Van Nieuwenhuyzen Family in Okinawa

Hiroshima

2009-06-07T03:53:00.000-07:00

On my last visit to Iwakuni to help out with their endodontic needs I was able to visit Hiroshima because my return flight was delayed by a day. The day was beautiful and sunny. The main "attraction" is the Peace Memorial Park, which is basically ground zero for where the atomic bomb hit. The picture above shows one of the few remaining buildings that are still left. Because the blast attacked the building from virtually straight overhead, some walls escaped total collapse. Along with the wire framework of the dome, these form the shape that has become a symbol. At some point it became known as the "A-bomb Dome."

The picture of above is of the Kintai bridge in Iwakuni. It is one of the three most famous bridges in Japan. From the time of its conception, it took almost a decade of research, experiment, and test construction before the bridge was completed during a period of three months in 1673. One year later, this bridge was washed away because the footing of the stone piers was weak. Improvements were made and a stronger bridge was constructed. This one lasted 276 years until a large typhoon washed it away in 1950, but it was rebuilt in 1953.

I thought that the number of signs along this side street in Hiroshima was amazing. The city itself is beautiful and very clean. It was very sobering to walk through the museums about the atomic bombing, but really interesting to see all the pictures and items from right after the event.

Our Everyday Walk

2009-05-04T20:12:00.000-07:00

One Saturday I decided to bring the camera with us on our everyday walk and capture the images we see all the time. Here is what we saw on this particular day. 1. Waves splashing on the rocks along the seawall near our house. Not such big waves on this day but typical or a normal day. 2. This is not something I see everyday. It is a guy fishing while sitting on a chair out in the ocean. We walked past and I thought it was funny.

3. Clear water.

4. What I thought was a photogenic gecko. Then I noticed the tire track and the crispy tail.

5. Beautiful flowers.

6. A spot where people often have their wedding photos taken. It is a beautiful place for wedding photos.

7. Finally we arrive at the beach. This day was early in the season so there were only Americans there. It was funny to see the Americans in speedos and the Japanese in sweaters at the same time and place.

Okinawa Zoo

2009-03-16T21:15:00.000-07:00

We visited the Okinawa Zoo and were delighted to find a place on Okinawa where our kids can see animals up close. They both love animals so our new season pass will come in handy. Here is a picture of Grant visiting Duane's favorite animal at this zoo. He can almost touch the hippos. On another trip the Zoo employee let Grant feed them grass cubes. They are loud chewers and have a lot of slobber.

These beautiful ducks are mesmerizing to watch because of their brilliant colors. Just bellow them in the water are hundreds of fish you can feed. There are bright orange coy fish and fish which look close to 15 lbs. They come to the surface with their mouths open and it looks like they could swallow a baseball.

There were some preschools visiting on this day. The children wore matching outfits and hats. Here they are waiting for the teachers instructions before going to see the animals.

Grant has already learned a lot about the animals here. He knows his way around the zoo. In this picture he is showing me where the ostriches and giraffs are. Some of the cages are close together.

This is Will's favorite. He sits and looks at the Tiger and says Woooooh, Ahhhh, Woooooh, Ahhhhh. It is cute.

Pizza In the Sky

2009-02-03T03:26:00.000-08:00

After we were finished walking around looking at the cherry blossoms in Nago we drove to eat at the Pizza in the Sky Restaurant. The road leading to the top of the hill where the restaurant was located was an adventure, but well worth it.

The views from the outdoor seating were beautiful. We were able to enjoy the sunset while we ate.

The pizza was also an adventure. There were hot dogs and corn on the top, which wasn't as bad as it sounds. You don't get a choice of toppings, the menu just said: small or large pizza.

The restaurant building was traditional Japanese style, surrounded by several banana trees.

The weather was perfect, and the sunset was the highlight of the day.

