Genki Gaijin Girl

2nd Annual Oki-Family Thanksgiving Party!

2011-11-27T02:20:00.001-08:00

I hosted Thanksgiving at my aparment again this year, but waited until the weekend so it was a bit belated.

Since I'd already gone through the process last year, it was much easier this time around. I also had my
amazing friend Sarra at my apartment helping me with all the prep, and she really knows how to get it done. Thank you again, Sarra!

Here are a few photos of prep and one or two from the party itself:

Sarra and I made this apple pie together.

And I made a mini pie from the leftover ingredients (and painted my nails to look like a turkey).

I rearranged the furniture and set up this long table again.
This detail makes Thanksgiving so much more special and family-like, I think.

Table detail. :D

My bedroom became a Christmasy seating area.

The centerpiece.

Some of my favorite little friends came, and made it much more family-like. So cute.

And Baby Dion was the clencher. Such a little angel.
Don't you just love his face?

I didn't take as many photos on my camera, because I kept grabbing Sarra's instead (they are very similar ;)) but hopefully I will be able to share more soon.

All in all, it was a wonderful evening. Especially when everyone got up and pitched in for clean-up. Amazing. Wonderful. Miraculous. 24 hours later and it's almost like nothing happened. Success!

I owe a huge thanks to Sarra, of course, and also to Kazuno who helped me all throughout the planning process and who single-handedly prepared the delicious turkey, while taking care of her 3 month old baby! I don't know how you do it, lady, but you are a supermom. :)

Happy Belated Thanksgiving, everyone!

2011-11-21T16:33:00.000-08:00

I've been gone a long time. I've meant to blog plenty of times, it's just... I'm obsessed.

I'm a little embarassed to tell you what I'm obsessed with, because it's one of the most vain, trivial obsessions that I can imagine, but there's no sense lying to you, or myself. I have to come to terms with this addiction if I am ever going to beat it.

I love nailpolish.

Now, before you write me off as a completely shallow human being, hear me out. For me, nailpolish is more than a vapid accessory, it's an artform. Think about it! Your fingernails are like tiny little canvases, and there are millions of colors and designs and techniques that you can use to make them absolutely, stunningly beautiful. When you are done, you don't just hang them on a wall or stick them in an album, you carry them with you everywhere you go! You see them everytime you wash your hands or point to the chalkboard or type on the keyboard (I type while staring at my prettily painted nails), and they have the power to completely change your mood.

Convinced? Maybe some pictures would help.

True Blood Nails

Sesame Street Toes

Sushi Nails

Newspaper Nails

Wicked Nails

See? It's not all pink polish and daisies in the nail art world. The only limit is your imagination and your nail polish supply (and mine is getting pretty limitless).

Anyhow, the real point of this post is to tell you about my (long gone) Halloween Nail Party! Since my little hobby has become known here, a few people asked me to do their holiday nails, and I decided to make a party of it!

.

After seven hours, I'd painted only five sets of nails, but made five ladies very happy!

You can see all my nail designs (and some other things) on my Tumblr blog here.

Quick Hi

2011-10-25T05:08:00.000-07:00

It's been awhile, I know, and I am working on a blog, but in the meantime I just had to share this lilttle gem with you. :) My students' status update after our class today.

Today's Halloween party was so awesome!;)
I had really good time ;)
Our ALT made a pumpkin cookie!!
The taste was Sooooo great!!
I hate pumpkin though :)
But actually I really want to eat!!
Rebekhaaaaaaaa!LOL

I really love my job.

Also, hi! :) Thanks for reading.

Getting Old & A Baby Shower

2011-09-11T18:02:00.000-07:00

I'm getting old, now.

I know, because I just had a birthday. It's not the number of candles that brought this fact home (24 is not such an impressive number) but the way I felt about it. Every year I celebrate with gusto at least two or three times and make sure everyone knows about it. This year, however, it didn't seem that important. Sure, I had dinner with friends and a joint party on the weekend, and I had a lot of fun and felt very happy, but I just didn't feel like the "my" next to "birthday" was all that meaningful. Does that make sense?

The most important thing is always cake. Especially when it's a blueberry cheesecake made by Kazuno!!

Like I said, I had a fantastic time, and I am so thankful that I have such awesome friends to celebrate with, it was just different. Better, in a way. Older.

Or maybe just sleepier.

I also know I am getting older because of facebook. I'd just started getting used to see wedding after friends' wedding on my newsfeed, when all of a sudden it's babies!

Now, I LOVE babies. If you don't know that about me... well, you probably don't know me. So, this new online development gives me hours of oooooing and aaahing happiness, but it also makes me a little sad. My friends are having babies while I am on the other side of the world! Shouldn't they wait until I am there to hold their newborns??

Stephen and Corissa--I'm talking to you! I wanna meet your little girl! :)

Not all the babies are thousands of miles away, though! Luckily, my friend Kazuno and her husband Dameon just had a little one of their own!

Meet Dion.

Talk about CUTE!!

When I found out that baby showers aren't very common in Japan, I decided that I would plan one for them! Unfortunately, I decided that a little late, and the shower had to be rescheduled when little Dion came early. :) I happily made a trip to the hospital to meet the little guy in lieu of having a party that weekend, and we rescheduled for this past weekend instead.

Baby shower time!

Since Kazuno is a cool surfer chick, and since it's summer in Okinawa (still), I went with a beach/ocean theme.

Naturally, I had to have cupcakes to match.

See the surfer?

Close-up.

I even made a special "manly" cupcake for the new dad, Dameon.

What's a baby shower without a little blood and gore?

There was other food, too, of course. :) I had a lot of fun cooking for this party. I made baked mac & cheese, fancy crackers, grilled pepper quesedillas, and an apple vinagerette salad with roasted walnuts and bacon garnish.

I learned an important lesson, though. Breast-feeding mommies shouldn't eat a lot of sweets or junk food. Oops! Kazuno was happy for an excuse to eat all the food that she'd been resisting, but I felt bad. Next baby, I will make sure to cook only healthy dishes, I promise!

Here are the new parents. No wonder they had such a darling baby. :)

My gift: a diaper cake.

During the shower, we played three games. The first was a baby shower staple: "Don't Say Baby."

I made enough origami diapers for each of the guests and attached some safety pins. If anyone said "baby" during the shower, someone else could take their pins. The person with the most pins won a prize.

Winner in the middle.

My awesome friends Sarra was a natural and she caught EVERYONE saying it (especially me). She also won the second game, which was to guess how many gold fish were in a jar. Two prizes, Sarra?? :)

At least she didn't win the third game: The Baby (oops! lost a pin) Belly Game

The object of the game was to stuff the most balloons in your shirt. :)

Max won this one. He'd make an awful busty and lumpy pregnant woman, don't you think?

Overall, I think the party was a success but the main attraction, of course, was baby Dion. :)

I am so glad the shower was delayed a few weeks. I think having the little guy there was the best part. :)

Obsessed

2011-09-01T19:04:00.000-07:00

Infatuated, addicted, bewitched, engrossed, Android.

True love.

It's happened. When I borrowed Julie's iPhone in Taiwan, I knew it was only a matter of time before I would seek my teeth into my own delicious smartphone. My cell contract expired last month, and my opportunity finally arrived. Sold.

Javier is addicted, too.

I decided to stay with my current cell company (AU) and use the re-contracting bonus to lower the price of the phone, and they only stock Androids, not iPhones. But I love it. I will never, ever look back. This little chunk of technology has changed my life.

Let me count the ways:

1. Radio. The app TuneIn Radio let's me listen to just about any station I could desire. I've been tuning into Seattle's STAR 101.5, plugging the android into my car stereo, and pretending that I never left. It makes me happy. And a little sad.

2. Reading. The Kindle app is brilliant. No need to pan out an extra hundred bucks for a kindle when I can read all the books I want right on my phone! I just devoured the free ebook "Treasure Island" and then bought a Murakami book I hadn't read yet (Sputnik Sweetheart) and am more than halfway done already. I still love to hold a book in my hand, store it on my bookshelf... but you can't beat the convenience of an ebook.

3. Sleeping. I'm using the free trial of "Sleep as an Droid" and love it so far. It tracks my movement when I am sleeping to determine when I am in deep and light sleep, then wakes me without a certain time window when I seem to be moving the most and wake me from light sleep instead of deep sleep. I don't know if it really works or is just mental, but I wake up earlier and immediately feel more alert. *It also records my sleep talking, which is just plain entertaining.*

4. Lists! I do love my lists, and between the OI Shopping and Taskos Apps, I can plan away to my heart's content. I love crossing things off lists, even digitally! And this way I always have my lists with me; no more forgetting them on the fridge!

Thanks for letting me get that out. This is just a very short list of all the apps I love, but I hate to bore you more than I already have. :)

Obon Weekend

2011-08-16T18:18:00.000-07:00

The Obon holidays were this last weekend, and, as usual, I had a fantastic time (if you don't know what the heck I'm talking about, you can read my blogs about it here).

I am fairly certain these are the BEST days out of the whole Okinawa year, and while many people take advantage of the three-day-weekend to travel, there's nowhere else I'd rather be.

This is what Obon looked like for me this year:

Friday: Asato Matsuri
The festivities started on friday so I donned my new yukata (summer kimono), and walked up the road the the next neighborhood to enjoy their festival.

Javier came, too!

Eisa dancing. Isn't he cuuute??

Here you can see my yukata.

They even had a tiny fireworks show at the end. :D

Saturday: Hanashiro Matsuri
For me, Saturday is the main event. I love, love, love my neighborhood's festival. It's one of my first and best memories of Okinawa, and the local grandmas always feel like a part of the community. It's just so much fun!

Posing with my self-proclaimed "Okinawan Parents,"

and the little neighbor girl. :)

Dancing with my grannies. :)

Javier danced, too!!

I tried to get a good picture of my Obi (the yellow bow/belt) because I tied it by myself for the first time.
This was QUITE the accomplishment. :)

One last dance to end the night.

Sunday: Family Dinner
For the locals, however, Sunday is the most important day of Obon. On this day, Okinawan people gather together at their family homes to share a dinner together and bid their ancestors (whose ghosts have been visiting for the weekend) farewell. I did get to experience this dinner my first year with a teacher's family, but didn't have the opportunity this year.

Monday: Shishimai
After the ancestors have returned to their homes in the sea, some communities have one last Obon event: the Shishimai. I wrote about it more in-depth last year, and you can read that blog here.

Shishimai means "lion dance," and while the lion (or shisa) certainly does dance, I think of it as more of a parade, because it also marches all around the neighborhood as people follow behind. The main purpose of this tradition is to usher out any negative spirits that may have remained after the ancestors' departure.

One thing I love is the way the shisa is able to express so much character and emotion because of how the people inside move around and open or close the mouth.

If you look in the shisa's mouth, you can see that the man inside is having a pretty good time, too
(probably because I nearly fell over when he came charging at me).

Of course, I love how the shisa chows down on little kids and babies to bring them good luck...

but I also love how the shisa seems to respect the elderly members of the community and dances with all the grandmas.

