluck dinner and the best pumpkin, cherry, and apple pies!

Here's some pics from my lunch at the Blalocks. Sara and Kelli made a traditional Thanksgiving meal from scratch and it was so yummy! I really loved Sara's home made cranberry apple sauce and the turkey was cooked to perfection. At the end of our meal we went around the table and talked about the things we were thankful for. Everyone had some heart felt thoughts and funny things to say. Love hanging out at the Blalocks because there is never a dull moment! Right, Harry?!

As I look back on this year I realize that I have so many things to be thankful for. Here's my list in no particular order:

My faithful flossing patients, for making me feel what I do matters.

My jack hammer Handy Dandy Cavitron tool, for helping me get this betel nut crap off my patient's teeth everyday. My hand would really die if I didn't have this tool. (Pictures taken with patient's consent. Look away if you can't stomach these pics)

My ipod, for helping me escape my daily grudges. Music does wonders.

The internet, for letting me explore and discover things and amazing sites that I never thought I'd ever get to experience.

My health, I'm so lucky to be able to do the things I love to do.

My family, for always being there. I'll be home soon.

Manang Janice, Angie, Mel, and Rae, for being my life lines.

AC, for helping me snooze at night.

Mandi Asian Spa, for the infinite pool that over looks the ocean.

Truoung's Viet Restaurant, for their yummy avocado smoothies.

Tre, for the best deep tissue massages.

Saipan SDA Youth, for lifting my spirits every week.

Friday Night Bible Study buddies, for your encouragement and your insights about a loving God that does exist.

Moretti, for making me smile and laugh everyday.

Scuba buddies, for being my guardian angels and experiencing a whole new world with me.

Java Joes, for your iced Chai drink.

Saipan, for her sunsets and sunrises that put my soul at ease.

Real Beauty

2007-11-14T12:07:00.000+10:00

Last Friday Real Christian Theater had its first road tour and performed at five local schools: Hopwood Middle School, San Antonio Elementary, Dan Dan Elementary, Kagman Elementary, and San Vicente Elementary School.

This year Real Christian Theater's theme was "Real Beauty". All of the skits focused on what we believe Real Beauty is: forgiveness, honesty, patience, kindness,tolerance, trust, etc. One of the challenges of performing at public schools is that you cannot use the word "God" in any of the material. So we had to use skits that indirectly talked about God. As a team we are striving to share our love and passion for God. Real Christian Theater is the only drama team on island that travels and performs from school to school.

I must say that I have a new found respect for road shows after doing this tour. So much work goes into the show. It is a huge production and you have to be ready for anything that may go wrong. Forgetting a line is easy because you can try and cover it up. But if your sound system and speakers are down its more stressful. Most of our shows were outdoors so we had a couple of problems with the audience not being able to hear us. But everything eventually worked out.

Our first show of the day was at Hopwood Middle School. The first show we were still working out the kinks especially with the sound system. We did our best. The crowd was really supportive and cheered us on. As the day progressed our shows kept getting better and better. I have to admit that its a great feeling when you say your lines and the kids respond with a hearty laugh! Thats the best feeling to be able to make someone laugh and be happy.

I think its really sad that some people equate real beauty with just physical appearance. Some may judge others and totally miss out on getting to know a really great person.I'm so tired of the body image battle. The media plays a role in defining what is beautiful and I have experienced the pressure to be a certain way. I say screw the makeup, straight hair, and dieting. I think that its sad that women have to change who they are in order to be perceived as beautiful. When it comes down to it, knowing your worth and being happy with who you are is the epitome of what beautiful is.

I'm so proud of the kids because they gave their heart and soul into this school road tour. They did such a great job and they continue to inspire me in so many ways. Mostly they encourage me to lighten up and laugh at myself every now and then. Mai did a wonderful job being the MC and directing the show. Kudos to Sean for organizing the school tour. One of the highlights of the tour was the Kagman kids asking for our autographs! We felt like rockstars.

At the end of the show we played the song by Christina Aguilera "Beautiful". It really tied the skits together and I'm hoping the kids took something learned home with them. Whats next for Real Christian Theater? We will be performing for some of the other local Churches and at Street Market. Stay tuned ...