Cherry Blossoms (Nago)

2009-02-03T03:16:00.001-08:00

Duane had Super Bowl Monday off from work. Yes, the Super Bowl started at 8am on Monday here in Okinawa. After the Super Bowl was over we decided to drive to Nago (about 1 hour north) to view the cherry blossoms which are now in bloom.

Some of the trees were in full bloom, others were just starting. The walk up the stairs in the Central Park area was beautiful

Katsuren Castle

2009-02-03T02:58:00.000-08:00

We went to the Katsuren Castle Ruins on our way back home from the island hopping trip. Just like the other castle site we have posted on the blog, the views from on top were spectacular.

This castle dates back to the early 1400's. None of the buildings are left but the stone walls are still in place.

Island Hopping (by car)

2009-01-31T15:35:00.000-08:00

We spent Saturday exploring a few of the outer islands on the Pacific side of Okinawa that are accessible by car (bridges). We were able to drive to Hamihiga Island, Henza Island, Miyagi Island and Ikei Island.

The weather was great and the boys enjoyed walking around on the various beaches.

These pictures are from a small fishing port on Hamihiga Island.

The hermit crabs were Grant's favorite.

The pictures below are of a secluded beach we found on Hamihiga Island. We had fun looking for shells and throughing rocks into the water.

The next few pictures are from Ieki Island. The water was very clear and we saw several fish with amazing colors from up on the rocks.

We ate lunch at a cafe attached to a sea salt factory that we stumbled upon on Miyagi Island. The food was great and the view from the outdoor seating was amazing.

Here is a picture of our new car, a Honda Stream.

We drove through several farming areas. Below we were able to see some people harvesting sugar can by hand.

Duane and Grant also went and got their hair cut together at the on-base barber shop.

Iwakuni

2009-01-16T15:09:00.001-08:00

Duane spent the week up at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni helping out the branch dental clinic. They don't have any specialists stationed at that base so when patients need specialty care they have to wait until the specialist comes to them. The weather was different from Okinawa. It was snowing when he arrived.

He flew up on a small jet that seated 7, but there were only 3 people on the flight along with 2 pilots. The flight took a little over 2 hours. The base is right on the water and is surrounded by mountains. Very beautiful, but the weather was chilly.

The days were busy and long at the clinic because they had several patients that needed to be seen. At night he was able to get off base to eat dinner.

The clinic director took him out to dinner one night at the "Chicken Shack." It was a really neat restaurant that was up in the mountains. They had amazing chicken that they grilled on big outdoor fire pits.

Another night everyone in the clinic went out to dinner at a "sushi-go-round." Duane was daring and tried a few unusual things: pureed crab livers and pancreas. It wasn't as bad as it sounds. The green tea ice cream was very strong.

He came home Friday night and was happy to get back to warm weather.

Okinawa World

2009-01-10T05:09:00.001-08:00

We went to Okinawa World this past Thursday when Duane had the day off from work. It was cloudy and rainy, but it was still fun. It is located on the southern point of the island. It has several attractions.

They make Habu Sake in one building. This is touted as being the Okinawan Viagra. It is sake that is made along with the venomous habu snake that is found naturally here on the island. They offer free samples. It didn't taste as bad as it sounds.

There is also a 1200 meter cave that you can walk through. Alot of the pictures didn't turn out very well due to the dim lighting but here is one of the better one's we were able to get.

They have a snake building that was probably Grant's favorite. We were able to see alot of live snakes and reptiles. We got to take a picture with a large python. Grant got to feed a mongoose, which is a predator of the habu snake.

Grant thought the the gecko cage was cool because he was able to play with the lizards for about 10 minutes.

There was also an area that you could hold a few snakes. Will thought it would be a good idea to take a bite out of this one. Sandy wasn't thrilled and the snake holding was quickly stopped.

Grant didn't try to bite the snake but he did think it was fun to hold the snake.

We spent most of the day wandering through the complex. lots to see and do.

Had to finally post a pic of the traditional Japanese toilets. Yes these are basically holes in the ground. An adventure is around every corner, even in the bathroom. Well, just use your imagination!

