Comments on: Who goes to Saipan? http://killingbatteries.com/2008/05/who-goes-to-saipan/ Leif Pettersen's battery-powered rise to the zenith of travel writing rapture Sat, 04 Feb 2012 18:37:31 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3 By: Debra Girard http://killingbatteries.com/2008/05/who-goes-to-saipan/comment-page-1/#comment-329587 Debra Girard Fri, 26 Aug 2011 20:45:11 +0000 http://killingbatteries.com/2008/05/who-goes-to-saipan/#comment-329587 I noticed the last post was in early 2010. THe saipansucks site was written in 2006, before the DeLay scandal and the closing of most of the sweatshops. the writer of saipansucks clearly does have a bias- not because he mentions nepotism and cronyism (which is rampant everywhere, my dear) but sneering at those who are on the dole and the morality of the locals having children out of wedlock show he, she, or they have a clear ethnocentric bias. The last straw was when they called Saipan "The Mexico of the South Pacific" sneering not only at the locals, but at the Mexicans as well. I really did see this as quite racist, mass corruption notwithstanding. Do you know of recent sites about Saipan from the year 2011? I noticed the last post was in early 2010. THe saipansucks site was written in 2006, before the DeLay scandal and the closing of most of the sweatshops. the writer of saipansucks clearly does have a bias- not because he mentions nepotism and cronyism (which is rampant everywhere, my dear) but sneering at those who are on the dole and the morality of the locals having children out of wedlock show he, she, or they have a clear ethnocentric bias. The last straw was when they called Saipan “The Mexico of the South Pacific” sneering not only at the locals, but at the Mexicans as well. I really did see this as quite racist, mass corruption notwithstanding.

Do you know of recent sites about Saipan from the year 2011?

]]> By: Oceana http://killingbatteries.com/2008/05/who-goes-to-saipan/comment-page-1/#comment-144925 Oceana Tue, 23 Mar 2010 13:00:43 +0000 http://killingbatteries.com/2008/05/who-goes-to-saipan/#comment-144925 To Cindy, it's KALABERA Cave and it's not the only cave in Saipan with drawings... albeit, it's the only cave that's open to public knowledge, you can find drawings in caves located at LauLau Beach, Beehives' Cave in Marpi, and all others. You really just got to look and distinguish what's authentic and what's not.. If you ever go to Saipan, look up the guys at Historic Preservation Office and they'll let you know the best places to go... I work with them whenever i go back home, and it's better to go to them because they know where EVERYTHING is. Oh, and it's best not to pick up the bones or other things and put them in your bag-pack. You can get into loads of trouble. and to Gary, Saipan AND GUAM is IN Micronesia. Yap, Pohnpei, Chuuk, etc... are the Federated States of Micronesia... Difference? Politically yes. Location? No, not in the least. If you want to have a good time in Saipan, you should probably have looked around and asked some local people what's good... If you have, you would have tried Tuba (fermented coconut sap wine), Sakkou (Kava kava in Polynesian), CHAMORRO FOOD as in a local barbeque (which is, honest to buddha, radha, krishna, whoever, one of THE BEST ATTRACTIONS in the whole of the CNMI).... Chances are, you would have had the best time of your life, had you seek out local contact instead of having some pimp/cab driver take you around. Saipanese.... Micronesians, mainly... are one of the friendliest set of people on the planet and if you EVER needed a lift to go somewhere, food, money, drink, a place to stay, a warm bed at night... locals... they're always your answer. Anyway.... Marianas Trekking always has the tours. Sandcastle, you can see that anywhere in the mainland and in Guam... and for your info. the only reason why they would have wanted to hear about the Saipan travel log is because they want to hear you say it's worse than Guam. Guamanians want to be part of the U.S., the 51st State. Instead of Micronesia and the Pacific... where it actually belongs, geographically and culturally. I'm from Saipan (in Hilo, HI for school actually) as well. To Cindy, it’s KALABERA Cave and it’s not the only cave in Saipan with drawings…

albeit, it’s the only cave that’s open to public knowledge, you can find drawings in caves located at LauLau Beach, Beehives’ Cave in Marpi, and all others. You really just got to look and distinguish what’s authentic and what’s not.. If you ever go to Saipan, look up the guys at Historic Preservation Office and they’ll let you know the best places to go… I work with them whenever i go back home, and it’s better to go to them because they know where EVERYTHING is.
Oh, and it’s best not to pick up the bones or other things and put them in your bag-pack. You can get into loads of trouble.

and to Gary, Saipan AND GUAM is IN Micronesia. Yap, Pohnpei, Chuuk, etc… are the Federated States of Micronesia… Difference? Politically yes. Location? No, not in the least.

