Photos from our day on Ie Island

Standing in front of the Ernie Pyle Memorial. They have an annual memorial service at the end of April. Benny and I just missed it by a few days.


Standing at a lookout on the north side of the island. We are suppose to be able to see a waterfall from here. We didn't see one, so we think it's a joke by the Japanese to get Americans to come there and buy tourist crap. Regardless, it's a pretty sight.


Entrance to the hiking path uphill to the lookout point on the mountain


Enjoying the sunshine at the Lily Festival

Lily Fest

On Sunday Benny and I did our first tour through the military guide group.

We visited Ie Island, which is a 30-minute ferry ride from the northeast side of Okinawa. The purpose of the tour was to visit a park where there was hundreds of lilies in bloom for a Lily Festival.

Besides eating traditional Japanese food and listening to Japanese music at the flower fest, we were also bused around the small island.

We went to Ernie Pyle monument. This is the site of the Pulizter Prize winning war correspondent's death by sniper fire during World War II.

In an opposite viewpoint of the history of World War II, we visited a cave where 1,000 villagers lived in during the bombings of the island. It was very damp and dark and it was hard to imagine that many people living in such a small space.

We also hiked to the top of Mt. Gusuku, the highest spot on the island. You can see the whole island from the top.

All in all it was a long day, but a lot of fun. We can't wait to do another tour with our fellow Americans living in Oki.

Living in the land of confusion

Sometimes living in Okinawa makes me want to pull out my hair.

Benny asked me to take care of one thing for the duplex: getting the AFN satellite dish and decoder so he can watch Twins baseball at 7 a.m. on Sundays. Locate a satellite dish, sign some paperwork and take it back to the house. Sounds simple, right? It's been a two-day process and it's still not installed.

The Navy people here told us that we can get a free satellite. The only cost is hiring a local cable guy to come to the house to install it on the patio, which is estimated to cost $120.

Yesterday I went to a building on base with the sign: Cable TV. That wasn't right. That office is where people who live on base pay for expanded cable service.

Armed Forces Network (AFN) is a free basic cable service for military service members and their families. There is a couple of channels, such as a sports-only channel and a family-broadcasting channel. I usually want to watch the news-only channel, while Benny prefers the sports one. My favorite is the movie channel. But you can also see sitcoms and reality shows from the States. But it is usually reruns from the last season, so I've been catching up the first season of Ugly Betty when we lived at the motel on base.

Back to the cable TV office. They told me I need to go to the exchange's customer service counter. The exchange is code for on-base department store. The person at the customer service counter sent me to the electronics department.

There was a whole bunch of unhelpful store managers and workers for more than 45 minutes before I was told that they needed my credit card. I was being charged $275 for the satellite dish and decoder box. Before that moment, I was annoyed. At that moment, I was pissed off.

Pay $275? What? Why would I buy a AFN dish? What am I suppose to do with this dish when I leave Okinawa? Really? Buy it? You want me to pay $275, which included a $13 a month fee to rent the decoder box, so I can watch commercials about the military? and I still need to pay $120 to have it installed at our duplex. I thought I can get this for free. I might as well get a expanded cable package from a company in town.

When presented with this reaction, the sales associate shrugged and asked if I wanted to talk to the manager for the second time.

I talked to the manager about returning the dish. All sales are final.

Well, in that case, I'm done. I tell the associate that I need to think about it.

I tell Benny about the situation. We are both confused about why we have to buy the satellite dish.

This morning Benny calls me with clarifying information from the Navy people in his office. Yes, there is a free dish, I have to pick it up at the Navy base. There isn't a warehouse for them on the Air Force base. These two bases are across the street from each other.

So after going to the wrong building and failing to locate the front door for the satellite building, the dish was put inside of Favre this afternoon. I barely made it there in time though. The office that handles this service closes at 2 p.m. daily.