On that note, I love how the grandmas here really love dancing. At the end of the parade, they have yet another dance party, and they once again force me to join in. :) Not that I'm complaining.

They even form a rockin'-grandma dance circle!

And get the little guys to dance along, too.

My favorite interaction of the day was between this toddler and the shisa. He seemed pretty fearless standing up to the big lion, until the lion came at him with his mouth wide open:

Then he was like, "Time to GTFO!"
Also, please note the anpanman on his hiney. Ha!
(If the embedding doesn't work, you can see it here)

As you can see, I had a really amazing weekend. I hope this isn't my last year in Japan, because I'd love to do it all over again next year.

Kazuno: Sneak Peek

2011-08-09T05:51:00.000-07:00

Look at me! Making sneak peek blogs like a pro! Too bad I am only masquerading as a photographer. For now. ;)

Mommy-to-be, Kazuno, and I headed to Toyosaki Beach today to take advantage of the blue skies and sunset potential for her maternity photo shoot.

She is going to have her first baby any day now, so I was a little worried when the typhoon rolled in and I didn't know when we'd see the sun again. Luckiliy, it returned in time for us to capture that adorable baby bump.

Being pregnant in Okinawa may not be so bad after all.

The sunset did not disappoint, and I did my best to capture it and my gorgeous friend. I took about a thousand photos, and so these are just a few (mostly) unedited samples of what's to come.

Soo many sun flare photos!
This is no where near the best of them, but I love her happy smile!

Oh, what a fun day!

Blooper Photo. Win. :)

Torture.

2011-08-05T16:48:00.000-07:00

I'd be the easiest person in the world to torture for information. Just put me in solitude for 24 hours and I will start screaming: "Please! I'll tell you whatever you want!! Just let me out of here!! I need human contact!"

Sarra needs bentos.

Do you hear that, Typhoon Muifa? You did it; you drove me to the point of despair! What do you want to know??! I will tell you anything! Just please, please, please! Let me outdoors. Let me breathe fresh air and laugh and eat fresh fruit! I am BEGGING YOU!!

It's not like I've been alone all the time, either. I spent almost 24 hours at Sarra's watching movies and eating constantly, and about 12 hours at Max's after I came over for dinner and got trapped when the storm unexpectedly grew stronger. These friends have been amazing, and I'm so glad I wasn't alone all this time, but I still feel all the energy leaving my body. I feel the mad desperation of a person tortured for many hours, on the verge of breaking entirely.

Please, typhoon Muifa! What do you WANT from me?! You ragging maniac, let us out of here!!!!

High(and low)lights of Late

2011-08-03T00:19:00.000-07:00

I am way behind on blogging, and there are way too many things that I want to immortalize in writing, so I'm going to make it quick and hit a few highlights.

Sometimes, I cook.
Just sometimes.

Recently, I've been trying to cook more Japanese recipes. Like this Omusoba:

I wanted to cook yakisoba after watching Ochi's video on youtube (She has a great Japanese cooking channel. Check it out HERE). Then I saw this other video and decided to put said yakisoba into an omelette. It was delicious. I was so proud.

I've also been looking for light, summer recipes, and this Apple Vinaigrette Salad is my current favorite:

I got the recipe from a simple google search and have made it once a week ever since. Tasty.

Often, I party.
Maybe a little too often.

I love having people over. Sometimes I just have a friend over for dinner (which was the case with the above two dishes) and sometimes I invite 25 high school students over.

Squish!

Um... what?!

A few weeks ago some students from international club here at school asked if they could host a party at my apartment. Since the international club usually consists of about 10 sweet mannered girls, I said "no problem!" I found out the day before the party that the regulars wouldn't be the only ones attending. Oops.

Not to be intimidated by such a number. I rearranged some furniture, removed two of the sliding doors between the tatami room and the bedroom, and hoped for the best.

Lucky for me, these students were not just considerate guests, they were also very tidy.

Shoes all lined up so carefully.

They were comfortable sitting on the floor, brought their own food...

... and they left my apartment in better shape than they found it in. Amazing!

Sparkly clean.

So, if 25 Japanese high schoolers ask to come to your 2LDK apartment, just say yes!

The next day was my buddy/ coworkers birthday, and so some of us put together a little surprise party for him (also at my apartment).

Can you say yakiniku?!?

Yakiniku just means grilled meat but the special part is that you grill all of the meat on a burner at the table. Usually I eat yakiniku at a restaurant but some students taught me how to do it at home. It's great! You save money and can still eat until you are stuffed.

So, in honor of Max, a good-sized group of ALTs, Kazuno, and one of Koyo's teachers got together to devour mountains of meat and celebrate.

Sarra brought a beautiful chocolate mouse cake which I so gracefully placed my arm in. Sorry about that Sarra. And Max.

It was still, edible, though, and with cups full of cake everyone was happy to say "Cheers" to Max's 26th.

"Kanpai!!"

Recently, I say 'goodbye.'
Way too many times.
This time of year is full of sunshine and fun and, unfortunately, way too many "sayonaras." Tis the season for the great JET exodus in which dozens of the friendly faces around the island vanish. This year, I've not been handling it well. It feels like this vast hole has opened up in my life, but at the same time I refuse to accept that it's happening. So many friends are leaving. For good.

Kate and Osborne (front and center)

I haven't really shown much emotion, but inside I am cracking more and more with each goodbye. Like saying so long to sweet Kate last night. Or to Osborne today. These friends have become such an important part of my daily life here.

Alana is soon to follow and then Laura... there are too many to count. I just can't imagine Okinawa without them.

Every time I prepare myself to say goodbye to one of these lovely people, all I can think is "Please, Don't Go. "

Dear, dear friends, please know that you are missed, that you will be missed, that you've changed Okinawa in your time here, and that that change will live on in each of us who were lucky enough to know you while you were here. Please stay in touch. I mean it.

Once in a great while, I travel.
But not this time.

That stinker is coming straight for me. Boo.

This weekend, I'd planned to take my one and only summer vacation, but a nasty looking typhoon is moving in. It kind of looks like it will be out of the way by Friday night/Saturday, but I'd planned to camp on the beach and the weather still might not be ideal for that. So, I decided not to risk the weather ruining my plans and just cancelled them instead. Hopefully I can find another weekend to get away, but in the meantime, I have more house parties and recipe experiments to look forward to.

Does anyone have a recipe that makes typhoons pass more quickly?

5 Things That Have Made Me Giddily Happy Recently: Summertime!

2011-07-11T03:59:00.000-07:00

It's been awhile since I've done one of these, but it's time for another installment of 5 Things That Have Made Me Giddily Happy Recently (I've decided to keep the obscenely long title, too). Usually I count my blessings when I am feeling a little low, but this time it's because my life is so blessed, I'm afraid to lose count. Here's a tiny sliver of my current happiness.

1. Sushi Suckers

'Nuff said.

2. My Silly Pet Turtle

He's happy, just camera shy.

3. My Breezy Apartment

Newly clean and sparkly.

4. Pickle Jar Glasses

Fresh out of the freezer.

5. Sparklers

On the beach.

Sunrise, Sunset

2011-07-07T06:16:00.000-07:00

On Tuesday night and Wednesday night, I had the rare opportunity to enjoy both a beautiful sunset and a beautiful sunrise. I also had the good sense to break out the camera and capture these moments.

Tuesday Night

Wednesday Morning

I'm so blessed that I can view both lovely times of day from my back balcony, though I have to crane my neck a little to view the latter.

Speaking of sunsets, feast your eyes on the now-familiar view from Hamabe no Chaya Cafe. It's even better with a stunningly vivid summer sunset while enjoying English conversations and pizza with some of my favorite students.

Just one more reason to love Okinawa.

Independence Day

2011-07-04T17:00:00.000-07:00

Happy Fourth of July, family, friends, and everyone! :) I hope you spend it with people you care about while doing something you love, like I did.

I miss you, family! <3

Gumball Rally 2011

2011-06-25T07:45:00.000-07:00

Okinawa JETs have an annual tradition of going a little crazy and having some fun around the island. It's a scavenger hunt, of sorts, but includes a variety of photos and videos to be taken or items to procure that are... a little out of the ordinary. But still legal.

We call it The Gumball Rally.

This year's event was organized by my favorite, Sarra, and our friends Lisa and Grant.

They made sure the teams were all organized, prepared the scavenger hunt list, and even planned a BBQ for when we finished.

When I heard that Gumball Rally was approaching, I put a team together of my favorite coworkers and another favorite ALT from Naha. Once we received our list, we were unstoppable.

We completed our first task within seconds of starting: share a donut without using your hands. Bravo, teammates!

A "blockhead" indeed.

Cross Dressing. Working that sexy Japanese style.
The cashier glared at us so much... :) Worth it.

Jumping Jubilantly at Jusco!

Challenge someone to a soda chugging contest. The student won. :)

My baby daikon (giant radish). He has his mama's skin tone, don't you think?

Cramming into a small space.

Eating raw goya (bitter melon).

The littlest, pimpinest snowman.

Typhoon teeter totter.

Ah yes, I should mention that we had a tropical storm/typhoon roll through this weekend. The weather today was less than ideal, but didn't dampen our sense of adventure. Besides, we were able to complete many of the tasks while still indoors. Hoorah!

Tree Climbers.

Cliff Jumpers.

Fake eyelash... wearers.

These are just a few of a long list of challenges. Some of the best are the videos, but those were taken on another camera. Perhaps I can procure them and share them with you next time.

At 5:30, we met our judges and the other competing teams at the beach to tally scores and enjoy a rainy-day bbq. Additional points were given for team costumes and we planned ours well in advance.

Heroes vs. Villians

Max as "Corporeal Punishment"

Osborne as "Yankee Boy"

Wang as "Goya Girl"

And me as "SHE-sa, Guardian of the Peace." (With Javier who was super sleepy.)

Once all the points had been tallied, the judges announced the winners. Can you guess who took it by a landslide of points? Our team!!

It was a proud moment for us.

I'm glad that OkiJETs are so awesome, that the planners came up with such a fun list of items, and that I had the best team EVER.

Gumball Rally 2011 = Success!

Hula for Japan

2011-06-23T21:58:00.000-07:00

It's been awhile since I've posted anything about that big earthquake here in Japan earlier this year, but despite my silence, the catastrophe has never been far from my mind. There are still so many people homeless, broken, and mourning their loved ones. The people of the region still need help, so relief efforts are far from over.

So, when a friend and fellow JET teacher from Hawaii came up with the idea of a hula performance to benefit the victims of the Tohoku Earthquake, I knew it would be great!

For the past seven weeks, I and some fellow JETs and friends have been meeting to learn hula!

In the beginning, the beautiful and generous Alana offered her spacious apartment for our rehearsals, but we needed a little more space and thought mirrors would be helpful. I called up a friend and we've been able to have some of our rehearsals in Naha at one of my favorite salsa venues: Bomba Latina.

The owner, Teddy, is such a nice guy, and let us practice for free! And we were more than happy to order our fill of delicious food during the breaks.

