Hi 

  My husband and I will be moving our family to Guam in 2012...  I was just wondering if someone can tell me the number of pets you are allowed to have on base???  Also I am excited but scared all at the same time b/c of the weather there...  It is horrible??? (as far as storms go???)  I am a HUGE chicken...  And what is the native language???  I feel I should learn to at least speak the basics b/c it could prove helpful...  If anyone has any advise please feel free to give it... lol  I have never been outside of the states so this is COMPLETELY new and as you all can imagine or even know it can be frightening...  

Thanks Geneva

Good to know:

+prices in stores include VAT (tax). If it says $4.99 it costs $4.99 (like in Europe :-)

+Homes are built to be typhoon resistant and can handle the weather.

+It is recommended that you bring a generator with you.

+Guam does not recognize nor accept motorcycle licenses not issued by the Guam Department of Motor Vehicles you'll have to re-test. Just a heads up.

+ Since it's a Joint base here is individual base info: NBG homepage http://www.andersen.af.mil/

Kelly says about Guam:

Whether you are heading to Guam -courtesy of the military- or you are just curious about this assignment this extensive post by Kelly on tle="joint-region-marianas-guam/housing/" href="bases/joint-region-marianas-guam/housing/">militarydutystations.com leaves almost no questions unanswered.

The Island

There are pluses and minutes about Guam. One must keep an open mind coming here because the culture and way of life are different and the island is small and I am not going to lie it can be monotonous at times but if you are easy to adapt as most military and their families are then it shouldn’t be a problem. The locals are called Chamorros and if you are lucky enough to befriend some you will be entertained by some great bbq’s…be sure to get some of the recipes for their red rice etc. “Boonie” is a nickname used quite frequently for things related to the island. Boonie car (old car bought on the island) boonie stomping (hiking) Boonie dog or cat (strays and there are a lot of them). The island is only 30 miles long and has a lot of wonderful outdoors activities such a hiking (boonie stomping) snorkeling diving etc. The water is absolutely amazing. The base is nice and had all kinds of amenities a vet movie theater bowling alley restaurants fast foods places a library commissary NEX mini markets car wash swimming pool gym boating piers for fishing dive shops and a lot of historical landmarks if you love history so bring those cameras!

I would highly recommend making use of the base FFSC which has wonderful programs for military and their families. This is especially the case for spouses who are in search of employment. It can be pretty difficult to find a job on island but with a lot of persistence and utilizing your resources such as the FFSC’s FERP Program and MSP you may be able to get lucky.

Shopping

The commissary has periodic case lots sales in a large warehouse on base. These are great opportunities to buy in bulk at a great price. While we are on the shopping topic there are couple things to remember for those who are shopaholics. The shopping can be scarce or expensive on island unless you are into designer everything (there are a few designer malls in Tumon the tourist city in Guam). There is a Kmart on island but I am not going to lie it is a rip-off. They hike the prices up about three times as much as the states. If you like thrifty shopping I would hit up GPO (Guam Premier Outlets). They have a few decent stores there especially Ross…although beware…it can get quite crowded. Things also sell out quite fast and take a long time to sometimes be restocked even in the NEX. My recommendation to anyone who has specific items that they favor stock up on A LOT of them before you move here and have family send them to you or find an online store that ship tot the island (some places don’t but they are getting better at this).

Living

The downsides utilities…cell phone and internet services tend to go up and down. There are also quite few power outages at times so make sure you have a lot of flashlights etc. Since the island is in Typhoon Alley they are always in some type of condition of readiness. If you live on base you will be warned way in advance when you can expect one. These typhoons can show up ant time of the year but the season is typically May through November. I bought a generator before I moved to Guam but they do sell them on island. I would price them out because they are not cheap. FFSC holds local typhoon prep. course which is very informative. Also stock up on lots of water not only for drinking but for washing and plumbing. The same good for non perishables such as canned foods etc. You can never be too careful!

***I do want to make a note about some of the movers there (locally). I had a bad experience with Pacific Island movers. They stole some of my items (I found out when I moved back to the mainland and received my stuff) so if you get stuck with these movers please be wary and maybe even request a new carrier.

Because Guam is pretty much restricted to the 30 miles my recommendations are to get into the outdoors photography or the island’s history. This is something precious you can take back to the mainland with you. Also if you have money for traveling Saipan Japan Hong Kong Singapore Bali and Australia are right there.