Mustache of the Year 2011

Coffee casa on a Friday afternoon.

Today was typical, not enough to do and what I had to do wasn’t essential for my daily operations, nor to the external world outside my own. We woke, went to the gym, made lunch and delivered one to David. Then I returned home after a failed attempt at volunteering (which was due likely to the anticipated typhoon readjusting my friends schedule). Once home I got bored. Surprise, surprise. I watched “The Italian Job” with the fantastic Charlize Therone while eating my sack lunch alone and once it was over I decided to get up and go do something.

While this blog is starting off rather pathetic, almost depressing, what I have come to understand is the opposite. Now that I am in the process of signing papers for a job I am beginning to finally enjoy free time. Enjoy the fact that no one was really put out because I didn’t or couldn’t fulfill a task today. And, while I would prefer the opposite, I am encouraged by the former, namely my freedom to create a day for me to enjoy.

Thus, I have ventured to Coffee Casa, likely the coffee shop with the BEST espresso on island. I parked myself against the North brick wall with a nearby electrical outlet now adjoined to my laptop and my laptop to my itouch equipped with Japanese translator. An Americano sitting in between my outstretched arms while typing this message, after having now accomplished nearly an hour of Japanese study. This part of my day I love!

Earlier this week my good friend Chris, whom is now fluent in Japanese after living here over 4 years, returned a favor. See, over 4 years ago I met with Chris on multiple occasions and worked with him on basic Japanese phrases prior to his big move to Okinawa as an English teacher. We would meet over coffee and practice “kore wa cohi desu.... this is coffee.” And, “Toilre wa doko desu ka.... where is the bathroom?” I wasn’t a guru by any means, but I like to think that I helped him, at a minimum, get excited about his journey to this strange and wonderful world.

Fantastically, we ended up on the same island -- and him and David have become great friends since. Chris’ friends Brett, Todd and Ryoko have also become our dear friends, along with his girlfriend Asuka as well. Usually they are our spur to adventure and just enjoy the days. I’ve included some pictures of us on our adventures. Get to know these faces if you plan to visit.... you’ll likely be seeing them often! And you’ll be the better for it. We truly have been gifted some incredible friends!

So, in returning the favor, Chris has been helping me and encouraging me in studying Japanese again. I’ve been what I like to call “stuck in a rut” not knowing exactly what to study or what to use when I learn something new. So, he’s been guiding me so that I can finally have deeper conversations with all my friends who speak Japanese as their native language. There is so much to learn, but I finally feel like I’m learning something useful again. My good friend Yuka helped me to listen to Japanese better and now Chris is helping me to speak in Japanese better. I haven’t been so excited about studying in months!

I love the life we get to experience while here in Okinawa, from the atmosphere and culture to the language and the food. I’m happy to have some reflection time before (hopefully) starting my job. And, I’m happy to be in love with learning again. I’ve always heard that we as a people should never stop learning -- and I hope that everyone reading this is encouraged in their own way to learn more, experience more, and truly enjoy more of what surrounds us all!

Getting your Kick’s on Route 66!

The month of July, and the summer for that matter, had David on multiple trips around the world. First to Nevada and South Korea, then to Australia. So, in July I decide to have another adventure of my own. I had been overdue in visiting my best friend Megan at her home in America. We had planned to visit her and her husband Joe while on our drive to Seattle last year in August, but they moved from Cali to Kansas the month prior to our journey. Then in March when we returned for the wedding of our great friends Jon & Kelley Sunkin the McClendon’s decided to come to Oklahoma during our trip. It was only a few weeks after this March journey that Megan called me with some bad news. She had been diagnosed with Breast Cancer, and while the doctors agreed that she would be cancer free within the year, we can all say that it has been a shock and a trial for her and all who love her. Thus, I decided that it was time to finally make the trip to see her - and it was great.

I bought a plane ticket which took me on a 13 hour flight from OKA to D.C. with a connecting flight to OKC. After a few days of recovery I made my way to Kansas City, Kansas and had a girls weekend at last. I befriended penguins, watched kickball duels, was a consumer of independent movies and joined Cowboy Bob (or Billie or Buck) on a horseback riding extravaganza. It was great! I should also be sure to note that I ate my first ever GLUTEN FREE PIZZA made in a restaurant! And, it was delicious.

There is something about having a friend for so long that makes the relationship easy. Meg and I are arguably very different adults from who we were when we became friends at the age of 5, but being there throughout life has a way of making you family I suppose. We both still love rocking out to girly music and enjoying a chick flick. We can talk for hours on anything from star gossip to politics in America. But what I feel mostly is that she is something like my little sister. I get to be the older one because my birthday comes first. I was so glad to be able to spend time with her this summer - that trip was the best decision I had made all year!

Since I was back in the U.S. I was sure to visit family at every turn. Since I drove to Kansas I made a stop in Cushing to see my beloved niece and nephew Kate and Kalen and their Mom, Dad, Grammy and Pawpaw whom I like to call Brandi, Dan, Della and Willie. This was the first trip that Kalen and Kate remembered who “Uncle Jenny and Aunt David” were... we are still working on the gender correlations with English words however. But, being remembered was such a happy surprise! It made me feel very loved!

Next I made a quick trip to Dallas where I met my sister Anna for a fabulous day of shopping. We hit everything from IKEA to Northpark Malls’ Macy’s and Anthropology. We ate mexican food at On the Border (my very favorite!) and smoothies at Jamba Juice. And we even fit in a movie, “The Hangover”, which for mature audiences I highly recommend.... and by mature I mean over 21 years of age - emotional maturity may stunt the enjoyment of the feature film. It amazes me that at one point in time I was terrified to talk with my sister, that I would sneak into her room and try on her clothes and play with her Sega, but never tell her, and now we couldn’t be more similar. We love hanging out and talking and we “get” one another’s philosophy and humor. Time with siblings does funny things.