I'm still slightly annoyed with this whole situation. Why is the exchange selling dishes to people when they can get it for free? Why?

When I asked the military satellite loaner person this exact question, he laughed, shrugged and said that he bought one before he knew he could get it for free.

Sigh.

Welcome to the land of confusion.

Foreign movers equal disaster

As you all know, the movers unpack our household goods yesterday. Remember how excited I was to see my stuff again?

That excitement turned to panic as I attempted to communicate instructions to movers who couldn't speak English. And since I don't speak Japanese, this was a challenge to say the least.

First they unloaded the truck by putting 152 boxes in our driveway.

More than half of the boxes didn't have the identification tags or descriptions, so I didn't know where to direct them to place the items. For example, my dish drying rack is sitting in my office instead of the kitchen right now.

After lunch a manager who spoke English showed up to tell me the happy news: they couldn't bring our queen-sized mattress and box springs into the apartment. It won't fit in the narrow stairwell, they said. I almost started crying.


What am I suppose to sleep on, I asked. What am I suppose to do with the mattress and box spring? Leave it in the parking lot for three years?

The movers came back with an answer. They could take it up through the second story patio door that borders the master bedroom.

And that's what they did. They scaled the wall between my duplex and my neighbor's apartment and lifted the mattress up two stories. They hopped between the two concrete buildings like aerobatic performers. I wanted to take a photo to document the work to Benny and you. But I was afraid that the flash might blind one of them, leading to their fall to their death on my driveway. So you have just believe me on this one.

They put together my bed, but I'm not sure if it was done correctly. I lay very still in that bed afraid it will collapse under me at any moment.

At the end of the day, the coffee table and end tables were correctly put together. The futon is still in pieces.

My closet looks like this:

Can anyone find my bridesmaid dress for Tammy's wedding in that pile? I was promised it is in there.

The kitchen still looks the same way. I made Benny take me out for dinner last night. I couldn't find the stove top so there was no way I was cooking anything.

Stuffing ourselves with sushi

A one-hour bus ride later and we found ourselves in Yokosuka. Benny needed to meet with some Navy folks there, so I hit the mall for some amusement.



In the evening, our hosts took us to the coolest restaurant ever: 100 Yen Sushi.

So it's a merry go round system of sushi coming straight to your table. Take what you want on this buffet where you don't even leave your seat. It's for the laziest of sushi eaters. Yellow plates means there is wasabi on the sushi. White plates mean it doesn't have wasabi so I can eat it.

You can also special order rolls and dessert.

At the end of the dinner, you ring the waitress and she simply counts your plates. Each plate is 100 yen or $1.05 a piece.

It's nice because you can sample kinds of sushi you might be afraid to order. I will try almost anything for 100 yen.

Lessons learned in Tokyo

Here is a list of the lessons learned from my first trip to Japan's capital city:

* Trust the guidebook. It won't mislead you. If it says, take the Shimbashi station exit on the metro, take it. Don't study the subway map and waste your energy trying to find a faster way. The author is smart. Trust her. And listen to her advice. Yes, the public bathrooms will not have toilet paper as she said, so carry a roll with you. Same goes with paper towels to dry your hands. Handkerchiefs are my new best friends.

* Learn a few Japanese words before you set off for the journey. Things like "go right" or "turn left" can come in very handy when trying to get directions from a sweet Japanese woman with a limited English vocabulary. It also helps to know the Japanese characters for the place you are looking for. Most city maps on the sidewalk are NOT in English. I will never complain about bilingual maps and signs in the United States after spending three days lost in Tokyo.

* Wear comfortable shoes. The subway system is great, but it can only get you so close and then you need to walk. You will walk all day long, so be comfortable. Blisters ruin any vacation. The Japanese women dress to the nines here, so they wear four-inch heels while pushing a baby stroller through Ueno Park. Let them. I will never be that person. I prefer to be plain than in foot pain.