Yesterday was our last practice, and it was so exciting to see how all of the dances are coming together! There will are five different dances including a solo by Sammy (above), the adult ladies group, a couples dance, a student dance, and a grand finale.

We've been practicing about two hours every week, and are so excited for our performance this weekend!! It's Sunday night from 6:30 to about 7:30 at Moon Terrace Cafe in Agariahama. Come watch and eat delicious Hawaiian food, if you 're able to, and read more about it here! All of the dancers have donated money to the cause, there will be donation boxes, and a percentage of the proceeds from the cafe will go toward relief, as well.

Of course, none of this could ever have happened without the lovely (seriously just look at her!!) and incredibly talented Kate. She's been the best hula dance instructor. She is SO patient (and she needs to be with some of us... especially me!), and so graceful and inspiring. I want to dance JUST like her, but I know I look a lot more awkward and uncoordinated. :) She not only taught us all the dances, but taught them to herself first! For the couples dance, she learned both the men and women's parts so that she could teach everyone. And she does it so perfectly!

On top of all that, she's been working like a maniac to organize everything with the cafe, advertise the event, and she even sewed ALL the skirts!!! Amazing!

Kate, thank you for everything you are doing for our dancers, for this event, and for the people of Japan.

You are seriously inspiring, and I am so lucky to know you and dance with you!

Daily Faces

2011-06-21T21:30:00.000-07:00

The hunch in her back is pronounced. She no longer stands erect but must walk slowly, her tiny body bent at almost 90 degrees. She wears a faded blue bonnet to shield her face from the piercing sun, but it does little to protect against decades of summers. She pushes a stroller in front of her, but instead of an infant it holds the tools of her daily life: spades and shovels and heavy work gloves. From a distance, she could be mistaken from a small child on a walk with her doll, but a closer look proves that this woman hasn't felt the thrill of youth in my lifetime. As she trudges past my apartment, I realize that her broken posture is the result of endless days laboring in the fields. As I crawl into my car to leave for work, I offer a friendly "ohayou gozaimasu" but she doesn't seem to hear me and continues slowly to begin, or continue, her day's work.

This is my morning commute.

He furrows his heavy brows and the deep creases around his eyes grow deeper as he peers into the already-bright sun. He is dressed in common workman's clothing, but he clearly takes pride in his thick mane of hair. He mindlessly pulls a comb from his back left pocket and runs it through the front of his grey-streaked coif, ensuring that the early morning breeze won't disturb a single hair.

His face is darkened by the sun, but not unflatteringly. He is impatient, pacing from the bench to the center of road and back.

Sometimes I drive past in a rush to make the morning meeting, sometimes slowly with plenty of time to spare, but always he is there, one calloused hand shielding the tanned face below that perfectly-styled hair, waiting restlessly for bus 58.

I smile, nod, and continue driving.

The sun is to be feared, hated, and avoided at all costs. At least, that is how this man feels. He embarks on his morning walk by taking every precaution against that fiery ball of evil in the sky. He puts on his dark pants and a long-sleeved jacket. He then brings up the hood, pulls up some UV gloves, perches thick sunglasses on his nose, and inspects himself in the mirror by the door. But wait! What's this? Uncovered skin! Surely the sun will find the revealed flesh of his face and burn it into a bubbling, cancerous ball of dying skin cells. To safeguard against this terrible fate, he grabs the final piece of his carefully planned outfit: the ski mask.

Or that's what I imagine as he jogs slowly past my car each morning. From head to toe to fingertip to nose, there is not a single sliver of human visible. The result is unsettling at first and, later, humorous. His dedication to untouched skin must surely make him one of the palest, most cancer-free people on the whole sun-soaked island.

I arrive, lock my car, and get to work. These are the people I start my days with. These are my daily faces.

Ojima Beach BBQ

2011-06-21T07:38:00.000-07:00

By the time the Koyo Festival was over, us ALTs were ready to relax on the beach with some grilled meat. Luckily, Kazuno and I were prepared.

(Especially Kazuno. Thank you for all the planning!!)

We drove down to the beach on Ojima (O Island) and started the grills while the sun was still burning down on us. We were too hungry to wait!

Luckily, last weekend my friend Neave made some vegetable skewers soaked in Italian dressing, and I was able to do do it again this weekend. So delicious.

The sunset from the beach was lovely.

and the company was great!

Kazuno also brought some things along to burn in a bonfire, and we were able to gather some wood from a tree that had fallen during the typhoon.

It was warm and relaxing. I am looking forward to many more bonfires throughout the summer.

It was a fantastic time and a really wonderful way to start our post-weekend time off (Koyo didn't have school Monday or Tuesday in exchange for working Saturday and Sunday).

Thanks again, Kazuno! You are a BBQ expert. :D

Koyo Festival 2011

2011-06-17T20:40:00.000-07:00

I am "working" this weekend, which actually means I am enjoying my school's festival.

Which includes eisa dancing, student-made movies, plays, dances, and miscellaneous fun.

Also, festival food.

It's a hard life.

Despite all the fun, I am ready for my "weekend" to start tomorrow.

I need to sleep in, clean, and go sit on the beach. :)

Starting... now!

BBQ Season

2011-06-13T21:27:00.001-07:00

BBQ Season
Originally uploaded by ReBekha Michele

If the last two weekends are any indication, this is going to be an incredible summer.

I don't even mind working and teaching all summer as long as I can run to the beach afterwards to light things on fire, grill some jalapeño burgers, and throw myself into the ocean.

Nope. Don't mind at all.

Good Day, Sunshine!

2011-05-31T17:11:00.000-07:00

The typhoon left behind some of the most beautiful weather we've had all year. I'd be okay with a typhoon sweeping through every month if it guaranteed low-humidity sunny days like these!

Sunday:

The view from Hamabe no Chaya Cafe

Angie and her french toast. This cafe was open and serving customers despite the power outage.

Dinner at a cafe by Araha Beach as the sun was setting.

See the palm trees?

Monday:

I drove straight from work to drink in this view. Mibaru Beach.

Back to Hamabe no Chaya for the 2nd day in a row. Kitty!

Hamabe Pizza :)

Then to Hiyakuna Beach:

to read,

to watch the sunset,

and to play.

Genki.

In Songda's Wake

2011-05-30T20:53:00.000-07:00

Here are some photos (click to view them larger) and stories from the day after Super Typhoon Songda. It was certainly the strongest natural force I had ever personally encountered. Hopefully the worst I ever will.

The storm was so loud on Saturday night that it was impossible for me to fall asleep in my room next to the rattling glass windows. To solve that problem, I took the futon and slept on the kitchen floor. It was still unbelievable loud in there, but not as terrifying. It was kind of like camping.

The next morning, I woke up to partially blue skies and birds singing happily.

See the bird?

At that point, I'd been stuck in my apartment for about a million years, so I had to get out. Since I still didn't have a car, I decided a bike ride would suit me just fine.

I set out and immediately started to note the damage the typhoon had caused.

My how the mighty have fallen.

Repairmen were out first thing in the morning to work on this roof.

It was no match for those extreme winds.

About halfway through the ride, Wang joined me on her bike.

My biking companion and coworker, Miss Wang. :)

Wang's door had only a small crack before the storm.

My favorite walking/biking path was completely inaccessible.

Trees weren't the only casualties, either. I saw more dead birds than I care to count, but I won't post pictures of that here. Heh.

I wonder why the power is out...

After taking a slight detour around all the blocked roads and paths, we finally arrived at Mibaru Beach.

It looks nice without any boats in the water, huh?

The whole area had lost power so it was nearly impossible to find something to drink. Of course the vending machines don't work when the power's out! But we got to watch the beach stuff put some of the boats back in the sea, and we eventually found a grocery store which would sell us luke-warm cola. Ahhh... refreshing.

At the end of the bike ride, Wang cooked me some delicious yakisoba (fried noodles). I still didn't have power at my apartment. So I was happy to accept her generosity. ;)

My power was eventually restored but I was out enjoying the post-typhoon weather (more about that later), so I didn't notice until after 10 p.m. I was actually pretty lucky to get power the next day! The students in the dorms had no power AND no water for two days! My poor, stinky students.

Exploring Risotto

2011-05-28T06:03:00.000-07:00

I've been stuck in my apartment all day because of this impending storm (and because my car is stranded in Naha... long story), and the boredom is starting to crush me. I've watched at least 13 episodes of "Bones" today, have cleaned about 75% of my house, and have cooked two big meals.

Right now, the storm is raging strongly. The wind and rain and slamming against all the windows and doors. The power flickered a few times and is now out completely. That leaves me, 1 hour of laptop battery, some candles, and nothing to do. So... I will tell you about risotto!

Creamy chicken tomato risotto with cheddar cheese (and a yummy pickle garnish).

I like cooking dishes that are easily variable to fit the random contents of my fridge (like fried rice! you can just throw anything in there!), and risotto fits the bill! So far I have made it with cream of chicken soup, cream of mushroom soup, and, today, chicken broth and canned tomatoes:

Tomato Risotto cooked chicken broth and a yellow pepper garnish.

Sometimes vegetables can be pretty expensive in the grocery store, so I like to buy whatever I can find at the local veggie stand. Campbell's soup is also pricey, so I just pick up whatever I can find at a good price.

It's a lot of fun to totally improvise a meal. It makes me feel like I can actually get by in this world and make my own meals. Pretty novel, right?

Well, that's the end of my typhoon-boredom-power-outage ramblings. The wind sounds either like a demon train of destruction or like the world's largest chair scraping loudly and painfully across the world's largest wooden floor. Kinda creepy. Now I'm going to take my candles, flashlight, and a book to bed and hope the wind quiets down enough for me to sleep at some point tonight.

Goodnight, Super Typhoon Songda. You were fun for like a minute, now go away.

Weekend Plans

2011-05-26T22:17:00.000-07:00

What I have to look forward to this weekend:

Don't worry, mom, I have an emergency kit ready,

and I know better than to drive or walk around in a "super typhoon."

This is all anyone can talk about today (myself included), but it's hard to feel any real concern when every other typhoon warning has brought little more than a heavy tropical rain. Logically, I hope that this typhoon is similarly anti-climactic, but there's a twisted little part of me (the same part in every person who cranes his/her neck to catch a glimpse of disaster) that hopes the hype isn't for nothing this time.

Besides, I'm from Idaho. I like power outages.

Tea Time at Wistaria Tea House

2011-05-21T19:00:00.000-07:00

I almost forgot about one of the Taiwan experiences that was definitely noteworthy! That's what I get for storing the pictures in another folder.

On my last day in Taiwan, before heading off to the airport, Jules and I (and later Katannya) bused over to Wistaria Tea House for a classic tea service and an early lunch.

We started with a tea of Jules' choosing.

Luckily, the server was a very kind lady who took us through

the ceremony in English so that we could do it right.

Coconut tea cakes. Yum!

The tea I chose is called "Lotus in a Golden Wind."I chose it mainly for it's name, but the description is pretty convincing, as well.

It was a yummy choice: light and fruity.

When we were through our second batch of tea, it was lunch time!

