A Great Week

We're having too much fun here. Between the three of us we have seen and done a lot! Last Saturday, I took a "train class", a guided excursion to Yebisu Garden Place in Tokyo. It took an hour and a half to get there by train. We were given 3 1/2 hours to explore the area, shop, and eat. I went to lunch with 4 young Japanese tour guides who speak little English. That was really cool. We ate at an old western style restaurant, and I ate a really good burger. A bit ironic, I know. Then we walked over to the Tokyo Metropolitan Museum of Photography. It was impressive, yet humbling. It featured images taken all over the world over the past year by expert photojournalists. Many images were gruesome, showing the violence that has occurred in far away places like Georgia (the country), devastating natural disasters, and even effects of the economic crisis. I don't even know how express how it touched me, but it left me with a solemn feeling, for sure. It definitely made me all the more grateful to be a citizen of a very civilized and relatively safe country. (Japan is safer than the US.)
Also on Saturday we moved into a suite. We had been in a small, one room hotel room with a tiny fridge and a microwave. Now we have two separate bedrooms and a living area with a kitchenette, a table with chairs, a TV and a love seat. It's a relief to have more space, and separate rooms, not to mention something of a kitchen.We found our way to church on our own on Sunday. Good job Jeff!! It's 30 minutes away, through the tight, maze-like streets of the city. Jeff has an amazing sense of direction. Church is interesting. It's in a very nice new building that is completely different from anything you'd find anywhere else. It's on 3 levels. The bottom level is brick floor parking and a small lobby with an elevator and a stairway. On the next level is a small chapel, with only cushioned folding chairs, and the top level has the classrooms and Branch President's offices. The Branch is tiny, especially since it's summer. It's a Military Branch taking in members from several military bases. There are usually about 35 people in Sacrament meeting, about 15 in the one adult Sunday School class, 8 to 10 in Relief Society, and the same numbers in Primary. We're still trying to figure out the personality of the Branch. It's different. Jeff has very good experiences in Priesthood, better than he's found in past wards. The Relief Society also has a very different feel from what I have experienced anywhere else. I'm not sure what to say about it except that I hoping to help strengthen the RS and do what I can to bring the sisters together and lift their spirits. Several of the sisters' husbands are deployed, which explains a lot. I know all too well what that's like. I'm really looking forward to getting involved. The Branch just received our records and we are ready and waiting for callings.This week, Jeff and I did Japanese Headstart. It's a full time, week long introduction to Japan, its history, culture and language, in a classroom setting, plus a day trip to Odawara Castle---an hour and a half away by train, right by the ocean. The class was taught by two really funny Japanese men. They were practically comedians! It was a whole lot of fun!! We got certificates of completion with our names in Japanese yesterday.Sensei Onozaki, our instructor and a samurai master

The same day that we went to Odawara Castle, Marin went on a full day field trip with the CDC* to Ebina Fantasy Land! She had a lot of fun, though she doesn't know how to explain what she saw and did there. The preschool does a full day field trip to really cool places every Thursday. Last week they went to the Enoshim Aquarium, also an hour and a half away. The Aquarium featured a dolphin show where the dolphins performed. Marin was bouncing off the walls when we picked her up that day!

We've seen and done a whole lot in the short time that we have been here. We couldn't have gotten here only 3 1/2 weeks ago, could we!? It feels like longer because we've packed so much in. It feels like we're on a cruise---living in a hotel, eating out all the time, Jeff being with us all the time, and frequently traveling and going on excursions to great and exciting places in a beautiful foreign country. Three years here wont be long enough.

Things will change a bit after Jeff starts work on Monday, but not much. His schedule will actually be light, for a total and complete change from the past several years! We will still go on lots of excursions with ACS** and Outdoor Rec. Jeff will take some kind of a samurai lessons from one of our Japanese Headstart instructors. I will start taking a Japanese class in a few weeks through the University of Maryland, and Marin will start school in September. We also have Marin signed up for violin and swimming lessons in August, and soccer this Fall. Could life get any better than this?!

*Child Development Center
**Army Community Service

Dreaming of Bumper Cars

Well, we have a car now, and it's nice to have wheels again, especially since it's been so rainy here lately. I'm ready to be done getting drenched whenever we have to go somewhere. So, now we're getting used to driving in Japan. It's a whole different experience driving around here and we're still nervous about it. First, we drive on the left side of the road, from the right side of the car. The gear shift and wipers are on the left and the turn signal is on the right. It's all backwards! Then, the roads are so narrow (off post) that you have to squeeze your way around, and in many places it's too narrow for two cars to pass each other going opposite directions, so you have to wait for cars to come through from the other direction before you can go through the narrow part. Plus you have to watch for pedestrians, bikes, and mopeds using the same small space! And you also have to watch for telephone poles planted out in the road too! Yeah, it's crazy. I think it would be a great idea if they just drove bumper cars instead. They're the right size for the roads, and driving would be a lot more fun and less stress!

