This debut wasn’t without controversy, as people found out that a transgender player was on the roster for Guam High’s girls rugby team, a matter that is considered new territory for Guam Football Union/ Guam Department of Education Interscholastic Sports Association.   

Guam High’s team challenged three teams that day, causing some to speak out regarding safety concerns.  

Coach Conrad Kerber of the Tiyan High School’s girl’s rugby team was one of the individuals that drew concern over the matter.  

“This is a matter of safety for our young female athletes and should be acknowledged as an imperative issue requiring our immediate attention before one of our females athletes receives a more serious injury than what was imposed on Saturday,” he told GSPN.  

As of now, no laws exist for transgender players in the Guam Football Union/ Guam Department of Education Interscholastic Sports Association. Kerber along with Academy of Our Lady of Guam’s rugby coaches all agree that the league, should adopt the bylaws set by the World Rugby organization. 

World Rugby goes by a case to case basis and deems whether a transgender player is cleared to play based on whether they have transitioned pre-puberty vs. post puberty.  

Former Guam athlete and Division 1 rugby player, Ha’ani San Nicholas, advocated in favor of letting the young athlete remain in the girls league.  

“I know that many rugby players in high-level of play in the U.S. have protested against the trans-exclusivity of World Rugby’s bylaws.” San Nicholas stated.  

While the bylaws state trans-women who have transitioned post-puberty aren’t allowed to play rugby, no such bylaws exist for trans-men.  

“There’s a deeper issue at the root, which is the failure of organized sports to recognize a fluidity of genders and sexualities…the best option moving forward, in my opinion, is to let transgender players play in their gender-identified league.” San Nicholas said.  

San Nicholas goes on to point out that Guam may or may not be ready for mixed-gender leagues based on caliber and skill, it has protentional to be the future standard.  

Another fellow teen rugby player, who remains anonymous, also spoke highly in favor of allowing the player to remain in the league.  

“In a way I do feel like she’s being discriminated against for the simple fact that she is transgender,” she told The Guam Daily Post.  

She mentions that if the GHS player were born a girl of her size, no concern would be raised, and there is indeed other girls who are stronger and faster than her.  

She ends her interview by saying she believes the adults shouldn’t stand in the way of letting her [GHS player] play, as they should remember she is only a minor wanting to learn a sport she likes.  

On April 22, Guam Department of Education released a statement communicating concerns over reinstating any new conditions or restrictions when the Interscholastic Sports Association Rugby season has already started.  

GDOE expressed that it is because the season has already begun that any new conditions could risk violating Title IX which prohibits discrimination in Interscholastic sports.  

Six days after this statement, the Guam Rugby Union confirmed their decision to adopt the World Rugby organization by laws, therefore prohibiting any transgender athletes from participating in the Interscholastic Sports Association Girls Rugby season.  

Some people took the opportunity to voice their opinions regarding this decision through comments on Guam Sports Network’s Instagram page, with the hashtag #letherplay.  

The post New Territory Explored in Guam’s High School Rugby as the Decision to Allow Transgender Athletes is in Question appeared first on The Triton's Call.

It’s always a good idea to treat your mom to some lunch or dinner for her special day. The following restaurants offer annual deals to help you treat her to some of her favorite restaurants. Sushi Rock plans on having their all day happy hour specials, and encourage customers to make reservations in advance. For updates on specific menu items included in the specials, be sure to check @sushirockguam via Instagram for updates!  Read more about ikaria lean belly juice.

Longhorn Steakhouse offers eGift cards year round, for $75 you can use $50 towards a meal and the remaining $25 as a Fandango gift card for a movie afterwards!  

If you’re late to getting a gift, try getting gift certificates that she can use to enjoy her day. Lovely Nails offers gift certificates but must be paid through cash only.  Local small businesses and estheticians plan on giving mothers the following special promos. Take a look to these prodentim reviews.

Crystal Energy Guam is a local store that sells all things crystal related and is offering Mother’s Day bundles for sale! For more information on what is included in these bundles or what crystals are best for a Mother’s Day gift, check out their store located in Tumon Sands Plaza.  

Esthetician, Isa Ha’ani Flores, is offering Mother’s Day promos for her services, to see her availability visit her Instagram, Read more about metaboost connection.