* Watch the locals. Do what they do. Especially when visiting sacred temples and shrines. Be prepared to remove your shoes when entering these places. And by all means, if they are taking photos, go crazy and take a few of your own. If they ask you to be in one of their photos with them (as a group of school girls did when I was visiting a Buddhist temple), return the favor.

* Experience the moment. You can't see all of Tokyo in a few days. You can always return for another trip in the future. Benny and I are planning to go back for our wedding anniversary in October. Instead of running from one tourist attractions to another, take the time to enjoy the weather, people and places. Deb, my traveling companion in Tokyo, taught me this lesson.

* Know when it's best to abandon the beaten path. Some of the coolest places aren't highlighted in the guidebook. Don't be afraid to wander in. Benny and I spent 30 minutes looking for a particular sushi place when we were starving because one of his co-workers told me about it. We couldn't find it and kept walking by other restaurants, until we unknowingly wander into a ramen noodle place. That place was an experience. And it was cheap and best of all -- tasty!

Day 2 in Tokyo

On day two I followed the walking tour of Old Edo: the Asakusa neighborhood. This is an older part of Tokyo and more traditional.

First I went to the Hama Rikyu Gardens. A few trees were still in bloom, so I was delighted. This park is a royal tea garden in the 1800s. It was a peaceful place where a person could escape the concrete, fast-paced world of downtown Tokyo.

From the park I took a 40-minute river tour of the city to get a different perspective.




I entered Asakusa through the red Kaminarimon Gate. This is where I took my picture with a Japanese school group. We stood in front of a 220-pound lantern with the statues for the gods of wind and thunder on each side. These gods protect the Sensoji Temple.

The Sensoji Temple is the oldest temple in Tokyo. It was created in the 7th century and is dedicated to the Buddhist goddess of mercy, Kannon. I couldn't go inside the temple because the monks were conducting a special ceremony that wasn't open to the public, but it was worth the trip.



This temple is a place where Japanese flock to pay respects and pray for good fortune.

The good fortune can come in a few different ways.

First you can toss a 100-yen coin into a wooden box and pick a piece of paper that has the fortune you want on it. There are hundreds to choose from. But there are written in Japanese, so I didn't do it.

I participated in "bathing" in incense as a way for good luck.

It made my eyes water.

I dumped holy water over my hands as part of the experience.

I was careful not to let the water that washed over my hands enter the community bath. This would have been very embarrassing if that happened. The Japanese are very hygiene conscious, especially at public places.

Then I went to Nakamise Dori. Nakamise means "inside shops" and this market had lots of shops selling traditional Japanese items. I also got to taste test several types of cookies. Even though the vendor told me each one was different, they all tasted like rice cakes to me. I ended up buying a bag of dried kiwi for Benny.

I heart Tokyo

Here is a sample of what I saw and did in Tokyo this week. The good news is that I have a wireless connection that is working well enough for me to post the photos. The bad news is that the battery on the computer is about to die and I need to find a place to plug it in.


The crazy buildings


The crazy street performers


Signs I can't read or understand so I'm probably breaking all kinds of rules


Standing in front of a shrine



the crazy bridges of Tokyo


Being my usual self even in Tokyo. Yes, the Japanese men were laughing at me while I took this picture.

Benny's first "Lost in Translation" moment

I dropped in to get a haircut on Sunday, my second since being in Okinawa. I was a little excited because they do the straight razor on your neck here, something I haven't experienced since Yuma. I asked for the usual, and the old lady looked at me funny, not recognizing me from my visit a week ago. So I told her high fade, skin on the sides, and number 2 on top. All the while, I was showing her with my fingers about 3/8 of an inch. Turns out the number 2 prevailed. Back in the states, a number 2 is 1/4 of an inch. She snapped in the clippers and they started buzzing.


