Here's Looking at You

If you turn your head sideways, he's looking straight at you.

Adjusting

Adjusting back to Hoosierdom isn't as easy as I imagined it would be. I have had icky jet lag. Knock on every piece of wood I come across, but the past two evenings haven't been as hellacious as the previous nights. I can be as tired as can be, but just cannot sleep. Or, I wake up at odd hours STARVING, not the food that may be appropriate for that time of day (breakfast hours), but real food, like meat and cheese. When I actually had the foresight to think this situation through, I've been hungry at my Okinawa meal times. That was a part of jet lag I wasn't thinking about. I've now been in the States for a full week, so I'm hoping things are on the up and up.

It's been more of a challenge to adjust to social changes. In Oki, we aren't used to being around groups of people we know outside of work. I know that sounds silly, but it's been a bit of a change for me while here. Social interactions in public have also been eye opening. I had a hair appointment on Saturday and Scott Co.'s finest paraded in and out the entire time I was there. You know when I say the finest, I'm not talking about actual fine living, so infer way my friends.

Met my new ob and loved her! People wore actual scrubs there, not their Navy uniforms. She raved about the care I received in Oki, which I was excited to hear. I knew I was in good hands, but it's nice to hear people with medical degrees say so.

DRIVING, I did it, on the correct side of the road! I did flip the windshield wipers a couple of times while intending for the turn signals, and reach for the gear shift with my left hand, but I managed to make it to Wal-Mart and back safely! Speaking of Wal-Mart, I instinctively reached for my wallet and my id before walking into the store but then realized it wasn't necessary. I've been conditioned just like Pavlov's dog!!

Nice to see friends, and not have to instant message or Skype them. Can't wait to be able to do so with the husband. He's stuck in Oki w/o internet connection, poor guy!

I'm going to watch television now. Yes, an option with more than one channel!

Back Home Again, In Indiana

I made it home!!! Orders came through at the literal 11th hour. Hopped a one way flight to Tokyo's domestic airport, took the shuttle to the Tokyo's international airport, stayed at a hotel along the landing path, shuttled back to hotel and flew stand-by on AA and made the flights from Tokyo to Dallas, Dallas to Louisville!! More thank yous than I've ever said to Aunt Nancy, my travel arranger.

I had the extreme privilege of flying like the other half-premium class accommodations! Business class on a 11.5 hour international flight is the only way to go! I'm now totally spoiled. The seats lay down flat, if you want them to. You have real silverware, and alcohol galore. Of course being 31 weeks pregnant I just salivated at the thoughts of champagne at 37000 feet, but settled for my water. The water in business class is Evian-not Exchange Select or whatever I buy in Okinawa! In fancy class they also address you as "Ms. (YourLastName)" way impressive! Ms. Sawin felt like a grown-up. The sweetest flight attendant kept my Evian bottle filled the whole trip and I made sure to walk every 1.5 hours or so. No swollen ankles!!

There was a little "medical emergency" on my flight which delayed us at the gate for a bit, but no big deal. I became accustomed to seeing lots of people wearing face masks while in Asia, but I think it was disarming to the people who were on my flight and only in Asia for a week or so. I think the couple who fell ill ended up being okay, but they were wearing the requisite face mask and it appeared to freak some fellow passengers out a bit. I honestly didn't even notice. I made my connection to Louisville just fine and sat next to a fellow displaced Hoosier who is a retired executive with the Chicago Bulls. He was the first person on my entire journey to help with my bags. Kind of sad, but very much appreciated. I wasn't expecting people to go out of their way to help a nearly 8 month pregnant lady, but I was surprised when no one offered until I came upon a fellow Hoosier. Again, I was flying first class and they actually feed you on the short flight from Dallas to Louisville. Awesome flying in along the Ohio River. Flew over Corydon and I could recognize landmarks in New Albany. I love seeing Churchill Downs when approaching the airport. I was thrilled when my luggage arrived in Louisville. Sooooooo good seeing my family at the airport and the people who stopped by once I was home. They loved my Okinawan pedicure, fellow Oki residents! ;) I fell asleep after about 27 hours awake and missed other visitors who stopped by, but I'll catch up with them over the weekend.

So good to be home. It's the weekend in Oki and I hope my beloved is doing well. He'll be home in 6 weeks!! Thank you everyone for your support and prayers in this interesting journey to make it home!!

still here

I'm supposed to be at home, adjusting to a slower time zone and getting ready for an ob appointment with a new doc. Instead, I'm getting ready for bedtime that night (at the same time, these crazy time zones!) and wishin' and hopin' to find a way to the States for my summer vacation. Oh, and to give birth. I don't have my orders and can't fly without them. Someone isn't doing their job and it sucks. I mean, I'm glad the person not doing their job isn't my dermatologist or something like that, but it just stinks.

I may finally be proceeding with going home, but have to resubmit paperwork that I've already submitted at least once. Grr. However if it gets me home this week, I'll submit hair samples and a Cosmo quiz with the honest answers (not what I know are the answers I need to answer to get the result I desire)-whatever it takes.

Hopefully I'll only have a couple more days to write "one last Okinawa blog before the baby comes" and the rest will be from the United States of America, aka the greatest country in the entire world. Please keep your fingers crossed, we really, really appreciate it!!!

Work day lunch

A view from the restaurant looking to the East China Sea.


Lunch. Onion soup that looked an AWFUL lot like Chicken & Stars soup, some sort of Garlic Pork rice bowl (the nori -seaweed wrapper used in sushi, upper corner of bowl- bothered my pregnancy senstive olfactory system) and blueberry or cranberry "cake".

View from where I was sitting.

another random Okinawan cat.

Kids had a half day of school on Friday so some co-workers and I headed to a cafe on the Sunabe Seawall for lunch. I heart student half days, especially when preparing for maternity leave! It was just an absolutely gorgeous day. There was rain earlier in the day and the skies cleared just in time for lunch. Low humidity, great breeze (a zephyr? I remember that word from SAT prep guides) and the ocean was like 20 feet away (maybe more, I'm awful with spatial estimations).

Lunch and company were very nice. On days like today it makes me wonder why I'm so anxious to get home. Okinawa really is a great place with good people and new adventures that make themselves known daily.

Yakiniku experience

a view from the outside of the meat selection. You pick whatever you want in whichever sauce, or non sauce, it is marinating, or not marinating, in.

Unlike American style restaurants, the salad bar was at the end of the line.

a cotton candy machine that appeared to be a hit.

Okinawan desert bar and salad bar

meat.

Went out to dinner with Jared's awesome Japanese co-worker, Noriko, and two gentlemen from Florida who were teaching a class J took last week. Tried a Yakiniku restaurant, which I guess derives from the "Korean barbecue" theme: you grill your own food over a communal grill in the middle of the table. It's fun to experiment, and to play "guess the cut of meat". Jared is much better at that than I ever will be. You pay for a set amount of time (I believe it was 90 minutes) and do the all you can eat thing. Waste is frowned upon and there are the polite Japanese reminders to finish your plate before getting another plate. Knowing this, I was hesitant to try more than one slice of whichever meat in case it wasn't what I thought it was. Surprisingly, it was the chicken that got me. Go figure. Let us know if you want to try this out when you come for a visit-we'd love to go again!

By the way, Eric Patton, I dedicate these especially beefy pics to you! ;)

Beachy life

Being a landlocked Midwesterner, the beach is still a novelty to me. I think it's so cool I have the opportunity to go to the beach on Sunday afternoons during the school season. Jared and I have been taking advantage of the beaches in the area every weekend we've had the chance. I hope we have that chance today!