Sunrise Catchers & Dolphins

2007-11-13T07:12:00.000+10:00

There are great rewards in being an early morning riser. One of them is catching a sunrise on Saipan. Funny how you'd think catching a sunrise is relaxing but sometimes racing down Middle Road at 5:30 am to make it in time is stressful! Sunrise usually is around 6 am. My favorite place to catch sunrise so far is Bonzai Cliff in the Northern part of the island. Its about a 15 minute drive from where I live.

It's true that no two sunrises are ever the same. Some of them are electrifying and some just peak through the clouds. Its rainy season and the clouds are out. If you're patient and willing to wait sometimes in the rain to see when the morning sun breaks through the clouds . . . it is a spectacular site. I don't know how anyone can live on this island and not experience a sunrise atleast once a week. If I could, I'd watch it everyday but I'm usually swimming or running that early.

Monday morning Greg and I spotted a pod of atleast 20 Spinner Dolphins making their way across bonzai and towards Bird Island!! How lucky were we. They looked really small but really playful. We were so excited since this was the first time we ever saw dolphins in Saipan! Sorry no pics of the dolphins. They were hard to capture since they blended in with the waves. We also saw two turtles below us just riding the waves.

There is this other spot near bonzai where the fishermen sit above the cliffs and fish. I really love this spot because it gives you a clear view of the sunrise, bonzai cliff, and suicide cliff. You also can dangle your feet while sitting on the cliff ledge which is about 100 ft from the waves crashing below. Such a sweet site.

Excited About

2007-11-08T20:21:00.000+10:00

Troung's Yummy Avocado Smoothies! Hurry up and taste one! Apparently there are only 11 avocado's left! You know that it takes awhile to get fruit in from the states or the Philippines. Go go go!

Real Christian Theater Drama is performing at Hopwood School, San Vincente Elementary School, and Kagman School this Friday. Its our first school tour and we are psyched . . . ok, alittle nervous. We are performing nine short skits focusing on the basics like having patience, forgiveness, honesty, real beauty, and the effects of drugs/alcohol. All really good take home messages and definitely NO cheesy skits. I think they'll enjoy our program . . . it beats being in class, eh? The program should last about 30 minutes if things run smoothly. I'm in charge of props/setup and i'm in 3 skits! Eeeek! I'm sure we'll pull it off.

It's a 4 day weekend for me! Woo hoo! My plans? I'm going to rock climb at Suicide Cliff, mtn bike, scuba dive, and finish my book at the Mandi Asian Spa. I hope it doesn't rain. Check out Mai rock climbing this past September. Ohhh, this is going to be sooo much fun!

Trying to tap more into my Filipina roots=) Tan Holdings will be hosting a free concert by Martin Nievera on November 18 at American Memorial Park. Gary V. and Martin Nievera are two of my favorite Filipino singers. I've seen him perform in California before during a sing-a-like contest. He's just got an amazing voice. Here's a video clip of him and Kyla.

Judith, Jessica, Missy, and me will be backpacking Thailand together from December 21-January 7! I'm looking forward to riding an elephant, diving the hot spots, and wandering in a new country. Christmas and New Years in an exotic place . . . what more can I ask for?

22 people dedicated their lives to Christ at the end of our Kagman Evangelistic Tent Meetings. The Saipan Central Seventh-day Adventist Church held meetings for three weeks with possibly more baptisms to go. You never really know who and how many will show up to meetings like this. Saipan is predominately Catholic. The times that I did go I noticed that the crowd kept growing night after night. Its amazing how God can move and transform a person's heart when they take that leap of faith.

Baptism pics by Mai

Exposed

2007-11-03T06:40:00.000+10:00

Imagine living in a bubble where the majority of people you knew were just like you. You went to the same church every Saturday morning. You attended the same private school and university for all of your life. The majority of your family and friends were of the same faith. You believed and hoped in the same things. You think the way you are and the way you live is the norm or the standard. Most of all, you think that the way you live your life is the only right way to live. This bubble is all I have ever known.

