Convergence Island

Guam is not only the place where the cultures of the West, the Pacific Islands, and Asia come together (and occasionally clash) but it's also the place where the developing world meets the developed world. Thus at times you feel like you're living in the middle of a shameful dump. Not too far away, though, is the world of clean and slick.

Home Depot is scheduled to open next month. Not only will it be the world's largest Home Depot but I suspect it will be the Home Depot with the best view in the world. From the parking lot you can see Tumon and the bay -- beautiful spot -- just below the airport and above the world's largest Kmart.

PIBC's Guam campus is a place where many worlds come together, too. I received the preliminary figures yesterday. We have 102 students this semester -- up from 84 last year (up from 6 in 2001). In addition to the locals from Guam, our students are from Chuuk, Yap, Palau, the Marshalls, Ponphei, Korea, China, Bangladesh, and the Philippines. There are even some mainland Americans. This year's staff is from the US, Germany, the Philippines, Chuuk, Yap, and Palau. Convergence.