top of page

Yes & know
By Aline Yamashita


Do I believe? Yes, I do.
I am a great storyteller and admit that exaggeration is a tool used to amplify tales – particularly as a teacher – at all grade levels. Bu
Admin
Mar 9


Reimagining Guam tourism
Today, there is a flurry of planning to regain the pre-pandemic number—between 1.3 million and 1.6 million.
Admin
Feb 4


Old things in the new world
Blessed New Year! 2025 has arrived. While much has changed, much has remained the same.
By Aline Yamashita
Jan 12


Memories of the old world
As we clear mounds of mom and dad’s stuff, we come across mounds of our own stuff. The treasure finds have me giving thanks for being born
Admin
Dec 8, 2024


Cil, a great gift to the world
We know that life is fleeting. We know death can knock any time. But when it does so unexpectedly, we are knocked off our feet.
Admin
Nov 9, 2024


The sunny side of life
Someone said, “Aline, you don’t like to criticize others in your writing.” I thought about that. There were a couple of times when anger...
Admin
Oct 5, 2024


'The journey continues to teach me much about life, particularly a life prepared for'
It is delightful each time someone stops and asks how Eric is doing. I ran into Christine, who was his buddy at Jose Rios Middle School....
Admin
Aug 9, 2024


Homecoming: Where we are today
The Academy of Our Lady of Guam Class of 1974 is celebrating its 50th Golden Jubilee. We began the celebration with mass at the Agana...
Admin
Jul 7, 2024


Passing the torch
Today, random thoughts. I remember introducing a bill to restrict the size of campaign signs. My motivation was to protect the trees. It...
Admin
Jun 4, 2024


School blues like in the old days
Someone asked why use the term "decommission." I suggested that the school closure issue is so sensitive that anything and everything to...
Admin
May 5, 2024


Legacies
For nine days, my mind drifted. My body was in command. It was surreal being in a hallway parade of gurneys at Guam Regional Medical...
Admin
Apr 6, 2024


Credit where credit is due
As my life becomes longer, my patience becomes shorter. The past several years of required isolation, required masks and required rules...
Admin
Mar 2, 2024


A new calendar. A new year. Amazing how time zips.
While we now write 2024, some things have not changed. Like the deterioration of our public schools. We can blame the pandemic and the...
Admin
Jan 4, 2024


Living in a different world
I was enjoying the latest episode of Magnum P.I., where Thomas and Higgy discuss the prospect of having children. When Thomas exclaimed,...
Admin
Dec 12, 2023


Continuing a legacy
Recently, our mom joined the heavenly crowd. The University of Guam held a Memorial in honor of her life. She and dad were founders of...
Admin
Nov 6, 2023


Seven years of inspiration
Happy Anniversary to Pacific Island Times! Publisher/editor-in-chief Mar-Vic Cagurangan, congratulations! You have successfully and...
Admin
Oct 15, 2023


All clear: CNMI survives Bolevan
By Pacific Island Times News Staff Saipan – CNMI Gov. Arnold I. Palacios has declared the “All Clear” condition for Saipan, Tinian, and...
Admin
Oct 10, 2023


When a communication business fails to communicate
Many of us are at different stages of recovery from Typhoon Mawar. Many of us though are in the same category of wondering when Docomo...
Admin
Aug 1, 2023


Learning new things in times of crisis
Gosh, we went from the Covid-19 pandemic to typhoon Mawar in a heartbeat. The masks came off, and now the gloves are on. So much cleaning...
Admin
Jul 5, 2023


Autism and law enforcement
Reginald “Neli” Latson. He was 18 and was waiting for the Stafford, Virginia public library to open. It was 2010. A person called the...
Admin
Apr 10, 2023


All these places had their moments…
I smiled as I read Rita’s email. The February column had her remembering her prom at Panciteria Far East, which was glitz and glamour. It...
Admin
Mar 11, 2023


A map of remembrances
Guam, then and now As 2023 arrived, my memory bank stirred. While driving around with Eric, sites stir those memories. Waiting in traffic...
Admin
Feb 8, 2023


Cleaning and greening Guam
As you drive around Guam, I am sure you have noticed sprouting projects. Along Route 8, a super huge building is coming to fruition. Not...
Admin
Jan 8, 2023