Finally, here is a pic of the sunset this week along the seawall when we went for a walk. The weather has gotten cooler, but nothing like back home.

Nepal Spice Kitchen - Curry Shack on the Beach

2009-01-09T15:09:00.000-08:00

We found a new resturant that we can walk to from our apartment. The whole walk is along the seawall so the views of the ocean are amazing. The resturant has 4 tables, a stove and a sink. The food is different everytime so we are guessing they do not use recipies. We like the curry and the nan (flat bread that we can watch them make).

Here is a picture of how Grant gets to the resturant. We think it is a 3 mile round trip which is quite the bike ride for a 3 year old. He loves it and is very good at riding the whole way. The resturant is near pirate ship park so we make it a date for the whole family.

This is how Will gets there. Since they do not have high chairs, Will sits in our lap. He likes to grab whatever is on the table and put it in his mouth. He is getting tastes of curry, rice, bread...he is a wiggly little boy. He is also a very happy little boy so he always grabs our food with a smile on his face.

Merry Christmas

2008-12-25T16:24:00.000-08:00

Our first Christmas in Okinawa has come and gone. It didn't feel quite the same without the cold and snow that we have come accustomed to in Minnesota. We will have to settle for sand instead of snow!

We had to go with a small artificial tree this year. Santa still was able to load us up with presents though, along with a lot of gifts from our families back in the states. Duane's brother decided to give us a 5:30 am wake up call, so we started the day early. Grant was so excited to see all of the presents.

We had brunch at our apartment with a few friends. It made it feel more like Christmas to gather together and enjoy food and fun.

Santa sure did a good job filling up the stockings. Grant and Will love their new "Cars" pajamas that they got from Grandpa and Grandma.

Grant and Will have been playing with their new toys. Will really enjoys his new rocking toy with sounds and lights. Grant has to ride it sometimes with him.

Most of the Japanese people are now wearing hats, mittens and jackets. Grant still doesn't mind stripping down to his diaper and swimming. We do get a few weird looks, but if they only knew how cold it was back home they would understand that this weather is perfect for us.

Nakagusuku Castle

2008-12-06T23:27:00.000-08:00

Sunday was beautiful and sunny when we went to the Nakagusuku Castle ruins. This is one of the best preserved, in its original state, castle ruins in Okinawa. It is located 160 meters above sea level with steep stone cliffs that offer a natural landscape for a castle site. From the castle ruins you can see panoramic views of both the Pacific Ocean and the East China Sea which were amazing.

The castle was built in the late 1300's and was completed in 1440, at which time the lord of Zakini-jo, Gosamaru, moved his residence to this castle. The walls are built of hand carved limestone.

There was a Japanese ceremony being performed with dancers and drummers while we were there. It was very cool to be able to walk through the ruins while listening to their traditional music.

The views from the ruins are amazing. You can see several islands off in the distance along with some very traditional Japanese temples along the hillsides.

We've still been exploring several parks on the island. They have large "roller-slide" parks that Grant loves. Mom and Dad went down this one a few times with Grant, but couldn't keep up with his pace and decided to watch him go down from the top and bottom. You can see Grant climbing the hill instead of using the stairs like the other kids.

You can see Grant's head peeking over the edge of the blue slide if you click on this picture and enlarge it.

Former Japanese Navy Underground HQ

2008-11-30T03:05:00.000-08:00

We took time over Thanksgiving weekend to travel on the southern part of the island. We toured the former Japanese Navy Underground Headquarters. It is located on top of a hill overlooking the city of Naha. The Battle of Okinawa was one of the last major battles of WWII. Total deaths in that battle was 200,656 people (12,520 American soldiers).

