Wax On, Wax Off

So if you are like me your entire information base on Okinawa comes from three Marines you knew, and uncle who was here 40 years ago, and the Movie Karate Kid 2.  I thought I was good until Martin told me that KK2 was filmed in Hawaii.  Uggggg.....

So I woke up at 4:30am the first morning and went for a walk. (Please do not mention to Dee Dee that I went out before daylight in a strange country on the first day I was there.  Thank You.)  That is what you do when you have been traveling for two days and want to stretch.

But, do you know what I saw that first morning when I walked?  Karate on the beach.  And why this was so reassuring, I am not sure. But I snapped this picture later, cause who can pass that up?   There were also Marines running on the beach, which is reassuring as well in a whole different way on your first morning.

I also found this super playground on Araha Beach which kept my kids busy on many afternoons.  It is a huge pirate ship with a tiny zip-line.

Okinawa Wanna Be's:  I was at first disappointed that there was "no room at the West Pac,"  but in hindsight am glad that we stayed out in town because we had to acclimate to the climate a little more.  Especially now that I am a hermit unpacking our new Unit.  EXPECT to be in West Pac (The lodge on Foster)  for 3 weeks when you arrive. You can hope for shorter, but might get longer.  If it is full they will send you into town.  If this happens and you are lucky enough to have a FABULOUS sponsor like we did, they will plop you down on a beach.  You will change rooms a few times if it is the busy season.  You will have to repack the 8 bags that hold everything you currently own and haul them to another room.  It will stink.  Try to look at it like vacation.  We stayed at Beachside Condominiums for two weeks and Okinawa Beach Tower for one.   The highlight to the Beach Tower was the pool complex with Dr. Fish!

AMC Flight

Where do you start to tell your Epic Asian Move story?  Let me tell you people, in the months leading up to my move I was extremely fired up at some points and I was crapping in my pants at others.  "I am moving to Asia," is a phrases I said and thought many times.  But I did it!  The girl who never planned to leave Louisiana.

So even though this adventure starts the day you find out that you have orders, my story starts on an AMC Flight.  The AMC flight is known in certain circles as punishment worse than death.  It is pretty bad.  But luckily my kids travel like champions.  Also, I am blessed to have some of the most wonderful people on the earth in my life.  Susan knew more than I did about my plight, and basically drove 5 out of ten hours in and around Seattle so that I could sleep for 5 good hours in a fresh bed.  And so my sweet girl could see her BFF from Kindergarden.  Just what we needed, as we were leaving good people, not sure if we would see them again.  You are a lifesaver!  And to my new friend, who shared her Ponies and Pokemon, cause I am not as seasoned a military wife as she,  THANK YOU.  April, I will repay you in Gymboree hand me downs, I promise!  

And after more hours of travel than a mother of three likes to count, and two crazy flights and layovers, we approached Okinawa.  As we flew in a cabin of exhausted silence, the sun settling over this tropical lush paradise created a picture my camera could never capture.  Partially because I do not have an LCD camera like most of my friends and partially because I had children sleeping on me.  I realized that I could do a Pacific Island for three years.  

Okinawa Gonna Be's:  

The AMC flight leaves early in the morning.  Do not arrive in Seattle the night prior to your flight.  You need a break. Plus you are obviously adventurous and will want to see the city.   Were I to do it again I would have arrived at least two days prior.  Trust me.  

When flying with children, I only considered things that would be handy and occupy them on the plane.  But this Journey is more than I plane ride.  Within limited space, you must pack things that will WOW them on the plane, in the airport, AND in the hotel for three weeks.  Choose carefully or it will cost you in the end.  

I hope you fly in at Sunset!  

Stationery card

Kooky Spooky Halloween Card

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Sunday Best

Church clothes didn't look too bad, even after a beignet run to Cafe Du Monde.

Gator Girl

And who ran to get the gator to hold first? The fearless JILL!

Just Wondering

Just wondering...Is anyone really looking at this other than me?

Horticulture Center and Japanese Garden

Above, Jacob feeding the fish at the Japanese Grden. Below, Horticulture Center in Fairmont Park. Here Jacob, Jill and our friend Clyde are playng in the fountain.