Akemashite Omedeto Gozaimasu!!

It's New Years Day here in Okinawa. Although my parents and I did not stay awake past 9:30 last night to ring in the first minute of the new year, we did have a good time celebrating today. Not only was today my first day of 2009, it is my last day in Okinawa. My parents and I got to go to see Tops in Blue this morning. It is one of my favorite things to go see! Basically, some of the most talented vocalists, dancers, instrumentalists, and comedians audition each year to be able to tour with Tops in Blue. They tour for 10 months with their spectacular show! They sing, dance, bring laughs, and just put on a good show. This year was as good as the rest. They also always end it with such a strong hitting patriotic punch. I love it when they sing God Bless America and the whole audience rises to their feet in pride. Something special to see. We then went to the old house that we used to live in off base, and went to a few stores around the island. After shopping, we walked along the sea wall for a while. It was a very windy day so there were actually waves and it was beautiful. We finished the day by eating pork (yuck, but I did it for tradition's sake) and black eyed peas.
New years is one of the biggest holidays celebrated here, so there is a lot of hustle and bustle leading up to this day. They sell all sorts of New Years decorations and always give lots of gifts, usually money to children in traditional New Years envelopes.
All in all, this was a pretty good trip home. It was long, but very busy. Working with my mom at her preschool for a week, visiting what seems like every shop in Okinawa, site seeing like a new tourist, and spending time with my parents, not to mention celebrating Christmas and the New Year.

I <3 Okinawa

I'm in Okinawa for my Christmas break. It is my last chance to get to come home, so I decided to come home for an extended time - 3 weeks! Well I'm ready to go home but I've come up with some lists about home since I've been out here:

When I think of Okinawa these things come to mind:

1. my favorite foods: sushi and soba
2. driving on the left side of the road
3. cocoks - where I get my nails painted on!
4. old Japanese women stop and stare at me and occasionally comment on my hair color
5. the most beautiful oceans and sunsets ever to be found
6. the nicest salespeople ever
7. 100 Yen stores
8. silly Japanese characters everywhere
9. garbage trucks that make ice cream truck music- tricksters!



Silly truths of living on a military base:

1. you stand up for the National Anthem at the beginning of a movie
2. when you come onto the base you must show your picture ID to a person with the biggest guns you've ever seen wrapped around their neck
3. everyone seems to be wearing a uniform
4. you can get everything you want at the BX or Commissary
5. no tax!

After spending this extended time with my parents, I am learning that these are the things they value most in a person :) :

1. wake up early

2. exercise daily

3. appreciate crude humor

4. love the outside

5. speak ridiculously loudly (I think they can't hear)

The ubsurd number of Christmas movies that I watched this year:

1. All I want for Christmas

2. It's a Wonderful Life

3. The Christmas Shoes

4. Elf

5. The Santa Claus

6. The Santa Claus 2

7. Surviving Christmas

8. Miracle on 34th St

9. White Christmas

10. Christmas with the Kranks

11. The Preacher's Wife

12. How the Grinch Stole Christmas

13. Fred Claus

14. The Muppet Christmas Carol

15. Chevy Chase's Christmas Vacation

16. Prancer

17. Jack Frost

18. plus about 3 more Lifetime Christmas movies that I don't even know the names

*** I'm sure that I could add much more to these incredibly random lists - but this is all I have for now.