Safety Tips in Guam

To say that guam is a horrible place is actually quite an understatement. ALL of the negative reviews about guam that I've read so far are spot on - this coming from someone who has lived there for over 18 years. This godforsaken pile of dirt is full of ignorant, cocky, highly uneducated, and barbaric animals that call themselves chamorros and filipinos. Everything on guam is corrupt, starting with the government. Listed below are some warnings about guam in no particular order:

- Keep in mind that this place is called the "island of thieves."

- The locals think they're immortal and will try to fight you for ANY reason. Everyone here thinks they're a mixed-martial artist or has some affiliation to one.

- The place is full of highly uneducated animals, which was clearly evidenced by the review from badapple. What a major douchebag this guy is. U R such a tool, go get edumacated U dumba$$.

- The chamorros and filipinos will tell you to get off their island if you're any other race. This is quite ironic because filipinos are starting to consider themselves "Asian" when they're really Pacific Islanders. If you're Caucasian, they'll call you haole, which simply means "outsider," but keep in mind that they're saying this to you to be derogatory.

- Did I mention they like to steal?

- The island, including its waters, is more polluted than a Waste Management dumpsite.

- Don't expect ANY sort of common courtesy or decency as these animals don't know any better.

- This place has one of the highest teen pregnancies in the world per capita - this goes back to the lack of education on the island.

- guam has the highest consumption of spam in the world per capita; this is something they're actually proud of.

- Tourists are prime targets for robbery and assault and battery.

- As a tourist, you really don't have much to do other than a little shopping and hanging out at the polluted beaches.

- The cops are corrupt so don't bother calling them if you need them, ESPECIALLY if you're a tourist. They really couldn't care less about you.

- Keep in mind that most of the locals have lived there all their lives and have never set foot outside of the island. Consequently, you'll meet some of the most ignorant people on this earth! It's not unreasonable to assume that these people think that the world actually revolves around guam! Most people that leave guam typically move back because they have a hard time interacting with society outside of the island.

If you're a tourist, this is a horrible place to visit. Your money is better spent elsewhere, I guarantee it - they're so desperate that they'll steal from you any chance they get. It's not very hard to figure out when you have people like PrincessGee making statements such as "DON'T MESS WITH A DRUNK CHAMORRO, YOU GET your ass beat down!!" These statements just speak for themselves.

Dont Believe these fool's that tell u guam's Bad! .... guam has so much to offer.....If U got an open mind and UR not an A$$ Guam will treat u right! Just dnt come here and think U da King! cause We Dnt Kiss A$$ here! If guam was so bad Y do so many Americans and Foreigners call guam Home???? it's Because they came here and truly appreciated the Culture and the Island.......like I said B4 these folk R over exaggerating! Crime on guam is minuet compared to any City in the UnitedState's! Pollution? out of 20 or 30 so beaches we might have 2 or 3 that R polluted,due to run off! but most R clean and safe to swim in.Expensive: aint to different than Hawaii,HongKong,tahiti,Califonia or any City that's known fro tourism.(unfriendly locals) So not true! hAve u ever bin to France? well then U realy dont know what Unfriendly folk R then! If u got a good Attitude and not act like U sumthing Special! U will find urself life long friend's.

I have lived in guam for a little over three years, and i will be the first to tell you DO NOT GO TO THIS ISLAND! STDs, crime (assaults, burglary, and DUIs just to name a few), and price gouging on this island are ridiculous. Lady boys and men girls run rampant here. Japanese tourist come here mainly to get married and just to have a little get away from the norm since the island is so close to japan, it is like someone from the states who lives in Louisiana going to Texas. If you are going to spend two thousand dollars plus on a plane ticket, there are much nicer places to go. The Chommoro peoples slogan is "Hafa dai" (possibly wrong spelling) which means hello. Taken into english context, half-a-day, because that is all that these people believe in working. The island consist of only one MAIN road with streets off to the side. Traffic is horrendous, and at any moment a traffic accident is likely to occur. If you want to drive when you are there, rent a car and GET IT INSURED! Hospitality is that of a reletive who doesnt really like you but lets you come over just because your family. The government here is very corrupt and is ran by three major families. The Aguons, Cruz, and Chamacho families have a hand in EVERYTHING that happens on that island. Groceries and import/export companies are owned by these families. There is always someone from these families seated in there government. which means, the laws that get passed are in the favor of there families. Before 2007, it was hard to find eating establishments that would even take debit/credit cards because their facilities were not set up for that. Speed limit everywhere on the island is a pathetic 35Mph. Even with the speed limit siiting as low as it is, traffic jams still occur on the daily. If you have to move there for long term stayings, i feel for you. Please try to stay away from GTA and MCV. Both of these companies will rip you off with anything you get. I was paying 59.99 for 2.2Mbs in guam. I assumed it was the normal price. I recently moved back to the states and i am only paying 29.99 for 7.9Mbs service. If this is understandable, can someone explain it to me cause i am having a hard time understanding. Taxi cabs too are a major rip off to the people who are not there on vacation. If you want to travel the length of the island which is 16 miles, expect to pay one hundted dollars plus and to cap it off, more than an hour taxi ride because of the 35Mph speed limit.