Here we are entering the tunnel system. The colorful 1000 paper origami cranes were created to represent grief and pray for world peace for the individuals who lost their lives during the war. Members of the Japanese Navy Corps of Engineers dug the tunnel complex in 1944 for the Japanese Navy's Okinawa Headquarters. They served as underground headquarters to endure the American bombardment and long drawn out fighting and could sustain 4,000 men. The remains of 2,400 people were collected from this tunnel system after the war.

The tunnels were constructed utilizing hoes and picks, and you can see their markings on the tunnel walls and ceilings. It was very interesting to be able to tour the tunnel system, but very sobering as well.

The Underground Navy Headquarters is the place where Rear Admiral Ota and his men fought to the end on June 13, 1945. The picture below shows the commanding officer's room and the staff room with hand-grenade markings on the walls.

Parks and Island Fair

2008-11-23T01:54:00.000-08:00

This past weekend we took time to explore some new parks around our apartment. On Saturday morning we found a park with a rope climb that Grant mastered on the first try. It gave Grant a chance to burn off some energy and Will some time to take a nap, so a win/win situation.

Saturday afternoon we went to the Island Fair at the Convention Center (only about 2 miles from our apartment). It was very interesting. There were several vendors selling products from throughout the Ryukyu archipelago (Okinawan islands). Many of the products are difficult to find, as they come from the outer islands. There were free samples of several items, most of which we weren't brave enough to try. The most unique that we did try was smoked sea snake (see pictures below). We also tried a new ice cream flavor, "Sea Salt", not as bad as it sounds, but it did taste salty.

After we had our fill of exotic samples, we walked around the convention center grounds which are right on the water. It is a great area with several open grassy fields that you can use along with ponds with fish in and several sculptures.

On Sunday we drove to Camp Kinser, a Marine Corps base south of our apartment about 15 minutes. We had a picnic at the park right on the ocean. Will and Grant had fun swinging together.

The tide was low so we were able to venture out onto the sand and look at coral and shells. With the weather being so nice here, it is hard to believe that Thanksgiving is less than a week away.

We didn't bring a swimming suit for Grant, but he still had to venture further out into the water to throw rocks and try to look at fish. He was wet from head to toe and covered in sand, so he had to take a bath when we got home.

This last pictures are from our deck at sunset on Sunday evening (11-23). You can see a few islands off in the distance if you click on the picture and enlarge it. The water has been very calm lately and the sunsets are always amazing.

Our Weekend

2008-11-16T23:31:00.000-08:00

Duane was on-call this weekend so we didn't travel too far from home. Saturday was beautiful and we took the boys to feed the fish at Comprehensive Park. We met a retired couple from Colorado Springs who are here doing volunteer work near the Air Force base. They are in the picture talking to Sandy by the bridge. The fish go crazy when you feed them bread.

On Sunday we went to church at Calvary Chapel. We have gone to a few places but this one is the best fit for us so far. Afterward we went out to Sunday brunch at the Officer's Club on Camp Futenma which is just south of Camp Foster where Duane works. The view off the deck from the dining room was amazing. You can see our apartment just to the left of Sandy's head (tall brown building on the water). Grant had to do a little "pose" on the bridge at the front of the Officer's Club.

We thought we should send pictures of our cars. The middle photo shows Duane driving on the opposite side. We are getting very used to that by now. Sandy has a Honda Accord Wagon and Duane has a Toyota Windom. Both are considered "big" cars, you have to see how small all the other cars are here in order to understand.

November

2008-11-14T17:35:00.000-08:00

The weather has been beautiful so far this November here in Okinawa, with record highs. It has been in the mid to upper 80's. There has been more rain lately, but at least it is not snow. It's been warm enough to still wear shorts and t-shirts. Unless you get "hot" from riding your bike (like Grant) and need to take your shirt off and have a Gatorade break.

This morning (11-15) we went on a family walk to the park near our apartment along the sea-wall. The sun was bright and warm. It is fun to see all the people fishing, no matter what time of day it is. There were alot of colorful tropical fish that we could see because the water was very calm and clear.

