Shark Sh*t

Yes, I tan now. Believe it. Sundays out here have proven to be the best day of the week. We usually start the day at Mass (that's right, Mom :) - either Mount Carmel in Susupe or more recently Santa Lourdes in Kagman - and then partake in some great afternoon event, be it snorkeling, BBQing with friends, boating, hiking, golfing, you name it. It's Sunday more than any other day where Colleen and I periodically stop the action and remind ourselves that we live here, this is no joke, not a dream, the sunburn is real.

We've been lucky to fall into an outstanding group of friends pretty quickly. We are a large group of people from all over, with wildly different stories, who have come out here for similar reasons. Whether they're here to fulfill the travel bug, or delaying being a grown-up, it's easy to find common ground and share this adventure together. Colleen has always said that when you grow up in a small town away from relatives, your friends become your extended family. We have certainly found that to be true in this case and are grateful for the support that comes along with the friendships.

It's much easier to get motivated here and to constantly be doing, on the go, etc. There is an element that this isn't forever, so every day you gotta go here, see this, get it all in, take pictures. Below are a few photos from Managaha Island, which is a tiny island off the west side of Saipan. It's still within the reef and makes for some of the best snorkeling on island. It's also a great BBQ spot for Sunday Fundays. The pictures of me holding strange black things are sea cucumbers, or Balati in Chamorro, and they're everywhere. They're kind of squishy and they squirt water out when you squeeze them. You can imagine the sort of nicknames that the Balati has been given - I affectionately refer to it as shark sh*t.