If you want to have a good time in Saipan, you should probably have looked around and asked some local people what’s good… If you have, you would have tried Tuba (fermented coconut sap wine), Sakkou (Kava kava in Polynesian), CHAMORRO FOOD as in a local barbeque (which is, honest to buddha, radha, krishna, whoever, one of THE BEST ATTRACTIONS in the whole of the CNMI)….

Chances are, you would have had the best time of your life, had you seek out local contact instead of having some pimp/cab driver take you around. Saipanese…. Micronesians, mainly… are one of the friendliest set of people on the planet and if you EVER needed a lift to go somewhere, food, money, drink, a place to stay, a warm bed at night… locals… they’re always your answer.

Anyway…. Marianas Trekking always has the tours. Sandcastle, you can see that anywhere in the mainland and in Guam…

and for your info. the only reason why they would have wanted to hear about the Saipan travel log is because they want to hear you say it’s worse than Guam. Guamanians want to be part of the U.S., the 51st State. Instead of Micronesia and the Pacific… where it actually belongs, geographically and culturally. I’m from Saipan (in Hilo, HI for school actually) as well.

]]> By: Nen http://killingbatteries.com/2008/05/who-goes-to-saipan/comment-page-1/#comment-131206 Nen Wed, 11 Nov 2009 22:28:27 +0000 http://killingbatteries.com/2008/05/who-goes-to-saipan/#comment-131206 hey kaksaka haha you're right. we will always survive in any situation :) After reading this, I realize how much I miss home. I know Saipan is not perfect to the rest of the world, but it is where I grew up and it will always be perfect to me. So Guam, stop hating and let's have a fiesta at Cristo Rai Church! hey kaksaka haha you’re right. we will always survive in any situation :) After reading this, I realize how much I miss home. I know Saipan is not perfect to the rest of the world, but it is where I grew up and it will always be perfect to me. So Guam, stop hating and let’s have a fiesta at Cristo Rai Church!

]]> By: Killing Batteries » Who goes to Guam? http://killingbatteries.com/2008/05/who-goes-to-saipan/comment-page-1/#comment-130639 Killing Batteries » Who goes to Guam? Tue, 03 Nov 2009 19:18:01 +0000 http://killingbatteries.com/2008/05/who-goes-to-saipan/#comment-130639 [...] Admittedly, that plane ticket price goes down the throat like a poorly prepared artichoke. Then there’s the spirit-wilting matter of the nearly eight hours of ass-flattening flight time it takes to get to Guam – that’s after you get to Hawaii, incidentally. Needless to say, if you’re starting from the U.S. Mainland, there is no such thing as a “long weekend in Guam”. The combination of distance and unholy jetlag will chop a good two days of enjoyment off the journey. Trips to Guam should be done in no less than seven day intervals, though 10 days or more is recommended not only to accommodate the added transit time, but also so you’ll have the ability to leisurely tack on a few side trips to the must-see nearby islands of Tinian, Rota and/or Yap (which I will roll into the upcoming post about Saipan). [...] [...] Admittedly, that plane ticket price goes down the throat like a poorly prepared artichoke. Then there’s the spirit-wilting matter of the nearly eight hours of ass-flattening flight time it takes to get to Guam – that’s after you get to Hawaii, incidentally. Needless to say, if you’re starting from the U.S. Mainland, there is no such thing as a “long weekend in Guam”. The combination of distance and unholy jetlag will chop a good two days of enjoyment off the journey. Trips to Guam should be done in no less than seven day intervals, though 10 days or more is recommended not only to accommodate the added transit time, but also so you’ll have the ability to leisurely tack on a few side trips to the must-see nearby islands of Tinian, Rota and/or Yap (which I will roll into the upcoming post about Saipan). [...]

]]> By: Tom http://killingbatteries.com/2008/05/who-goes-to-saipan/comment-page-1/#comment-124595 Tom Wed, 19 Aug 2009 21:28:46 +0000 http://killingbatteries.com/2008/05/who-goes-to-saipan/#comment-124595 How can you have written about Saipan without talking about the wonderful closeness of the people, and their warmth to outsiders? For example, that an outsider can't walk a mile on the beach along the lagoon on a Saturday without being invited by total strangers to join their BBQ's. Did you spend any time with locals? Did you learn that we have both Chamorros and Refaluwasch, with different languages and traditions? And yet the disgruntled ex-government lawyer from the mainland with the uber-negative website gets line after line. Apparently you do travelogue-type stuff, but even that would be deepened and enhanced by some reflections on the people, both the locals and the expats. For example, it's interesting how so many expats come here to do good things for the "natives," and then leave disillusioned and basically racist against locals, because their fairy tale visions of being the great white helper don't work out. (See disgruntled author of the website the accuracy of which you endorse after a few days on island.) Things here on Saipan can be messy--it's definitely a young government that's still growing and learning (as is the US)--but at least the locals are in charge. And I'll take that any day over the plastic feel of Hawaii or New Zealand, with their few words of indigenous languages scattered around the way scraps are tossed to animals. How can you have written about Saipan without talking about the wonderful closeness of the people, and their warmth to outsiders? For example, that an outsider can’t walk a mile on the beach along the lagoon on a Saturday without being invited by total strangers to join their BBQ’s.