Every Day Here is a New Adventure

Yesterday, Jeff and I went to the Newcomers Brief. There were many presenters from all different offices around Camp Zama. It was good, very informative. The presenters were very personable and told us how much we would love it here. The only people who don't like being here are those who have no sense of adventure, and fortunately there are very few.
We had our favorite dinner last night. The Community Club has it every Wednesday night. It's Mongolian BBQ. We get a bowl and fill it with all kinds of raw veggies and raw meats, add some sauce to it and then the cooks stir fry it for us in the kitchen. This was our 3rd Wednesday eating there because it is so good!
After dinner we went to a Girl Scout meeting with Marin, our first ever. There were lots of girls between 5 and 10. Jeff and I enjoyed visiting with other parents while the girls did their opening exercises and sang their songs. The activity of the night was trying Sushi! It was hard to do on a full stomach, but I did it just to say I did! It was okay. It would help to be hungry when I try it again though. Jeff really liked it. He also liked the rice and tuna covered in bright orange salmon eggs that burst between your teeth. I tried that too, but wasn't too ready for that. Again, it would help to be really hungry. Marin wouldn't try it at all.
As for girls Scouts? I'm not sure what to think. I'm sure it's a good thing, but I come from a family that is not in the least into scouting. And singing cheesy songs is so against the grain for me. But Jeff is an Eagle Scout and is all for this. He was helping Marin memorize the motto on the way home. That's fine. It will be their Daddy Daughter date each week! Just don't rope me into it.

Today---Finally a break! We have been going, going, going constantly the whole time we have been here, plus we live in one small room so I don't get time or space to relax in privacy. I am someone who needs plenty of that. So, today Jeff went to another day of Newcomer Briefings, I opted out, and Marin went to the CDC (Child Development Center). She went on a field trip with the CDC to an aquarium an hour away and had a great time!!! I enjoyed a day of personal time alone in the peace and quiet in our room!! I feel so much better now!
We have been trying to get a car for the last week, but there have only been a few cars here for sale and they are not available for another 2 weeks. There is a car lot near our church that has great cars but we can't get there without a car. So, when a friend of ours said he was heading over there to get a car for his wife, we asked if we could go with them. John was happy to take us, especially since he didn't know the way there and Jeff did. It worked out very well and was a fun evening for both families. Both families piled into their van and we went over to the lot. The kids had fun wiping the big water drops off the cars after a day of pouring rain, and the adults had fun looking at all the cheap cars!!!
Used cars are ridiculously cheap here! It's great, especially because the Japanese take care of their cars and things far better than Americans do. We got a '96 Honda CRV for about $2500, plus other fees. It looks great and we're excited about it.
Our friends got a car too. After that we went to McDonalds on the Navy Base, and all had fun there too. We really like our friends. They have a 6 year old girl who gets along well with Marin.
Here is our new car! It has a sun roof, fogs lights, side mirrors that electronically fold in for all those tight squeezes, and an extra side mirror on the front end so we can see down on the left side of the car. For us Americans, who are used to having the bulk of the car on our right, that will be immensely helpful. (Jeff hit a curb and almost took out some construction barriers, all on the left side, when we test drove a car the other day.)

Look at the Japanese writing. It's crazy to think they can actually read that, and someday I will too!

We Are So At Home Here

This evening we went to the park for a surprise birthday party for one of Marin's new friends that she met at soccer last week. It was a lot of fun. Jeff and I chatted with the other parents while Marin waited anxiously with the other kids for Isabella to show up with her family. When she did, Marin was at the head of the pack of kids running to meet Isabella in the middle of the field. Marin ran with arms wide open and gave Isabella a big hug. It was so cute! There was so much excitement among the kids as they ran to the playground to play, then came to the pavilion for cake, and then ran back to the playground. All three of us really had a great time! We are so happy here!
We really enjoyed walking around this evening, to and from dinner at the Community Club, to the park, and then to lodging in the dark and the quiet rain. It smelled so good outside, and felt so peaceful.

We would have taken pictures, but it was already getting too dark. The sun sets here at about 6:50 PM and is totally dark by 7:30. Then it's already getting light at 4:30 AM and 9:00 AM looks like noonday. It's really different here. I wonder if Japan got confused on what time zone they're actually in. I really have no idea. I'm curious to see how early it gets dark and light in the winter!

Anyway, we are very, very excited to be here. There is so much for us to do, learn, and explore! Jeff's leadership (who he will work for when finished in processing) are totally laid back, relaxed, and very excited to have him working for them. And me? Well, I'm not sure yet what I'll spend most of my time doing, but I am very excited about many opportunities and possibilities. This is a dream come true for us, to live in a foreign country and to immerse ourselves in the culture, and this is a great country to do it in. We are already very at home here.

Oh, Where To Begin?

