Random sightings

You never know what you are gonna find while exploring. This first picture is a park that I saw on the side of the road. I hope the figure out the significance of the fish flags soon. They must have some meaning for this time of year because suddenly they are every where. They are in the 100 yen stores, in our BX, in the Jusco...and then this random park. It was a really awesome sight to see ... just dozens of fish flying in the wind.

And here is a picture of the Agena bullfighting ring. Apparently bullfighting is big around here. Not like bullRIDING in the states or bullfighting in Spain where there's a guy with a red sheet, this is just two bulls fighting it out. The last one standing is the victor. Some places it's a fight to the death, but I from what I see online, they don't let it go that far here. So in that case, i'd like to see that. I don't think i'd want to watch if one of the bulls wasn't going to make it out in the the end. (Sorry if one of my two readers is a PETA advocate). I found the place, but I have no idea how to find out when they do the ... matches? Would that be the appropriate word? I tried to look it up online and just found directions. Thanks to my inability to stay still, i've got that covered!!

My name in Japanese

Today I went to my very first "Luncheon" for work. It was a big lunch that hosted all the different organizations that raise money for the different charities on island. They had representatives from some of those charities there to help show where the money goes and how it helps. It was cool. Leave it to me to find something trivial to get excited about ... but we all got name tags, and because several of the members of the group were Japanese (There were translators throughout the room to help bridge the communication gap) our name tags were written in both languages as well. I asked to be able to keep mine because I thought it was so cool seeing my name written out in Japanese. And because I thought it was cool, you guys get a picture!!

Erykah Badu

Last night, Justin and I had the opportunity to see Erykah Badu in concert here on Okinawa. It was really cool. Although...I must say that the WAITING to see the concert was less than cool. It was supposed to start at 8:00 and since it was a free concert, you can imagine how crowded it was (see photo below for an example) ... Erykah didn't grace us with her presence until about 9:10. Apparently her kids weren't feeling well. That long flight will get you every time!! lol Once the concert got started though, it was great. She sounds exactly the same in person as she does on her CD's. That rarely happens these days! We weren't able to stay for the entire concert because Justin had to get up EARLY this morning to get ready to head out for another trip, but we were able to see plenty to be able to check that off of our list of people that we'd like to see. Who would have thought we could have seen her here?? And free?! Too funny.

Sunset beach

Sunset beach ... Apparently (according to the name and the signs) is a "beautiful place to watch the sunset". Standby for future pictures of that. Justin was at home working on his masters homework when I decided to try to find this particular beach ... I'll wait until we can both go to check out the sunset and see if it holds true to all the hype! The weather was kind of gloomy but but it was still pretty on the beach anyway. I can't wait for it to be sunny around here again. Apparently we are in the "rainy season". I'm not sure how long that lasts!

I'ts my ferris wheel again :) I told you, you can see that thing everywhere!! lol

Here's some of the graffiti that is painted all along the sea wall. I think it's really cool. I'm sure there are people who would disagree with me. But I like it. lol

Signs, signs, everywhere signs....

As i've said before, getting along here isn't so bad. I thought that coming to JAPAN would be so difficult. Not only do I not speak the language in anyway, I can't even recognize any of the letters!! Talk about culture shock! But it wasn't like that. Everything here is very "user friendly". As you would expect, almost everything is in Japanese, but there are pictures to go along with most things.

Like take these signs for example...I know that if I need to go to the restroom, take a shower, or need to lock up my briefcase, this is the building to do it in (I don't know why anyone would bring a briefcase to the beach, but I'll tell you that while I was exploring Sunset beach on this particular day, I saw two guys walking around in suits...lol). Or in the next picture....Bathrooms, first aid, or food. Yup. Easy enough. This made me wonder...back in the states, is it as easy for someone who doesn't speak English to travel around? Or are we so conceited that we assume everyone speaks English? Somehow I doubt that it is. I've never looked around and wondered...would I know where to go or what to do if I couldn't read or speak one word of English? I'll have to think more about that the next time i'm back.

Luckily, when it's something really important, the Japanese will write it in English AND Japanese so that the warning is heard loud and clear!! Like these signs! Heard ya!!







This sign seems pretty self explainatory. I know that I'M not getting that that water!! Warning successfully delivered!! But just in case it wasn't, about 10 feet to the left, was the sign below. LOL These guys are very effective with their signage!! I love it! I got it. Don't get in that water. CHECKS!