To my surprise all the lunches were Japanese-style.

It turns out that this tea house was created during the Japanese occupation of Taiwan.

No matter the style, it was delicious!

Thanks for the lovely tea time, ladies! It was a great way to end a marvelous vacation!

In Memory

2011-05-18T00:08:00.000-07:00

To most, Harmon Killebrew is known as a great baseball player: a true talent who didn't play dirty. He was a man whose powerful batting earned him the nickname "Killer" and whose life earned him the respect of everyone who was lucky enough to meet him.

To me, Uncle Harm is this guy:

A sweet, caring, sometimes goofy man who would go to great lengths--even dressing like a rapping, dread-locked Santa--to make his family happy. All of my memories of Uncle Harm are good ones. He was the kind-hearted and funny with a gentle-spirit that always set me at ease. Even as a very young girl I knew that he was a good man: a doting father, caring husband, and super cool uncle.

I'm not sad for him. He's being taken care of now, I'm sure of it.

But I am sad. Heartbroken. That I won't get to see him again, that my aunt and my cousins, especially, are grieving, and that I have no words... no way to truly comfort them.

I wish I could have seen him. I wish I had been in better contact in the last few years. I wish I could be there to comfort my family. I pray their heartbreak is lessened in some way, somehow, soon.

Taipei Top 5!

2011-05-16T20:35:00.000-07:00

Every year in Japan there are a cluster of holidays which fall close enough together to give us an opportunity for a little holiday. This year, despite some financial woes, I decided that I couldn't give up my best chance to see more than just this tiny island.

So, I decided to hop on over to the closest country (also a tiny island, but a new, exciting one): Taiwan!

I had a lot of great experiences during my short trip, and here is my Taipei Top Five!

#1 Staying with Julie

I consider myself extremely lucky to have a friend like Julie. She used to work as a JET program ALT in Okinawa with me but finished up her contract and moved to Taipei. She is a sweet, extremely caring, and super fun friend. I was so happy that my trip to Taiwan meant that I got to spend time with her and see her nice, new apartment.

#2 The Unintentionally Long (but Beautiful) Train Ride

On Wednesday morning, a big group of friends and recent acquaintances boarded a train to Jiufen (more about that later). Everything seemed to be going smoothly, but when we accidentally missed our transfer station, the express train we were riding on took us for quite the joy ride. The next station wasn't for another 30 minutes so all we could do was sit back and enjoy the ride. It was quite enjoyable, though. :) The scenery was beautiful, and we had this little girl to keep us entertained:

All told, our little side adventure put us back about two hours (I estimate) but it was relaxing, and we got to see more of Taiwan than originally planned, even if just from the train window. :)

#3 Jiufen (The Spirited Away Town)

Our real destination for the day was a little town tucked away in the mountains called Jiufen. It's famous for inspiring the anime Spirited Away but is also appreciated for it's stunning views:

...on a clear day, I suppose. Unfortunately the weather was less than accommodating so we mostly just enjoyed the food and shopping. Definitely worth the trip, despite getting soaked to the bone.

"Tea Goose"

Shopping for Tea

#4 Sightseeing in Taipei

You can't go to Taipei without being a bit of a tourist, now can you?

2-28 Peace Memorial Park

I also went to two museums on the same day. Brain. Overload.

Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall

Taipei 101: The world's 2nd tallest building. Another dreary day.

#5 FooooooOOOoooooood!

Lamb and Feta Burger. When you live overseas, it's okay
to eat really good burgers wherever you find them. :)

Yummy Tofu (not of the stinky variety)

Night market food: fried noodles and oyster omelet.

A delicious desert made of peanut brittle shavings, ice cream, and cliantro! Yum!

The "Modern Toilet" Restaurant. Everything is served in toilet-shaped bowls.

Yum! ;)

Bonus: Dancing with Zombies!

Actually, these are my favorite two experiences from Taipei, but it seems weird to have a Top 6. ;)

Julie has been taking swing dance lesson since she arrived in Taipei. If you know me at all, you know that I LOVE swing dancing, so I was most looking forward to hitting the dance floor!

The Taipei Swing group was awesome! Everyone was so friendly and welcoming, and I loved the location. I danced until I was drenched in sweat and beaming with happiness.

After all that dancing, we took a taxi to Ximen to meet up with some of Jules friends. They were extras in a local movie and were all done up in makeup to fit the part.

Happy Zombie! Ahhhhhh!

It was definitely the most eventful night of my trip, which was altogether wonderful.

Thank you, Jules, so much for hosting me and helping me experience so many wonderful aspects of Taiwan. Perhaps after I am done here in Okinawa I will follow in your footsteps.... we'll see. ;)

First Impressions: Taiwan

2011-05-03T17:50:00.001-07:00

Taiwanese people are much more... assertive... than Japanese people. And stare more openly. (^.~)

Chinese style architecture is beautiful!

I've missed bubble tea.

Not all bathrooms provide toilet paper. Thank goodness for that tissue in my bag!

Taipei is a REAL city. Full of life, chaos, and scooters. I've missed this.

There are Westerners/foreigners everywhere, and they have great food. :)

Kiwi Gourmet Burger: Lamb and Feta

Julie is a great host and an amazing friend!

Today we are headed to Jiufen! Excited!

Easter 2011

2011-04-26T22:22:00.000-07:00

This Easter may have snuck up on me (and probably passed by unnoticed) if it hadn't been for the two wonderful care packages I received. Thank you, Mom and Kim!

My mom sent a box full of these delicious homemade chocolates:

I have been sharing them with a lot of people, and I still have plenty left for myself. :)

My friend, Kim, sent me a GREAT care package

filled with Easter goodies including:

some plastic eggs,

these adorable hamster stickers...

and tie-dye/glitter egg coloring sets!!

I shared all of these fun things with the little kids in my life: the children from

Ishimine Baptist Church, and the girls in my little adopted Okinawan family. :)

They had a blast!

Cute, huh?

I completed the Easter weekend with a trip back to my first church in Okinawa: Central Baptist. It was nice to be in an English-speaking service and to see all the wonderful people I'd been missing there. It was also great to join in on the potluck afterwards and feast myself on some traditional Easter food!

I'm glad I found a little slice of Easter all the way over in Asia.

And even though it isn't really a holiday here, the fish wind socks hanging up for Children's Day seemed festive on Easter, as well. :)

Wil Visits Okinawa!

2011-04-19T19:37:00.000-07:00

I love it when friends come to visit me! It's such a great reminder of why I love being here and of all the fun places right outside my door.

Recently, I was lucky enough to have a friend from waaaaaay back in the day come to my lovely island. Wil and I met way back in Elementary School when we both attended the same church in Harlem, Montana. Since then, we've kept in touch fairly often. First by writing letters (THAT long ago?!?), then email, MySpace, and now Facebook.

During his trip I got to revisit a lot of the places I love on the island, and also find a few new good ones!

First Adventure: Toyosaki Beach!

I've only visited this beach twice before because it is not as close to my house as some

other beaches and it is a little too manicured for my taste (only one small roped-in

swimming area?! Puh-lease)....

But they have extensive sidewalks and side roads. Perfect for rollerblading!

So I broke out my sweet blades, loaned Wil my bike,

and enjoyed the perfect weather.

Doesn't he look pleased?

I love how clear and perfect the water is in Okinawa!

Second Adventure: Blue Party!

Wil's trip coincided with the Blue Party I had planned as An Yang's going away and I was SO glad! He helped me soooo much with set up and tear down and got the opportunity to meet all the wonderful people I love in Okinawa.

Wil getting a drink...

from an amazing bartender. :)

Making new friends!

And jamming with Max.

Third Adventure: Okinawa World, Mozuku Soba,

Mibaru Beach

It took us a little extra time to get around the next morning, but we filled the rest of the day with adventure! First stop: Okinawa World and Cave Park!

Wil seemed to enjoy the caves and taking photos of all the different stalagmites.

He's a bat!

Next stop: Mozuku Soba!

This is one of the BEST places to eat... in the world. Mozuku is a type of delicious seaweed harvested in the water near the restaurant. This restaurant is extremely dedicated to the healthy, stringy stuff and include it in the soba noodles, the broth, the rice, the tempura, the salad, and even the desert. It's... amazing.

Last Stop: Mibaru Beach

We caught the last few rays of sunlight at the beach near my high school.

Love the look on Wil's face.

Frolicking happily. :)

Fourth Adventure: The Great North

First, we hit up the Pineapple Park. It is a great place to have some silly fun,

learn all about pineapples, and stuff yourself on free pineapple samples:

wine, cake, cookies... heaven.

Second, we went to the must-see Churaumi Aquarium. It is my favorite place to

take guests, and so I've been there about ...Oh, a million times. <3 it.

I <3 Garden Eels. Kawaiiiii!

Fifth (and last) Adventure: Naha!

Unfortunately, I had to work most of the days Wil was here, but I was able to take a couple half days! One of those was spent in the Prefectural capital: Naha.

Who doesn't want to pose with a decapitated pig in sunglasses?

Ramen!!

AhhhAAahhh!

Naminoe Beach is kind of a joke. Just look at that view!
But it's worth visiting, if only for comparison purposes. ;)

Naminoe Shrine was pretty sweet, though.

And Wil got to experience the temple cleansing. We don't have a lot of actual shrines in Okinawa.

We also stopped by Shuri Castle to take in the view and walk around the grounds for awhile.

Our last stop was to a Kaiten (conveyor belt) sushi place. Wil is a very adventurous eater. He has some delicious Octopus in this photo.

Matcha (Green Tea) Ice Cream Sushi

Wil's giant pile of sushi plates, and his awesome face.

Overall, it was incredibly fun to have my ole buddy here.

I hope more and more of my friends come to visit.

I want to be a tour guide more often!!

さよなら

2011-04-09T16:42:00.000-07:00

My heart grows heavier with every moment. Doom is approaching. Soon my workdays will be significantly less enjoyable, my weekends significantly less joyous, my lunch hours significantly less entertaining.

Yang-chan

is leaving.

How did it come to this? How could time be so cruel as to bring this to pass? Why? Why?!

On Friday night I organized a huge going away party for Miss Yang. About thirty people showed up at my apartment, dressed in blue, and bearing blue food and drinks for a "Blue Without You" themed party. We even had Blues music and a little Blues dancing. Not to mention the decor. :) I hope Yang-chan knows now how many people care about her!

In about an hour I am going to wake her up (she's staying in the other room) and drive her to the airport. I have a feeling that there will be a ton of people there to see her off, too. That girl is well loved, that's for sure!

The "Blue Wall" with pictures of everyone expressing their blueness.

I sincerely hope you come back and visit Okinawa, Yang-chang. You will have a place to stay as long as I am here (which should be awhile yet). You've been a great friend, and I feel so lucky to have met you. Please stay in touch.

{Photos from the camera of the talented Miss Sarra}

March in Photos

2011-04-06T19:28:00.000-07:00

I have been failing at my Project 365 lately. I blame the sudden, untimely death of my little point-and-shoot camera and my D80s steady progression toward the electronics graveyard. It's time I start putting money aside for a new DSLR. Ugh.

