Japan Post

I did a packing rehearsal last weekend and realized I have accumulated way too much stuff for my little suitcase and one duffel bag. Therefore, I needed to mail some of my possessions back home. I did all the research, so I knew going in that I was going to have to spend a few man to send it all home. Fortunately my coordinator came with me. The woman at the counter was very helpful and weighed the first box and checked how much it would be depending on how it was sent. I made a note before going in that I would probably send it via SAL, which is a type of airmail but it takes longer than EMS, which is also airmail and somewhat fast. The third type is to send it on a boat (I'm on a Boat just popped into my head. Khee hee hee!), which takes three months. I ended up going with EMS since it was around 15000 yen. SAL was around 18300 yen while boat mail was only 7700 yen--cheaper but I couldn't wait three months to get clothes I might need when I start back to work in August. (By the way, I know it's not really called boat mail. I just really like that song. Flippy floppies...)

I also sent home a box of books. I was able to send 50 kg of books (I think) for 4500 yen. I know. I'm being ridiculous paying that much to send books home, but I couldn't leave them behind. The sad part is that's not even all of them. I might have one more box that I just can't leave behind. I'll have to start collecting all my loaned books back soon. Eek!

I also sent a small box of gifts home. The grand total came to about 25000 yen. My coordinator was shocked. I'm glad I did the research beforehand so that I wasn't.

We Are the Third Place Champions...OF THE WORLD!!

My base high school is one of the top schools in Japan for weight lifting. A few weeks ago, the weight lifting coach and a group of students headed to Romania for a world wide competition and one of the boys placed third. Yea! I am so impressed. I'll be sure to keep an eye for him in the Olympics, ne?

Paradise Cafe

One of my Japanese friends is married to a chef who just opened a new cafe in Shuri called Paradise Cafe. It is definitely not to be missed. I had the Japanese curry. I am a fan of Japanese curry, but the one they serve here is exquisite. The chicken is fried with a thin coating making it extra crispy. The curry sauce itself is complex in its deliciousness. (Is that a real word?) Suffice to say the meal was chou oishii! Oh, and the bull dogs everywhere are super cute, too. If you'd like to check it out, it's right across the street from the lake by Shuri Castle.

You Know You've Been in Japan Too Long When...

I went to see Star Trek with a couple of friends. At one point in the film, one of the characters gets a commendation. This character is presented with the commendation in an official ceremony in front of a huge crowd of people. He takes the commendation and I think he says, "thanks," and then he just stands there. I was shocked. I grabbed my friend's arm and was about to ask why he wasn't bowing. Really. I had to stop and remind myself that not everyone bows. Still, it was so strange. That's when I realized I've been here long enough to become so inculcated with Japanese customs that I forget they're not necessarily the customs for the rest of the world. I fear for myself when I return to Texas. I may suffer from Dun! Dun! Dun! REVERSE CULTURE SHOCK. Yikes!

Yurika's Birthday

Today was my friend Yurika's birthday. I ordered a cake for her from my local bakery. It was so yummy. And it was pretty, too.

Smugglers

Smugglers is an Irish pub near Kokusaidori. They serve one of my favorite drinks there, a black and tan. It's nice to have little pieces of home to visit here in Okinawa. Several of the staff speak English as there are many English speaking patrons.

I have a JET friend whose boyfriend plays in an Irish band. I found out they were going to play at Smugglers, so I went to check them out. They were a five member band, mainly Japanese or of Japanese descent. This was the last time they were going to play together. One of the members was taking a one or two month trip to Tokyo and the boyfriend is leaving in July to return to Canada. I was very lucky in getting to see the last performance of this group as a whole. I hope they can find new members so they can continue playing. They were truly amazing. Watching them play made me want to take up the violin again. I played for nine years and then haven't picked it up seriously since my first year in college. I'll have to find the time when I return home.

Ikei Island

I know I haven't seen much of the world, but I must say Okinawa has some truly incredible, beautiful beaches. If I weren't so afraid of driving here I think I would have liked to have gotten a car just to drive around and visit as many beaches as I could here--and I'm not really a beach person. I do love seeing beautiful things in nature and this is the place to do that.

By the way, if you're wondering why a non-beach person chose Okinawa, I'm also a Cheimaphobic or Cheimatophobic, a person who has a fear of the cold. (For more phobia names, check out phobialist.com.) When I applied for JET I asked for a place that had mild winters. I didn't care how hot the summers were, and that's how I was placed in Okinawa.

I was invited to a BBQ and beach party at a friend's house. Really, it was her grandmother's house, I think. Apparently, to have a house on Ikei Island is something special, and after having been there, I can see why. Unfortunately, by the time I arrived at the house, it was low tide so I wasn't able to go snorkeling. I was able to see some new things I hadn't seen before in other tide pools, so that was nice. Oh, and if you go, be careful. It's very slippery. The beach was nice. the company was fun. And the food. When I was told it was going to be a BBQ, I assumed they meant Japanese BBQ, like yakiniku, which I also love. It was a very nice surprise when I found out they meant Western BBQ with BBQ sauce and ribs and hamburgers. It was too delicious! I ate and drank waaaaay more than what's good for me, but I don't care, It was so good. I was definitely a nice break from my everyday fare.