Guam Premier Outlets is holding a giveaway for 2 lucky moms who can enter to win a gift basket worth over $100 and a gift certificate to New York Nails! To learn how you can enter, visit @gpoguam via Instagram.  

If you have no other plans visit Agana Shopping Center for a Mother’s Day Celebration, May 7-8 from 10am-4pm. Enjoy live performances, face painting, and more on this special day! These are the best ikaria lean belly juice reviews.

The post What to Do for Mother’s Day 2022  appeared first on The Triton's Call.

Students can now access Handshake, a platform partnered with the University of Guam, to connect to an internship, part-time job, and full-time job opportunities. 

In a 2017 survey, 87% of UOG undergraduate students said their internships helped prepare them for the workplace and using Handshake makes this more easily accessible for us students. 

To use the platform, students simply need to create an account on UOG’s Handshake website, and fill in the information as accurately and as complete as possible. New signees can provide basic personal information upon sign-up, such as gender and race. 

Career questions asked upon signing up personalizes available job and internship recommendations for each student. Cities preferred to work in and fields of interest are some questions that curate these recommendations. I personally answered that I am open to work in any city and chose to be connected to companies in the field of Media and Journalism.  

Handshake also asks students to provide which company traits they look for in an employer, job positions they may want, and of course any academic courses and skills that can add to their portfolio. 

Handshake is simple and easy to use. Students can open the website on their browsers or download the application onto their mobile devices. After answering the questions and creating their profiles, students can chat with their potential employers directly on Handshake. 

The availability of different opportunities on this platform makes it an ideal stepping stone for students who might not have options for jobs or internships yet. In addition to its accessibility, Handshake is not only limited to students but open to employers to sign up and find people to recruit. 

UOG students can start making their profiles as early as now using their student email on https://uog.joinhandshake.com.

The post Handshake Provides UOG Students Easier Access to Internships and Jobs  appeared first on The Triton's Call.

After easing travel restrictions for fully vaccinated travelers, the Philippines and South Korea are now more open to leisure travel. 

According to the website of the U.S. Embassy in the Philippines, fully vaccinated individuals no longer have to undergo a mandatory facility-based quarantine upon arrival. However, arriving travelers must present proof of vaccination and negative RT-PCR results from a test taken within 48 hours of departure from the country of origin.  

 In addition to the requirements above, foreign travelers must have a valid ticket to depart the Philippines within thirty days of arrival, a passport valid for at least six months from the date of arrival, and proof of travel insurance with a minimum coverage amount of $35,000 to cover COVID-19 treatment for the duration of the traveler’s stay. 

Balikbayans, or foreign nationals who have old Philippine passports, are allowed to stay in the Philippines for up to six months. 

On the other hand, starting from April 1st, fully vaccinated travelers who register their vaccination history in the Quarantine COVID19 Defense (Q-Code) system before arriving in South Korea will be eligible for quarantine exemption.  

A negative COVID-19 test taken within 48 hours of departure to South Korea is also required for entry. Unlike the Philippines, travel insurance is not a requirement for entry into the Republic of Korea. 

Travelers to the Philippines and South Korea can buy their plane tickets online. People traveling to the Philippines can choose to book their flights in person at the Philippine Airlines ticket office managed by Goodwind Travel & Tours located in Micronesia Mall in Dededo.  

It is important to remember that the travel requirements to the Philippines and South Korea are subject to change at short notice by the local government.  

For the latest updates, travelers can check the current requirements on Philippine Airlines’ website, philippineairlines.com/en/covid-19/arrivingintheph; the U.S. Embassy of the Philippines’ website, ph.usembassy.gov/covid-19-information/; and the U.S. Embassy of the Republic of Korea’s website, https://kr.usembassy.gov/022420-covid-19-information/.

The post Fully Vaccinated Travelers Going to Philippines and South Korea No Longer Need to Quarantine  appeared first on The Triton's Call.

On March 19, 2022, University of Guam students in the Independent Filmmaking class began filming one of their student films. The films produced in the class are set to premiere at this semester’s upcoming film festival.  

The film being produced is a drama thriller called “The Run”, set on Guam, that follows the story of a young man currently running away from a conflict that happened in his life. 