Grant and Will continue to grow and change daily. They have become great pals, and Grant can make Will belly laugh at any moment. Both are learning sign language with Sandy using some DVD's. Grant has been enjoying coloring and writing his name (not the last name quite yet).

Duane attended the annual Marine Corps Birthday Ball on Monday night. It was held at the Officer's Club on Camp Foster. He had to wear his formal Dress Blue uniform. It was interesting to see all the Marine Corps VIP's in there sharp uniforms with all their ribbons and medals. It was a really formal ceremony followed by dinner.

Work is going well for Duane, he was informed this week that he may have to travel up to Iwakoni to treat some patients in the near future. This may become a biannual event. Hopefully Sandy and the boys will be able to come along and be able see a new part of Japan.

Date Night

2008-11-02T00:10:00.000-07:00

The Marine base hosts a Date Night once a month. You register in advance and for one evening they will watch your children in a very clean, well run, and fun childcare center. It is free and they offer to watch your children from 5 pm until 10:30 pm. Duane and I decided to give it a try so that we could linger over a meal and have some nice conversations.

We tried a place called Tuna House. Here is a sample of items on the menu. We like to point out when we see things spelled like they are pronounced with a Japanese accent. It is very common to see some funny spellings on menus and signs.

We tried Okinawan Crepe, Tofu Chanparu, and Sushi. The Okinawan Crepe was yummy and full of green onions. The Sushi was 1/2 price so we ordered 3 plates of it. At this restaurant we liked the shrimp the best.

Here is my favorite picture. For this date we brought Will because for the most part he just sat in his car seat and watched me eat. When he was ready to see what was on the table, he wanted to touch everything. This did not last long and we were almost done eating. He is a curious 7 month old and he seems to be able to get a hold of anything he wants.

Here are a few pictures of us. We were sitting on the floor on mats. The restaurant was very casual and had lots of local people. We sat for over an hour and talked about future trips we would like to take while living here on this side of the globe.

Foster Fest

2008-10-19T00:24:00.000-07:00

Camp Foster had it's annual "Foster Fest" this weekend. It is free and open to everyone on the island. It is just one of many weekend activities planned by the Marine Corps Community Services. There were a lot of live performances by local Japanese groups, food, and games.

Grant had a blast on a trampoline harness jump. It went very high and he had a huge smile on his face the whole time! He tried to do a few back flips but couldn't make it all the way around on his own, maybe next year.

Will didn't seem to get into it as much as Grant.

Most of the food was not your typical American style fair/festival food. The stands had a lot of Japanese food that was fun to sample.

Grant also had fun on the "choo-choo train".

The Northern Adventure

2008-10-15T02:46:00.001-07:00

We had our first "96'er" this weekend, meaning we had 4 days off. I guess this happens quite often here with the Marine bases around government holidays. We decided to head to the northern part of the island. It was only 50 kilometers, but due to the roads, traffic and stoplights, it took 2 hours to drive there. The time went by fast because we drove along the ocean the whole way.

We stopped at Ocean Expo Park and Aquarium. Grant thought the dolphin show was amazing. He also enjoyed the sweet potato ice cream.

From there we headed to Camp Schwab, a Marine Corps Base on the Pacific Ocean. They have cabins that can be rented by active duty military members. The view from our deck was beautiful. We spent two days enjoying the beach swimming, making sand castles, and collecting shells and hermit crabs. We had the whole beach to ourselves!

On the way back home we stopped at Pineapple Park. They have lots of free samples of pineapple products including juice, wine, cookies, cakes and off course fresh pineapple. Grant had his fill of free samples!

We also had an interesting canned beverage made of goya. Goya is a member of the gourd family. Here is a description from a website: "Goya is an indispensable vegetable in semi-tropical Okinawa. Until quite recently, when summer came you could see the bumpy green Goya gourds hanging from trellises in the yards of houses everywhere. The bitter taste of Goya is very refreshing in the heat of summer." I don't think we have acquired the taste of the bitter goya yet, but it was interesting.

