Finding a house, grilling a steak & saying goodbye to peeing in silence

Let me just start this by saying I’m thankful to be alive… and it should be noted that Okinawans are hands down, the worst drivers on the planet. Yesterday, Kevin and I narrowly avoided death as we were driving off base. Some oblivious teenager swerved into our lane and cut us off with only inches to spare. If Kevin hadn’t slammed on his brakes, I would be in a full body cast right now. Scariest moment yet... And it’s only week two.

Onto more positive news… Yesterday we found a house! Unfortunately, it’s not on the beach as we had hoped, but it’s still spacious and close to Kevin’s work.

It’s a 1600 square ft. two-level home with THREE bedrooms/THREE bathrooms—obviously more than adequate, but also the perfect amount of space for incoming guests. Compared to our last apartment in Texas, this is quite the upgrade! No more squeezing ourselves into an 800 square ft. furnace without central air.

Our official move-in day is June 16^th. Until then, nights will be spent at the hotel and days will be spent exploring the island.

Speaking of exploring, today I had a little spur-of-the-moment adventure with my friend Courtney!

First, we stopped at a beach (just five minutes from the base) near Sunabe.

Right now, it’s the rainy season in Okinawa so each year, the weather is predictably dreary during the months of May and June. Even though the sky is dark and cloudy, it doesn’t stop families from diving into the crystal clear water.

I, of course, savored the moment, kicked off my sandals and let the waves splash over my ankles. I thought to myself, “Is this real? I cannot believe I live here.” This, coming from a girl who grew up near muddy riverbanks and spent her summers rope swinging into a pond. No, this is way different. And to me, such a blessing.

After our shore excursion, we ate lunch at this all-you-can-eat grill-your-own-meat buffet. Novel idea.

 

Notice the misspelling outside…

And then it was time to check out the restroom. 

Take a look at the black device hanging on the wall. 

Apparently the Japanese have an aversion to hearing themselves urinate because as soon as you start peeing, this tiny toilet contraption starts making a loud water-flowing noise to overpower yours in the stall. Silly, but this is their culture.

If you've always been curious as to what an authentic Japanese toilet looks like, here you go...

Squatting is your only option.

And, lastly, if you want a good laugh, look below. Written in prain Engrish.

This is real life Japan. *bows*