Interspersed within these trips I hung out with my Dad and my brother. I even got a yoga lesson in with Lisa. I tried to balance it out and I think I did a pretty good job. See, I’d go play tennis with Jay followed by eating a full bowl of ice cream over the TV show Castle with Dad. The puppies even got some quality time during some park walks and runs - despite the 100 degree heat. To me it felt like mid-February temperatures because there was virtually no humidity. It felt great!!!

Last, but certainly not least, I was able to meet up with Nikki and Patrick - my best friends originally from middle school, but whom I still regard as my dearest friends to this day. We adventured Norman and talked Japan. And as a result of these adventures, I have now formed a bond with another lover of all things Japan - Philip. I think we will be good friends too!

While each of these stops hold a fun memory from my trip, none can I recommend as much as my dinning experience at ‘Pop’s’ on Route 66. These pictures are from this novel restaurant in Arcadia, OK. You won’t be remiss if you take my advise to check out the atmosphere and try some soda or a shake.

As a final thought I’ll share a future adventure I look forward to having: to one day travel Route 66. If you have any recommendations or must see’s please pass them along!

-Here’s to getting your kick’s on Route 66, Cheers!

Half a year later...

... I've finally come back to the blog-o-sphere to update you on our adventures. While blog entries have been few, adventures have been many, so I will try my best to add a few entries with some grand pictures for documentation purposes in follow-on segments. For now, here is the run down of what's been happening.

January and February were relatively cold here in Okinawa, so we enjoyed the 75 degree days and evenings while walking around the local areas. On January 17th we participated in a squadron function called "Okinawa Amazing Race". The event didn't disappoint. Equipped with ninja and duck head gear (see photo) and a list of sights to see in Okinawa, our team ventured out into the unsuspecting Japanese public with water guns, balloons and a list 2 pages long of places to see.

The goal: to find the most answers to the list of questions and to complete a number of relays set up at various locations with better times than other teams. The rules: No Rules. So sabotage was encourage (i.e. water balloons, etc.) Our team came in 2nd, although there may have been some miscounting (we probably shouldn't have placed at all!), but we won traditional Shi-Sa dogs which now adorn our front doors. What an event! Our team, sporting a 1990's mini-van the size of Texas, really did an incredible job. It was a pleasure folks.

The best thing about this event was likely the Japanese protesters who were at one of the rally locations. They were protesting the military presence and made up a fierce group of 10 with 2 banners each. Obviously military related, as all our cars have the special "Y" license plate representing "Yankee", the protesters made their way closer to our car in the parking lot. You would have thought they would yell, make us feel unwelcome, even throw trash at us, but instead we became friends. Yes, yes, the Japanese protesters were gracious enough to tell one member of our team that his ninja costume with Japanese Kanji was displayed upside down, but that he looked nice; they waved to us and cheered on our costumes; and even helped us back out of the parking lot which was a tad bit small for the beast of a van we were driving. What an incredible cultural experience!

February did not disappoint either, with a gumball rally (similar to the "Okinawa Amazing Race", but this time with a camera and number of our new English teacher friends, c/o my good friend Chris from Oklahoma; a big welcome for our Florida friends the Bianchi's and the Elgersma's; and last, but certainly not least, a Valentine's Day weekend that was not only fantastic b/c David is a phenomenal husband and best friend, but b/c I got to work at the local Flower shop during their rush weekend!

March we were able to make it back to the states for a short trip to Oklahoma, sharing good times with family and a few friends. We celebrated my Mom and Anna's birthday which thanks to Dad we actually have some pictures (way to go Dad)! Vinnie's best friends Gabe and Bean were able to make it all the way to Oklahoma. Bean even brought his beauty named Jen, just about the cutest pregnant gal anyone has ever seen! After enjoying a hearty Big Country Breakfast the guys and Jen hung out while I excused myself to a long "nap" which I realized later was caused by food poisoning from the night before. While I won't say food poisoning is really "worth it" for most things, it was great to have hung out with my best friend Megan and her hubby Joe. It had been so long since we were all together, Meg & Joe, Bean, Gabe & Jen.... thanks to you all for making yourselves available! It really meant a lot!!!

We finished this trip in true adventure style, starting with one of the most beautiful weddings I've ever had the pleasure of seeing. Our dear friends Kelley and Jon were wed on March 28th (if my memory serves me right) and we loved every minute of seeing those two tie the knot. We were also able to spend a fantastic weekend with our best friends, the Cheeks, who now live in South Carolina. I am still waiting on the pictures she took b/c in true Jenny fashion I forgot the camera and in true Meg fashion she hasn't downloaded them to the computer yet. Oh, we're a mess! These two couple were not only great additions to great friendships made in Florida, but were kindred spirits! What a great joy to see them again!

April was my last month as the Disaster Services Chair with the KAB American Red Cross. While I am still a volunteer, and have now joined the bowling league, I am no longer heading up the Disaster Services Department. Instead, I am busy applying for jobs in my career field. I have met some incredible people while on island and I hope that some of these interactions will help to lead me to the "right" place for me to contribute my skills. I'll keep you all posted!

Finally, May gave us some exciting changes, including a move into our new home! Our fist house! We are still renters (being as neither Vinnie nor I have suddenly become Japanese citizens this year), but we have so much space to host guests, family and friends alike! I'll write more on this later, as well as the other exciting events of May.

One thing that hasn't changed is how much we miss and love everyone back at home and on their own adventures. Please keep sending us your updates, phone and email too! Thanks for everyone who has added us to their blog. We love checking them out, especially the photos! Till the next segment, we're sending you our love from Japan!