DISCLAIMER

WE LOVE Japan. We are finding so many truly ADMIRABLE things to LOVE and RESPECT about the Japanese people. I've NEVER been in a culture where the hosts are more willing to help. I am thrilled with the polite greetings every day. We feel safe here. Theft is nearly non-existent off base, as it brings such dishonor to families. I've heard that some families even disown those who steal. I respect so much about this culture already.

As Americans plopped down in the middle of a totally new foreign country - things will look "strange/different".....just as they do to immigrants in America. Since I tend to find humor in most places, things do make me smile and laugh. I plan to share some of our thoughts and such, but would pray that no one ever take those thoughts as demeaning to our new Japanese friends and country. We love it here.

We have had many discussions about how a Buddhist country seems to operate day to day in a more Christian manner than our Christian country.

My time is up just now for blogging.....but I will be posting...

Toilet Story
Funny Car Models
Money
Signs
Stacia's Adjustment

as I can.... maybe a few hours from now at the Weasel's Den. ::Snort::

Choosing Joy!
©2009 D.R.G.

~ Coram Deo ~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Sticker Shock

Mike had some groceries in the room when we arrived. Tuesday night we had to go buy some more. I was shocked. This is a Class 2 Commissary. So is Goodfellow's commissary. However, there is much less organic/natural options here.

I bought 8 potatoes (that didn't look good and weren't the baby reds I had on my list ::snort::) for $5.00. The watermelons were sold out. There were no bananas. The apples (Jonagold) were $1.49 EACH.....and I am used to buying apples in the case. The only lettuce on the shelf (though there are spots for various kinds) was $2 a head: iceberg.

The milk is sold by the 1/2 gal and was $3.50 in the Shoppette on Monday night but only $2 and change for 1/2 a gal in the commissary. MILK - get this the dates are good until late August/Sept. This can't be good. I'll look around off base and see what I can come up with.

I couldn't find whole grain penne or swirls or macaroni.....no veganaise... As soon as our things arrive I'll be making all our bread, english muffins, bagels and tortillas...because I didn't find any really GREAT list of ingredients but the ones that are OK are EXPENSIVE.

I need to call Renee (chaplains wife) today. She had told me there are things here that I didn't find. I'm hoping I simply didn't look in the right place. I have been told that things are often out of stock. They DO have the ice cream that Zander can eat - though I'm looking forward to making our own. When talking with Connie (chaplain's wife) last night she mentioned that she's talked with the commissary about various organic items she would like to see....there is a chance they could order cases of things from Okinawa....and there is still the option of ordering quarterly from our old food co-op and paying to ship in a priority flat rate box. BUT how many boxes would that take?????

There were NONE of the convenience items that we stock so Zander has options at places like AWANAS, VBS etc....Cheddar bunnies, Sharkies, EnergG, Newman O's.....he loves POCKY but this is not a good option. ::snort:: I'll be baking a lot of cookies, brownies and such.....because there isn't a lot of fruit around just now either.

I DID find Delmonte Organic Pickles. These are the ones Krista and I discovered at a commissary in CO. They have no dyes and taste good. LOL The pineapple was only $3.67...but it's sorry looking and we'll need to eat it quick. LOL

I plan to check the fresh produce markets off base. I know that things will be seasonal and so we won't have the variety we are used to in TX....but they'll be fresh. I do wonder about the pesticides used in Japan and guess I should begin to do some research on that. I know that my brother says there are lots of "bad" ones used in China.

Thus ended our first shopping adventure in Japan.

Choosing Joy!
©2009 D.R.G.

~ Coram Deo ~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Snak Attack

No, it's not a type-O....that is how the sign spells "snack". There are vending machines EVERYWHERE....in the airports, off base, on base....and we wanted to try one. We are collecting quite a lot of "change" and it seemed like a good way to use some of it up.

What an array of choices. We'd noted at the airport that liquor is sold this way. I couldn't read most the bottles. I could decipher some....we chose something safe...In honor of Bre and Krista and the Coke fetish....

As we walked away, congratulating ourselves on navigating this new fun, I realized that Y120 is a bit over $1.20. We'd just paid for a can of Coke.....hmmm....

There's a machine near the room that seems to have SOUP in it. I plan to try that today....Jared said he'd try it with me. The others think corn soup from a vending machine is nasty...but then they always have been picky eaters. ::Snort::

Choosing Joy!
©2009 D.R.G.

~ Coram Deo ~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Weasel's Den

Thanks to Jared for taking these photos. Below is the Weasel's Den. "Wild Weasels" is the nickname of the fighters on this base. They are the first in and the last out....they attack to defend....get the idea? I couldn't tell you yet which sort of Fighters are on base....but I know there are a lot of them and that Mike and Jared could tell you in a heartbeat. LOL

ANYWAY - the Weasel's Den is a great community center for families on base. It will be an amazing refuge in the long winter. Outdoor Rec equiptment rental is also located here. We had something similar in AK - but we also had restaurants in the building. That is a blessing and a curse. Without restauarants in the building we are able to bring our own food in and enjoy a cheaper/healthier alternative in the building. OH - and there is WIFI at the Weasel's Den so that desperate pcsing (moving) Mommies can play too. ::snort:: THIS is where I met the friend of my friend in Guam. LOL

Some photos:

























Minature Golf


Stacia likes the treehouse....


