2012年5月25日金曜日

Johnny 5 need input!

I have begun to laugh at myself a lot more as of late. I am in overload in regard to the amount of new information, language and customs and trying to decipher everything. Most signage here is in the traditional Japanese characters, sometimes it is coupled with with English letters. G has told me over the years that a consonant does not stand along, it always goes with a vowel sound therefore I am reading every sign in my head trying to sound it out before saying it. We were at Aeon, the large grocery/mall, the other day and I felt like I was doing really well. I had ordered my own food, got a tea refill, figured out the money and checked out in the grocery store. On the way home I was reading all of the signs, off in my own little world, when I came across a sign that when sounded out according to Japanese alphabet rules would have been Po Pee Ye. I was confused for a moment because those aren’t sounds that I am familiar with in the language. I tried again with the same results-then promptly burst out laughing because the signage was PoPeYe- flippin’ POPEYE! When I told G he shook his head and just laughed along with me. I said that I wasn’t going to be an American that misses out on the culture but maybe I need to dial it back a bit and remember my English language rules as well. J
Tonight, we went to dinner at a Hawaiian restaurant it was phenomenal! I ordered the cobb salad which had smoked salmon, avocado, boiled shrimp and egg and topped with a citrus vinegar dressing that was to die for! We also ordered dessert, Okinawan cheesecake. It isn’t as dense as American cheese cake and it was served with a small purple berry (not a clue what it was besides delicious) and mint leaf. Eating a little of the mint leaf with each bite coupled with the creamy cheese, berry and decadent crust was perfection in your mouth.  When you come to visit remind me and we will for sure go back. They also offered a better dollar to yen exchange so we were able to pay with dollars which is cool when the normal exchange has been 78 Yen to the dollar and they were offering 80 Yen to the dollar. It was a $47 meal so not bad on our part. Every Ichi adds up J


2012年5月24日木曜日

I'm finally here!

