The "Roller Coaster of Ride" in moving to Okinawa

OK, so I am starting this blog to help keep my family and friends in the loop of what is going on in Okinawa, because I don't know who I tell what so I feel like I am the annoying girl that repeats all her stories. Also, it is not as easy as one would think for an outgoing girl from Georgia that has lived in Georgia and South Carolina her whole life to move to the other side of the EARTH. I am hoping that other people that live in Okinawa will add their experiences and tricks of the trade for living here.

Also I have been home sick some, and Rose Mary one of Savannah moms (I have 2), suggested I read her daughter, Elizabeth's blog about having children (check it out Moms are human, it is great), Elizabeth's stories comforted me and connected with me on a totally different level and really made me feel better. She had a rough time with motherhood at first and started the blog to help with that and now she is like Mother of the Year!! Even though I am not a mom her stories were great and she is so funny, so My first Blog is dedicated to Rose Mary and Elizabeth because they really have helped and suggested I start a blog about Okinawa. It is Rose Mary's Birthday today too.

The Roller Coaster of Ride in moving to Okinawa:

Well, so I have been on island for 25 days now, before this time I lived out of 2 suit cases for 2.5 months, drove across 7 states, left my dogs in Oklahoma, flew through 5 cities in 2 different countries for 39 hours of traveling time through airports and on a plane. Since I have been here, I have been passed around like a hot cake, lived in a hotel for 14 days, and finally given a No Pets Allowed place to live!!!! What fun!!!

Well, I am going to start with a few stories about what has been going on here...This will be a long post sorry everyone but I have a lot to catch up on!!

Story 1: Why you should know where hair salons are, before you move to a new country!!!

OK, these stories won't be in order but they will be fun, we will start with a personal favorite that happened last Thursday to be exact...I had gotten my lovely sister-in-law (Amanda) to do my hair before I left because my lovely Friend Jen (who did wonderful things with my hair, who I met in the grocery store because I told Brad she had cute hair...) was not moving to Japan from much of my dismay. Amanda did a wonderful job of brown hair with red highlights. Well, the red faded except in the front, which looked OK, but I was ready to go back to brown. Enough new stuff for the new place (back to my regular self I wanted)....I went to the store with Brad (Big mistake) who suggested Blond. I was talked into getting blond with the excuse, "Well I don't have hair, I like testing stuff with your hair" so I got the blond. Well after My friend Lahrissa (new here to Okinawa, also) died it, the red was not gone and I now had an orange color for the Brown areas. So I was an orange head with RED RED highlights. The blond had intensified the RED. So for a day I was a Orange head and was supporting Clemson with a real sense of the color orange. I then got word from Amanda and Jen that dying it make to brown would be fine with a warm brown color (ash would then turn it green!!!!). So I am back to normal Liz hair color with a hint of red. That red is persistent.
So Locals here in Okinawa, any hair, nails, beauty shops, or suggestions are welcome for womanly needs!!!

Story 2: Learning Japanese is Fun!!

Once I found out that I was moving to Japan, I started working on the Rosetta Stone (Terry P., a great friend suggested it to me, he is always so helpful) which is wonderful and I did learn a lot. However, they comment one how it works so well because they teach you like a child. Well when you move somewhere else and only know words like book, running, swimming, milk, tea, and coffee, you are in a little trouble when you actually try and talk to someone, because think about it, how many times do you use those words in a day and are they critical....NO, NO, and more NO. Things like my name is, where is the bathroom, please, thank you, good morning, etc. are way more important.

So, I have made friends with Yumiko-san. She is a sweet Okinawan lady that works in my office. By the way -san means person and here in Okinawa. You use that when you are talking about or to someone. But you never use it when talking about yourself. One of those good Japanese tricks to know so you don't embarrass yourself for being the "dumb American" (that is a whole another story)...now for the good part of the story...