Flashback. This is also the first time I have been able to watch the barber cut my hair since I got LASIK. I'd always have to take off my glasses to get a haircut, and couldn't see anything being blinder than a bat. Back in Port Hueneme, the barbers usually don't have you face the mirror. So I couldn't see the final product until they were done.

After two runs down the middle of my scalp and watching a clump of hair bounce off my nose, I see the scar on top of my head I haven't been able to see in a while... wait a second. Turns out a number 2 is 2 millimeters. She saw my jaw drop and asked "Too short?"


Of course it's too short, but what am I going to do, yell at a little old lady? "Nope, just right" I replied as I grinned and sucked up my pride.



Flashback 2. Back when I turned 16 I got a similar haircut, except back then my brother and I cut each other's hair. Right after buzzing my hair, I went to Okoboji, Iowa with the Kekichs. While there, we went golfing and the clubhouse wanted to pair up an older gent with us. But Ken convinced the guy in the clubhouse that I was "special and had some random freak episodes," and we really needed to golf by ourselves. If Ken was watching this whole thing play out from up above, he had to be laughing.


Lesson learned. No mas numero dos.

Day one in Tokyo

Standing in front of Toshogu Shrine

This shrine at Ueno Park is dedicated to Tokugawa Ieyasu, who used his position in the government to make Edo (now present day Tokyo) the most important city in Japan. It was built in 1651. I think it survived the bombings of World War II, even though not many historical buildings in Tokyo did. Many of the sites were rebuilt between 1950 and 1970. The earthquake in 1923 that destroyed the city is another reason for many replicas.

At this shrine, you can't take photos of the inside, which is why I don't have any. The grounds are very detailed and pleasant. I visited a peony garden there and was the only person American in the garden. The rest of the visitors appeared to be German, according to my judgment of their accents and frequent picture taking of the flowers in bloom.

The pathway to the shrine features 50 copper lanterns and 50 stone lanterns. This is because this shrine is dedicated to "light" for the Eastern side of Japan.


Ueno Park is huge and similar to Central Park in New York City. The zoo is located there, along with five national museums. I visited the Tokyo National Museum and looked at clay pots that were made around 10,000 B.C. Going to this museum fueled my desire to learn as much as I can about the history, people and culture of Japan. I hope to read a lot in the next year to aid in my understanding of my new home.

I met Benny in Roppangi for dinner. We first were turned away from a sushi restaurant after the hostess explained that the minimum price was 150,000 yen per person. Translation: $150 per person. Roppangi is a high end area known for good food and all night clubs. We didn't hit the clubs, but we did get our groove on at a great coffee shop. We had a strawberry dessert while overlooking the Roppangi crossroads block.

Spending the week sightseeing in Tokyo

On Monday morning, Benny and I flew to Tokyo for a weeklong trip. He is attending a work conference and I'm sightseeing during the day. Today was my first day out and about and luckily I went with another Navy wife, so I wasn't alone.

We spent the day at Ueno Park, where they have the beautiful cherry blossoms. Unfortunately the blossom season ends in early April, lasts only a few days, so we missed it. There were two trees with blossoms left on them and they were so pretty. Everyone took their picture next to these trees.

I also visited the Tokyo National Museum where I saw a special exhibit on the history of Buddha statues. It was so interesting, but the museum was very crowded. I learned a lot about Japan in the few hours I was there, but I also have a million more questions about this country, its history and culture, but no one to ask. I plan to start reading as much as I can get my hands about this place.

The highlight of the day was eating a green tea ice cream cone. I spilled some on my T-shirt and now have a green tea stain on the front of it.

I would post pictures of all these adventures, but we don't have Internet service in our room and I have to use a community computer to post this message. I'm hoping to find a hip Internet cafe with free access by the end of the week, so you all can witness my first trip to Japan's capital city.

Until then, dream of cherry blossoms for me.

Now that we have a move-in date

I spent Saturday morning mentally preparing to decorate our Japanese duplex.

Our household goods are still in a crate, but that's mean I can't dream about what items will go where and more importantly, what I need to buy to decorate our new home.