Leaving the Seventh-day Adventist bubble back home and coming out to Saipan has been a real eye opening experience for me. Exposure to the many different cultures and religions is making me realize how REALLY different I am. I had the chance to share my faith with other people of different beliefs throughout this past year. I'm embarassed to admit that I was judgemental. . . I thought the things they believed in were crazy and wrong. But then I realized that they probably think that I am crazy in the things I believe in as well. I can be so foolish sometimes. I'm starting to realize that Christianity has been getting a bad wrap. It's fascinating though to hear perspectives about life and God from a Buddhist, Atheist, Catholic, Latter-day Saint, Muslim and others.

My spiritual experience out here has been mind blowing and humbling. I feel my beliefs evolving and growing into something greater than I ever imagined. Living abroad is teaching me to embrace and love the differences I have with others.

Commitment . . . Not Such A Bad Thing.

2007-10-31T07:20:00.000+10:00

Commitment to anything is hard work. I have to admit that I haven't really commited 100 % of my heart to anything in the past two years except for completing my 2 year contract out here in Saipan. After Saipan I don't even really know where I'm going or what I want to do. Making plans is tiresome for me and frankly I'm tired of being disappointed.

Today was a milestone for me. Coach Mike continues to push me to swim faster in the pool. Though he sometimes yells at me for "pausing" at the other side of the pool . . . it makes me want to work harder. He finally told me that I have to stop surviving and start challenging myself. So he made me commit to my first 400 meters without stopping.

So this morning I swam my first 400 meters without stopping! Woo hoo! That may not sound like a big deal to you but for me . . . its huge! I remember swimming with EJ for the first time about three months ago and not being able to complete even one lap. I was pathetic. I kept thinking how am I ever going to ever get up to par. But after finishing my 400 meters this morning I felt so happy. I know, its werid to be so happy over something so small. But I haven't been this happy in a long time. My self- doubt is slowing going away and I am starting to remember the sweet benefits of commitment.

Hell Of The Marianas Bike Race

2007-10-28T04:17:00.000+10:00

The Pacific Islands Club hosted the first ever Hell of The Marianas Bike Race this past Saturday. I went to cheer for Kimiko, Lewie and Greg really early in the morning. So early that the moon was still out. When I got there all the bikers were gearing up and adjusting all their bikes. Rock music was blasting in the background and everyone seemed so hyped up to race a 100k on Saipan's flat and hilly terrain.

I was really impressed with how well put together the event was from the clock at the starting point to all the volunteers helping at the water stations. I can tell alot of effort was put into the race. They climbed some continous hills that lived up to the name Hell of the Marianas and did a full circle around the island. The riders had to head south around the Francisco C. Ada/Saipan International Airport up to Isa Drive going to Kagman Road, and turned at the Laolao Bay Golf Resort heading to the Mobil gas. From the Kagman Mobil gas station, riders headed to Chalan Talofofo, turned at the Kingfisher Golf Links, and went towards Chalan Pale Arnold road up to Chalan Matuis for the Radar Tower.

From the Radar Tower the riders will climbed up at Suicide Cliff and toward Grotto, where they turned and headed back down to Banzai Cliff. The riders then navigated from Banzai Cliff toward the Last Command Post down to the American Memorial Park, Beach Road and head toward PIC for the finish line. It must have been a beautiful course to bike even though it was really long. There's nothing like a morning ride that zips through the north part of the island with the ocean view in the background.

I thought about how hard each of them have trained for this race especially the women. What an inspiration they are. Truthfully the amount of biking they have done in the past 3 months sounds painful! I mean, I can barely last 10 miles. I know I just have to be patient and not quit. This is the quote on my fridge that keeps pushing me to become a better version of me. "Pain is temporary. It may last a minute, or an hour, or a day, or a year, but eventually it will subside and something else will take its place. If I quit, however, it lasts forever."-Lance Armstrong

My First Icon Mtn. Bike Ride in Saipan

2007-10-24T16:28:00.001+10:00

Saipan is zzzzz best place to be if you are a sports maniac and are into Mtn Biking, Running, Beach Volleyball, and Scuba Diving. There is plenty to do here. Sometimes I feel like there is not enough time in the week to fit it all in.

