First Love
Today’s topic: My first love….
It was January of 1995. I was 10 years old, carefree and unsuspecting. I didn’t even realize I was falling in love until months later I found myself crying, broken-hearted, filled with longing and desire to go back.
My first love, the place that captured my heart and has held a special place ever since, is the island of Saipan. When we first visited as a family in 1995, my uncle and his family were living there. We took 7 weeks during January and February to go visit them. Other than a bit of math homework and a journaling project about my experience, our days were filled with touring the island, going to the many beaches, learning the culture and history, snorkelling in the crystal clear waters, helping my uncle maintain his salt-water aquarium, trips to Managaha, Forbidden, and Bird Islands, and so many other wonderful things for a 10-year-old child to experience. It seemed like an imaginary world, a wonderland of sorts. Then I remember, some months after returning home, sitting on my mother’s lap and sobbing my heart out, begging to go back.
About 11 years later, I did get the chance to go back, but this time as a teacher for the Adventist school there. I can’t imagine starting my teaching career anywhere else. With Barbara Maycock as my principal, she was supportive, yet laid-back, allowing me to discover and develop my own teaching style. And getting to live on Saipan for 2 years this time was full of adventure - snorkelling, diving, hiking, climbing, camping, exploring, early morning runs, and late afternoon swims - never a dull moment! Those 2 years broadened and deepened my love for that island.
After moving away, I’ve been fortunate to be able to visit twice - Christmas of 2010 and Spring Break of 2012. Often, my heart still longs to go back. I would love to be able to live and teach there again, but I realize that the possibilities are pretty slim of that happening since the immigration laws have changed. I know that Saipan is not without it’s challenges and hardships, but I think I’ll always see it as a perfect place, the place that my heart always longs for…….
It was January of 1995. I was 10 years old, carefree and unsuspecting. I didn’t even realize I was falling in love until months later I found myself crying, broken-hearted, filled with longing and desire to go back.
My first love, the place that captured my heart and has held a special place ever since, is the island of Saipan. When we first visited as a family in 1995, my uncle and his family were living there. We took 7 weeks during January and February to go visit them. Other than a bit of math homework and a journaling project about my experience, our days were filled with touring the island, going to the many beaches, learning the culture and history, snorkelling in the crystal clear waters, helping my uncle maintain his salt-water aquarium, trips to Managaha, Forbidden, and Bird Islands, and so many other wonderful things for a 10-year-old child to experience. It seemed like an imaginary world, a wonderland of sorts. Then I remember, some months after returning home, sitting on my mother’s lap and sobbing my heart out, begging to go back.
About 11 years later, I did get the chance to go back, but this time as a teacher for the Adventist school there. I can’t imagine starting my teaching career anywhere else. With Barbara Maycock as my principal, she was supportive, yet laid-back, allowing me to discover and develop my own teaching style. And getting to live on Saipan for 2 years this time was full of adventure - snorkelling, diving, hiking, climbing, camping, exploring, early morning runs, and late afternoon swims - never a dull moment! Those 2 years broadened and deepened my love for that island.
After moving away, I’ve been fortunate to be able to visit twice - Christmas of 2010 and Spring Break of 2012. Often, my heart still longs to go back. I would love to be able to live and teach there again, but I realize that the possibilities are pretty slim of that happening since the immigration laws have changed. I know that Saipan is not without it’s challenges and hardships, but I think I’ll always see it as a perfect place, the place that my heart always longs for…….
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