I wonder if they know what this sign actually says?? Surely no one REALLY loves mornings, right?? Sorry...this made me smile.

Here's another picture of the ferris wheel in American village when it's lit up at night. Justin says i'm obsessed with it. LOL I just think it's pretty. It changes at random. It's like watching a light show. Very mesmorizing!! So anyway, tonight it was pretty (and actually NOT raining for once) so we went down into American Village to eat some Indian food and while we were cruising around looking for a parking spot (AKA making the block over and over) I snapped this picture. Hope you enjoy. The battery on my phone was dead so I couldn't take any pictures of our food, but it was delicious. Only my second time to have Indian food. The first was in Paris. That will always be my favorite :)

My favorite thing to do...

My favorite thing to do (so far) on island is to just drive around and explore. And consequently get lost...but that's fun too. Poor Justin has been so busy with either work or his masters homework or being sent TDY that he hasn't had much time to do that, but this past weekend, after I got off work, the weather cooperated and we were able to put the top down and drive around for a little bit and explore before winding up at Sushi Zen for an early dinner. It was my idea of a perfect afternoon.

The view driving off base. You can't really tell in this picture, but straight ahead is the water. It's a beautiful sight :)

The ferris wheel in American Village lit up at night. You can see it for miles it seems. It's so cool as it changes colors in the distance. I'm not sure if the Japanese like it or think it's an eye sore, but I like it!! lol

New Job

I've been so busy with getting back from/recovering from my previously posted about trip and starting my new job that I haven't had time to blog about it. But yes, I do indeed have a new job. It isn't a nursing job like I had hoped for, but it is a job none the less. And I enjoy it. I am working at the Kadena Gift Corner here on our base. The store is only open a few days a week so once my training is over I will only be scheduled a couple of days a week, but there are lots of volunteer opportunities and the people that I work with are really nice. We have some amazing stuff in the store from all over the world. Cambodia, Thailand, Hong Kong, Germany, Bali, of course Japan...my goal is to work my way up through the ranks and be able to go on the buying trips! How sweet would that be?? For right now, i'm just a "sales associate" so I take your money and look at you blankly when you ask me questions about which country what came from or what something is made from...I'm a pro at that last part!

Feel free to look at our website. I noticed as I put this link up that they have added me to the list of employees. That must mean that i'm doing okay, right? I mean that's practically written in stone ;)


http://www.kadenagiftcorner.com/Kadena_Gift_Corner/Meet_the_Staff.html

Quick trip

As most of you know, I was recently a part of a quick, jet lag inducing, rescue trip back to the states to get Shadow the cat. In a quick 30 hours (insert sarcasm here), I went from Okinawa to Tokyo to San Francisco to Phoenix to Albuquerque picked up Shadow, took her to the vet and caught a flight back and did it all in reverse only with the cat in tow. (The entire trip took four days total ... 2.5 of which were spent either in the air or in an airport. lol) She was less than happy to be in her little cage...note the mean eyes.


But even with all that, I think she knew it was all in her best interest...because there was only one injury. And I deserved this one...The vet, tech, and I were holding her down at the clinic trying to force her to take pills. She was fighting for her life. There were plenty of other opportunities for her to take me out and she didn't take them. Like when I had to take her out of her cage TWICE (once in Albuquerque and then again in San Fran) while we cleared security. I just had to stand there and hold her. I kept waiting on her to just start to claw me unmercifully and bolt through the airport to get away from me and the dreaded cage, but she was a good kitty.
It was mind numbing. I knew it wasn't going to be a "fun" trip, but I had no idea just how tired I was going to be!! The first chance we got, Shadow and I both CRASHED for a couple of hours!!



But we are home now, and she seems to be adapting well. I think Japan suits her. She even seems to be much more tolerant of my existence these days. Maybe the trip was good for our relationship ;)

Relay for Life

Over the past several weeks, my friends from the health center have been working hard getting things together to participate in the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life. I am so proud of these guys!!

I wish I could have been there to help and participate. I was there in spirit. Wearing my t-shirt that they mailed me in support.

They even made a luminary to honor my grandmother for being a cancer survivor.

They did an amazing job coordinating and putting things together. I'm so proud of those guys!! I hope they make it an annual event to join in...even though I know it was hard work! KUDOS!!