Despite my petty excuses, I did manage to capture most of the days in March, and want to share them with you now. :)

Unfortunately my Spring "Break" is over and classes start tomorrow so I don't have time to re-arrange or caption them. Also, I have another blog that I want to post. So, you can view all of my 365 photos and their captions HERE on Flickr.
Happy Thursday!

Spring ... Break?

2011-03-29T20:48:00.000-07:00

In the Japanese school system, teachers often work when everyone else is on vacation. It's a sad state of affairs considering that a major bonus of being a teacher, in the western mind, is getting all of those extended vacations: summer vacation, Christmas vacation, spring break... heaven!

Not so for the Japanese teacher.

This week is, technically speaking, Spring Break. Students of all ages have thrown aside their school uniforms and their heavy backpacks, are sleeping in past 6 a.m. (gasp!), and are enjoying this stunning spring weather on their bikes, in their neighborhoods, on the beach... Meanwhile, I sit at my desk from 9-5 with no energetic students to make my day more bearable, surrounded by busy coworkers rushing about frantically. I can't for the life of me figure out what is keeping them so busy, however. Every day I rack my brain for projects to keep me busy, and still end up with more down time than is physically healthy.

The insane look in my eyes can testify to that fact.

Yesterday, for example, I watched as the old teachers prepared for transfer by packing up their desks, some current teachers moved to a different desk, and a couple new teachers arrived to place their belongings into a empty desk. Feeling left out of all the hubbub without a new desk to move to, I decided to take everything off and out of my desk anyways and clean every nook and cranny, clean out the old archives of lesson plans that I never touch anyway, and start fresh for the year. I even gave the tatami room a quick vacuum. However, those tasks barely lasted me until lunch.

Clean, organized, redecorated, yay!

While technically, I could take nenkyuu (paid leave) and go frolic in the sun with my students, I am a little low on spare days after my Seattle trip (we get 10 per semester) and need to save them for visiting friends. Soooo.. I am finding small ways to make this week feel like spring break, even though it really ... isn't.

On Saturday, my darling friend Neave came to the main island from her little, far-away island and brought a friend along for the adventure. So, on Sunday, I packed the two girls into my car and whisked them away for a day of fun.

First stop: breakfast! There is only one place on the island (outside of the military bases) to get a real, big, American breakfast: the Rose Garden. Yummmmmmmm.... Since it was a Sunday morning, we had to wait about 20 minutes to be seated, but it was totally worth it.

Check out the size of those bacon strips!

We then continued to the middle of the island where drove across the long sea road to a bundle of small islands all connected by bridges. We started with my favorite island, Hamahiga Jima, where we spent most of the day exploring shrines, caves, beaches, and the jungle. It.was.wonderful.

We also drove along two other islands and explored some underground hut-like structures on Ikei Jima where people lived 2000 plus years ago. Awesome.

At the end of the day, the three of us ate a yummy Okinawan meal, drove to my apartment, and snuggled up for a movie, tea, and cookies. Feeling of Spring Break: Achieved.

The next morning, being Monday morning, I had to wake up early and go to work. However, my college roommate, Sarah, and her boyfriend, Ben, were visiting from Chiba, Japan, so I took a half-day and set off for another adventure! Our first order of business was lunch. On a hunger scale from 1-10, Sarah was a 6 while Ben was about a 7. Time to eat! We tried two cafes, the "pig cafe" and the "cow cafe," which were both closed; so we set off on a slightly longer drive for the "hill cafe" which was, thankfully, open.

You can't tell, but there's a really nice view behind us.

Oh, there it is!

Yama no Chaya is the sister cafe to Hamabe no Chaya, the cafe with the lovely ocean views which I have posted about on a few occasions. It also boasts delightful views, just from a farther perspective. :) This cafe also serves up some scrumptious Okinawan dishes. Yum!

After a long, leisurely lunch, Sarah, Ben, and I headed for the Peace Park. They toured the museum while I took a relaxing break with a book. Then we all met up and walked around the park. The Peace Park is very extensive, full of sobering shrines and tombs, and boasting numerous uplifting views. We walked from one end to the other and ended up at the locally dubbed "Ghost Beach" for it's less-than-lively occupants. ;) When dinner time approached, we finished off a lovely day at another favorite local eatery: Paradise Cafe. Cashew nut chicken, for the win!

Sarah showed me around Tokyo when I visited last summer, and I was so glad to return the favor. It was really wonderful to see Sarah again and show her my new home here. I hope that wherever we go in the world, we can always meet up for adventures and a few good laughs.

As you can see, though I may have to work through most of Spring "Break," I am finding little ways to enjoy my spare time. In fact, I am about to enjoy a leisurely, sunny lunch. My stomach says: It's time! Here's to more adventures this week, and a fast approaching weekend!

Donation For Japan Earthquake 11th March2011

2011-03-22T00:45:00.001-07:00

Donation For Japan Earthquake 11th March2011
Originally uploaded by dragonpeace

Happy Friday :)

2011-03-18T01:44:00.000-07:00

Ah, the end of the work week and the start of a glorious weekend. In an hour some coworkers and I are heading up to the northernmost tip of the island, staying the night, and then relay-biking from the top to bottom of Okinawa. I am excited. I think it will be just what I need-- a kind of happiness reset button of exercise and great people. :)

I am far from forgetting about the terrible things that have happened--and are still happening--in Japan, and I won't let up on my efforts to spread the word about donation and relief efforts, but I don't have to be sad all the time, right?

...

Right?

To remind myself, and those of you who are feeling heavy-hearted (Sarra), that it's okay to laugh, here's a video that made be explode in giggles this afternoon.

I just love babies.

Hope

2011-03-15T23:37:00.000-07:00

I have been addicted to the news these last few days. Every time I sit in front of the computer, I start clicking and reading and, before I know it, hours have passed. The majority of the news is still devastating: rolling blackouts, nuclear meltdown, morality rates rising, huge aftershocks... but, every now and then, there is something positive, something hopeful.

That is what today's blog is about--the good news.

1. This article about rescuers who found a four month old baby and a seventy year old woman alive after surviving for days. The baby was found under a pile of debris after being swept away from her family, but was joyfully reunited again.

2. This photo of a man who stayed afloat on the roof of his house and was rescued after two days afloat, waiving his red flag in vain. Can you imagine how cold it was, how lonely, and how terrifying? Yet, this sixty-year-old man stayed alive and clung to hope. So, so inspiring. Here's the article.

3. This website, shared by the always pet-conscious Professor Pope. It's easy to forget that there are other creatures affected by this disaster: the animals, but some people are working hard to save as many of those little guys as possible.

4. This video of a California student who found video of her family in a tsunami-wrecked village, still alive, and holding up signs that everyone in their house is okay. Modern technology can be such a blessing.

5. The report from a fellow JET teacher that the Okinawa blood bank is at 100% capacity. That means a TON of people have gotten out and donated. Wonderful! :D

6. A facebook event, MAN up for Japan. A "man" (pronounced mon) is the yen equivalent of about $100 and this event is put on by a volunteer JET organization and is for people in Japan to easily donate using the machines in family mart. The idea is that everyone who RSVPs will donate 1man on Friday (payday for many of us). Since over 2,500 people RSVP'd "Yes," that's more than $250,000. Not so shabby, ne? Go, JET!

Despite alllll the bad, good things are happening. People are stepping up. Another article that brought some perspective is this one about how much Japan helped American during the Katrina catastrophe. America now has the opportunity to prove that we are a good neighbor, too.

Pray for Japan

2011-03-15T00:50:00.000-07:00

On Thursday night, March 10th, around 11:30 p.m. pacific time, I was chatting happily with the then-future-bride Lisa in her family's home in Bremerton, Washington. We were giddy after a day of church decorating and were just about to call it a night, when Lisa's dad rushed into the room.

"There's been a huge earthquake in Japan."

For the next two hours I was frozen in my seat--watching endless footage of the most horrible devastation I could imagine, desperately emailing everyone I knew on mainland Japan, and praying, fervently, for those in the affected areas. It was a nightmare.

New York Times

It also caused nightmares. When I finally was able to close my eyes, my dreams were riddled with those horrible images. Lisa said I even cried out in my sleep.

For the next two days I did everything in my power to focus on where I was instead of on the disaster, and I was able to enjoy myself and the wedding preparations. But every break I had from making flower arrangements or decorating the church found me online, seeking an update, holding back tears, and praying even harder than before.

God, help those people.

I am back in Japan now. Okinawa is far, far from the epicenter and experienced only a miniscule rise in water levels due to the tsunami. Everything is just as I left it, but there is a heaviness in my heart and a hint of sadness in the faces of those around me. During a moment of silence this morning, tears filled the eyes of many of my coworkers. We may be far away, but our hearts are right there with those suffering.

(Here's a map of the damage. If you go way down southwest, you will find Okinawa and see that there was no damage in this area. )

I need to help. I need to do something, to go somewhere, to give. Especially, to pray. National AJET, a volunteer organization that works in connection with the JET Program, sent an email to all JETs with information about volunteering and donating. I found it incredibly helpful and encouraging. It seems that numerous JETs feel the way I do. That we have to do something. There may even be an opportunity to volunteer. I am hoping to be able to donate my time as well as my money and help in that way, but if nothing else I can give money to Red Cross, donate blood (I hope... last time I tried to donate they turned me away for anemia), and pray. Pray, pray, pray.

New York Times

Wherever you are, whatever you are doing, please find a way to help. Japan may seem a million miles away, and the people affected may be nameless and faceless to you, but this disaster is real, and everything, anything you do can help those who truly, desperately need it at this time. Don't let your heart be numbed, but let compassion direct your actions.

Please

Pre-Departure Sunday

2011-03-06T02:14:00.000-08:00

I reserved all of today for cleaning and packing in preparation for my upcoming trip to Seattle. I will only be there for a week so I am taking my super small suitcase. This should make packing easier... but the opposite is true. More about that later.

Anyhow, I spent the morning cleaning the whole apartment, doing laundry, and setting aside some outfits, but then Sarra came over and the weather was SO lovely (71 and sunny?!) that we just had to go out for awhile. Cafe KUGAFU it is!

There're few better ways to celebrate sunshine than a leisurely lunch at a favorite cafe. Especially when they have a new sandwich! Tuna fish open-faced bagel sandwich: win! So yummmmyyyy.

It was also nice to be out with someone who also compulsively photographs her food. :)

We have so much in common.

When we got back from lunch I seriously applied myself to the packing process. I filled almost my entire bag without even packing clothes. Eek! At this point I knew I would have to narrow down my clothing choices pretty drastically so Sarra helped me by watching me model each outfit and giving me advice. What a great friend. :)

Now, it's only 7 p.m. and my apartment is sparkly, my bag is (tightly) packed, and my To Do list is practically finished. What a perfect way to prepare for a trip! Tomorrow it's off to the airport and 12 hours of flights. Before you know it, I will be in Seattle. Hooray!

