The Okinawa Wave

I'm so excited to write in my blog that I finally got my car!!!!! Like I mentioned in my last post, we have been here a month without a car. It's crazy how we all take cars for granted. I was so tired of depending on other people to give us rides! If you know anything about me, you know that I love the color pink. Every car that I have owned has been modified to have pink on it; it helps when your husband knows how to paint cars! Before I got to Japan, I was looking at Okinawayardsales.com at cars that people were selling. I found a pink car on the site and I jokingly sent the link around to my friends saying I was going to have that car. Little did I know, pink cars are actually pretty common over here. When we went to the dealership, they actually had 2 pink cars. The same kind of car I had previously saw on the online classifieds. Chad knew that we had to get one for me, so he didn't put up a fight when I told him that is what I wanted. I think he wanted it more for me than I really wanted it. I love it though and I'm so happy I got it! We knew coming over here that we'd have to drive foreign cars; there's definitely no Chevy over here. So I decided that I wanted to drive a cute little car. I think I found the perfect one! The pink even has a sparkle to it :)

The first place that I drove to was from the dealership, which is right outside the base gate, to the BX. It was crazy! In Japan, they drive on the left side of the road and so the steering wheel is on the right. Not only are you driving on the opposite side of the vehicle, but also the stick to turn the blinkers on is also on the opposite side of the steering wheel. Do you understand how much of a habit it is to turn the blinkers on with your left hand? You don't realize it until you are constantly turning the wipers on every time you go to turn. Chad was cracking up at me because the first time I drove I kept turning the wipers on and I was in such a panic that I couldn't turn them off. Here in Okinawa, it's quite common to see wipers swipe before someone turns, it's called the "Okinawa Wave". For me the hardest part of driving is getting used to the blinkers lol. It really wasn't as weird as I thought to drive on the opposite side. I think I am just used to it now since I've been riding in others' cars. It is still a little nerve racking driving, I don't want to just be in a daze and go to what is normal for me which would be driving on the right side. That could be dangerous!

 After I drove to the BX, I let Chad behind the wheel. He acts like he has been driving here his whole life. I did have to laugh back at him when he used his wipers as a turn signal a few times. Chad was even brave enough to drive off base. The driving off base is a lot more crazy, there is so much traffic and crazy drivers. He did perfect though!

Coming over here the plan was for us to only get one car, at least for awhile. Well we found out that I wouldn't be able to drop Chad off at work since he works at the bomb dump. I didn't really want to be stuck at home all day without a car, especially since I plan on getting a job. So we decided we would just spend the extra money and get 2 cars. We hadn't really looked around a lot for a car for Chad. He knew a couple styles of cars he liked so I was looking on Okinawayardsales.com and found a few cars for him that were in our price range. The first car he called on today, the person was available to show it to him right away. We were able to test drive the car and we really liked it! We will be doing the paperwork for the car on Monday and it will officially be ours. I'm so happy we were able to find Chad a nice car at a very decent price!

So not only did we get 1 car this week... we got 2! If you're in Okinawa, I'm sure you'll see me around in my little Pink Honda Fit giving you the Okinawa Wave :)

First Month in Review

Here is a recap of our first month in Okinawa, key points of what we have done and learned. It's a pretty random list but it pretty much sums it up.

• We lived in a hotel for 2 weeks
• We haven't had a car for a whole month
• Carrying groceries a mile back to our hotel is not my idea of fun
• It is extremely humid here

• I have trouble breathing while I run to begin with, add in the humidity... torture!
• The island has HUGE bats that like to fly close to your head

• We experienced our first tropical storm, it was wimpy compared some of the typhoons that I'm sure we'll get to experience!
• We learned quickly what all the TCCOR levels mean
• Nothing will stop a huge creepy spider from coming in your house!

• I learned how to say Thank you in Japanese.
• The beds that they loan you suck! So does the couch!
• If you walk anywhere, you take the risk of getting caught in a down pour. I know this from experience. 

• We have watched the first 5 seasons of True Blood since we've been here
•  I learned how to use chopsticks

• We can use coupons 6 months past their expiration date. I have found a new hobby of couponing. Send me all your expired coupons :) Watch out world, I'm your next krazy coupon lady.
• I miss my Mom!
• Skype and Magic Jack are amazing technology! 
  
• Add at least 15 degrees to whatever the temperature is.

• Did I mention not having a car for a whole month... sucks?!
• If you go to the BX looking for something specific, most likely they will all be sold out. In our case it was shower hooks and envelopes.We learned how to improvise quickly. (Tip: Zip ties work as great shower hooks!) 

 That's all I have for now! Keep reading for more updates!

Arashi

On Friday, Chad received his blue card which allows him to go off base. This whole time that we were here, Chad wasn't suppose to be going off base at all. Here we are in a new country and we can't even experience it because they have to keep him locked up? I don't like the dumb rules. This blue card allows him to go off base BUT he has a curfew. He has to be in his home by midnight. Awesome.

So on Friday, we went with another couple to Arashi. This is a "ticket restaurant". As soon as you walk in the door, there is a vending machine with all the food options on it. You pick what you want to eat and it spits out a ticket. You give the ticket to a worker and then go pick your seat. As soon as your food is ready, they bring it out to you. I like the concept because then I'm not trying to communicate with the Japanese workers what I want for dinner. But on the other hand, all there were was pictures, there wasn't any English, so I had no idea what I was ordering for dinner. I literally just picked a button that looked somewhat good and prayed that it wasn't seafood! My dish ended up having noodles, pork, egg, and seaweed. It tasted like chicken, it was good! Chad also got some pork and noodle dish. I didn't really like his as much. Overall, it was a good experience and I would go back again! I think I will try one of the rice dishes next time.

This is the way we live...