After Greg's month long hiatus in the states, he finally built my bike and took me on my first Mtn Bike ride in Saipan. I couldn't wait to get my bike dirrrrrty! Its rainy season so alot of the roads and trails are nice and muddy. We started off the run at the entrance of Lau Lau Beach Road heading towards the dive site. If anyone has gone diving at Lau Lau they will know how rocky and bumpy that road is. It kind of reminds me of a Toyota Tacoma truck commercial offroading in the jungle somewhere.

Ok, maybe it wasn't that extreme but it was really rough. So we made it to the Lau Lau beach dive site and went towards GapGap Road. There is this really steep gravel hill that just about killed me on the way up! Actually I had to stop and walk my bike up the hill for a bit. Then I got really tired and just stood there wanting to go back down. Greg ended up towing my bike along side him on his way up while I walked up.

After conquering that GapGap hill we went through Kagman village and headed towards Forbidden Island. Guess what another killer hill towards the look out. I was on the "granny" cycle all the way up and was going so slow! I felt my legs burning. We finally made it to the look out to take a quick picture and then raced back down since we spotted rain coming in from the distance. Overall the ride was only 10 miles but it felt longer than that. Not too shabby for my first Mtn bike ride, eh?! Hell of the Marianas Race is this weekend and bikers will be racing 100k! So crazy. Here's a little map of my morning ride from Lau Lau all the way to Forbidden Island and back.

I think i'm starting to get use to the different gears. Throughout the whole run I kept switching from gear to gear. Also I was practicing how to brake without losing control on the gravel and dirt roads. My disc brakes are sweet! I dread wiping out but know eventually it may happen. Greg raced down the steep hills flying over rocks and dips. Not ready to go that fast yet.

One thing I love about Mtn biking is that you don't have to have someone always with you. You can just take off whenever and wherever. I enjoy morning rides especially on the north end of the island.

Who's Line Is it Anyway?

2007-10-22T23:12:00.000+10:00

Ever watch that comedy show Who's LIne Is It Anyway? Those comedians are brilliant making up the script out of scratch in front of a live audience. They're truly an inspiration to me. The Pressure is on. My first drama performance is this Wednesday night in Kagman. Its a monologue between three readers entitled "One Minute". Eeek, I've got a lot of lines to remember. Tonight we rehearsed the play and did okay. I forgot a couple of lines and just stood there. Grrr, I hate it when your mind goes blank and the worst thing is you have to keep a straight face. We still have to smooth out a couple of transitions but for the most part I think we've pretty much got it down. The true test is performing in front of an audience with your nerves creeping up on you.

Its not so bad when you mess up or forget your line because the audience won't know that you have messed it up. The key thing when you mess up is executing a great recovery from the mistake that was made. Thats the hard part because when you fidget or look to someone else its a dead give away.

Sean suggested I stand in front of a mirror and practice my lines. Peforming in front of a mirror has been really helpful for me even though I just keep cracking up at myself! But when I'm serious sometimes I forget my lines. So I watch my facial expressions and see if I give away clues that I have just messed up. Surely my hands tend to fidget and when I mess up I want to just hit my forehead and say "doh"! heh The kids have been so encouraging and have been giving me some really great advice about relaxing. I just need to remember to b r e a t h e. If i can swim with sharks I can surely say some lines in front of a large audience, right? Lets hope so.

Japanese Lantern Festival

2007-10-21T21:45:00.000+10:00

Saipan is definitely one big melting pot. From the West to the East the diversity out here is pretty amazing. I've made some really great friends of different cultures and its been really fun getting to know what each culture is all about. Actually its been more fun food tasting their yummy dishes!! Every now and then we get a cultural treat and an event goes on for a day or even a weekend sometimes. This past Saturday the SDA Student Teachers and I decided to check out the Japanese Lantern Festival after church over on Middle Road.
We walked into the festival with traditional Japanese music playing in the background. Although the festival was alot smaller than I had thought we still had a great time just walking around and checking out their booths. Some of the women and kids were dresssed in their colorful cultural attire. When I saw them it reminded me of one of my favorite written books-Memoirs of a Geisha. I think the Japanese culture is fascinating. Sadly I have never set foot on Japan. Only in transit through Narita and Nagoya aiprort. But when I do finally make it out there I want to do two things in Japan: see the Cherry Blossoms Fesitval and snowboard in Japan! Oh and of course explore the many Buddhist temples and visit with the monks.