Okie in OKA
The day I was leaving I was a bundle of nerves. I had spent so much time packing and trying to wrap things up that I never really processed that I was moving out of the country. It only hit me as I had to say good bye in Oklahoma. I cried a bit with Mom and Dad then made Mom promise that we wouldn’t cry at the airport.  The TSA at DFW was slower than molasses on a cold winter’s day. Shuffling along, waiting for people from many different countries to understand shoes off and empty your pockets. Once I finally passed through there and got onto the plane it was another waiting game. Maintenance was working on the plane to ensure we were safe flying across the pacific-that took another hour. (Not that I was complaining about safety at all, especially since my seat mate kept asking me if I had ever seen Castaway and he was pretending to yell “WILSON” for a bit). *side note, I was very proud of myself for not telling him to shut his mouth or slip him a Benadryl while he wasn’t looking* While we were waiting the flight attendants did pass out the customs and declaration forms which helped to pass the time. Then we were off.
You know mentally that it will be a long flight-you forget to tell your rear end. I had planned for boredom, had my nook fully charged, crocheting, the option for several TV shows and movies, a regular book and 2 different sets of earphones (which I recommend when flying overseas. One set was a regular iPod set the other was a larger, outer ear noise canceling set. This helps with ear fatigue and soreness), as well as my pillow and blanket. Then I couldn’t sleep. I did take 2 Benadryl and didn’t even yawn. I literally watched every movie and tv show they offered, listened to my seatmates wedding plans in the Philippines and tried not to giggle when the toddler two rows up kept slipping away from his mother and running between the bulkhead and last row of seats hiding from her.  The food on the flight wasn’t bad either but once again, I have a traveling recommendation- eating the fresh and perishable first that way if you don’t eat t it all you can stash the packaged food for later just in case. We had a total of 3 meals. The first was a beef and rice something or other, with salad, 2 sushi pieces, a roll, cheese wedge, soda crackers, bottle of water and chocolate brownie. The second was a ham and cheese on a small roll with biscotti. The last meal before landing was a choice of chicken or pizza-for future reference don’t take the pizza unless you’ve doubled up on Prilosec, more veggies and a dessert. Then we finally landed.
G and Daisy had both told me to have the customs forms filled out before landing, check. Only had 2 hours to make it through customs in Tokyo then recheck my baggage and find my gate. What G forgot to tell me was that I had to go through immigration first then customs. Since we were late getting in and several other passengers had connecting flights that were sooner than my own the airport staff was busy helping others. I followed the herd of passengers, hoping to find the right place. After being lost for about 10 minutes, I finally boarded a tram and got to immigration. They had no issues stamping my passport with my visa and then I was off to collect my bag (which was the last one off) and head to customs. The customs agents were courteous and efficient. Finally got to the Japanese airlines gate for Okinawa, rechecked my bags and by the time I got to the gate, I was exhausted. By the way, the Tokyo airport is humid and hot-don’t forget to wear layers when traveling here.
Once on the flight from Tokyo to Okinawa I was entertained by the Japanese flight attendants. Everything is so respectful and precise. The airline had upgraded me to the first row aisle seat so I was able to really people watch as the attendants offered drinks and ice cream. I don’t know why, but ice cream on a plane struck me as being funny, maybe because I was so exhausted. 2 hours 45 minutes later we landed.
Okinawa’s airport is even more humid than Tokyo. There were beautiful orchids blooming and thriving everywhere. The fragrance was indescribable. At the baggage claim I found out that you cannot meet your family until after you have retrieved your bags-good thing I only had one carryon and one big bag. Then I saw G’s beautiful face, then and there I knew the months of packing, stress and worry had all been worth it.
Getting into the car and watching people drive on the opposite side of the road was wild. Especially since the car that G bought is closer to an American size car whereas most vehicles in Okinawa could fit two to one parking spot in America. G took me to a local ramen restaurant and we ate dinner. It was delicious, larger spaghetti sized noodles in broth with meat, corn and eggs. We also ordered an appetizer of Gyoza (potsickers) which were phenomenal! The whole meal cost around $20. He finally drove to our new home. It is pretty, in a farming district where there are only a few apartment buildings and a modest amount of family homes.
G walked me around the house and was showing me how to use all of the Japanese appliances and gadgets. I was exhausted and overloaded/overjoyed to be here so I barely registered what was being said. We watched the sun come up over the East China Sea and I slipped into a dreamless sleep.
The next day we got up and went to base, I couldn’t believe after months of packing and shipping and storing that I was ready to buy more crap for our house! I got to see his office and we ran around a bit more. The traffic and streets still do not make sense to me but I was proud that I was a willing passenger who was able to just sit back and rubber neck. Friday we went to dinner with his coworker’s family and a friend. It was a nice little Italian restaurant with amazing food. They invited us back to the house but I was so delirious with exhaustion that I had to decline. G went over then went to work, I slept for about 3 hours then I popped up out of bed. My body still doesn’t know what to do here.
Since G is working nights it is difficult for me to register what happens on what days, so forgive me if I get things out of order. One day we went shopping for furniture and stopped at a restaurant called Bikkuri Donkey. With my Americanized hearing I kept calling it hickory donkeyJ. They specialize in hamburger steaks stuffed with cheese or mushrooms with a Wild West décor. It was pretty good food then I excused myself to the restrooms before leaving. The toilet was similar to what we saw at the Japanese restaurants in the states so I thought no big deal. Then came time to flush-no handle just buttons with Japanese characters. I tried the first button and nothing happened, the second turned on the bidet the third and fourth-who knows! I finally hit one that turned off the bidet but still nothing would flush it. 7 minutes later I walk back to the table and G asked if I was alright. I explained the toilet situation, shook my head and blushed with embarrassment because I didn’t want him to have to translate that his wife couldn’t flush a toilet. Oh well, lesson learned.
Two days ago we went to a mall of sorts; the main store has a large grocery store then a level and a half of clothing. Once again I had to use the restroom. This time the first thing you see is a miniature urinal with a picture of a little boy urinating, the second stall had a traditional Japanese toilet i.e. a rectangular hole in the ground that you are supposed to hover over, I opted for stall number 3, it appeared to be normal. Once I sat down jungle bird sounds filled the restroom along with the rushing sound of water. I guess it was their way of helping you along. What can I say-restrooms are an adventure here.
Some things are so different from the states that it is quite an adjustment. You cannot turn on red, motorcycles and scooters can drive up the side of the road or the dotted line to the front of traffic, the larger vehicle has the right of way on smaller roads. When paying, you place the money in a tray and if they are to give you change they give you “big money” first, then the coins. Trash trucks play music as they drive through the neighborhoods, children actually play and exercise outside.
All in all it is a beautiful country, with kind helpful people and good food. I am hoping that we will be able to explore more soon so that I can share with all of you. I’m sure there’ll be more toileting adventures to come.