Okinawa......Fantastic!!!!!

I must admit, approximately 20 years ago when I was married to SSG Tom Wheelock & he got his orders that he was going to be stationed in Okinawa, Japan, I was more then a little nervous.  I am a Midwestern girl, born & raised & until then, I had never been out of the country.  I pulled up Okinawa on Google & saw where it was....  WOW!

That, for sure is a long way from home...and quite honestly...it freaked me out!  First of all, we were not command sponsored, and that means, we do not get base housing.  We had housing allowance, but had to find a house, off base.  My ex knew the drill, but I was a total rookie & as such, just slightly nervous.  None the less, I was committed to my husband, and I started doing my homework.  I researched the country, the customs, and the language.  I tried learning some of it.  I did my best to prepare myself for a major culture shock.    The day came to move, and nothing could have prepared me for that flight.  18 hours.  There is no way to be comfortable on an 18 hour plane ride.  No way.  I also was introduced to exactly what Jet Lag is. He is definitely not my friend, but I also found out how to keep him away....sleep.  It's the only way.

After our lovely flight, we finally arrived at the Naha airport.   We proceeded by cab (as I recall) to Kadena AFB for in processing & temporary lodging.  Almost immediately I was struck by the bustle & traffic in Naha City, Okinawa's capital.

 Cars driving on the left side of the road, scooters zipping in an out of traffic.  Yep.  I am not in Minnesota anymore.  There was so much to take in.  I was in awe.  Most of the street signs & business signs were in Kanji, Japanese writing.  Yikes!  I wasn't sure how I would ever know what was what.  Be that as it may, onward we go.  It was about a 30 minute drive before we got to Kadena Air Force base where we would stay while were were processed & found off base housing.

Of course, my husband had to tend to his duties, but we also started exploring... immediately.    I had no idea just how small Okinawa is.  As I recall it is 60 miles long (or so) and no more then 13 miles wide at it's widest point.  I was also captivated by the beauty of it & the very tropical climate they have year round.

I have always loved the ocean & was so excited to be able to live in it's backyard & I became determined to embrace it & the Japanese culture.  Me and my ex rented bikes & headed out on them between his in processing & before he had to report to his new post.  One of the first things we discovered was Kadena Air Force bases Gate 2 street.  This a shopper's paradise & have everything you can imagine.  Not to mention, most US servicemen frequent the shops there & most vendors speak fluent English.  

We hit the streets & we hit the beach.  We had to find a house, and we did in a small prefecture called Yomitan Village.  We met our landlord and explored the neighborhood.  The streets were so narrow & no sidewalks, so you have to watch it while walking or biking.  Our place was up a small hill & our neighbor was a Japanese Holy Man, of some sort.  When Okinawa had it's Obon Festival, the celebration came right to his house & we got front row seats.  It was awesome.

  Buisness in Yomitan Village

Obon Festival Performers.

I settled in & set up house after our stuff arrived from the US.  I attended classes the Army offered that acclamated newbies to how to behave, etc in Okinawa.  Little by little, I learned the basic Japanese phrases & ventured out to local stores & outings in Yomitan Village.  I hit antique shops, not much different from what we have here.  Many natives spoke fluent English   Those that didn't, were accommodating & we always came to a meeting of the minds.  I would go to our local Grocery Store & buy snacks, food & binto. (premade Japanese lunches) Much like subs, or salalds you can buy at convenience stores...but Japanese style.  They are delish!

My husband was Army & stationed at Torii Station which was only a couple miles from our place.  All of the bases on Okinawa have restaurants that feature both traditional American cuisine as well as Japanese.  They also have bingo & slot machines.   I found myself in Heaven..  

 Many days I would ride my bike to Torii Station,  In route, it took me past a school & every day, the Japanese school kids would run up to the gate and say Hello, or Peace & flash the peace sign.  They were so cute & friendly.  It was a treat to ride by there.

My husband & I thoroughly explored our new home.  We saw it all.  There is a book we bought called "Okinawa...Where Is It", that we were told to buy.  It told us where to go & how to get there.  Since most signs are in Kanji, it explained what landmarks to look for & how to follow them.  Japan is so rich in culture & it was the 50th anniversary of WW2 when I was there.  I was a little apprehensive about visiting some shrines where Japanese soldiers were decimated at the hands of US troops, but I never got anything but respect.

Learning to drive on the "wrong" side of the road, as was adjusting back when we left Okinawa was a challenge.  We lived in this beautiful place for 2 years.  I spent many hours beach combing.  I found a couple glass fishing floats that washed up on the beach after storms.  I saw old battle sites & castle ruins.  I saw zoos & tropical gardens,  I snorkeled & had occasional freak outs when typhoons moved in.  We got to see Japanese Geisha's perform at many local festivals.  It was stunning.

When we were scheduled to leave, we packed up stuff we did not want to bring back with us & sold it at the Gate 2 (or Gate 5...not sure) flea market.  Locals & servicemen stationed in Okinawa use it to buy & sell.  It gets wild & it's free.

All the pictures I have posted are stock pictures.  I will post some personal ones at a later date.  Living overseas was a once in a life time experience that I will always remember, treasure & consider myself lucky to have had an opportunity to do.