Missy and I bought some kind of dessert drink with beans and boba looking pearls inside of it. It kind of reminded me of the Filipino dessert Halo halo. Speaking of Japanese food, Saipan has some pretty tasty Japanese restaurants. My favorite Japanese restaurant in Saipan so far is Len. If you have never been there you must give it a try! Its secretly hidden on the first floor of an apartment complex towards Garapan on Beach Road. I had the hot pot with chicken and mixed veggies . . . yummylicious! You'll have to check that out.

Frustrated

2007-10-19T16:35:00.000+10:00

Small things have been upsetting me. What's worst is that I act like I am not upset and annoyed but I really am! Why do I feel the need to bite my tongue and tolerate the madness I go through? Maybe i'm just chicken or maybe I'm too concerned about what people may think of me if I complain. I seriously am not much of a complainer. Anyway, I am fed up and frustrated.

Ok, so this is the real me. Lots of things upset me: other peoples behavior, my behavior, time pressures, work. Living in a different country there is the added pressure of cultural misunderstandings, adjustment, and little familial support. I realize that I can't expect things to be the same as they are in the states such as customer service, work ethic . . . blah blah blah

I realize that certain situations that upset you can give you an opportunity to learn more about yourself and others. Its just frustrating when things aren't the way you are use to. For instance, Americans drive on the right side of the road and the British drive on the left side of the road. Neither is right or wrong, it's just unfamiliar and a different way of life. I think it just comes down to adjustment. Something that I am having a hard time with out here. (sigh) TGIF Ahhh, I love Saipan's sunsets.

Good Morning Saipan

2007-10-17T04:15:00.000+10:00

Early Tuesday morning Crystal and I went live on Harry's Radio show 103.9 to promote National Dental Hygiene Awareness Month for the month of October. I was a bit nervous considering you never really know what Harry will ask you! Its good though because he keeps you guessing and I have to say that he's very professional on air! Needless to say we had a great time talking about the importance of proper oral hygiene and coming in regularly for dental checks every six months. We also discussed topics like how periodontal gum disease is linked to systemic diseases like Diabetes, Cardiovascular disease, Stroke, Low term prebirth babies, and Pulmonary disease. Your mouth is truly a window of your health. Hope we got the point across. Of course we had a couple of minutes towards the end to talk about diving as well.

Anyway I just realized that I have been a Registered Dental Hygienist for four years! Holy Cow! Time has flown by and I can't believe I have been in this profession for that long. I have learned so much about life and people in this profession. Many times I have taken the role as a counselor in the chair where people would vent about anything from marriage, work, and real life concerns. Personal discussions don't ever leave my dental office. Its amazing how much people will share with you though. I may not offer advice but I do have great ears=)

Church Planting In Kagman

2007-10-15T21:57:00.000+10:00

Since I was a kid I would hear about the amazing stories of missionaries church planting off in far away lands like Africa, Cambodia, or Thailand. As a kid I remember thinking how far those places seemed and how perfect those missionaries must be. Now that I have grown up I have realized that those places don’t seem so far away after all nor are those missionaries any different than you and me. Definitely not perfect. Experiencing God in Saipan has made me realize that He can use just about anyone who has a willing heart.

The Saipan Seventh-day Adventist Church is getting ready for our two-week evangelistic series in the village Kagman starting this Saturday. Never in my wildest dreams did I ever think I’d get a chance to take part in church planting. Pastor Ravia and the other missionaries have been going door-to-door giving Bible studies on Sabbath afternoons for the past couple of months. Pastor Duenas will be flying over from Guam to lead out in the series. The drama group that I have joined, Real Christian Theater, will be making its debut performing short skits before the sermon. I’m a little nervous about that . . . but I’m sure we’ll do just fine.

What I didn’t fully realize at first about church planting is what a major production it is. So much planning and hard work goes into these meetings. The load can seem unbearable at times. It made me realize how much work the Pastor does and much church support he needs. We believe with the hard times that have hit the CNMI that people are searching for something more than what this life has to offer. It’s been a challenging road but I am hopeful that God will work through us to bring even at least one person closer to Him. Please keep us in your prayers.