Finally, we have noticed that several of the stores have dead snakes for sale in jars filled with some sort of alcohol. Don't know much about it, but it looks very intimidating.

Grant's Birthday

2008-10-01T03:42:00.000-07:00

We brought party favors from the US. Grant loved them but Will thought they were the greatest thing he had ever seen.

Grant had a spider man cake from the Commissary. Not as good as Lunds but good all the same.

Our two boys enjoying our balcony in the evening.

We covered Grant's eyes before we wheeled in the big surprise.

He loves his new bike! Our living room area is big enough to ride in. He can do a dinning room table loop and a couch loop. Not a bad workout while Will is sleeping.

Grant has been asking to go bowling ever since I told him that the building next to the "grocery" store (Commissary) was a bowling alley. He had a blast. We would do this again with him in a heartbeat. The bumpers came up automatically when it was his turn and he was able to use this devise so the ball did not stop mid alley (which it did before he started using the devise).

This last picture is of the boys room. As you can see Grant is in a big boy bed and likes the movie "cars" theme. He loves his bed and is sleeping well at night.

Araha Beach

2008-09-30T19:29:00.001-07:00

Duane and Grant touching the warm water of Okinawa for the first time.

Hope this information is not important??? Like the majority of what we see off base, we can't read Japanese.

Grant and Sandy.

The sea wall leading to our apartment. We can see it in this picture but it is hard to point out.

Araha beach/Park is also called Pirate Ship Park. the ship is meant to climb on and has a great zip line. Grant loves it!

Outside pictures taken from our balconies

2008-09-26T23:57:00.000-07:00

Looking straight out from our living room. There are often ships off in the distance. The cement you see along the edges is made up of "Jacks" that are each larger than Volkswagen bugs. We think they are to prevent erosion. This is a popular Japanese fishing spot.

Looking down and a little to the right. There is an inlet where waves crash and make a lovely sound while we sleep. Our apartment is a corner unit so we see the Pacific Ocean on one side and the inlet on the other.

This is the industrial area on one the side of our apartment. Every morning at 8 am the employees stand in formation and do exercises. It is pretty motivating to watch.

These last two pictures are what we see when we walk out our front door. This is not off our balcony, this is from the common walkway we share with our neighbors. It is a densely populated island but where we live we have "room to breath" because it is more industrial and not much residential. We don't feel like we live in a crowded area compared to other places we looked at. Also, being that we are along the seawall, we have lots of space to play outside. Very different from Estes Park or Lake Harriet/Minnetonka but each place has it's own kind of beauty and this one lies in the clear blue water.

Pictures of the inside of our apartment

2008-09-26T23:19:00.000-07:00

Here are some images of the inside of our apartment. It is small but comfortable. Since there was a limit on what we could bring we borrowed table and chairs, dressers, book shelves, night stands, Grant's bed, a washer and a refrigerator from the Military. We don't have any storage so we are still trying to figure out where to put a few things.

Master bedroom. We also have a master bathroom. It is pretty awesome to have ocean on two sides of you when you sleep at night.

Some images of the large room that is our kitchen, dining room and living room. This room has sliding glass doors out to the balcony which wraps all the way around 2 sides of our apartment.

Large American style kitchen. No dishwasher.

Questions answered

2008-09-25T22:29:00.000-07:00

We have had so many questions over the past 5+ months. How will we move an an infant and toddler to Japan? How will we leave all that we know and all the people we love? Where will we live? Will we have what we need to live for 3-4 years on this tiny island in the Pacific? The list goes on and on. So much of everyday has been spent finding answers that solving problems has become the norm.