Look out, America, I'm coming back. ;)

"February is merely as long as is needed..."

2011-02-28T21:12:00.000-08:00

"...to pass the time until March."
- Dr. J. R. Stockton

The month of February gets a pretty bad rap. Just try to look up positive quotes about February... it ain't easy. For my part, however, I enjoyed just about every day of February. Here are some reasons why:

February 6th : The weather!

Can you believe this blue sky?? Though some days were pretty

wet and miserable, we had enough of THIS weather to lift my spirits.

When the cherry blossomed bloomed, it really felt like spring.

February 12th: Pre-Valentine's Day Ladies' Brunch

I invited some really lovely ladies to my apartment to eat some

heart-shaped pancakes and other delicious brunch food.

It's a Valentine tradition that I love and hope to continue far into the future.

February 13th: Baking

I just love holidays. Even Valentine's Day. :)

It's a great excuse to decorate, cook theme food, and dress up.

These sugar cookies were for my co-workers. Yum.

February 20th: I just love my little pet turtle. He's had an excess of energy lately,

so I let him roam loose in the apartment. He looks happy, doesn't he?

February 21st: Shabu Shabu Party!

I've had this plug in Shabu Shabu pot since I came and have never used it before!

Shabu Shabu is a Japanese winter tradition. Everyone sits around a pot full of broth,

loads it upwith vegetables, and then cooks chunks of meat in it. Then you take out whatever

you want, dip it in sauce, and eat up. It is an inexpensive, delicious,

and fun way to warm up with friends during the chillier February days.

24 February: Hamabe no Chaya Cafe

The weather was SO gorgeous that I couldn't bear the thought of being indoors.

Since I had no one to adventure with that day, I went for a little hike, walked on the beach, and ended up here with a cup of coffee, a salad, and a Murakami novel. Bliss.

25 February: Shibaechaya Cafe

Fridays are long lunch days, so An, Max, and I checked out a cute cafe called

Shibaechaya. Delicious tempura and really lovely views. Win. :)

February may have been short, but it was anything but boring. I think this coming month will be just as full of beautiful weather and adventures (including a short trip to Seattle! Wow!).

(These photos are from my Project 365 on Flickr)

Idaho in Japan

2011-02-14T22:59:00.000-08:00

When I first came to Japan I had to make a decision: to claim Idaho, my birthplace and high school home, or Seattle, my college city and futurehome, as my "hometown." I consulted with others who had been in Japan and learned that Seattle is an easily recognized name with concrete references in the minds of students: references such as Ichiro Suzuki and the Mariner's baseball team.

So, for the last two years I've told my students quite simply, "I'm from Seattle."

"Shi-a-te-roo?!" they exclaim; "Do you know Ichiro?!" they ask.

"Yes, of course." I reply, "He's my boyfriend."

*squeals*

However, this got a little confusing around Christmas time when I told my students I was going "home" for the holidays and they automatically assumed I meant Seattle.

So, when I returned from my vacation in both Seattle AND Idaho, I decided to inform them of both of my American homes. So in my first lesson back, I made sure to distinguish between the two places and showed video and pictures of both. However, when the word "Idaho" flashed across the screen, all I got were blank faces. Despite the map visual and all the photos of snow I could squeeze into 4 minutes, they still had no comprehensible point of reference to this "Idaho" place.

Enter: The Idaho Burger

Cue epic music.

Leave it to McDonald's to take a giant hamburger patty, top it with a deep fried potato, slap some crazy sauces on it, and name it after an obscure state. But, it seems to be working. For the weeks following this new burger announcement, my mention of "Idaho" was met with slightly confused but somewhat comprehending looks. Hoorah!

As a proud native Idahoan, I vowed that I would enter under those golden arches and taste of this unnaturally delicious-looking burger. However, despite my best intentions, the final day of the Idaho Burger's reign quickly approached.

On that last day, I cleared my schedule, grabbed my friend Sarra, and walked eagerly into "Maku" only to be greeted with sparkling new posters of the "Miami Burger." Fearing the worst, I tentatively approached the counter and asked "IDaHo Ba-ga Arimasuka?" to which the cashier replied that there was, in fact, one burger left. I squealed with delight, whipped out 1000 yen, and waited for the cashier to bring me my hometown's japanese pride.

However, I was two minutes too late, the last Idaho Burger was gone, and I had to settle for a regular ole cheeseburger instead.

Heartbreak

My last small spark of happiness came when I decided to improvise. If I couldn't have the real thing, I would do my best to replicate it.

French fries on a cheeseburger? Good enough.

In conclusion, while I may not have tasted it's potatoe-y goodness, this burger's short time on Japan was enough to give my students the glimmer of comprehension which my stories and pictures failed to elicit. I just hope that glimmer lasts longer than the burger itself.

*Photos by Sarra.

Dear Valentine(s),

2011-02-14T05:35:00.001-08:00

Dear Valentine
Originally uploaded by ReBekha Michele

I wish you all a very happy St. Valentine's Day.

From Japan with Love,
ReBekha

A Month in Pictures

2011-02-01T16:52:00.000-08:00

Hello friends, it's been awhile. :) I've had one of those months where blog posts will constantly pop into my brain but I lack the time and motivation to actually get them out. Today, I will break that horrible spell, and briefly update you on the last month of my life. :)

I've been wanting do start Project 365 (a challenge to take a photo every day for a year) since I joined Flickr years ago, but finally decided to start on January 1st. So, I will hopefully be taking a photo every day to document my third year in Japan! There have been some hiccups already (including a dysfunctional camera lens and a broken auto focus... grrr) but I've only missed two days and have made them up with extra weekend pictures. Works for me!

So, since January is over, I can now show you my month, in pictures. Click the link below each picture to read about what happened on that day, or why I took that photo.

I only included my favorites. To see all the pictures, click here.

Two Weeks in Twenty Minutes: GO!

2011-01-24T03:41:00.000-08:00

Whenever I finish a trip or experience that is as full and exciting as my holiday trip home was, I feel too overwhelmed to write a proper blog. There is just no way that I can devote all the time and energy necessary to capture every amazing day of my vacation. So, instead of writing, I hem and haw and waste my time, promising myself that I will do it eventually and putting it off until it is not fresh anymore. Instead of prolonging it any longer, I will just give you a brief, brief highlight of my two week craziness.

Adventures with An Yang were a bit more exciting than either of us would have liked. You can refer to my previous blog, Planning Your International Trip, for the details of our crazy itinerary. The gist of it is that my friend who was traveling with me couldn't board the international flight because we had a layover in Canada. Something about China and visas.. ugh. In the end, she paid for a direct flight to Seattle, and we flew separately. So disappointing.

Eventually, we made it to Idaho and were greeted by my wonderful family.
The next two days were a blur of holiday cheer. Snow, food, family, family, family, presents, more snow, more food. It was perfect. Just the sort of Christmas I had missed last year when I stayed in Okinawa.

After Christmas, we had a whole week to just enjoy Idaho. I saw many friends, including my old classmates, we played in the snow, went to church, went snowboarding/skiing, and ate so much delicious food. My mom is such a great cook!

When our time in Idaho was over, we were both sad to be leaving "Narnia" as An calls it, but looking forward to our next adventure: Seattle!

To set the tone for our week, our very first stop, direct from the airport was Century Ballroom for a night of swing dancing. An was hesitant at first but she picked it right up and was dancing happily the whole night. I, of course, was thrilled to be back in my old swing scene and lindied my way around the room with a bunch of my favorite leads. Pure joy.

The rest of our trip involved three more nights of dancing, adventures all over Seattle, Kirkland, Bellevue, and Edmonds, more cups of coffee than I care to count, and more friends than I possibly deserve. I was completely overwhelmed by how many wonderful people still, not only remember, but care about me. I am the luckiest girl on the planet.

At the end of the week, we were both exhausted, a little grumpy, and a lot socially exhuasted. So, though I shed some tears to leave the city and the people that I love, it was a relief to finally (after two days of travel) be back in my new element: Okinawa. With great friends here, my own space, my car, and my pet turtle, I feel right at home.

Planning Your International Trip

2011-01-11T21:33:00.000-08:00

I am no stranger to traveling overseas, but previously all of the nitty gritty of the details have been the responsibility of someone else: the JET program, a choir director, a professor, a pastor. Until now. Most of you know that I went home for Christmas break, but what you may not know is that I did a terrible job of planning my flights and layovers. To save you some heartache on your next international trip, here's a cautionary tale of my experiences.

But first, a pretty picture. I love clouds from above. :)

What Not To Do When Planning Your International Trip

Departing Flight:

Decide to book your international and domestic flights separately to "save money" without considering all the factors.

Book through Canada Air because it's cheaper at the time and then find out that a Japanese travel agent could have SAVED you money.... and a TON stress.

Fly Okinawa to Haneda airport in Tokyo (domestic).

Take a $30 bus ride to Narita airport in Tokyo (international). Begin to feel anxious.

Have two hours to kill before you can even check in for your flight. Feel restless.

Attempt to check in and discover that your travel companion cannot go without you because she doesn't have a Canadian visa for the layover in Vancouver. Panic.

Watch your travel companion spend an extra $3000 for a direct flight to Seattle. Cry.

Fly to Vancouver alone. Sit next to an anti-social grump who begrudges your need to use the restroom twice during a nine hour flight. Sleep.

Arrive in Vancouver. Go through customs, Drink coffee. Email travel companion who beat you to America. Feel sad. Wait for two hours.

Board puddle-jumper to Seattle for a 45 minute waste of time.

Claim baggage.

Re-check baggage. Check in for Horizon flight. Meet travel companion. At last.

Wait two hours. Delay. Delay. Delay.

Board another puddle jumper for a 1 hour trip to Boise.

Meet family after midnight. Sigh.

Return flight:

Fly to Seattle. Don't look at ticket closely. Take 3 hour trip which should have lasted 1 hour. Stop in numerous tiny Idaho towns with one-lane airports. Sigh.

Arrive in Seattle.

One week later, return to Seatac.

Say goodbye to travel companion again. Fly to Vancouver alone. Drink coffee. Wait three hours.

Wait longer. Delay, delay, airplane change, delay.

Board international flight. Sit next to man who, despite his small size, takes up half of your room with his pokey elbows. Shift uncomfortably. Sleep.

Arrive in Tokyo at Narita (International). Customs. Claim bags. Greet travel companion at last. Sigh. Smile a little.

Board subway. Change subways. Change again. Ignore arm pains from lugging suitcases all over Tokyo. Lose smile. 2 hours later, arrive at stranger's house. Sleep on floor.

Wake up. Board subway. Squish in with two heavy suitcases. Try not to feel guilty. Transfer to train. Change trains. Arrive at Haneda (domestic) two and a half hours later. Wait 30 minutes. Get in wrong check-in line, wait thirty minutes. Move to correct check-in line, wait another 30 minutes. Go to security. Try to push slightly too large bag through x-ray, get yelled at, transfer some stuff to other bag. Finally pass security.

Try to suppress eye twitch. Wait one hour. Sit in massage chair. Realize you're out of cash. Kick massage chair.

