a trip to Mainland Japan: black pantyhose, bare fingers & vicious monkeys

Six months in Okinawa barely prepared me for what I was about to encounter during my weeklong trip to mainland Japan. Yes, it's the same country, but aside from the language, the two are nothing alike. Okinawa is to Tokyo as Punxsutawney is to New York City. Think small town versus big city--- similar customs, but a stark contrast in people, culture and scenery. 

Okinawa is about a three-hour flight from Tokyo.

Here's what I noticed the most:

1) Staying in a 4-star hotel doesn't mean drifting off into dreamland comfortably. During our stay at the Universal Port Hotel in Osaka, my bed was harder than a rock and my pillow felt like it was filled with rice. The hotel itself was gorgeous, but the bed was comparable to sleeping on the floor. I've slept in two-star motels that have comfier beds. 

Firmest, most uncomfortable beds I've ever encountered.

2)   Hardly any Japanese women wear engagement rings. No diamonds anywhere! And only some married women wear wedding bands. Turns out, big shiny rocks are not as common in Japan as they are in the U.S. (Another reason I'm lucky to be an American!)

3) Japanese people seem to be very quiet and mannerly on the train. No yelling, no loud talking, no rude pushing/shoving. In fact, no one even pretends to glance at anyone else. A little different than what I've seen in train/subway systems in other countries.

4) Japanese women prefer fashion over warmth.  95% of all women I saw were wearing black tights with shorts and boots... in 40 degree weather. Of course, they don wool peacoats and scarves, but their legs have to be freezing!

Creepy Japanese fashion photography.

5)  Hardly any overweight Asians. The majority of those I saw were very thin. And it's no surprise... while shopping at a Forever21 in Tokyo on Monday, I couldn't find one pair of jeans that were larger than a size 26. Perhaps the females starve themselves to accommodate their shopping needs... Or they've all been blessed with a fortunate set of genes.

6) “Sumimasen” is the magic word.  When it comes to interacting with the Japanese (or anyone for that matter), manners are highly appreciated. Sumimasen means “I’m sorry” or “Excuse me”… and it's the best way to approach a stranger when you're about to ask them a question!

7) Mainland Japanese are different looking than native Okinawans. Some seem to be taller, have larger eyes and have lighter skin. This could be due to the fact that native Okinawans are actually Ryukyuan kingdom descendants who were not Japanese. Okinawa did not officially become annexed into Japan until 1879.

8)  Unique architecture on the mainland…Very different buildings/structures than I've seen in Okinawa. Thatched, extravagantly sloped roofs with cylindrical tiles vs. simple concrete block construction.

Building in Osaka.

Building in Okinawa.

9) Prevalence of rickshaws. These human-drawn carriages originated in Japan and were once the chief form of public transportation here. I noticed quite a few in Kyoto but none in Tokyo or Osaka.

10) Staring at a monkey will get you attacked. Looking at a Japanese macaque monkey in the eye is considered an act of aggression and doing so could be more dangerous than you may think.

 At the Iwatayama Monkey Park in Kyoto, the monkeys will bite you if you longingly look into their eyes. So please, save your stares for their backsides. At least in the name of safety.

Officially Training for a Marathon!

This morning, Tamara and I ventured off base, running 10 miles to the Sunabe Seawall to Sunset Beach and then back on base. We witnessed the sun rising, the waves crashing and the brand new day beginning for Okinawa. It’s moments like these that help you forget your legs are cramping, your body is aching and you’d rather be sleeping.  

This was the second long run of a 17-week training program I’ve committed to that will prepare me for the Okinawa City Marathon on February 17^th. Over the course of the next three and half months, I will gradually work up to 20 miles, then taper off my mileage about two weeks before the race.

I’ve recruited Tamara as my running partner, a friend I’ve been jogging with since June.  If it weren’t for her, I would be way more tempted to hit the snooze button at 5am! Having someone to talk to during a two-hour run makes training something to look forward to. It’s that little slot out of the day where we can share unfiltered conversations, vent our frustrations, and encourage each other’s hopes and aspirations.

(When I’m not running with Tamara, I run with Allison who likes to chat, but prefers to be fast ;))

And what is my plan for conquering this marathon?

Soaking in every second of the scenery, keeping a smile on my face, and taking each run one step at a time.

Our Engagement Story

When you meet someone who…

makes your heart flutter,

makes you a better person,

you can’t live without,

you hold onto that person and you  n e v e r.  l e t.  g o.

