Hello and welcome to Travel + Explore & Play with Sallee Jay! I'm so glad you're here. I’m usually your host, but today we have something truly special lined up just for you.
I’m absolutely thrilled to introduce this month’s guest blogger—Shawntel Techaira! Shawntel brings a beautiful, authentic blend of creativity, joy, positive energy, and fun to everything she touches. She's also making waves as the founder of Business Casual, a cross-industry social community for business owners and professionals — in addition to being in the real estate world! In this special feature, she'll be sharing her inspiring journey from Guam to Colorado—celebrating the adventure, growth, and self-discovery along the way.
As I shared last year, one of my biggest goals for this space has been to spotlight the solo travel journeys of women—especially women of color. It’s part of the heart and mission of salleejay.com: to encourage healing, exploration, and empowerment through solo travel.
Let’s give Shawntel a warm, heartfelt welcome as she takes us along on her amazing journey!
Shawntal in her natural element
Find her enjoying or connecting with nature in a deep, authentic way.
Finding Home Away from Home: My Journey from Guam to Colorado
I was inspired to move to the United States, as I prepared to send my daughter off to college and step into a new chapter as an empty nester. It felt like the right moment to embrace a change not just in life stage, but also in pace and place.
I am CHamoru, the indigenous people of Guam, a U.S. territory in the Pacific and the largest island in the Mariana Islands chain. Growing up surrounded by my culture, family, and deep-rooted traditions was a unique experience that shaped my identity in ways I never fully appreciated until I left.
Guam Artifact
I lived on family land passed down through generations. Neighbors were never strangers; they were cousins, aunties, uncles, and grandparents. That closeness created a strong sense of belonging, and I underestimated how hard it would be to leave it behind. Relocating to the mainland was, and still is, a profound culture shock.
While I had visited the U.S. many times before, living here full-time brought new challenges. I had to adjust to four distinct seasons, learn to drive confidently on sprawling freeways (it took me three months to brave the freeway!), and, most importantly, figure out how to rebuild my community and real estate business from the ground up without the safety net of family nearby. It was a season full of unknowns, scary, stressful, and yet somehow exactly what I needed for growth.
My first visit to Colorado was in 2017, during a season of traveling across different states, searching for a place that felt like home. I spent most of that week exploring alone on foot, and to my surprise, I fell in love with Colorado all by myself. The natural beauty, the friendliness of the locals, and the easy blend of outdoor adventure with small-city charm made it feel like the perfect transition from island life to mountain life.
One of the hardest parts about moving was learning how to keep myself busy as an empty nester. With newfound free time, I realized that what I missed most besides family was a strong business support system. That realization inspired me to create Business Casual, a cross-industry social community for business owners and professionals to step out of isolation, have real conversations (the kind we don’t post on LinkedIn), and find inspiration in the in-between moments of business and life.
Building community comes naturally to me; it's in my blood as someone from Guam, and that’s what I’m most excited about. That, and the endless adventures that await on America's open roads and its stunning National Parks. There’s so much to explore, and I’m just getting started.
Now, heading into my sixth year in Colorado, I finally feel more grounded. Every now and then, culture shock still sneaks up on me especially during long winters. Homesickness is a constant companion, but for the most part, my relocation has been a success.
Today, I'm proud to continue my career as a real estate advisor with Engel & Völkers, a luxury real estate brokerage that perfectly aligns with a core CHamoru value I was raised with, known as inafa’maolek, which means “to make good” and emphasizes restoring harmony and taking care of one another. I’ve been blessed to guide people home since 2009, and even through all the life changes of recent years, my passion for helping others find their place has only grown stronger. Being able to continue this work here in Colorado, while honoring my roots, has made this chapter of my journey especially meaningful.
People often ask what excites me most about American culture and my experience so far. The first thing I noticed was how driven everyone is. I find it incredibly refreshing and draw a lot of inspiration from it. I don't know if homesickness will ever fully go away, but I’m grateful to live in the era of FaceTime to stay connected to family and friends back home. My journey is far from over, and I'm learning that starting over is less about leaving behind and more about carrying forward what matters most. I'm still finding my way, but now, with a community, a career I love, and an adventurous spirit, it feels a lot more like home.