Settling in at Home in Japan

HAPPY HOLIDAYS! It has been 4 months since I arrived in Okinawa and I must say, it has gotten better. It took a while for me to get used to the new surroundings and to get settled in but I knew once I found my place to live and make it home, things would fall together and they have.

Many of you know that I really love to decorate. I looked forward to that when I came. Initially I decided not to do a lot of purchasing because I didn't want to worry about having to get rid of it when I return to the states. But if you know me, I couldn't rest on that. I needed to make my place feel like a home. I was able to do that because with the 500 lbs that I could ship here, I did manage to bring some personal items, pictures, masks, bedding, figurines, candles, throws, all things I used at home. Kim G. helped too by sending me some things after I arrived. That was greatly appreciated.

Typically, Japan style homes are very compact but what I'm finding is that they are building more apartments and houses to suit the needs of westerners. My place is pretty small but that was on purpose. I didn't want to have to furnish a big space. I knew I couldn't live in a big empty apartment so I went with small. The price made a difference too. I pay 1150 yen a month. In US dollar terms, that is over $1150 because the yen is stronger than the dollar. To break it down even further, their dollar equals our 87 cents. I have 2 bedrooms, 2 rooms that make up one bathroom. One room is like what we would consider a 1/2 bath, toilet and sink. The other room has a sink (with the washer and dryer), then you step into a standing shower room that also has a tub. The kitchen, dining and living room. The guest room is the next room that I will work on. I need to get that ready for all of the guests I expect to have. :-) Lastly, I do have a wrap around balcony, one that I can access from either my bedroom, living room and kitchen. Perhaps I'll bring that to life next summer.

I really love my little place since I have added my extra touches. I've included the before and after pictures to share my progress. The first photo is the view from my apartment. I live around at least 4 beaches. It is beautiful here and really beginning to feel like home. When I'm here and away from the outside, I can't tell where I am, in the US or Japan. Now that is home.

Dwele in Okinawa

For those of you who know me, know how much a sista loves Dwele! I discovered his music some years ago. I can't remember who introduced me to him but whoever did, I am forever grateful. I love the neo-soul genre. I guess when this type of music started to blow up, I embraced it from the get go. My favorites include Jill Scott, Musiq and India Irie to name a few.


Some of my friends try to say I'm a Dwele stalker or groupie but I can't seem to convince them that it is strictly about his music. I love the lyrics and his band. The music slams! I love the groove of the beats, the horns, the bumping base. I also love how his music tells a story. It makes you feel as if you know him, apart of what is going on.

I first experienced his live concert about a year or two ago. I had the pleasure of enjoying that experience with some of my girls in Cleveland. We had a blast. After the concert, we were able to meet Dwele and take pictures. I still have that picture on my now defunct camera phone. He really knows how to put on a show. Very interactive with his audience, taking his pictures during the concert with the camera phones brought by his fans.


I had no idea that Dwele was coming to Okinawa. He was in Cleveland a week or two before he arrived here and I was dissappointed that I would not be there to see him. This is how things are just meant to be. Someone offered me a paper that I never read. At first I declined it and then quickly changed my mind. Usually I get papers and never get around to reading them. This time, I sat down late one night and opened it up and saw Dwele's picture. I was just thinking maybe it was an article reviewing his album. To my surprise, it was an article promoting his concert here. I screamed and shouted that Dwele was coming to Okinawa to see me. :-) What fate. I could not believe it.

My experience at the concert here in Okinawa by far surpassed any concert experience that I have had. I think it would not have happened in the States. Performers engage a bit differently when they come overseas and perform for military personnel. They have such an utmost respect and appreciation for the audience that they really seem to get more up close and personal. You don't have to know someone to get special treatment (backstage pass).


I peeped Dwele checking out the group Club Nouveau perform. They were his opening act. One of his group members gave me a wave and I went to ask him if he could get Dwele to come out and say hi. Well to my pleasure, he did so and that put a huge smile on my face and I greeted him with a big hug and told him how much I appreciated him coming to Japan and that I loved his music. He was so grateful and humble. Real cool brother. During the concert, he came down and sang to me, you know I was on cloud nine. He moved on and sang to others. He then asked security to take down the barricades so he could get closer to the audience. As soon as they did, I was the first to join him on the dance floor while he performed. Never would have happened in Cleveland. After the concert, we went backstage to say hello again, take more pictures and sign cd's that were purchased.