Wow, it's been almost 2 weeks since we got here and I haven't posted since the beginning. We've done so much and taken so many pictures. It will take me a while to catch up. I think I've decided that I should go ahead and post about things as we do them and add the pictures later as we get around to downloading them. We don't download pictures very often.
So, since we got here, we have eaten at all the places, accept one, that this tiny post has to offer. We have discovered everything on post on foot, since we don't have a car yet. Jeff and I got our Japanese drivers licenses and now they think we're "professional drivers"! Scary! Driving here is completely different. We have gone swimming, bowling, to the park and the library, to a kids Japanese class, and ventured off post to eat at a pretty good Chinese/Japanese restaurant and to look through quite a few little shops. We found Disney movies dubbed in Japanese and bought a couple. Marin did a week long soccer camp that was coached by British Soccer (football) Pros. They were a lot of fun! Marin loves soccer and we have her signed up for the Fall season.


Marin is our soccer kid! Whoa, I guess that means I'm a "Soccer Mom" now.

All tuckered out

Marin took this one! She's good at centering the people she takes a picture of. I didn't crop this at all. I'm so proud of my kid!
(Notice the designated parking. I am among my own kind now! Let's just hope that I don't have reason to use this parking for at least a couple years.)

This is lodging. Can you see Marin waving in our window?

The cars here are tiny!

In town



Fish anyone?



These trees are commonly found over driveways, though driveways themselves are not common.

The coolest thing we have done so far is take a trip with Outdoor Rec to Mt Fuji. We traveled on a tour bus for 2 hours to the small town of Kawaguchi. It was a beautiful drive! Much of it reminded me of the drive from Charlottesville to Wanesboro---many forested hills jutting up here and there and you can see for miles and miles. I'm glad to see that there are actually parts of Japan that aren't packed city. While there, we picked blueberries that were delicious right off the bush! Then we went to a tourist area where we went on a little paddle boat on Lake Kawaguchi. But the best part was taking a tram up a small mountainside and took a short hike where we could see down both sides of the mountain, the lake on one side, and on the other, a city filled valley with an amusement park between us and Mt Fuji. It felt like we were on top of the world. Beautiful, majestic views in all directions!!

Blueberries! Yumm!

The paddle boat. Marin steered, and we wove back and forth all over the place. It was lots of fun, and just beautiful!

Kawaguchi Lake from the tram

Top of the tram

Majestic Mt. Fuji---the inactive "active" volcano

Something beautiful

I think we landed in Paradise!

Camp Zama, Japan


Well, here we are! We're in Japan! We are doing very well and LOVING our adventure! Everyone is telling us too, that this is a great assignment---very kicked back and relaxed, and lots of amazing cultural and travel opportunities for the whole family---and it's evident in how happy and relaxed they are as they tell us. We are given tons of time to in process and acclimate to the new time zone at a very relaxed pace. Jeff wont even start working til August 1st, but we're finally getting paid again! Phew!

Japan looks very different from the US. I don't even know how to describe it well, but to say that everything here is very cramped and compact---cars, streets, walkways, buildings. Camp Zama has more of a US feel to it, not so cramped, but most everything here is Japanese made.
The vegetation is beautiful. We can see mountains. It's extremely humid here. Virginia's humidity is nothing compared to this. I love that it's low elevation. I struggled with the high elevation last week in Utah. I could hardly stay awake, but here I have lots of energy! Marin and I adjusted quickly and easily to the new time zone, but Jeff is still working on it.

Camp Zama is very small and everything that we need is within about 5 minute walking distance from Army Lodging---shopping and dining (the basics, nothing fancy), Army Community Service Center, medical and dental offices, schools, the library, the park. It's a good thing because we don't have a car. We'll get a nice cheap one after we take the class for driving in Japan next Tuesday. There's a '98 Beamer for sale for $5000, but most are for maybe $2000 or even much less.

Last night we had Mongolian BBQ. It was so good!!! The set up was buffet style where we each filled a large bowl with all the raw veggies and raw meat that we wanted stir fried together and then they took it back to the kitchen to stir fry it for us. Even Marin's pizza was a self made pizza that they took back to bake.

Everyone here tells us that this is a great assignment and to kick back and relax! The work load and work schedules here are very light, even for the Lt. Colonel (high ranking and usually a very busy position). He met with us yesterday for a while to welcome us and chat for a while. That's not the case anywhere else in the military. Anywhere else it would be a quick, impersonal 5 minute "hi, welcome, we'll see you at work".

This morning we stopped by the MWR facility (Moral Welfare and Recreation). That's where we can check out sports and camping equipment and sign up for fun trips to do all kinds of fun things---group hikes, trips around Tokyo and other areas for festivals, Disneyland, clam digging, berry picking, you name it! This is staring to feel like a 3 year CRUISE!
We are SOOOOO excited to be here!

Can any of you blog junkies help me change this text back to only text and not a link? I don't know how it happened and I can't undo it.

After the 11 hour flight, with our 11 bags! Marin wouldn't look.


Our very first sight of Japan.... HOW THE HECK DO YOU FLUSH THE TOILET?????

Well, uh, I'm not sure this is much better...no thanks...

Yen!

The bus from the airport stopped next to a sweet car show for a little 10 minute break. I couldn't resist taking some pictures! Too bad it was getting dark out.


Check out the mail boxes here! Somebody like Star Wars.