Wait two hours. Type this blog and feel angry at yourself. Listen to calming music and wish you knew meditation techniques.

Board flight to Okinawa. Close eyes and breathe. Arrive in Okinawa, 3 hours later. Drive 30 miles in over an hour. Lug giant bags up stairs. Crash. Collapse. Die.

What To Do When Planning Your International Trip

Resolve to use the travel agent next time and book your luggage all the way through, regardless of the cost. Also resolve to pack lighter. And buy more omiyage (souveniers). And get more sleep.

To end on a positive note, here is a rough version of the video I made to show students about my trip: CLICK HERE!

Happiness Thus Far

2010-12-29T00:06:00.000-08:00

It's good to be home. :)

Adventure with An Yang! (Part 1)

2010-12-23T13:52:00.000-08:00

Our lovely and brave heroine looks quite smart with her tidily packed, light-weight suitcase! But perhaps she packed a bit too light for upon arrival at the airport she realizes her trip will be quite quiet without her iPod charger! Oh no!

However that disappointment can't last long as check in goes smoothly and she and her trusty side kick whisk smilingly through security.

They decide immediately to toast the first leg of their journey with the mermaid's sweet elixir. They place their orders and request a sweet snack and travel mug as well. Starbucks bags in hand they proceed merrily on their way to gate 24. Suddenly our heroine stops! Raising one elegant hand to her mouth she gasps, "But my drink!"

After dashing back to claim her neglected beverage she sheepishly but sweetly takes her place to await departure.

As boarding time arrives, another realization begins to dawn: ketai! She frantically searches her pockets, her bags, her memory for her missing cell phone, but it's nowhere to be found! What to do??

You Get What You Pay For (Sometimes)

2010-12-08T22:34:00.000-08:00

100 yen stores are miraculous. For the equivalent of $1, you can buy a whole variety of useful and interesting things. I bought most of my Halloween costume, my thanksgiving decorations, my christmas decorations, and my car decorations at 100 yen stores. They are far superior to dollar stores in the U.S. Far.

You have to be careful, however, because sometimes you get what you pay for. This is the tale of two recent (ish) bargains.

Do you remember the green nail polish I bought for my Halloween costume? I was so thrilled with it at the time, but when I removed it a few days later, I saw that it had turned my nails a creepy yellow color. Not cool. Well, it's been nearly a month and a half since Halloween and my nails? Still half-yellow.

Though it's difficult to tell in this photo.

On the other hand, when I was Christmas shopping the other day, I needed a pen to mark my list. So, I grabbed this blue one at the same 100 yen store. Not expecting much, I ripped open the package and discovered the BEST Pen I've Ever Owned. It's perfect. It is incredibly sharp which makes my handwriting look super neat, it's a great color, the ink flows at the perfect rate, and the grip is so... grippy. This pen is so fantastic that it makes me want to write real letters and put them in the mail. Seriously.

So, send me your mailing address. You're getting a letter! Really, do it. I mean it.

And that is the tale of the 100 yen stores. They are a must, but shop with caution.
The end. :P

Thankful Thanksgiving is Over!

2010-11-28T19:34:00.000-08:00

On Thursday afternoon, I left work a little early (with permission) to finish the last minute shopping, cooking, baking and decorating for my big dinner. There were butterflies in my stomach the whole time.

My lovely friend, Neave, was luckily on-island for the event, and proved to be an incredible co-host. She cooked, mashed potatoes, cleaned and washed dishes, and generally just kept me alive and sane. I don't know how I would have coped without her!

My final project was making these place settings. This was a pretty simple task, as I'd had my guest list finalized for days, and had printed out the names earlier in the day.

I also made some last-minute additions to my centerpiece. The herbs are fresh from Kazuno's garden. Aren't they lovely? This pumpkin has been around since early October but is holding up really well. Maybe the candle wax sealed the freshness? :)

At around 6 p.m., the mad flurry of preparation died down and my apartment was actually pretty peaceful. Neave was putting the finishing touches on the cranberry sauce and made me go take a shower and get ready (bless her). The lamp and candle light glowed happily, Christmas music played happily, and Neave and I breated a sigh of relief.

Then, the guests arrived. Chaos ensued as the bell rang, rain started to pour, guests arrived dripping, some friends tried to cook their food last minute, people started to mill around my smallish apartment, and I tried to figure out what to do with allll the amazing food the guests were bringing.

Kazuno supervised the cooking of our turkey, Timu. He was delicious.

Neave was, once again, a God-send. She saw everything that needed to happen and asked me about it, made sure people had pre-dinner drinks, and then ushered everyone to the table to start the meal. As I asked everyone to sit, I realized that I, as hostess, should give some sort of speech or toast or something to get started. A bit shaken by the chaos and the sheer number of my guests, I mumbled something about being thankful and then ran off. Note to self: prepare for that moment in advance, next time!

Overall, I think the dinner was a success. Once everyone was seated and happily passing food around, conversation started to flow. I had carefully planned the seating so that people were sitting next to others they knew or who I thought they should know, and I am pretty proud of how things turned out. :) There was PLENTY of food, as well. Everyone pitched in with a side or a drink, and my fridge is still packed to the brim! AND I made everyone take stuff home!

In the end I was only slightly exhausted but incredibly happy, and since everyone pitched in to help clean up (especially Kazuno and her sister Rino: my heroes.), I was able to fall into bed around midnight.

It was such a fun process to plan this whole party from start to finish, to brainstorm with my friends, and to watch it all happen as if by magic. I had the best time, but I am so glad it's finished! :) Yesterday I cleaned and re-arranged some more so my apartment is almost back to normal.

Now to start planning for Christmas... Happy (belated) Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving Prep

2010-11-24T16:51:00.000-08:00

Happy Thanksgiving, family and friends!

I'm hosting a small Thanksgiving dinner at my apartment this year. I've been trying to keep the numbers down, but I still had to borrow two tables from my school and buy some more dishes.

Luckily, my dish set is sold at the 100 yen ($1) store. Win!

I've been prepping all week. Shopping, deep cleaning, making turkey cookies.

Last night I did some more prep cooking and baking. I made a pumpkin pie, prepared my candied yams, baked some more cookies, and cooked mac & cheese... just for fun. :)

I also set up my table. Now all I need is the silverware and the food!

Oh, yes, and the guests. :)

Last night I was so excited I couldn't sleep. Tonight's the big night. *Deep breath* Here goes!

It's my first grown-up dinner party. What do you think?

C lick this link for pictures of the turkey prep on Kazuno's blog. They're kinda hilarious.

Mid Year Conference (MYC) 2010

2010-11-21T21:16:00.000-08:00

Each year, Okinawa JETs from all of the islands gather together in Okinawa City for two full days of training and madness. A variety of presentations are given from past and current JETs on topics ranging from "Eating Healthy in Okinawa" to "Interesting Games and Activities for Mid to High Level High Schools." My friend, Sarra, and I presented the latter. We put weeks of work into a detailed 25 page handout, but kept our 90 minute presentation as light and entertaining as possible. It was nerve-wrecking, but awesome. Especially when we played holiday pictionary. Here is a favorite drawing:

Since this was an official work event, the dress code was professional, the days were long, and the general mood was serious. However, once the clock struck 5, all sense of professionalism was lost. Two evenings of fun ensued. :)

M is for "MmmmMMMmmmmmm...."

On Thursday night, JETs split into their "Blocks," or regions, for a dinner party. Since I am the "

Blockhead" for the southern region, I put together a little dinner at an awesome burger joint: Seaside Jet City Burgers. A ton of people made it out (including some orphaned Naha JETs) and we had a great time. The burgers were, of course, incredible. Yay, JETS at Jet City Burgers!

Y is for "Yatta!"

On Friday night, the lovely Laura organized a crazy fun event: costume kickball! A surprising number of JETs put on their crazy and ran around the park for a couple hours. We even had a couple of Japanese kids join our games. They had more talented than all of us put together. Super fun!

C is for Crazies!

After kickball, a smaller group got together at a local mall. Neave and I stayed in costume, just for fun, and enjoyed the strange stares we got. We took "purikura" pictures and ate delicious indian food. Nom nom nom.

Before MYC started, I was honestly dreading it a bit. It's a lot of work and a lot of sitting and learning, but I thoroughly enjoyed it this year. A lot of the workshops were really helpful, and presenting a workshop was almost like being back in college. :) I'd missed the stress, a little. The best part of it all was seeing all the JETs who live off on smaller islands in the middle of the ocean somewhere. I wish we could all get together a lot more often!

How Happy was Halloween? THIS Happy.

2010-11-08T07:23:00.000-08:00

I know some people balk at the idea of celebrating Halloween because of its roots in paganism, its dark and twisty side, or its consumerist emphasis, but I just can't help but love it. Modern Halloween doesn't have anything to do with pagan beliefs, and who doesn't like to be spooked by a ghost story now and then? Also, let's be honest, what holiday ISN'T commercialized by now?

If you get past those complaints, how can you not love October 31st? A holiday that let's you pour out your creative energy, make (and eat) delicious treats, host and attend parties, and wear numerous costumes? Yes, please!

Here are a few of the many, many, many things that made Halloween 2010 especially happy for me:

From the top left corner:
1- Playing Dress Up: Angel
   A simple, quick, and cool (read: not hot) costume for my 2nd year classes
2- Pumpkin Pancakes
   Oh. Yes. Yes. Yes.
3- Harry Potter Lesson
   An incredibly involved, super fun class. x10.
4- Carving Pumpkins
   with some special first year students and two amazing CouchSurfers. :)
5- Halloween Party
   at one of my churches. Super fun. :D
6- Pumpkin 1
   which was carved at my...
7- Carving Pumpkin Party.
   Max looks good in a maid's apron, huh? We also carved...
8- Pumpkin 2
   The lovely Shisa O'Lantern.
9- Playing Dress Up: McGonagall
   For that Harry Potter lesson mentioned above.
10- Snickerdoodles
   Baked and photographed by the excellent Angelo. Savored and devoured by me.
11- Costume Fashion Show
   Fun with 2nd year students.
12- My Angel
   Crafts with my adopted Japanese family, including their youngest sweetheart. <3
13- Playing Dress Up: Poison Ivy
   I really, really love wearing costumes. :)

It's a mermaid! An Elphaba! A Pippi! No, it's a...

2010-10-31T07:07:00.000-07:00

or, a more goofy, less awesome version:

Kuddos to Barb for guessing correctly (via email). :)

Happy Halloween! (^_^)~

Halloween Costume: Guess What!

2010-10-29T17:13:00.000-07:00

Here's a little sneak peak of my costume for tonight. It's not my first Halloween costume of the year, nor my last, but it is my biggest. :D I am so excited to put it allllll together tonight.

Can you guess?

Side note: I bought this nail polish at the 100 yen ($1) store last night and am so happy with it! Yay!

Halloween Week: And We're Off!

2010-10-25T01:30:00.000-07:00

Whew. Monday's work is barely over and I am already exhausted. This is going to be a tough week! BUT a super fun one.

