In this military life, many of us have weathered the storm of at least ONE set of surprise PCS orders. The kind that knocked glasses askew when they blasted into our lives, and spun us in a whirlwind of confusion.

When my husband came home with the surprise choice between Bahrain or Guam, I suddenly doubted whether I’d ever studied a complete map of the world.

For if I had, surely I would have been able to point to at least one of them on a map without googling it first.

Neither of those options were Virginia, which was where we had been told we would be heading next.

But I had to let that expectation go, and quickly. OCONUS (outside the continental united states) moves require a lot of preparation, and therefore, time. 

The choice turned out to be relatively easy: one was an accompanied tour, and the other was not.

My family had endured enough of my husband’s absence in recent years; I wouldn’t choose a duty station where we weren’t allowed to go with him. 

So here we are, a year later, living on an island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. One that doesn’t even show up on the map, unless you zoom in.

A lot!

Compared to some OCONUS locations, Guam is a gentler transition, because it is a US Territory.

It was invaded and occupied by the Japanese during World War Two in 1941, and liberated by US Marines in 1944.

Most people speak English here, though there is a heavy Asian influence, and a ton of tourism from Japan and other Asian countries. 

Though connected to the US in name, it’s impossible to forget that we’re on the other side of the world.

There’s no daylight savings time here. Only 931 miles from the equator, the sun is incredibly powerful.

Its always hot, and from May-November, the wet season hurls tropical depressions and typhoons toward our little island with the accuracy of an MLB pitcher.

Year round and without warning, we have earthquakes, averaging 170 of them per year. 

There is plenty to miss about the mainland, if I allow myself to fall into the trap of comparison.

Most recognizable American shopping: the big box stores, outdoor centers, bookstores, clothing outlets, or restaurants… won’t be found here.

Sometimes I dream of drifting through a Barnes N’ Noble or browsing in Sam’s Club.

Don’t even ask me how often I lament over the loss of Target or Whole Foods.

There are stocking issues in the stores that we do have. Everything takes a long time to get here, and so not only is our stock unreliable, but we can go weeks or even months without seeing our favorite products (or flavors) on the shelves.

If we manage to get off-season produce, the price is three times what we were used to paying back in the states. And because of how long it takes to get it all here, it’s neither very fresh, nor long-lasting.

Living on the island has been an absolute eye opener to just how much convenience and accessibility has embedded itself into the American lifestyle.

Until we left the mainland, my husband and I had no idea just how easy it had been for us to get whatever we wanted, whenever we wanted.

It didn’t matter if it was in season, or if there had been a bad storm. Now, it’s the norm to wait 4 weeks or more just for an Amazon package to arrive (and that’s if it manages not to get lost on the way here). 

Despite its logistical challenges, Guam has a lot to offer, especially if you step off the beaten track.

The beaches are stunning; the crystal waters everything you’d expect from a tropical island.

The sea life we encounter in one afternoon at our local beach could fill a BBC documentary. It’s provided a once in a lifetime opportunity to immerse our kids into the ocean’s wonders.

Guam has fostered a connection to the sea that I hope will last throughout our lives. 

 We frequently see baby black tip sharks, trigger fish, eels, butterfly fish, sea cucumbers, puffer fish, urchins, blue sea stars, and crabs of all kinds.

Going down to the beach at sunset has become one of our favorite things to do as a family; we search for Coconut crabs, which emerge at night and can weigh up to 9 lbs.

We also look for eels and other nocturnal hunters among the tide pools.

There’s also lots of hiking, affectionately called “Boonie Stomping” here on the island.

Most hikes lead to the beach, or to waterfalls and swimming holes. Some treks climb summits, including Mount Lamlam.

Some consider it to be the tallest mountain in the world, since it originates from the floor of the Marianas Trench, the deepest oceanic trench on our planet.

We never expected to be here, but the shift that our island home has provided has been invaluable.

It has reinforced the need to be flexible, and to look for the good in the unexpected.

It has illuminated the places where we needed to grow in gratitude, and given us a personal stake in the protection of our oceans. 

It has offered us the time, albeit at a slower island pace, to take in the adventures and lessons that this tiny green dot on the map has to offer, amidst its expanse of blue. 

*For more from Kaci, visit her M:M Author Page. You can learn more about the Navy Base in Guam that Kaci calls home.