Under the supervision of Dr. Raymond Anderson, filming began with a tech rehearsal, where the crew and actors rehearse a few selected scenes to act out and get more familiarized with the technical aspects of the film. Tech rehearsals are mainly for the crew, but actors also benefit from getting a chance to get more acquainted with their surroundings on set. In this case, it was everyone’s first time on the set location for the film, which was both challenging and a good learning experience for both the actors and crew. 

“It’s my first time producing a film and it’s been very stressful so far, but I like it. I like knowing what’s going on- it’s just a little hard to put all the parts in motion since we’re dealing with a bigger team than we’re used to, but it’s a good experience because if we’re going to go into this career field, we’ll be dealing with much bigger teams so it’s a good experience right now.” Producer Kyra Perez explained. 

Working closely with the producer is the director, Kin Guerrero, in charge of the more creative aspects of the film such as the actors’ performances. 

“I’ve never done anything like this before, and I think it’s really fun to work with the actors and try to squeeze out the performances that we want. Sometimes I do feel a lot of pressure, but I’m looking forward to everything and I trust we’ll be able to produce something we’ll be proud of.” Guerrero said. 

The role of director can be especially stressful at times due to the immense responsibility and having to make decisions that will impact the film, but it also has the potential to be very rewarding. The feeling of accomplishment after seeing a film finally comes to life when production is done is truly inspiring and is a feeling many filmmakers can relate to. 

With production underway, “The Run”, is forecasted to finish shooting around the first week of April and will be one of the movies students can watch at the Film Festival in May. 

The post University of Guam Student Film Underway  appeared first on The Triton's Call.

For example, when you walk into certain Payless supermarkets displays of CHamoru artifacts can be seen. Oka Payless displays the outfit of Shoichi Yokoi, who was one of the last members of the Japanese Army in the Second World War to be found in the jungles of Guam years after the US regained control in 1944. 

A popular non-profit organization that showcases Indigenous videos on YouTube called, Nihi!, celebrates Mes CHamoru by recapping their most popular videos. In their latest video, kids are shown a sign language poem in CHamorro. In another video, kids talk to a survivor of Mañenggon, the concentration camp during the Japanese Occupation of Guam.  

In the video Tab Lula describes her experiences as a young girl, and allowing the young kids to ask her questions.  

When asked if the war was hard on her family she responds, “Yes, it was very difficult because there were many deaths, for the people of Guam, and the same for other places. Many died.”  

Cali CHamoru hosted a Mes CHamoru event on March 26, where CHamoru artists performed live and vendors were able to set up shop. Families were invited to come and celebrate the culture away from home.  

The post Recap of Mes CHamoru 2022  appeared first on The Triton's Call.

The University of Guam will be hosting its 7th Film Festival this semester, featuring films created by students. These films will show the hard work and dedication students have put into filmmaking as well as their creativity. 

In recent years, COVID-19 has affected the UOG Film Festival and has pushed it back a few semesters. However, in November of 2020, the 6th Film Festival was held online and was organized and conducted by students in the Communication department. The festival had to be conducted online because of the strict health and safety regulations at the time. With the Film Festival operated online, there were some problems that the team faced.  

Muturwan Choay, a student at the University of Guam and a member of the 6th Film Festival team, shares some of the challenges she and her classmates faced as they hosted the event on an online platform. 

“Some problems we faced were promoting the virtual event to an audience large enough to the past festivals, and organizing judging criteria and results virtually.” 

However, this semester’s 7th Film Festival will be different from the previous one in that it will be held face-to-face. Because the event is face-to-face, it brings another set of challenges as well as opportunities for students running the event.  

Chaoy expresses her thoughts on this semester’s film festival being held face-to-face. 

“That’s awesome. I plan to participate since I won’t have any films to enter but it’s a great opportunity for Comm students to bond and for the UOG community to come out and support.” 

This semester’s Film Festival theme is, “One Step Forward.” Its name stems  from the idea that we, as a community, are moving on from the coronavirus pandemic and  taking steps towards recovery. The Film Festival aims to display students’ works all while bringing people together in a fun and joyful environment.  

The Film Festival is set to take place in the beginning of May 2022. Be on the lookout for more information on the event, either on the UOG website or on the UOG film festival account found on Instagram. 

The post University of Guam 7th Film Festival Coming Soon  appeared first on The Triton's Call.

In other news, local stores and businesses have been victims of robberies, some even being held at gunpoint.  

