After a long, anxious four months, my loving wife and I are officially closing up shop in the Contenential United States and moving to the Island of Rota in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI.) Frankly, the debt laden, gas-fixated, workaday stress in pursuit of some sort of ‘American dream’ has propelled us to take the financial risk and massive monetary cutbacks in stride and venture off to the edge of the Pacific Ocean, where it at last meets the Philippine Sea.
Rota is the southernmost island in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. It is approximately 45 miles north of Guam (a separate US Territory) and 75 south of Saipan. The island has a tiny population of about 3500 people, living in either Songsong, on the southwestern peninsula, or Sinapalo on the interior.
Image via Google Earth
Image via Magellan Geographix
For my wife, moving there means guaranteed employment, albeit at a much lower salary than she would enjoy here in Montgomery County, PA. For me, it’s an entirely different story: one of potential damage to my tiny, yet steady little biz.
For the past six years (holy crap, it’s actually seven,) I have built up a small freelance design business, finding my niche mostly in the publishing/medical publishing realm. On rare, blissful occasions, I get a client who wants a logo or some website/flash work done, but mainly, on the creative side, I mostly do book covers, and to fill in the space between, I slave over whatever production/printer mechanical work I can get my hands on.
I have met with my main clients and have been shakily assured that they are willing to continue our relationships just as long as the paperless model I have worked so hard to build holds true.
We shall see, we shall see.
Now, down to some business, if you please:
I have started a new blog that will cover our experiences as we pack, as we move, and finally, as we spend our day-to-day on Rota.
You can find it here:
http://operationrota.blogspot.com
Here is the working logo, which is subject to change:
Please give it a visit when you get a moment. Right now, it may seem a tad boring as we have not departed; however, I guarantee that my wife and I shall do our very best to shine a light on our future corner of the world. Further, I have been speaking with several residents of Saipan, Rota and Guam who are excited about contributing to the blog. It’s just a matter of my wife and I actually stepping foot on Rota’s soil.
And now, for a little bit of Meta!
• First and foremost, please let it be known that I have no intention of chronicling our experiences based on imperial or pre-conceived notions. Rather, our goal with the blog is to be objective from the very start. Yes, there are many, many political and economic problems in the Northern Marianas, and yes, we shall address them; however, because we have not yet breathed an ounce of the air there, we are not inclined to pursue our desires for having positive change by bursting through the airport with angry protest signs. We would much rather base our actions and opinions on first hand knowledge of what it is like to live in the CNMI, what hardships and blessings its citizens have to endure, and where we can be of specific help. We hope you can understand that.
• I ditched my signature, which I have had from the beginning and sadly, no one ever asked me about. In its place, I have shamelessly placed a link to my new blog. Whenever you are compelled to click it, please imagine yourself, upon Duane from What’s Happening’s request, putting a shoe in something.
(from "Charge:" Episode 50.)
• Because of the context of this diary, I felt it prudent to buy some ads right here at Daily Kos. While I don’t really think It’ll make me a celeb, It felt good to at last contribute some money to Markos’ site. Further, I have chosen to add self-promotion to the tags. I did my best not to overstep my perception of ‘advertising’ here, and just in case, I purchased an ad as mentioned above.
• While we had planned it, unfortunately, my wife and I won’t be able to make it to our first Yearly Kos. I was really looking forward to meeting some of you in person. Who knows, maybe Yearly Kos will trek its way to Saipan some day ;)
• And lastly, If you are interested in linking to my blog or want yours linked on mine, please feel free to contact me by clicking here.. There are a few that I’d love to link to and I’ll be contacting each soon. I’m not a mandatory link trader, BTW; I generally ask before I link, and if the other person is willing to make it a full trade, I’m grateful.
Welp, that’s about it for now. We are leaving on the 23rd of July, and won’t be on the island until the 25th. In the interim between now and the last second before I unplug my computer and put it in a FEDEX box (we don’t have a laptop as of yet,) I’ll do my best to keep the blog updated and toss in my usual snazzy comments here at Daily Kos.
If you ever came across me here at Daily Kos and thought you just might care about me and my widely publicized wife, please pray, or cross your fingers, or stroke your lucky penny that we have success on our journey. It would mean a lot.
Thanks to all of you in advance!
Love,
Andrew & Suz
PS: Thx to dengre for his help this week. Please check out his excellent diaries, which often deal with the CNMI.'
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