What IS THIS thing?
It's some sort of TV character....and since all the directions to the game are in Japanese, I'm sure the kids don't have a clue either, but they enjoyed the game. I thought it was a good deal....two kids for two coins on one game....until I realized that Y200 is just a bit over $2.

We enjoy the Weasel's Den, (early in the day before it is packed), and will probably head over there again today.

Choosing Joy!
©2009 D.R.G.

~ Coram Deo ~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Wednesday....

I spent ALL of Wednesday in military briefings. There was information that is the same on every base (leaving one wondering why we have to sit through briefings each move ::Snort::), but there was a LOT of info unique to this base. I'm glad I went.

I have a better idea of the things to do in the area and the services offered on base. I tried to sign us up for a city tour that would occur today - but we had too many in our party. We DID sign up for a tour of Hachinohe for Friday and will do the Misawa City Tour in two weeks. LOL

Jared was a champ and watched all his siblings quite well. He attempted to attend CAP; evidently they don't meet at the time listed on their website. ::snort::

I took the kids to the playground outside our TLF (Remember what that stands for? C'mon if I can attempt Japanese y'all can attempt military speak. LOL). Once again the same group of teens were dominating the play structures. Once again, their topics of conversation were shocking and what I consider to be quite inappropriate for any, but especially for a children's playground. If they intimidate my children again today, I will talk to the front desk. This experience HAS made me crave an off base home even more.....the thought of living in close proximity (apartments) with such inappropriate intimidation for the children day in and day out is not nice....but I do keep affirming that God knows exactly where we need to live, which neighbors we need to impact or whom will impact us, what "works" He has created for us to walk in in Misawa, etc. There are pros and cons for all living situations.

Homes - since I've gone there....there are 13 desks our exception letter must pass over ....and its made it through 5 of them in a week and a half. This is frustrating. Another young family who came in the same day we did are moving in to a house TODAY. There ARE renovated 4-plex 4 bedroom units available....but they won't offer them to us. I have MET families with 5 children LIVING IN THEM...but they continue to say they have no housing "adequate for your family". NOW it COULD be a real blessing if they end up offering us 2- 3 bedroom units in a 4 plex...but my sneaky suspicion is that once this is approved we may be offered two really crummy, unrenovated units...the squeaky wheel does get the oil...sometimes it isn't top quality oil, if you know what I mean. ::snort:: We continue to look off base. We MUST move out of TLF within a month of Mike's arrival. At this rate we don't know if the base will offer anything before that date.....and if we found a place that would work, off base, we'd grab it. LOL We continue to address the issue of large families and base housing, as this will be an issue that housing needs to think through, with the change in policies requiring newcomers to live on base. They better figure out where they will put those with more than 3 or 4 children......honestly, God seems to be moving a lot of "large" families to Japan. LOL

The kids and I were desperate to get off base last night. We drove off in search of a house that was rumored to be available. We didn't find it (remember the post below about street names and numbers). I did hear a young man talking about the perfect house he found last night, I assume that the house is gone. LOL We DID enjoy driving around off base....it wasn't real impressive but it WAS dark....

I now have a driver's license and will be driving our "junker van" when I work up the courage to give it a whirl. I'm still attempting to load the kids from the wrong side of the vehicle....I may not be ready for the Left side of the road yet. LOL I'm praying that I NEVER have ANY sort of accident off base...and this is another reason to seriously consider living on base. LOL

I did make my way to the computer room to check mail. I met a new chaplain's family. They seem delightful and have 3 children. They arrived the week we were meant to arrive and so Connie had more info for me about the commissary. They are moving into a home off base today.

That was Wed....and I'm sure today will be full of new adventures as well.

Choosing Joy!
©2009 D.R.G.

~ Coram Deo ~
Living all of life before the face of God...

We're Not In TX Any Longer

I could write a million posts titled, "We're Not in TX Any Longer," but this shot that Jared took really brings home the difference. The South has a Bible in every hotel room we've visited. In Tokyo we discovered the Bible and The Teaching of Buddha. This was a great reminder that we represent Someone much bigger than the U.S. Government as we go about our business in this lovely country. May we bring only Honor to that Supervisor as well as the earthly Wing Commander at Misawa.

Choosing Joy!
©2009 D.R.G.

~ Coram Deo ~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Random Japaense Trivia: Signs & Street Names/Numbers

This is a stop sign. The yield signs are the same size, shape and colors. The yield signs have more white and different characters. This makes it tough as a pedastrian, as you often can't see the FRONT of the sign when you come up to a cross walk, it's difficult to know if traffic has a stop or yield sign.

This sign is also unique in that it has a STREET name attached to it. Most the streets off base in Misawa do NOT have street names, and the buildings are numbered according to when they were BUILT and not how they are situated on a street.

I should have snapped a yield sign too....but the one I was about to snap had a sign below saying I was in a restricted area. ::snort::

Choosing Joy!
©2009 D.R.G.

~ Coram Deo ~
Living all of life before the face of God...