American-style living

Since 1898, Guam has been a United States colony. The colonizer's everyday presence has fluctuated over time, ranging from nearly unnoticeable to pervasive. In Guam today, it is frequently easy to forget that the island remains a colony. Anyone born on the island of Guam is a U.S. citizen. Guam inhabitants have access to American films and television, and students in Guam schools learn about many areas of American culture, history, philosophy, politics, economics, and more. Guam is known as "America in Asia," "Where America’s Day Begins," and even "Tip of America’s Spear..". It is one of the things about Guam you should know before traveling.

Despite its distant location, Guam benefits from its close proximity to the United States. For example, a simple first-class stamp can be used to send a letter back to the mainland. The conveniences of American materialism, such as this store, are also unique to the island. Residents of Guam, however, do not have access to all of the benefits of U.S. citizenship. They can vote in federal primaries but not in presidential elections, and their lone representative is a nonvoting member of Congress.