I just had a wonderful conversation with my parents. They asked lots of questions. After I got off the phone I thought about what they had asked. It hit me that what we are doing is not normal and that not everyone is experiencing all of these daily roadblocks. That may seem obvious but I have been so wrapped up in problem solving that I forgot that this was abnormal. Here are some of the big questions and their answers.
Where will we live? We live in a beautiful 1000 sp ft. 4th floor apartment. We have 3 bedrooms (one for the boys, one for Duane and I, and one for you when you come to visit. The last is being used as an office/toy room.) We have 2 bathrooms, a utility room and a large open room where we have our kitchen, dining room and living room. I love this open format and will want it again when we move back to the states. We have all tile floors, neutral and beautiful wallpaper on the walls, and lots of little things here and there that make it a nice place to live. It is a small but pretty apartment. The kicker for us is that is in ON the ocean. We could throw bread to the fish from our balcony. We live on the seawall so it is not a beach but it is beautiful clear blue warm water and lots of Japanese fishermen.
How will we call home? We got a "Magic Jack" in the mail yesterday. We plugged it in and got a Minneapolis number. Very easy and very cheep. If you ever want to call us, it is just like calling Minneapolis except for the time change. Note the clocks on the left of this screen if you want to know what time it is here. Our number is: 612-353-9636.
Will we have what we need? Yes, There are over a million people in this island that is 3-6 miles wide and about 60 miles long. There is lots here and anything that we can not find, we can order through the Internet since we have a stateside mailing address. Our address is:
PSC 557 Box 1013
FPO, AP 96379-1013
US postage rates apply and it only takes a few more days to get here than in the US.
How will we move an infant and a toddler? They are doing well. I think they appreciate the fact that this week we have had a home for the first time in almost a month. There are a lot of things about this island that they have never seen before. We are focusing on the beaches and friendly people and exciting adventures we experience everyday. We are having fun and the kids will benefit in numerous ways from our adventure.
How will we leave the people we love? I don't know. We miss our friends and family a lot. We talk about you all the time. We will use technology to keep in touch and try to find a way home once or twice if we can. This will be the hardest part.

Smaller questions:
What is it like here? On base there is lots of open space and buildings that look alike, everything is in English, and there are places to buy and eat and feel like you are in America. It is like a very big college campus. Once you get outside the gate, the roads are narrower, everything is in Japanese and you know you are in Japan. The gate marks the difference and it is a big difference. There is a lot of people crowded into the space that is not occupied by the bases so it is very crowded. It is also very exciting. Think Tokyo, it is kind of like that. The beaches are fabulous. Crystal blue warm water, white sand, not crowded.
What will the hardest parts about life here? In general the Japaneese are very good enginers and things make since and work well. There are two exceptions. Roads and phones. Roads and parking spaces are tiny and seem to be a forethought. Phones seem to have a secret numeric code system that I will never be able to memorize or even figure out. There is one system for land lines on base, one for land lines off base and one for cell phones. I do not know how to call anyone that does not have a cell phone including 911. The last thing that is hard is the humidity. It is always a sauna outside. Glasses fog when you walk outside and mold will grow in a bathroom in two days if you do not leave the door open (whoops).

We are all happy, healthy and well. Keep the questions coming. It helps remind me that this is not normal and I should appreciate the adventure that it is. Thanks Mom and Dad!

Love,
Sandy

Impressions

2008-09-12T23:10:00.000-07:00

This island is a wonderful place. You can feel like you are in America one minute and then like the only American in a far away place the next. This past week we tried to learn more about the culture. We sat on the floor and ate with chopsticks about once a day. We went to various beaches and visited a number of shops. I would love to send you pictures but we are still living in a hotel on base. We can not modify the computer in our room so we will have to wait until we move into our apartment on the 19th to display any of the pictures from our adventure. Here are a few of the things we learned recently.