Yumiko-san is teaching me to speak Japanese, I am doing pretty well, I am getting better about using the phrases and words that she is teaching, and I am keeping up my Rosetta Stone as well. Well last week I learned how to introduce my self and say nice to meet you. It takes her about 5 times of repeating the words, writing them broken down by syllables, and me asking again later that day again how to say it, to get a phrase down. Well, on Friday we had a lunch with the whole office building and I met a very funny Okinawan man named Masutzaki-san. I introduced my self and used about 5 Japanese phrases all at once and he spoke back to me in Japanese, I was so proud. Then he asked me a question in Japanese....I had a major blank stair and asked in English what does that mean? He replied, " Where did you learn Japanese?" I started laughing, I said, " I just said everything i know in Japanese, I am learning from Yumiko-san, I just started about 3 weeks ago." He laughed and said, " you fooled me, I thought you could speak Japanese very well.!!!!" Haha I had stumped him... I am getting better so hopefully when people visit I can show them my wonderful Japanese skills!!!! It is fun learning, I also used some Japanese to get directions to the festival this past weekend.

Story 3: A very sad Day here in Okinawa.

Well after living out of a suit case, I was getting to the point where I just wanted a place to live, but not any place, a pet friendly place. Munson and Rocky need to be here with our family. They are living on B-Pa's farm and having a blast, but we miss them. We were giving no choice in our housing. They gave use the offer of one tower apartment. We had no choice but to take it. I am very upset about this and working to change the pet policy, but it is one against 4 branches of military so we will see how that goes, there should be more posts about that as the next few weeks go by, with what is going on with that. We will keep fighting for them, but right now we have plenty of room for visitors so we will take visitors instead.

Story 4: Making friends!!!
Making friends here is not as easy as one would think. You have a bunch of people who have moved away from their family and friends, you would think they would want to make new friends, but that is not always the case. When you say hello to people that live near you they might give you a weird look and small hello, and keep walking or they might look at you crazy and not say anything at all, or you might knock on their door, and they pretty much close the door in your face...Welcome to Okinawa.

So if there are people living in Okinawa having a hard time making friends, feel free to talk to me, or we can hang out. This is a new place we need to be a little more outgoing and friendly.

My philosophy is everyone is just a bunch of Yankees!!! ha ha send the southerns they will be more friendly.

I will say we have met a great couple that is a Marine Corps family as well, that we have been hanging out with a lot. Jon and Lahrissa, they have made things much more enjoyable. They are from California and are surprised by Brad and I's sure come on over, sure you can have a ride, sure stay for dinner, or borrow a pillow attitude. But it is nice to have friends. We went to a festival together this weekend and it was great. (i will write about the festival later, when I can post videos because I have a cute video of dancing Okinawan children)

Story 5: Learning Japanese Culture

The other day I was meeting a new man from one of the Architect Engineer firms we work with and he handed me his business card. I said oh thanks and took the business card and said when I get one I will give it to you. I thought this was a perfectly normal encounter…..OH NO…you should never take a business card from someone, you must place both hands on the card with the other person holding the card as well, and bow, pause and look at the card for at least 2 seconds, and then take the card. So I learned my lesson with that, after being told nicely that I was rude. So you remember that the next time you are in Japan and receiving a business card.

Story 6: Japanese FOOD

The food here is wonderful, Like today I tried Japanese curry with some co-workers. It was so wonderful. Damon, who is married to an Okinawan, and has lived here for 20 years suggested I put these weird brown things on my curry today. He said they were pickles, nothing I had ever seen before. I said, " Well I am here living in Okinawa, I might as well try," it was wonderful the curry and the pickle things. You just have to try things here, they are so different and nothing you could expect, or try and guess by seeing them, you just have to have fun with it and try new things, you will find all sorts of surprises!!! I really do love trying the food here, it is a new part of me since I can remember a day when Meredith and Mr. Deal told me that calamari was chicken to get me to try it and I love it, or Arlynn told me tofu was cheese. Ha ha funny times, now I am trying weird pickle things. Coco's Curry is great, Locals please make more good food suggestions.

What to take from My Blog today:
Anyone who visits must try something weird and new looking.

Maybe post about something new you tried today. Everyone try something new, saying hi to a stranger, eating something weird, saying a Japanese phrase, send a post card to someone to say hello, or my personal favorite thing to do...randomly complement a stranger!! That is what I leave you to do today, to see what it is like in a new place. I am glad I like to try new things and if it is disguising or mean try again later!! Big Happy Face people!!

I am feeling like this is getting long so I will post more stories in a bit, please keep reading my blog and TRY SOMETHING NEW. Also I will get pictures and videos up, but I am new so not sure how to work everything yet. Miss everyone. Love, Liz