When I met Kevin, I knew he was unique. He was unlike any other guy I had ever met.  He was gentle with children, friendly to strangers, respectful to the elderly, but most importantly, he was perfect to me. He was charming, chivalrous and selfless... He put me on a pedestal and treated me like a princess. He had a way of making me feel special and I knew from the start he was the man I wanted to marry.

I had a notion he felt the same, but I had no idea when he would propose, if ever. But then one September day, my life changed forever…

We were on a cruise, vacationing in the Caribbean when it happened.  As the sun was rising and the ship was docking, Kevin kissed my forehead, waking me from a deep slumber. It was Friday and we had finally arrived in Belize.

For months leading up to our trip, Kevin had insisted we book a room with a balcony and soon, I would learn why.

I rolled out of bed and followed him to the wooden railing, overlooking the ocean. With his back facing me, he began pouring his heart out, telling me how much I meant to him. At first, I didn’t think anything of it because he was always expressing his feelings for me. But this time was different. He seemed nervous and I didn’t know why.

He turned around and continued telling me how much he loved me and how happy he was to have met me. He said that he could tell I felt the same because I was constantly showing him, especially when he had deployed.

“There was one gift you sent me while I was in Haiti that was very special… those coupons you made,” he said.

He was referring to a tiny box of coupons made out of pink construction paper.  On each coupon I had written a promise, mostly things I would do for him once he returned.

At this point, he had already been home for three months and still hadn’t used any of his coupons, so of course, I was quick to point that out.

“Yes, but you still haven’t used any of them yet!” I said.

He looked at me with a smile and said,  “But there’s really only one I need.”

Then he handed me a small pink heart, on which I could see three small words written in ink… “My Eternal Love.”

Immediately, my eyes welled up with tears and I told him I would always love him.

It was then he bent down on one knee, pulled out the most beautiful ring and said those five words that melted my heart, “Will you marry me, Kim?”

 Of course, I spontaneously burst into uncontrollable tears. In fact, I was so overwhelmed with emotion I couldn’t even respond!

For at least five minutes, we stood there, kissing and hugging each other tightly. Finally, he pulled back and slipped the sparkly princess cut jewel on my finger. We were engaged! And to make it even more special, it was the 17^th day of September--exactly 17 months to the day after we met.

Because we were still on a ship, I had to wait THREE days to inform my friends and family of the news. I later found out that a month before our trip, Kevin had called both my mom and my dad, asking for their blessing to marry me. He also spoke to each of my seven siblings, requesting their approval as well.

So now, exactly two years later, we are (obviously) married and life couldn’t be better! 

 

Tonight, we celebrated the second anniversary of the proposal with a delicious dinner on the Sunabe Seawall. It was romantic and perfect… just like my husband. :)

Celebrating Life, One Birthday at a Time.

The older I get, the faster the years seem to fly by. I know it sounds cliché, but it’s the truth. This year, I turned 26 and I started thinking, “Wow, my sweet sixteen was a DECADE ago.” Ten years ago this week, I was applying for my driver’s permit and celebrating with a sleepover. Unlike most girls my age, I didn’t have a boyfriend and my best friend and I were obnoxiously joined at the hip. We were the same height, the same weight, the same size, and eventually we drove the same car (matching 1995 Saturns). We were essentially sisters, affectionately known as Kim & Mim.

 {me & Mim @ a school dance} 

December 2002

Age 16

Punxsutawney, PA

Little did I know, over the course of the next few years, I would get accepted to Penn State, pledge a sorority, live a semester abroad, land the job of my dreams, meet the love of my life, get married and move to the opposite side of the world.

It all seems surreal and each day, I thank God for the experiences I’ve had and the people I’ve met along the way… I often find myself getting nostalgic, so the other day, I spent a few hours perusing old photos and decided it would be fun to give you a glimpse into some of my previous birthdays… starting with my fourth!

BIRTHDAY #4

{me & mom}

September 1990

Punxsutawney, PA

BIRTHDAY #5

{me, Erika, JC, Danielle}

July 1991

Pittsburgh, PA

Every summer, all the cousins on my mom's side of the family would reunite for an annual birthday party and take turns blowing out the candles. Looking back, it’s absolutely gross to think of nine or ten kids blowing their spit all over a cake…and then eating it. When I “grow up” and have children of my own, I’ll be sure to have an extra cake on hand for the adults! Haha

 

{me & Danielle}

September 1991

Punxsutawney, PA

BIRTHDAY #7

{me, Jessica, Danielle}

September 1993

Puxsutawney, PA

As a kid, I always looked forward to my birthday because I always had a party and I always had a sleepover. And for some reason, I always seemed to get Barbie Dolls as gifts.