Chad and I have been recently addicted to the TV series True Blood. We've been renting the episodes from the shopette on base. In the last week and half, we've watched the first 3 seasons. I love spending my nights cuddled up with Chad on the couch watching TV. It's one of our favorite things to do! The only down side is that I haven't had a good night's sleep since we've moved into our house because every night I have vampire nightmares! One night someone bit a chunk of my skin off and then last night one of my friends was on V (vampire blood, which is used as a drug in the show). It's crazy!

Yesterday, I went to a Heartlink class on base. Heartlink is a class for military spouses who want to learn more about the Air Force and the resources that are on base. It was very informative and fun! I had a good time. I'm glad that my friend Krista invited me to go with her. We were suppose to have lunch at the General's house but they were out of town or something! I think that would have been cool to have lunch at the General's house with the General's wife. I told my Mom that and she told me it reminded her of Army Wives! lol

Heartlink was held at the Airman Family Readiness Center, which is the same place that the loan closet is at. So before we left, I asked if they had anything in their loan closet and they did! We now have pots and pans to cook with. It makes me happy that we don't have to go out and buy new ones while we wait for ours to come. It makes cooking easier!

The only other thing that I have really been doing is collecting coupons. Being overseas, we are allowed to use expired coupons up to 6 months past the expiration date. I found this group on Facebook of other couponers in Okinawa. People will send big boxes of coupons over here and they distribute any coupons that they don't need. We can send mail to other people's boxes on the island for free so that makes it easy to distribute the coupons. I've gotten quite a few envelopes full of coupons in my mailbox. Chad laughs every time I get one in the mail, but he won't be laughing when I save us a bunch of money! I'm going to get a binder to put all my coupons on in so I can be all organized when I go to the store. I'm going to be a crazy couponer! ;)

Weathering the Storm

On the island there are Tropical Cyclone Condition of Readiness (better known as TCCOR) levels that notify the base how close the typhoon is and what to expect. If you're interested you can check out the different levels, as well as what TCCOR we are in here: http://weather.kadenaforcesupport.com/update/tccor.htm We are usually in TCCOR 4 from June to November since that is considered typhoon season. Last Saturday, there were warnings of a tropical storm headed toward the island. A couple down the street took us to the commissary (because we still don't have a car) to buy some supplies to be prepared for the typhoon. The commissary was fricken crazy! From now on, I'm stocking up on typhoon food & water all the time just so we're prepared and don't have to go fight the storm of people at the commissary. We bought a couple jugs of water and some food that we could prepare if our power were to go out.

The storm was predicted to hit us on Sunday afternoon. Chad and I were excited to experience our first tropical storm! Well, Sunday afternoon came and went and left us with just a little bit of rain but nothing really. It wasn't until we went to bed that night, when the real storm hit. It was funny too because the commander had put us in to TCCOR Storm Watch before we went to bed, which pretty much means that the storm is moving away from the area and soon we will be in the clear. Well, turns out the storm's back end hit us during the night. It kept waking me up, the wind was throwing rain up against our window! On Monday morning, Chad got all ready to go work and then he got a call that he didn't have to go in because we were in TCCOR-1C which means that all nonessential personnel must go or stay home. It reminded me of a child, when we would get all ready for school and then find out that it was a snow day. Loved when that happened! By Monday afternoon, the storm had cleared up and the sun starting to shine again! We survived our first tropical storm, technically it wasn't a typhoon when it hit us, it did turn into a typhoon as it moved away though! I've been told this was just a baby storm, they can get a lot worse! I'm kind of excited to experience a real typhoon! As long as we're prepared and inside :)

Pictures, Pictures, Pictures!

Before we left for Japan, we had pictures taken of us with Chad in his uniform. I love them, so I wanted to share them with you! Thanks to Sally Vrooman Photography for taking them & this website for the inspiration!

Frustrations

On Thursday, we moved into our new home. We love it! The government is loaning us furniture until our stuff arrives, so that furniture was in our house when we got here. It is very uncomfortable furniture! The bed is only a full size and it's very hard! I guess I shouldn't complain since it's better than sleeping on the floor but it just makes me want our bed here even more!


Our stuff probably won't arrive until September which seems so far away at this point! I find it very frustrating to have to buy things that we already own but just aren't haven't arrived yet, like towels, shower curtain, dishes, etc. We don't even have a microwave in our house and I'm already very tempted to go buy a cheap one. We made chicken tacos in the crock pot for dinner the other night and then we put the leftovers in the fridge. The next day, I realized the leftovers are useless because we don't have a microwave to warm them up! It kills me to have to go buy a microwave when we already have one sitting on a boat somewhere! There is a loan closet on base at the Family Readiness Center where they will loan you pots, pans, microwaves, etc. to get you by until your stuff arrives. I went there the other day and they didn't have a single thing to loan out! Right now is PCS season, there is a lot of people coming and leaving the island so everyone is needing these essentials.

We still don't have a car and it's becoming very frustrating to me. We went to the dealership and picked out the car that I wanted. Then we find out that we can't get it right then because Chad doesn't have his license. I have my license, but Chad needs his in order to have the car in his name. The car has to be in my sponsor's name for whatever reason. Chad wasn't able to get his license the same day I got mine and now since he's attending First Term Airmen Classes for 2 weeks, he doesn't have time to get his for another couple weeks. The way around this is having a letter signed by an officer in his shop and then taking it to a different base to have it OKed. But with Chad having to be at the First Term Airmen Center this week and not at his shop, it has been almost impossible to get done! I hate depending on other people to give us rides! Several people have offered to give us rides to where ever we need to go until we can get a car, which we have had to take them up on their offer to go to the BX and Commissary. I'm grateful for these kind people, but I just want a damn car of my own already!