On a new note, there is something that is due to these people. THEY CAN COOK! Red rice with fenedne is unbelievable. When you eat it, it taste like an explsion of light in your mouth... Any questions, please feel free to email me at gucci_timerland@yahoo.com

I've chosen to make my home on Guam for personal reasons, but this is the worst place I've ever lived. I've been to many islands, and most island people are welcoming, friendly, and charming. This place is almost hostile. No concept of hospitality, and the worst waiters and service people I've ever encountered in my life. Try taking care of business at the department of revenue and taxation - you may need a drink or a shoulder to cry on afterward.

Everything costs double, not just because goods have to be imported, but because local business have monopolies on certain industries and charge as much as they can. When first apartment hunting, I was shown $1,500-$2,000 per month apartments so run-down and nasty that I've seen better section 8 housing stateside. This is because all property owners automatically set their base rents at military housing allowance, which is a ridiculously high $1,700. Try renting a decent (one that isn't filthy and will not get broken into) apartment on a regular salary - yeah, not gonna happen. Oh, and if you like air-conditioning (who doesn't when it's 90 degrees outside 90% of the year?), prepare to pay $400 or more per month for a single family home.

I've lived in big, major metropolitan areas, cities people associate with crime. I had never been robbed - until I got to Guam. I was robbed on Guam twice in two years. And when I say robbed, I mean "inside jobs." Staff at the hotel and apartment where I stayed had access to my rooms (duh, they're staff). One day, after a short stay off island, I came home to find everything gone - even my freaking tennis shoes. When the cops came, I pointed out empty beer cans that weren't mine (yeah, the thieves made themselves right at home). Perhaps they should take them for prints....they LAUGHED. The police LAUGHED AT ME because GUAM HAS NO FINGERPRINT DATABASE OR FORENSIC LAB OF ANY KIND.

People still abuse/ignore stray animals and enjoy cock-fighting here. The island's only pound is disgusting and in disrepair (have you been to the SPCA on Oahu? It's like a hotel). Guam's situation with animals is 40 years or more behind most developed nations.

If you get sick on Guam, you are screwed. Basically, if you go into Guam Memorial Hospital for an emergency, chances are you won't come out alive. The GMH emergency room entrance looks like a triage unit for an army doing ground warfare in the middle east. The parking lot is packed 24/7 (when I say "packed" I mean, cars have to park all the way down the street and into a residential area). Why? Because people who have no money or insurance use it as a clinic - because they know they can't be turned away. That's right - they just don't give a damn. They don't care that people with real emergencies may suffer because they caught a cold and don't want to pay for the treatment. Oh, did I mention the hospital is not approved by stateside medical organizations? And that some of its former directors have been accused/convicted of theft and selling prescriptions?

And based on news of late, it looks like our next governor will either be a nepotistic thief of a murdering thief. No, I am not speaking in metaphors - the locals will know what I'm talking about.

Most locals will start getting a rope ready to hang you if you spoke of any of this (elephant in living room stuff) in public. It's because most have never lived any where else for an extend period of time, although more Chamorros live off island than on island (gee I wonder why). And they're really sensitive. Anyway, I'm here to stay, for a while anyway. And I smile and welcome everyone and try to be good island representative and try to pretend like this place isn't going to hell in a hand-basket.

Advice: Shop at Cost-u-less; Other grocery stores, especially Payless, charge double or triple cost-u-less. Kmart may be the only place you can find what you need, but it's not like stateside k-marts - they are (I can't believe I'm saying this about Kmart) EXPENSIVE. They take advantage of us because they're the only place. If you have access to the stores on base, go. Get an ebay account if you don't already have one. Use it, love it, and never let it go. I saw something at Micropac (electronics store that RAPES its customers because they are sole distributor for certain popular electronics products) selling for $400 that I got on ebay for $75!!!!!! THE SAME DAMN THING - only mine was a NEWER MODEL!!!! If people here think they can separate you from your money, they will. You must demand lower prices everywhere you go - including the power authority, phone companies, cell phone companies, etc. Don't be ashamed. The service is so damn bad, we should get discounts for that alone!