The first task was researching how to decorate a tatami room.

From the moment we saw a tatami room, Benny and I knew we wanted one in our Japanese house. It was a must.

A tatami room was the first multi-purpose room. Traditionally it is a place for Japanese families to dine together while sitting on the floor at a short table. Then after dinner, they pull our their futon mats, lay the mats on the floor and the room becomes their bedroom. (Benny and I won't be going that far.)


We plan to use it as a tea room for entertaining. We aren't brave enough to eat in there. I keep picturing red wine stains on the floor and it isn't very zen.

Ask and you shall receive

When you reach your wits' end is when God opens a window and shines sunshine on you.

As you read recently I was feeling frustrated and discouraged with finding a place to live here in Okinawa. But with Benny as my encouragement coach by my side, we made an appointment with another housing agent for Thursday.

This woman listened to our needs and desires. She showed us homes that have already been inspected and cleaned. If we found one we liked, we could move in immediately. That's a first in this house-hunting experience.

The first house she showed us was amazing. It had that feel and character I was talking about in the last posting. But it was way too large for only Benny and I. We would need to have three children before we could move in. Plus we would have to bring a U.S. sized refrigerator from the base for the kitchen.

In our minds we've already made the decision to stick with Japanese appliances, so we can lower our electric costs, learn to live with less and reduce our carbon footprint.

The major no-no for this house was the location. If we lived there, it would have been a long daily commute for Benny and me too if I succeeded in landing a job on base.

In a way I was disappointed about that house because I really, really wanted it. My heart was attached to it. But my mind wasn't thinking about the daily stresses of it. A larger house means more to clean, Benny kindly reminded me.

After passing on that house, the agent told us she had a duplex that she thought we would like, but is smaller. The positive with this two-story condo is that it is located in a great neighborhood. So we went and looked it and this time, we both fell in love with it.



Basically it's a Japanese version of the Yuma townhouse that Fran and Rebecca and Benny and I lived in. Jeremy and Andrea currently live there and they are still searching for a Navy couple to take over the home when they leave Arizona.

This duplex is nothing fancy, but it's a perfect fit for our needs. It's three- bedroom, one-and-half bath, so we will probably end up using the bedroom with super dark wood paneling as a storage room. Yes, I've decided to ignore my distaste for wood paneling for the three years we live in Oki.

The kitchen is compact, but still larger than our California kitchen at the beach bungalow. It has Japanese appliances and enough patio space for my hammock and a small grill. We can park two cars there, but we still need to figure out where we are going to park our bicycles.

The best part is that it's walking distance to the seawall and a beach where people go snorkeling at. The park where the festivals are held at is also walking distance away. Many shops and restaurants, yet it is quiet. Most the neighbors are Japanese, not American. And it's super close to Benny's work -- only a nine-minute drive to the base's closest entrance.

So we went ahead and signed a lease on Friday afternoon. Benny is planning to meet with the housing office on Monday, April 21, to finalize the paperwork while the movers deliver our giant crate of stuff that day.

We have a move-in day: April 21. Hooray! Mark your calendars. That's the day we move into our home in Mizugama, Kadena-Cho.

A recap of week one in Oki

We survived our first week in Okinawa, or Oki as our American friends call it.

What do we have to show for it? I'm not sure exactly. Sometimes I feel as though we are making great strides in putting down roots in this foreign land. Other times I feel like we are spinning our wheels in the mud.

The major accomplishment: we bought a car. So now we have transportation and can drive both on and off base. It's nice to have that sense of freedom returned to us. When you try to live without a car, you begin to appreciate how nice it is to have one again. I have to admit Benny was pretty giddy when he was driving off base for the first time yesterday.



As far as an apartment, we are still getting there. I've lost track of how many apartments and houses we have viewed at this point. Same goes for meetings with off-base housing agents. It's all a blur.

