Yay! I finally got my charger back and now I’m ready to type away…

So, naturally a portion of my heart will always love Guam. It’s where I was born, it was where I was raised, and majority of my family and friends still live there. That is reason enough for me to keep coming back. However, for those who don’t have family nor friends there, this is why you should visit Guam:

• Gateway to Asian countries or the United States..depending where you come from. Guam is 3 hours away from the Philippines and Japan. There are direct flights daily with various air carriers. Guam also has a direct flight to Honolulu, Hawaii. Although, Guam is a U.S. territory, it is safer for U.S. citizens to travel with their passports instead of their Driver’s License because some of the connecting flights to Guam are from International countries. For non U.S. citizens, you may need a Visa to enter Guam, depending on your country of origin.
• Shopping. Guam offers an array of affordable fashion and high-end boutiques ranging from Calvin Klein, Nine West, Coach, Kate Spade, Marc Jacobs, Michael Kors to Louis Vuitton, GUCCI, Prada, CÈLINE, CHANEL, and Hermès. Not only is the selection optimal, but I also discovered that prices are lower in Guam than it is stateside. For example, the LV Favorite MM is listed online in the U.S. as $985.00. It is sold in Guam for $900. Also, the popular bags, such as the Speedy and Neverfull, are made in France or Spain, whereas stateside these bags are made in the U.S. itself.
• People. Guam is a melting pot of different ethnicities and cultures. Many Filipinos have migrated to Guam from the early 60’s to the 70’s and made Guam home. I am a  product of a Fil-Guamanian home. My parents are not indigenous to Guam, and therefore, I don’t call myself a Chamorro, but I am definitely Guamanian. There are also a handful of Japanese, Koreans, Chinese, Micronesians, and Middle Easterners that have made Guam home. Because there are many ethnicities on island, you will find that local people are friendly and welcoming. With that being said, don’t try to claim the island as yours or give someone the staredown, because you’ll be creating enemies instead of friends.
• Lifestyle. Every island I’ve ever been to, has a much laidback approach. Guam is no exception. Everything runs on island time. And that could be a good thing or a bad thing. However, the hustle and bustle of city life does get old and sometimes you just need to slow things down a bit…and Guam is all too familiar with that. Also, Guamanians and Chamorros are not big on brands and fancy clothes (ironic considering we have a huge selection of high-end stores.)  You can walk into any store with flip-flops, t-shirt and jeans and be treated the same, or even better, than the average tourist.
• Food. Now because the island is a melting pot of different cultures, you will also find a variety of different restaurants and dishes. Many places have been influenced by the local market. For instance, Jamaican Grill, which from the name of it denotes that it serves Jamaican food, however, you will find local favorites like red rice and chicken kelaguen. The McDonald’s on island serves portuguese sausage and rice. And, you will discover many other restaurants that offer local favorites with outside influences.
• Beaches. White sandy beaches for miles, which is all public property. Guam boasts a number of different beaches all around the island that offers a variety of sea life and sand life. You will also find lots of beach space ALL to YOURSELF.
• Tax Free. Although in line with shopping, this is a reason in itself. No sales tax! I love going to Wendy’s and paying only $.99 for a Junior Bacon Cheeseburger or shopping at Ross and finding an awesome dress for $19.99 and paying the actual sticker price with no tax added…Love it!
• Warm Weather. Winters give me cold feet..literally and figuratively. I dream of defrosting in a white sandy beach, with a moscow mule in my hand, and the sun setting before me. This works if you have warm weather around you… and you’ll find plenty of that in Guam. Typically weather ranges between low 80’s but expect humidity. That is island life..

So, I hope I have convinced you enough to go and take that plunge and visit the beautiful island of Guam! If you do, don’t forget to make some friends along the way…and tell them that IslanderinHeels sent you there.