Did you spend any time with locals? Did you learn that we have both Chamorros and Refaluwasch, with different languages and traditions?

And yet the disgruntled ex-government lawyer from the mainland with the uber-negative website gets line after line.

Apparently you do travelogue-type stuff, but even that would be deepened and enhanced by some reflections on the people, both the locals and the expats. For example, it’s interesting how so many expats come here to do good things for the “natives,” and then leave disillusioned and basically racist against locals, because their fairy tale visions of being the great white helper don’t work out. (See disgruntled author of the website the accuracy of which you endorse after a few days on island.)

Things here on Saipan can be messy–it’s definitely a young government that’s still growing and learning (as is the US)–but at least the locals are in charge. And I’ll take that any day over the plastic feel of Hawaii or New Zealand, with their few words of indigenous languages scattered around the way scraps are tossed to animals.

]]> By: kaksaka http://killingbatteries.com/2008/05/who-goes-to-saipan/comment-page-1/#comment-109022 kaksaka Sat, 31 Jan 2009 05:42:07 +0000 http://killingbatteries.com/2008/05/who-goes-to-saipan/#comment-109022 to all that say negative things about saipan and its people you are all too spoiled by money and the economic structures in the main land that you are too used to that when you come to our islands you dont find what your looking for because its back where you came from. the people of saipan will always survive any where we go. because we live with so little that we dont need the big things to live. if mother nature was to remove all structures man made from the earth where would that leave you with all your negativity and spoils of life. ill tell you that saipan will survive. fresh fish from our fishermen, fresh chicken from our farmers, fresh vegetables from our farmers again, all the coconut juice and ways of using this tree you will never learn. so go back to your spoils until you see in front of the black shade that covers your eyes leaving you blind with negativity. for you to truly understand saipan and the northern marianas and its people you would have to give up all your spoils and greet our culture with a hafa adai and see where that will take you. to all that say negative things about saipan and its people you are all too spoiled by money and the economic structures in the main land that you are too used to that when you come to our islands you dont find what your looking for because its back where you came from. the people of saipan will always survive any where we go. because we live with so little that we dont need the big things to live. if mother nature was to remove all structures man made from the earth where would that leave you with all your negativity and spoils of life. ill tell you that saipan will survive. fresh fish from our fishermen, fresh chicken from our farmers, fresh vegetables from our farmers again, all the coconut juice and ways of using this tree you will never learn. so go back to your spoils until you see in front of the black shade that covers your eyes leaving you blind with negativity. for you to truly understand saipan and the northern marianas and its people you would have to give up all your spoils and greet our culture with a hafa adai and see where that will take you.

]]> By: Lims http://killingbatteries.com/2008/05/who-goes-to-saipan/comment-page-1/#comment-107786 Lims Wed, 14 Jan 2009 06:17:50 +0000 http://killingbatteries.com/2008/05/who-goes-to-saipan/#comment-107786 Wow so many hatred against an Island that blooms with its natural Beauty. Why is Guam fill with hatred against Saipan? When Saipan has done nothing but to love Guam. And yes we can never be like Guam, We are not fully funded by the united states, we don't have the Army base, Navy base, or Marine base to live off from; Burger King, Wendys, or other great American fast food to eat from. Oh and lets not forget, Great malls where people can go and enjoy an indoor shopping that fills with many beautiful things provided by some country. But we are just an Islands that is simply trying to share our culture our own stuff things will help tours remember about Saipan and its way of life. and by far i think we are doing good so far. Yes, our Government has fallen, but not the people! And lets not forget that Saipan stands upon the people. And yes wrong choices will occur, people will have to face challenges, and many mistakes will take place before succession appear. But we will see the success bloom in Saipan.. I am not from here, I am a resident of Federated states of Micronesia and i hope that one day i will become a citizen of Saipan. I've lived here for 18 yrs now, been to the U.S, and also in Guam and I'll have to say, I am more comfortable In Saipan then I am in Guam. People are a lot friendlier and are willing to help, and most important is they still have their culture. But this is not all, I do know that the economy is not doing so well, But if you look at other places and other countries and their economical crises i think Saipan is doing a lot better. And Guam please before you start making any bad remarks on Saipans economy please do look at yours first. Thank you;) Saipan( The Island I love) Wow so many hatred against an Island that blooms with its natural Beauty.
Why is Guam fill with hatred against Saipan?
When Saipan has done nothing but to love Guam. And yes we can never be like Guam, We are not fully funded by the united states, we don’t have the Army base, Navy base, or Marine base to live off from; Burger King, Wendys, or other great American fast food to eat from. Oh and lets not forget, Great malls where people can go and enjoy an indoor shopping that fills with many beautiful things provided by some country. But we are just an Islands that is simply trying to share our culture our own stuff things will help tours remember about Saipan and its way of life. and by far i think we are doing good so far. Yes, our Government has fallen, but not the people! And lets not forget that Saipan stands upon the people. And yes wrong choices will occur, people will have to face challenges, and many mistakes will take place before succession appear. But we will see the success bloom in Saipan..
I am not from here, I am a resident of Federated states of Micronesia and i hope that one day i will become a citizen of Saipan. I’ve lived here for 18 yrs now, been to the U.S, and also in Guam and I’ll have to say, I am more comfortable In Saipan then I am in Guam. People are a lot friendlier and are willing to help, and most important is they still have their culture.
But this is not all, I do know that the economy is not doing so well, But if you look at other places and other countries and their economical crises i think Saipan is doing a lot better.
And Guam please before you start making any bad remarks on Saipans economy please do look at yours first. Thank you;)