Americans with cars here have different license plates. They have a "Y" on the left side (Yankee???). They seem to drive closer to the left side of the road. We noticed that most of the cars in the parking lot of the apartment where we will be living were "Y" plates.
There are options off base for buying less expensive fruit. At the commissary on base apples are $2.89 lb and cantaloupe is $7.00. On the other hand gas on base is the same as in the US but off base is $8.00 per gallon.
If you are not careful you might have to eat heart, cartilage, and fat for dinner. That is what Duane ordered. I on the other hand ordered electric eel. It was an adventure.
It is perfectly normal and acceptable to slurp the noodles out of your soup. At one restaurant we were not even given spoons. We were supposed to drink it out of the bowl.
At A&W they make a very good root beer float. They also make a sunday with beans on top.
McDonald's big mac has an egg on it.
We prepared for our first typhoon this week. It was expected to be as big an Ike. We were expected to grocery shop and bring the plants, grill, lawn mower... inside. Since everything on this island is made to withstand Typhoons, life hardly changed. Why don't they build houses and buildings like this in Houston, New Orleans...?
Seems like everyone here is either Military or Japaneese so no one is over weight.
They LOVE babies and our boys fair skin and red hair has made our whole family very popular. We have had many conversations with total strangers that want to touch Will's arms and legs and Grant's hair. Once they get that close they usually notice Grant's eyelashes and blue eyes. It is funny how excited they get. We feel like celebraties.
Whenever we go off base which is a good portion of everyday, we don't see too many Americans. Maybe one or two families if any at all.
A few people don't like the Americans but for the most part this is the most friendly place we have ever been.
The closest we have ever been to a place like this is Cancun Mexico, and this is our home now. It's pretty awesome.
For tons of information on our new home, visit www.okinawahai.com. You will find pictures of the beaches, food, housing and much more. This website changes daily so check back often if you need a little encouragement to come visit. You are welcome to stay at our home. We plan on having the boys share a bedroom so there will be a guest room waiting for you.

We made it. We are here.

2008-09-06T22:52:00.000-07:00

One week ago today we left the Holiday Inn in Minneapolis and hoped on a plane headed for Chicago, Tokyo, and then Okinawa. 24 hours of travel was easier than I expected. We left in the morning and arrived Monday evening so when we finally got to our hotel in Okinawa it was time to sleep and we were ready. Very ready. Grant and Will both slept well on the plane but Duane and I each had less than 2 hours sleep. At one point Grant fell asleep with his face on his seat, his rear against the seat in front of us and his tippy toes on the floor. It was very funny and the flight attendant did not make him buckle in when we hit turbulence. Everyone slept that first night. Due to the time difference I did get hungry at 1 am since my body told me it was lunch time and I had missed breakfast. Thankfully Jason and Mandy Allen (our sponsoring family) had stocked cupboards and a refrigerator in our hotel room so there was nothing that we were lacking.

Now it is Sunday again and we are happy to be resting today. Everyday this past week we arrived at various appointments by 7:30 and collapsing with exhaustion by 8:30 pm. Here are some of the things we accomplished:

Checked in at headquarters

Introduction to Dental Clinic

Look at some houses off base

New Comer Orientation (all day class)

Drivers License exam

Get Military IDs

Get Drivers Licenses

Look at some more houses off base

Housing Meeting to learn about living here

Register our new car in our name

Get car insurance

Look at the two choices they offered us on base (yuck!!!!)

Look at more off base choices (all day, we were determined to find something).
Got cell phones

Found an apartment!!!!! Wrote them a big check! YEA!

Finally visited a beach for 10 minutes

Went out to brunch with friends Sandy has corresponded with for months.

Drove through a used car lot in search of a car for Sandy

Took a nap

Also...

Grant is now sleeping in a big boy bed, no more crib.

Will has started solid food.

Will found his voice and now likes to holler for a few hours per day.

Grant had a high fever for almost 2 days. Island fever is common in kids. He is fine now.

This post could go on forever so I will save more for another time. I wanted to let you all know that we are here and safe and happy. On base it is easy to forget that we are 1/2 a world away. Off base is very exciting and will be a wonderful adventure. Please e-mail us! We miss you and want to hear from you. For now we are still living in the hotel and may be here another week. We don't know what it takes to move into our place. More to learn tomorrow (Monday).