BIRTHDAY #12

{me, Deidre, Sarah}

September 1998

Punxsutawney, PA

Okay, this one is a bit embarrassing, but it had to be shared. Somehow I convinced my friends to play with the sheep on my farm during my birthday party. Deidre is holding Lambert, who was the lamb that, while suffering from pneumonia, became delirious, ran into a combine (a piece of farm equipment) and broke his neck. Miraculously, he survived and lived the rest of his life with a lopsided head and a semi-obstructed voicebox (imagine an extremely glottal “Baaaaaa”).

BIRTHDAY #18

{Megan, Jackie, Theresa, Autumn, Misti, Katie}

September 2004

Indiana, PA

This was the infamous day I became an adult... The photo was taken at IUP (Indiana University of Pennsylvania) with some of my best friends from high school. If I remember correctly, we spent the night acquainting ourselves with college life, aka the frat scene.

BIRTHDAY #19

 

{Jackie, Me, Theresa, Megan}

September 2005

Niagara Falls, Canada

Anyone who grew up in Pennsylvania or New York knows the legal imbibing age in Canada is 19... So what better way to celebrate my Canadian legality than with wine & waterfalls?

BIRTHDAY #21

{Jen, Amanda, me, Ashley, Nikki}

September 2007

State College, PA

This was obviously one of the most memorable. First of all, I was the last of all my friends to turn 21… basically the last senior at Penn State to be allowed into a bar. So you can only imagine how enthusiastic I was about this milestone…

The night before, my roommate organized a pregame at our apartment and then at midnight, we proceeded to some karaoke bar where I proudly climbed on stage and pretended I was Mariah Carey.

On my actual birthday, dinner was eaten at Red Lobster and drinks were “sampled” at both the G-Man and the Dark Horse. 

BIRTHDAY #23

{me & Kevin on the Riverwalk}

 September 2009

Savannah, GA

This was the first time celebrating my birthday with Kevin… I could tell he was a keeper because instead of just taking me out to dinner, he also planned a romantic weekend getaway for us in the charming city of Savannah, Georgia!

BIRTHDAY #24

 {me & Kevin} 

September 2010

Tuscaloosa, AL

In 2010, fate and football collided with PSU playing Alabama for the first time in twenty years. For those of you who know my husband, he graduated from Alabama, while I graduated from Penn State. When I found out the long-awaited game was on my birthday in Alabama (where I was working at the time), I was ecstatic! Of course, we bought tickets, tailgated all day, watched the game, then left the next morning for a Caribbean cruise.

BIRTHDAY #25

September 2011

San Angelo, TX

First birthday as a married woman… Kevin and I had just moved to Texas, we were still staying in a hotel, living out of a suitcase hundreds of miles away from home. We spent the day kayaking the Concho River, eating dinner at the Olive Garden and splitting a ginormous Strawberry Cheesequake from Dairy Queen.

BIRTHDAY #26

First birthday celebrated in Japan!

Wine & Cupcake party with a few of my female friends on the island...

{ladies of the 909th}

September 2012

Okinawa, Japan

{my next door neighbor, Alyssa}

{Ebony, Liberty, me, Alyssa, Cerrin}

Kevin also surprised me with a stunning rose & lily bouquet, cooked me macadamia nut pancakes with coconut syrup, gave me a gorgeous white & black diamond necklace, then took me out to a fancy schmancy seafood restaurant for dinner.

So, it’s hard to believe I’m 26… 10 years ago, it was an age I associated with being grown up, outdated and old… Haha

But now, not so much… My metabolism may be slower, but I am more motivated, disciplined, and energetic than I’ve ever been. I would say I’m finally in my prime…and embracing it!

Do not regret growing older.  It is a privilege denied to many.  ~Author Unknown

A man's age is something impressive, it sums up his life:  maturity reached slowly and against many obstacles, illnesses cured, griefs and despairs overcome, and unconscious risks taken; maturity formed through so many desires, hopes, regrets, forgotten things, loves.  A man's age represents a fine cargo of experiences and memories.  ~Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, Wartime Writings 1939-1944, translated from French by Norah Purcell

A man is not old until regrets take the place of dreams.  ~John Barrymore


The other day a man asked me what I thought was the best time of life. "Why," I answered without a thought, "now."  ~David Grayson