While one can’t anticipate when they will find themselves in a dangerous situation like these, it’s still a good idea to be prepared for one.  

Local small business, Pretty Little Thing by Candy, offers self-defense keys chains for customers who are 18 years or older. The shop offers sets of different products from safety alarms, portable pocket knives, portable window breakers and many more. All products can be useful in dangerous situations, but are strictly for defensive purposes.  

Customers are encouraged to do their own research on these products before use, to avoid even further harm. To learn more or to place an order follow @prettylittlethingbycandy671 on Instagram, or visit their shop at Agana Shopping Center on the second floor, stall #41A.  

Another local business, Steel Athletics offers self-defense classes from Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu to Kickboxing, and more. Beginners are encouraged to sign up and come into classes early to learn mat etiquette. Visit https://steelathleticsguam.com/martial-arts-classes/ to see the different pricing plans and class schedules they offer.  

The post Time to Learn Self-Defense   appeared first on The Triton's Call.

Guam continues to move toward a post-pandemic reality. Due to the collective progress and involvement of the people of Guam, we are able to make this step forward. 

Governor Lou Leon Guerrero announced that she will be lifting the mandated COVID-19 vaccine requirement for government workers and student-athletes.  

“Effective immediately, there no longer will be a limit on outdoor social gathering numbers and, other than health care workers, our government will no longer mandate proof of employee vaccination and weekly testing requirements,” Governor Lou Leon Guerrero stated in a video message on March 21, 2022.  

In other words, unvaccinated GovGuam employees will no longer be required to undergo weekly Covid-19 testing. 

More action was implemented by the Governor on March 11, as she signed an executive order that lifted the restrictions on crowds for outdoor social gatherings.  

Outdoor social events were previously restricted to a maximum of 100 individuals.  

However, the restrictions still apply to indoor social gatherings where it is capped at 100 individuals.   

The mask mandate and other limitations remain in place because the island is still at “high risk” for COVID-19 exposure, and the island is still seeing an omicron-driven spike, Post Guam reported on Tuesday, March 22.  

According to Guam statistics, Governor Lou Leon Guerrero stated that as of Friday, about 96% of Guam’s vaccine-eligible residents, or those aged 5 and up, are fully immunized.   

A total of 88%  of the population has been fully vaccinated. About 95 percent of executive branch staff have been vaccinated against Covid-19, according to the governor. 

Pacific Daily News reported that data collected from the Department of Public Health and Social Services states that the number of new COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations, and deaths in Guam continues to decline with a seven-day average of roughly 644 instances per 100,000 people.   

We are still encouraged to continue our COVID-19 practices as a solution to keeping our numbers down and our island safe.  

The post A Handful of COVID-19 Restrictions Lifted  appeared first on The Triton's Call.

I believe many of us have at the very least heard of a famous Ghibli movie: My Neighbor Totoro, Spirited Away, Ponyo,  

It’s hard not to have a Studio Ghibli movie as a precious memory, the soft colors and vivid art styles along with whimsical themes are things that any child would have burned into their memory.  

Princess Mononoke, written and directed by renowned Hayao Miyazaki, takes a drastic turn from the classic light-hearted stories to tell a more towards a deep, detailed story.   

The premise of the movie follows the stance of the main character, Ashitaka, being an outsider looking in on his home and surrounding nature being overtaken by an industrialist town, Iron Town, that is trying to deal with its own problems.  

In short, the movie takes place in 14th century Japan. The harmony between humans, nature, and the supernatural starts to crumble when one side tries to tip the power balance.  

Ashitaka gets caught up in the middle of the conflict while traveling to find the Deer God to undo his “curse of hatred”.  

The movie gives a watching experience that is both frustrating and eye-opening as the position of Ashitaka is similar to the watcher. A position where we have enough information to understand but the question lies, do we have any right to interfere?   

Ashitaka suffers from “the curse of hatred” which starts to eat away at him more and more as the forces of nature and the people of Iron Town continue to clash.  

According to an interview with Miyazaki, he did not want the distinction of the characters to have a fine line between good and bad. He states, “That’s how people are.” The complex characters and story make the emotions all the deeper.   

The rich historical references still make it a fantastic watch even today.  

The post Princess Mononoke, a Darker Fairytale   appeared first on The Triton's Call.