Today we continue the hunt with another agent. Maybe she will have the special place that the V-Team has been looking for, but hasn't found yet. It's even hard for me to describe what I want to a housing agent.

I want the price to be in our budget. We want a patio or yard where we can barbecue steaks and hang my hammock. We would love to have a garage or storage area to keep our camping and snorkeling gear.

Sunshine is a good thing. I like windows and open spaces. I don't mind Japanese appliances. I want something with a little personality or Oriental flavor. I don't want to feel as though I'm living in the United States. I want to sense I'm living in Japan. I want to picture Benny and I hosting our friends for dinner or tea in this place.

I want a place we can call home.

Everyone here tells us not to rush the process. It takes time, they say. You don't want to rush this, because once you move into a place, you can't move again. And three years is a long time to spend in a neighborhood or apartment you dislike. But the fact that the military housing authorities threatened to cut off our temporary lodging allowance at the end of the week adds to my feelings of insecurity.

Besides the financial reasons, a sense of urgency is felt on my part. I want to put down roots and unpack boxes and cook in my own kitchen. I want to be surrounded by my things again. I want to have more clothes to choose from besides those that are in my suitcase. I've been wearing those for the last six weeks. If I had a home I would feel a sense of normalcy in this country. Then I would mentally understand that we are permanently staying here. My mind would realize this isn't a vacation.

The house I want we can't move into at this point. The housing office at Kadena Air Force base has to inspect it first. If it passes the inspection on April 16, in theory we can move in by the 18th or 19th. If it fails the inspection, the housing agency has a week to fix the house before the inspectors arrive for a second time a week later. If that happens, we won't have that house until May 1.

This whole process can be frustrating at times, but I'm trying to stay positive about the whole thing. I'm trying to ignore the deadline cloud looming over me. I'm trying to take this experience for what it is and live it, not fear it or dread it. Enjoy it. Feel it. Experience it.

My favorite part of this adventure has been the people. Each and every person we've met has been welcoming and so sweet to us. I'm hoping that these moments of kindness can develop into lasting friendships. Regardless I'm grateful for every smile or piece of advice.

The same goes for each and every one of you. Thanks for reading, giving feedback and keeping a smile on my face.

Benny bought a car in 10 minutes

That's a lie.

We spent more than 10 minutes looking at cars and sitting inside of them. But the actual paperwork to buy the car took exactly 10 minutes. And that's for the purchasing agreement (everyone pays cash for their cars here, even though you can finance a vehicle for 18 months at zero interest if you put $500 down), the military inspection so it can be driven on base, Japanese title, plates, registration and car insurance.

Buying a car is a completely different experience here than in the States.

This car is not an investment. It's a set of wheels to get you through the next three years of your life. At that point, you will probably sell it to another military person because you can't ship these cars to the States.

Okinawan car salesmen are laid back and hassle free. The process is painless and simple. Strangely simple. The only slight snag is with payment -- the dealerships only take yen or cash. No financing a car through the bank or paying with check or credit card.

Saturday was our day to buy a car. First we visited the "lemon lot" at Kadena Air Force Base. This lot is where military people can put their cars with a "For Sale" sign in the window right before they move to their next duty station. We saw a few we liked, but most were too large.

Large vehicles are a pain in the butt here because most of the streets are narrow (Benny calls them James Bond avenues) and gas is expensive. On base the price is currently $3.30 per gallon, which is actually less than in California, but I'm not going to question it.

The small cars we found and liked had big engines, so that means we would be paying a higher tax on it with the Japanese government. They also had leather interior, which sounds sticky and uncomfortable during 90 percent humidity.

With no stars on the lot, we headed out to town. We visited several used car dealerships, but only found a few cars we liked.

