Saipan

Carelessness?

Oftentimes you walk past things without seeing them. On the rush to the parking lot, it is easy to oversee the luzon that is on display at the college.


I guess, most NMC students know that spot (if not it is close to the place where you pick up your scholarship checks), but I bet most students - local or foreign - don't know what this rock is, although a luzon was for centuries, if not for millenia, a utensil used in the day to day life to grind rice or corn.


As it was a day to day to item, it seems everyone takes it for granted, and doesn't care much for it. No one knows when this rock picked up by a Chamorro who put a lot sweat into getting the hole in the rock, so that his family can use to prepare their daily meals.

This rock is a vital is a part of the local culture. Without this rock, it would have even be harder to survive on the island. Nowadays it is used as an ashtray or as a trashcan by absentminded students.


So, what am I aiming at? - The jungle. As this rock, the local jungle is a vital part of the local culture, helping the Chamorro and Carolinians to survive by supplying food. That was in the old days. Nowadays we take it for granted. It simply is there and serves as a convenient place to dump your trash after a fiesta ... like my neighbor just did.
I know, times are hard and trash pick up costs a lot of money, but, hey folks, put your pick up trucks to a use other than endangering other people by drunk driving. Bring your trash to the transfer station or the directly to the landfill. If you sort out your empty beer cans for recycling, you may even get the gas money back.

I know this is less convenient than just crossing Hasngot Drive, but if you know how much it'll cost you if your neighbor - yeah, that goddamned tree hugging foreigner - would call the cops?

Well, if these cops aren't too overworked to deal with such a minor affair, especially if the offender is local.

posted by Claus @ 11:47 PM