Hi After spending six months on Guam I learned a lot. First of all, behind the facades of the beautiful hotels hygiene is terrible. I saw the feast displayed on buffets for Sunday brunch from behind the scenes, cooked food was placed on the floors in the halls for servers to pick up to place on trays, dishes are wiped clean with dirty rags because the water pressure is low. So beware of where and what you eat.
Guam is populated by very poor people, this is a slum island most people have slum or ghetto mentalities but if you are not from their culture you won't recognize it until you realize your girlfriend steals ashtrays from peoples houses and will eventually teach your children that stealing is ok. Girls from the slums make men feel great and the islanders have no respect for marriage. They see a man from The Mainland through eyes with dollar bills signs ringing up their best financial opportunity.
The architecture is 60's slums, the hotels are pretty but it is true that one or two were not earthquake or typhoon proof. Standard of living is so low that lower middle class homes look really good on Guam. Not many good shops if you want anything other than perfume or designer scarves.
The police on Guam are notorious for being very brutal. Excessive force is common. Divorces on Guam will favor locals so if you and your spouse want a divorce don't divorce on Guam, the adulterer usually has a local squeeze and the judge favors the party with a local adulterer.
Forget law, I attempted to withdraw money from a joint bank account before my divorce on Guam and the bank refused to release the money. Women on Guam are very jealous and devious.
Health care on Guam is quite poor, if you are very sick leave the island to be seen in a hospital at Hawaii or St. Lukes in Manila or go to Tokyo.
Military Wives on Guam live in misery, mucho gossip, no privacy, dog pile politics, dirty laundry, crime on base, few activities available and it is a long way home.
The schools on Guam are inferior to any in any part of the world, so are the teachers and the principals. Jobs are awarded to relatives of the politicians and for those who make large campaign contributions.
There are few friendly people on Guam.
Transmitting STD's seems to be the local sport. I was lucky to get away from my spouse before
I contracted the health problems his girlfriend gave h im. Another big trick is for women to get pregnant on Guam then get married or to conceal children they had when they were teenagers from a future spouse.
The beaches are polluted. Raw seage is dumped into the beach area from hotels, the roads aren't banked, there are frequent power outages, tap water from the fawcet might not ever be more than a trickle, don't drink it, garbage pick up is usually non existent and there are many burglaries.
Culture is non existent on Guam, there are not any museums, the Chamorro culture on Guam is not Chamorro, the most authentic Chamorro culture are on Saipan on Rota. There are no theaters, no concerts, no art galleries, no good newspapers (free speech is limited by publishers who have other priorities), the beaches are seriously and dangerously polluted, single women are not safe, single men will be approached by very available partners (at least in Amersterdam they are tested). Children will have no educational stimulation or activities.
Guam is Great for Loosers who can't make it in the Mainland USA.
It is better to visit Saipan

DANGER!!! Guam is a place for cheap ass holes that think they are saving their family a little money for a bunch of Chamorro that do not appreciate ***, hell they smell like ***. They are rude and think they are better than “actual” Americans. I lived there for a couple of year and they would wine like little pussy babies about how they wanted America to leave. I would tell them all the time they would get over run by Japan or something and they would get angry and try fighting. I would have to beat their asses and the wining would start back. Trust me. Avoid Guam at all cost.

Guam is a third world ghetto. I have NOT found the locals to be the least bit nice to non-islanders. This island is about 15-20 years behind any modern country. There is graffiti, abandoned cars, abandoned buildings and trash almost everywhere you go. If you are coming here for two weeks to stay on the "strip"( where the hotels are) then you might enjoy yourself if you enjoy shopping at high end stores and staying on the beach the entire time.(Caution for the beaches-they are, for the most part, polluted.) I would highly recommend Bali or Bora Bora over this place any day.
Caution to those of you who are thinking about moving here or PCSing here, this place is a NIGHTMARE! keep in mind its 15+ years behind modern times....Anyone who has very positive reviews has either stayed here for less than two weeks, came to Guam from a less fortunate country, or enjoys the lazy, "laid back", I don't care attitude of the locals.
Not all of the locals are this way... just 95% of them......

I don't think this isn't a problem on almost any island that has a good sized population. Common sense say's that if there is a river or drainage area close to where you are swimming, be advised with stong rains, there is potential for polluted runoff from cars and the streets.

Not a big problem, but something to be aware off.