Dirt princess

2007-10-12T06:30:00.000+10:00

Drumroll please . . . My Gary Fisher Tassajara Mtn. bike has finally arrived! I'm sure my coworkers have been tired of me dancing around waiting for it. Its in pieces though and was shipped to me in two boxes. The hard part is waiting to have it built. I can't wait to get it dirty on the trails. Queen of the trails I am not but princess can?! Hmmm, maybe. I saw Kimiko the other day and asked if I could go riding with her so we'll see how that goes. I'm excited about adventure riding!

The Rota Blue Tri is coming up and I haven't biked at all! I've just been swimming and running mostly. I think I could bike it but I heard Rota's got some killer hills. You know I'm just doing this race to say that I completed a tri! Nevermind that I will probably come in last place. We'll see. I just need to invest in a really good helmet because after hearing tales about flying over handle bars . . . I'm a bit nervous.

Titan Trigger Fish Attack

2007-10-09T20:08:00.001+10:00

I had an interesting dive experience on Columbus Day! I realize that whenever you dive with a bunch of Bloggers you are in for an adventure and there will definitely be different online tales told . . . so here is mine!

Jeff invited me to go on the Aqua Jet for an afternoon boat dive with Bruce and Rose.
Our boat ride out to Naftan Point and Boy Scout was rough. The waves were huge but we were still lucky enough to end up with sunny skies. We were the only four customers and we had the entire boat to ourselves.

I went diving at Naftan Point with Greg a couple of months ago and I have to say that I wasn’t really thrilled about this dive site. Perhaps I'm alittle spoiled from the wall diving I did in Palau. Since I was the only one that did Naftan Point before they made me navigate this dive. So we dropped in about 80 feet and I led them along the wall. I was disappointed because there wasn’t a lot of coral to look at so I was just searching for Nudibranchs the entire dive. We reached about half tank and started heading back to our boat. On the way back to the boat we stumbled across this Fish that I thought was a baby Napoleon Wrasse. I was just looking at his lips and didn't realize he didn't have a hump on his head. I need to seriously work on my fish i.d. because this was actually a Titan Trigger Fish but of course I didn’t know that at the time. I thought it would be as friendly as the Napoleon Wrasse that we were petting in Palau so I didn’t think anything of it. Looks so innocent right? Not! This picture doesn't do it justice because it was huge! It must of been a 30 pounder atleast 3 feet long and 2 feet wide.

Would you get a look at this Titan Trigger fish giving me the old evil eye? I should have known something was up. Here’s some advice. When you come across a Titan Trigger fish swim the other way as fast as you can!! I had never heard about how aggressive these fish can be. I was about 10 ft away from this fish using my zoom lens to take pictures. What I didn’t know was while I was taking pictures of this fish Jeff and Rose were being attacked by another Titan Trigger Fish behind me! They both have bites on their legs. Jeff’s bite broke through the skin and was bleeding.
Luckily Rose was wearing her skin suit and only obtained a 3 x 2 bruise on her leg. Unaware of what is going on behind me I still continue to take pictures of this fish from a distance. Next thing I know the fish looks right at me and I kid you not darts quickly towards me like a little torpedo. It was that fast! All I could remember thinking was “Lanya!” and screamed underwater so loud that Rose heard me! We must have been about 40-50 feet. My quick gut reaction was to block my stomach by quickly swinging my camera downward. The Titan Trigger fish ended up running into my camera and left some teeth marks on my filter lens. Nice I know! Worst was I wasn’t wearing my wet suit because Jeff and Bruce were teasing me that I looked like at “tourist” and it was so hot that day. So that fish could of really torn my skin up. Rose was a great dive buddy and was hitting the fish with her slate board to back him away. We quickly exited that area. My heart was racing! Grrrrr. I’m never going back to Naftan again.

I did a little research on this fish and realized that this fish can do some real damage to you and can even kill you if your not careful. Usually they easily feel threatened and territorial if you are near their nest. That is probably what happened. Anyway, now I’m more afraid of the Titan Trigger Fish than sharks. Phew, we made it safely to the boat. Still can’t believe that happened. Despite the attacks I still had a great day of diving.Here's a picture of a Nudibranch we found. Too bad too sad its blurry! Deal=P