Herstory, Part II
This is the continuation of “Mom’s Herstory,” as printed in the November issue of Pacific Island Times. It is an honor to have a glimpse...
Admin
Dec 3, 2022


Ode to perseverance
The love pulsated. St. Anthony’s Church was full of family and friends of Antonia A. Mabini. God was present, too. I did not have the...
Admin
Nov 4, 2022


Emergence from isolation highlights the impact of customer service
As we climb out of our pandemic shells, human interaction is intriguing. There are those still tiptoeing with a sense of uncertainty....
Admin
Oct 9, 2022


The good life
Recently, I had the incredible pleasure of being with high school classmates. I laughed so hard at things that weren’t even funny. I...
Admin
Aug 3, 2022

Art imitates life
When Magnum PI was cancelled, I was stunned. I am one of 7 million viewers of the weekly show. I simply stared at the news. How can that...
Admin
Jul 3, 2022


Dichotomy: What drives debates
Perhaps the one thought everyone can agree on is that people are human beings. With that, there is a consensus that human beings need...
Admin
Jun 5, 2022


Life stories
We are getting there, step by step. A sense of normalcy as we once knew is smiling upon us. People are out. People are talking with each...
Admin
May 7, 2022


Autism at work-- or not
I smiled as I enjoyed video clips that Mar-Vic shared. Ico was dancing to music. So handsome. So content. The happiness made my heart...
Admin
Mar 31, 2022


So long, Helen
Every Monday, I look forward to Helen Middlebrooke’s column, “That’s Life.” Last week, when I read this may be their last Guam Christmas,...
Admin
Mar 13, 2022


The scream of silence
Do you hear it? Sometimes, the best sound is silence. Silence soothes the soul. With the continuous arguments about the pandemic and its...
Admin
Feb 8, 2022

From sunrise to sunset
We know the bookends of life. We know we are born and we know we die. We also know there’s a great opportunity for life stories in...
Admin
Jan 9, 2022


Hall of Fame
"The great thing about (University of Guam) is that it has a rich history of athletics,” Doug Palmer, athletics director, said in an...
Admin
Dec 10, 2021


Southern pride
“Keep Inalajan clean. Please do not litter.” As Eric and I enjoyed our ride around the island, the appealing yardsticks popped up...
Admin
Nov 7, 2021


Health and death
With life, comes death. While some disagree about life after death, everyone knows there’s definitely death. Many acknowledge death by...
Admin
Oct 3, 2021


Singing along with Leo
The anger spiked as he read the Delta virus news. Eric stared at me with hurtful disappointment. I wanted to cry. And while nearly 80...
Admin
Sep 7, 2021


Agriculture renaissance
Every morning, we would pass their truck. Animal control officers Vince Salas and Eloy Reyes always smiled good morning. They often have...
By Aline Yamashita
Jul 7, 2021


Remembering Bruno
Months ago, I texted Frank Arriola. “Is Bruno back?” “Still in San Diego.” A few weeks later, I asked the same question. Same replay. I...
pacificislandtimes4
Jun 5, 2021


Art is essential
Art is Guam’s natural intelligence. All forms of art – music, visual arts, cultural heritage, literature and arts education. Marvel at...
By Aline Yamashita
May 2, 2021


Selfless and beyond
She’s a giant in size 6. The work that she and her unit did was selfless and smart. When Families First! was in office, we often...
Aline Yamashita
Apr 4, 2021


A different kind of GOAT
Exceptional, competitive, trusting, and caring. And, he loves being a family man. So why was Joe Brady being called a GOAT? Honestly, a...
By Aline Yamashita
Mar 2, 2021


Life as we know it
The Covid 19 pandemic has exacerbated already existing stressors — from work to health to life. We can all share staggering 2020 tidbits....
By Aline Yamashita
Jan 30, 2021
Rights and responsibilities
Human behavior changes as social norms evolve. I remember walking the Fenway to get to campus. In the mid-70s, society made a decision...
By Aline Yamashita
Jul 31, 2017
Failing grades
Once upon a time, in the land of the Department of Education, there was a program called Language Arts Math Program or LAMP. Federally...
By Aline Yamashita
Jun 30, 2017
bottom of page