typhoon time!

okinawa is located in what they call "typhoon alley" which means we are supposed to get quite a few typhoons.  i was excited for typhoon mawar so i could experience my first typhoon.  mawar was a huge disappointment.  in fact, during the time mawar was supposed to be coming through, it rained less and was nicer than it has been in weeks!  we are getting another typhoon tonight, typhoon guchol.  apparently he is headed straight for okinawa but things change on a dime around here so i'm not holding my breath.  i'm not going to lie, it would be awesome to be sent home from work or told to stay home, watch an awesome storm, and do whatever i want!  my patients keep telling my that typhoons are boring but i would find plenty of stuff to do on a "typhoon day."  i've got a running list including:

-read

-play "just dance" or the "michael jackson experience"

-clean

-craft

-watch movies

-cook

-bake

-eat

-mani/pedi

-blog

-sleep

-skype!

-online shop (let's be honest, i don't need a typhoon to help me find an excuse to hit up amazon.com)

-actually do the things on my "to do" list

-work on my karaoke

-work out

-sort through my clothes

-make concoctions in my vitamix (i'm obsessed!)

-write in my journal

-learn how to sew

-stretch

as you can see, i'm ready for a typhoon!  i also have a ridiculous amount of canned goods and candles.  and bottle water.  and books on my kindle.

6 months, say what?

i have officially lived in okinawa for 6 months now.  i'm a fourth of the way through my contract.  i can't believe how fast time has gone.  i still feel like i'm brand new to the island.  i need to start seeing more of the island so another 6 months doesn't pass and i'm still pretending i have tons of time to do stuff.

i did go snorkeling yesterday with some friends.  i bought my own snorkeling gear and can i just say, who knew snorkeling gear was that pricey?  i wasn't prepared for the prices but i figure that when i get scuba certified, i'll already have most of the stuff i need.  fyi, okinawa is in the top 10 best diving spots in the world.

we went to cape maeda, which is pretty close to my house.  cape maeda is where they do a lot of scuba lessons.  when we got there, there were SO many people getting in and out of the water but we were able to swim away from the crowd.  it was so pretty.  i find snorkeling to be really peaceful.  until one of the guys grabs my fins and freaks me out.  the water is unbelievably clear and the coral is beautiful.  i can walk two blocks from my house and go to a great snorkeling spot.  

after snorkeling, we went to a place called american village.  it's an huge shopping center with restaurants, stores, and a place called "doctor fish."  doctor fish is a place where you put your feet in a tub of water with freshwater carp and they nibble off your dry skin.  it's the weirdest feeling.  i took a video but stupid blogger won't let me upload it.  here is a picture instead.

we also went to a restaurant where you sit around a grill and cook your own food.  it's all you can eat and most of the items on the menu are meat products.  the guys thought this was heaven.  it's pretty good but WAY too much meat for my taste.  i swear, i sweat grease after i eat there.  

thoughts on okinawa

things i love about okinawa:

-they have the best drinks here.  and they are so available!

-the japanese seriously come up with the most ingenious ideas and inventions. 

-waking up to a gorgeous view of the ocean and being able to eat lunch at a beautiful beach.

-i can leave my doors unlocked and not worry about anything being stolen, broken into, etc.  it's so safe here.

-the small portions.  i love that they serve meals with a bunch of different dishes but all in very small portions.  makes portion control easy and allows me to try a bunch of different things.

-i have a great ward.  they are very welcoming and thoughtful people.

-i am so close to lots of great places.  2.5 hour plane ride to a bunch of other countries.

-the japanese use the word "hai" (pronounced like "hi") a million times a day.  it means yes and it's their favorite word.  it is now my favorite word.

 things i don't love about okinawa:

-tailgating.  it's like a japanese past time.  i've gotten used to it in town but the rage comes out when people tailgate me on base.  everyone knows you don't speed on a military base so back off!

-i swear it happens every week.  it will be sunny and beautiful outside during the work week but as soon as the weekend hits, cloudy, rain, etc.  it kills me.

-i miss being able to buy certain things in stores.  mostly things that make my life more convenient.  i can order most things on amazon but they don't mail organic produce.

-i love my apartment, it's really nice and spacious but i have to take an elevator since i live on the 8th floor.  that makes it difficult to get my bike downstairs to ride.  not the end of the world but kind of annoying.

-it's a small island so unfortunately i run into people i know a lot.  it's only a pain when i see my client in public and it makes things awkward.

-the main thing i don't love about okinawa is that my friends and family aren't here.

 things i gotten used to living in okinawa:

-rain doesn't even phase me anymore.  i rarely use my umbrella or rain jacket until it's sideways rain.  and using rain gear in sideways rain is futile.  no one bats an eye when i walk into work sopping wet.

-using hand gestures and my very, very broken japanese to communicate. 

-nodding in thanks

-driving on the left side of the road.  when i watch movies set in the states, it throws me off that they are driving on the right side of the road.

-showing my military id for anything and everything.

-driving the speed limit.

-not talking on the phone while driving. 

-using old fashion means to find my way places.  no calling people up if i'm lost, no reading street signs.  basically, the old fashion means i am referring to is driving in circles until i find what i'm looking for.  luckily, i live on a island so i can only get so lost.

-calculating the yen to dollar conversion and vice versa

-calculating the time difference in the states

-hearing a mix of japanese and english pretty much all of the time