Here is what we ended up buying:
It's a 2000 Mazda Demio with 80,000 kilometers. It's a four-door car with a hatch back and we can fold down the seats to fit our camping, beach and biking gear inside. The engine is 1,300 cc, so we qualify for a 500 plate, which is more fuel efficient and cheaper tax-wise than a 300 car. There are also yellow license plate cars, which are super fuel efficient, and that's because a John Deere lawn mower has a larger engine that that car.

The Demio we picked was clean and sounded great when we turned it on. You don't test drive a car here, which is kind of weird. The color is a dark green, which I liked. I'm hoping to name the car Favre. I'll keep you posted on that decision.

The dealer also had the same car in this purple color:
But for some reason Benny didn't want to drive a purple car to work daily. Huh, go figure.

For that same reason, he vetoed my favorite choice:


Yup, in Japan they have pink and purple cars. I really want this car and a Helly Kitty sticker for the back window. Keep your fingers crossed for me. We still have a second vehicle to buy.

My second favorite option

We also really like this house. It's a one bedroom, one-bath two story house located in Yomintan.



We would be the first renters, since the old couple who own the house sectioned it off for renting. They still live in the other part of the house.

This house has a lot of character and Benny and I refer to it as the Killian house of Okinawa.




It has a huge balcony on the second story of the house. Plenty of storage, including in the kitchen.



Again it's Japanese appliances. But it has a Japanese yard that I adore.



The drive isn't bad for Benny. The neighborhood seems quiet. This area is growing. Everyone says it will be the next boom area for military housing.

The only problem I have with it is there isn't much for restaurants, shops or parks nearby. And I feel a bit uncomfortable with sharing a wall with the current homeowners/landlord.

Any thoughts on this one?

My favorite house in Okinawa

On Friday we found the house I want to move into. It's a two-story house located in a residential area of Okinawa City.



It's a bit of a drive for Benny to get to work (at least 15 minutes to the gate for Kadena, and then he has to drive another 10 minutes on base until he gets to his office), but it's near a park, shopping and restaurants. The neighborhood is mostly Japanese, but there are a few Americans. The last tenant was an American airman.

The house is two bedroom, one and a half bath. It is a Japanese style house with the Japanese appliances. Still no oven, but it does come with a convection oven that everyone here calls an Easy Bake oven. Benny is planning to barbecue our entrees and we will get Thanksgiving at someone else's house.



The washer and dryer are both small and Japanese style.

This is a major setback for most military families. But Benny and I are small people with no children, so we don't do a lot of laundry. And I think that Japanese appliances will mean the appliances are more efficient compared with a USA fridge, washer and dryer. With high energy costs on the island, a small electric washer and fridge may be in our pocketbook's favor.

There is tons of storage space inside the house and there is also a two-car garage.

We've called the housing agent to let her know that I want to take a second look at the house. I need to finalize the dimensions in my head. I'm not sure if our queen size mattress will fit in the master bedroom. That could be a problem.

Otherwise I think it is a go.

Option No. 3

This is a huge two-story house located miles from anything. The home was built in a Japanese style, for reference think of the movie "Karate Kid 2." This means sliding doors and a loft on the third floor. It has a patio on the second floor, but an extremely small kitchen. The refrigerator is tiny and there isn't an oven, only a stove. Only one bathroom. But there is a huge workroom where we could store a lot of stuff. The view is of sugar cane and sweet potato fields. The neighborhood is very quiet and this is an opportunity to experience the Japanese lifestyle.


the bathroom


the kitchen


the living room


the view

Option No. 2

This house is located about 20 minutes from where Benny will work. It's in a quiet neighborhood where there are families and kids playing baseball. But it is down a narrow street and we aren't sure if we can actually find it again on our own. Apparently they don't name minor streets in Okinawa. But we have a yard and an actual house, not an apartment. The walls are painted bright colors, which makes me happy. I also like the wood floors. The front yard is nice and large. To answer Tammy's questions, it is the same square footage as the apartment, but the kitchen is much smaller. Less counterspace and cabinets.

The view