For my first year students, Oral Communication and Debate classes, I modified and built on last year's Harry Potter lesson. The students totally eat it up.

For the second years who already experienced Harry Potter, I put together a couple of challenges, such as as a monster costume fashion show. :)

Here are some picture highlights from the first day:

Finished Decorating the Classroom

Harry Potter Crest and Modified Lamp: fun! :)

Monster Costume Fashion Show: Struttin'

Also, the JET newsletter, The Yak, just came out. I submitted an exaggerated article about Shishimai which is pretty different from the blog I posted. Check it out HERE if you want to read it. :D

Adventure Always

2010-10-19T17:27:00.000-07:00

Wherever I live, whatever my age, I hope I never stop exploring.

Because there is no better way to beat the mundane than to discover the unexpected.

Like a two hundred year-old tree in the capital city.

10/10/10

2010-10-10T10:10:00.000-07:00

Oh, just typing that date gives me a little rush. Don't you just love it? 10.10.10. Beautiful.

If I ever get married (...), I want it to be on a date like this one. Yep, I am one of those girls.

And I would go even further. I'd have ten bridesmaids, ten cakes, ten dresses, ten receptions... or ... something like that.

Ha ha! Sorry, just rambling. :P

In honor of this lovely date, here are ten things that made me smile (or "Things That Have Made Me Giddily Happy") in the last busy, busy week.

1. Decorating my apartment for fall. Check!

2. Wine and cheese party with Kazuno and Tim. Yum!

3. Exploring with Travis: Aha Falls!

4. This tree house at Beach Rock Village. Isn't it excellent?

4. My Ryukyu Dance class!

5. Travis joining in on the fun. :D

6. "Watching" the world's largest tug of war by eating delicious italian food, hanging out on a rooftop, and getting coffee with these crazies. :)

7. These people. :)

8. Playing with this precious little girl and seeing her family one last time before their move back to the US. Gonna miss them so much!

9. A (mostly) clean apartment.

Not Pictured.

10. Change. ;)

October in Oki

2010-10-02T23:21:00.000-07:00

October is usually my favorite month. In high school October meant football games, cross country meets, the smell of wood smoke in the mountain air, and, of course, halloween parties. In college October was all about scarves and shopping in Seattle, long study sessions with pumpkin spice lattes, intramural football games, and, of course, halloween parties.

But Okinawan October is almost none of those things. Today it was 86 degrees Fahrenheit. That's not unusual at all. The daily temperature has barely changed since August, and though it is a little cooler at night, I still wake up sweating. There is no fall foliage, no fragrant wood smoke, and, worst of all, no pumpkin spice lattes at Starbucks. They don't even have the pumpkin syrup!

October Sky? Yeah right.

The one thing Okinawan October does have is a halloween party. Oh, I just love playing dress up! I just hope that the weather cools down a little more before then, otherwise I will be sweating my long-wig-and-two-pounds-of-make-up off. (No, I won't tell you what I am dressing up as. :) You'll have to wait for the photos.)

Instead of pumpkins and crunchy leaves, October now means one thing: goodbye. All summer long I have been saying that awful word. Goodbye to friends, goodbye to coworkers, goodbye to a whole community of people I've grown to cherish, but although summer is technically gone, it isn't over. This month I have to say goodbye to even more people. People like the Thomas family.

I met the Thomas' in church almost one year ago. Meghan was one of the young women who quickly greeted me and invited me out for ladies' night (though I didn't make it and have regretted that ever since). I couldn't stop staring at her lovely blue streaks of hair. So spunk and fun! I knew immediately that she was no ordinary mother of three (with one on the way!). Meghan and Dustin are such great parents. They're raising four of the loveliest kiddos I've ever met, maintaining a godly example for their kids and everyone around them, and speaking passionately about their lively, honest faith, all while maintaining their independent spirit and youthful spunkiness! They are... incredible. In one week, they are leaving Okinawa, and I feel like I am missing out. I haven't had the opportunity to spend a ton of time with their family, but they've made every effort to draw me in. They even bought me amazing tacos for lunch today! I just love them so much.

Honestly, I am a little mad at October. For being nothing like I want it to be, for doing nothing I want it to do, and for making me say goodbye to this sweet family. October, you're on my list.

However, in the spirit of salvaging my October happiness, I am now going to impliment the following measures:
1. Complete halloween costume prep.
2. Go 100 yen store shopping for fun stuff to decorate:
a. my apartment
b. my classroom
3. Plan my halloween lessons.
4. Do some sort of craft project.

On that last note, does anyone have cheap/easy craft suggestions? Keep in mind that I can't just go outside and pick up lovely leaves... unless you mean palm tree fronds. Also, does anyone know if it's possible to buy orange pumpkins in this country? Probably just on base...

So, that is my semi-coherent thought on Okinawa October... my last glimmer of seasonal joy resides in the knowledge that I will at least have a proper Christmas this year. I dreamed about it last night. :)

Review Number Two!

2010-09-13T22:05:00.000-07:00

My second review for Okinawa Hai came out today. It was originally supposed to be the first review, so I've been waiting anxiously for this one for awhile. It is happiness. :)

I showed the cafe owners and they were happy, too. Happiness for everyone!

Here!

Future Dream Job?

2010-09-10T21:51:00.000-07:00

I love teaching high school.

I love my students. I love their level of intelligence, their ability to grasp complex subjects, and their (occasional) ability to carry on (semi)full conversations in a foreign language. I am right where I should be, right where I want to be.

Even so...

In my heart, I am, undeniably, a kindergarten teacher. I would so rather teach "A, B, C; apple, ball, cat" than "Opinion, Reason, Refutation." My demeanor is so much better suited for story time and crafts than essay time and tests.

So, when I stumbled across an ad for an ESL elementary teacher in Nakhon Sawan, Thailand (the province I visited in 2005 which sparked my passion to live abroad), my heart raced and my mind scrambled.

I nearly whipped out my resume and responded on the spot.

Then, I came back to earth. I don't want to leave this job, not this year and not next. I don't doubt that I am an incredibly lucky lady to be placed where I am. Not only do I get to tackle interesting subjects with my students, but I get to build relationships with them in a way that is impossible with lower level students. At the same time, I volunteer with kids at a local church on Saturday mornings and embrace any other opportunities to spend time with the little ones.

My little ladybug.

So, for now, I recognize the HUGE benefits that I reap being here at this fantastic high school with dedicated and interested students, but I can dimly picture a future where my clothes are daily revamped by finger paint and my hair a mess of duck-duck-goose glory. I can't wait. ;)

My Birthday Celebration Abroad

2010-09-02T15:51:00.000-07:00

Last year, my birthday arrived only shortly after I did. I'd made few aquaintances and even fewer friendships, so I was incredibly nervous about what the day would hold. However, the JET community pulled together for me and made it a truly memorable event.

This year, my birthday rolled around pretty unexpectedly. The month of August was thoroughly chaotic. Between departing JET parties, arriving JET parties, and just-because parties, I didn't really think my birthday would or should get that much attention. However, the JET community (and friends) donned it's red cape of party-excellence and was there for me yet again.

Photo by Sarra

I feel pretty guilty even admitting this, but even though I didn't think much would happen, for the past two years, I've had, not one, but TWO birthday parties.

Last year, I had a yakiniku dinner on the day of my birthday and a beach BBQ party that friday. Both events were well attended by JETs I had met, had befriended, or who became my friends that night. I felt so special and so loved, even though I was new to the island.

This year, I had a cafe dinner on the day of my birthday and a salsa dance party the following weekend. These birthday parties were attended by many JETs who I've grown close to over the year, some who had just arrived on the island, and a handful of local people who have become close friends, as well.

Photos by Kate

I know that sounds completely selfish, but.... well, actually, it kind of is. I LOVE birthdays.

I love mine, and I love other people's.

I would celebrate all week long if I thought I could get away with it. :)

During this, my 23rd birthday, I learned that there is something to be said for being consistent.

When I lived in Kirkland, I wanted to go to a different restaurant or a new coffee shop every time. That didn't always happen, but it was my goal. I thrived on novelty. But now, everything is novel. All the time. The language, the culture, the people, the locations. So, when I find a place that I love, I go there again, and again, and again. I've become a "regular regular," and, boy, do I see the benefit of that now!

Photo by Kazuno.

Photo also by Kazuno, but from Kate's camera. :)

For the night of my birthday, I asked the owners of my favorite cafe, which I have talked about so many times it's ridiculous, if I could host a party there. Kazuno-san and I have chatted many times since I started coming to her cafe once a week, so she said she would save me a table, stay open past closing, and even bake a cake!

That night, nine people came when I had only expected five! I was so blessed and happy, but a little worried about what I had told Kazuno-san. She, however, was fine with the last minute change and gracefully made space for all of us. It turns out that she hadn't just saved me a table, but had reserved the whole cafe for us! Furthermore, she baked not just any cake but an incredibly delicious chocolatey cake of joy! Yes, JOY!

On top of all of that, she gave me a gift:

this gorgeous mug made by a local artist.

Photo by Kate

I am so grateful to Kazuno and her mom for creating such a lovely, relaxing, joyful evening for my celebration. Also, for all of my friends who came at the last minute. From my Okinawan neighbor, Taeko-san, to Kate, Yang, and Max, to my coworkers and my driving buddy, to Jules, who spent her last evening in Okinawa buying me a present and driving to my party. That girl is a saint.

(more than are pictured here) Photo by Sarra

If I am not at Cafe KUGAFU, you can probably find me at the location for my second birthday party: Bomba Latina. I first stumbled into this salsa venue/mexican restaurant on a quiet Sunday night. There were few patrons, but the owner and server danced with me and my friend until the wee hours of the night. After that, I was hooked. I'd been to a few other salsa clubs in the city, but this one had a totally different atmosphere and I knew it was a place I could come back to week after week. So, I have. The owner, Teddy, is an entertaining guy and a great dancer. He is always friendly and knows me by name.

When I approached Teddy about having a big bash at his bar, he said, "YES!" and even agreed to host a short lesson for free. So I sent out the requisite F
acebook invite and, once again, was shocked at the turn out. There were definitely more than twenty people there!

Not only did Teddy hook me up with a venue and a free lesson, he also bought me a cake!

And Sarra cooked one as well!!

That's a total of THREE birthday cakes, people. That's unprecedented!

This is was the night of dancing I could only dream of, usually. Everyone was enthusiastic and willing to dance with me, even if they didn't know how and had never danced salsa before in their lives! I didn't sit out a single song that I didn't want to, and laughed and grinned more than I had in months (and that's saying something). As the night went on, the numbers dwindled down, but I didn't leave until my coworker dragged me out, kicking, at 4 a.m. I could have danced all night.

From America, a ton of people blessed me with their well-wishes, too. I got more emails and posts than I can possibly reply to in one sitting. I am especially glad I got to talk to my dear family on skype. I love you guys. :)

So, this year, I know that I'm blessed I have met so many people to celebrate with. I look forward to each of their birthdays, so that I can return the favor. :)

Long live birthdays!