Seeing things in a new light

We are over the hump. If everything goes as planned, we will leave Okinawa in less than a year. No, we don't have orders yet. No, we don't know where the Navy is sending us next. We just know that the plan is for us to move back to the States within the next year.

Living in Japan means constantly learning about a culture that is basically American culture flipped upside down. Everything is different, from the toilets to the food. And for that difference, I'm truly thankful for this opportunity. I got to live in a part of the world that I never studied or read about before moving here. And in the end, I've learned more about my beliefs, my values, and myself than I ever thought was possible. I was confident in myself when I fly to Tokyo for the first time. Today I'm still confident in myself. I just know I'm a new me.

While I'm comfortable with myself, within this country, I continue to feel like an outsider. That is until July 25, when I became a Tokyo tour guide to my friends, Tammy, Andrea and Nicole. Tammy and Andrea, former Yumans like myself, flew together from the States. Nicole is my co-worker here in Okinawa and this was her first girls trip and first trip in Tokyo.

The vacation was short. Two days of sightseeing. Two days to hike Mount Fuji. Four days with three amazing, open-minded, and physically strong women.

Their visit was an opportunity for me. I saw Japan through a fresh set of eyes. They pointed out things, I no longer noticed and forgot to be amused by. They laughed at things that I had begun to ignore. They showed me the beauty of Japan all over again. And they gave me the strength to finish this emotionally challenging overseas tour with a positive note.


In less than 11 months, I'll leave Okinawa. But I'll never forget Okinawa.