Saipan( The Island I love)

]]> By: Jeremy http://killingbatteries.com/2008/05/who-goes-to-saipan/comment-page-1/#comment-84684 Jeremy Thu, 07 Aug 2008 04:13:21 +0000 http://killingbatteries.com/2008/05/who-goes-to-saipan/#comment-84684 i'm from the island of guam, and personally, saipan fascinates me much more than the island of guam ever will. sure we have all this "hustle and bustle", but i have a few friends from the islands of saipan/rota/tinian, and it amazes me at how close they are even if they are islands apart. i always feel left out, wanting to share in this close friendship. i constantly read stories they tell me, and they make it seem like all they need to do is swim to the next island and have the time of their lives with friends. i've been wanting to visit the CNMI along with the other Micronesian islands all my life. but never had the time or money to even try. so maybe one day, i would be able to leave this island of Guam and maybe when i come back, i'll have a newfound appreciation for Guam. i’m from the island of guam, and personally, saipan fascinates me much more than the island of guam ever will. sure we have all this “hustle and bustle”, but i have a few friends from the islands of saipan/rota/tinian, and it amazes me at how close they are even if they are islands apart. i always feel left out, wanting to share in this close friendship. i constantly read stories they tell me, and they make it seem like all they need to do is swim to the next island and have the time of their lives with friends. i’ve been wanting to visit the CNMI along with the other Micronesian islands all my life. but never had the time or money to even try. so maybe one day, i would be able to leave this island of Guam and maybe when i come back, i’ll have a newfound appreciation for Guam.

]]> By: dude_of_guam http://killingbatteries.com/2008/05/who-goes-to-saipan/comment-page-1/#comment-78377 dude_of_guam Sat, 26 Jul 2008 02:18:28 +0000 http://killingbatteries.com/2008/05/who-goes-to-saipan/#comment-78377 I'm from the very beautiful island of Guam, but I live here in Saipan, bacause my wife is from here(she's from Virginia, actually). Saipan is alright, too laid back, but I prefer going to the malls on Guam, where I can eat at the food court, go to Burger King and enjoy life. I miss Guam so much, that every time we go there I feel and look like a tourist with a huge smile on my face--I know it's kind of pathetic! Saipan is my second home, but it will never replace Guam, because Guam is always will be my number one home...FOREVER!! I’m from the very beautiful island of Guam, but I live here in Saipan, bacause my wife is from here(she’s from Virginia, actually). Saipan is alright, too laid back, but I prefer going to the malls on Guam, where I can eat at the food court, go to Burger King and enjoy life. I miss Guam so much, that every time we go there I feel and look like a tourist with a huge smile on my face–I know it’s kind of pathetic! Saipan is my second home, but it will never replace Guam, because Guam is always will be my number one home…FOREVER!!

]]> By: Aguarin http://killingbatteries.com/2008/05/who-goes-to-saipan/comment-page-1/#comment-70940 Aguarin Fri, 20 Jun 2008 10:22:57 +0000 http://killingbatteries.com/2008/05/who-goes-to-saipan/#comment-70940 I live on Guam & I care about Saipan as well. In fact, I want to visit Saipan this year just to boost their economy a little. I haven't been to Saipan but I care deeply about the place. I wish the best of luck and happiness to all of the CNMI's residents. I live on Guam & I care about Saipan as well.
In fact, I want to visit Saipan this year
just to boost their economy a little.

I haven’t been to Saipan but I care deeply about the place.

I wish the best of luck and happiness to all of the CNMI’s residents.

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