Now for those of you who have accused me of being a groupie or stalker (I know, all in fun), just to prove that I am not, I was given an invitation from one of his backup singers to hang. It was a Sunday night and work awaited me the next day so I had to decline. Someone asked me if Dwele would have invited me, would I have gone. The answer would have been, "where are we going". :-) I would have loved the opportunity to ask him questions about his music, the lyrics and his history of how he got started. Perhaps that could have happened if I accepted the invitation but that I will never know.


Here is just a small sample (check out the link below) of my experience with Dwele. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. I'm still telling my Dwele story and every time I do, it is like it happened just yesterday.


http://animoto.com/play/Lb1UbC88t64cxjXujPeR6A?utm_source=project_complete_email&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=project_complete_email&utm_content=challenger

Japanese Cars

Before I begin to speak about the cars of Japan, I must say couple of more things about driving in Japan. One thing that I learned regarding driving on the left side of the road. When the U.S. took possession of the country years ago, they decided to change what was already in place, driving on the left side. We are the ones who changed it to the right. When Japan regained their independence, it went back to the old way of driving. I'm sure this was quite a transition both times. I know it will be for me when I return to the states.

Just a couple of other observations that I forgot to mention. If you are a new driver or an elderly driver, there are stickers that you can put on your car to signify this. I initially thought about getting one, as my excuse when I drove down the wrong side of the street. Other drivers would understand if they saw my sticker. The sticker alerts other drivers, especially when these new and elderly drivers do something wrong on the road.

When I received my license, I simply took a written exam after sitting through a 45 minute or so video administered by the military. There was no driving exam, which I was surprised. Many of the street signs a familiar or obvious while others are not. All in all, I manage but when there are signs in Japanese, it's over. I have gotten so lost because the signage here is not very good. Seldom will you see a street sign. You have to give people directions by landmarks so it is important to observe everything when you are driving. That has been a challenge for me but I'm getting used to it.

The traffic lights. It seems to take forever for them to change. During that time, I just read my emails. By the way, it is illegal to talk on the phone while driving but you can use hands free phones or earphones. I never see this! Folks are always talking on the phone while driving.

When you are in a turn lane, unlike the U.S., you get the arrow after the green light. There are some lights like that in the U.S. but not many. We usually get the green turn arrow first and then the other traffic is allowed to proceed. When the light turns red, one common thing that drivers do here, they keep going. It is called the three car rule. After the light turns red, three cars might continue through the light. If you are on the other side with the green light and you proceed and get hit by one of the three cars, you are just as liable as the other cars. Go figure. It is not legal though to go through the light as they do but it is a common occurrence. Probably because when you get the red light, you are going to be there forever.

Now to the cars. Before I arrived, someone commented to me that Japan has been holding out on us with the cars. That was said to mean that the cars here are far better than ours, with regards to style. I'll let you be the judge on that. Personally, I don't agree. Many of the cars I would describe as "cartoonish". Reminds me of something the Flintstones would drive. Some are really cute but they wouldn't fly in the U.S. One car that many of you may know is the Toyota Prius. A lot of cars are similar to that. I don't know how many folks in the U.S. appreciate that car. One thing I can say, for those cars that look small on the outside, they are quite spacious on the inside. My friend Ian has a Prius and inside, it is as big as a Camry.


It is all about fuel efficiency here and we can stand to follow Japan's suit. They even have 3 cylinder engine cars. You can identify them by the yellow color license plate. These cars are really efficient and you are rewarded when you have one. You don't pay as much when you get your car renewed each year. They have a maximum speed limit. You would think you would only see small cars with the 3 cylinder engine but you see larger ones too. You can almost bet if you get behind one, they will go slow, most of these drivers for the most part anyway. I actually just read an article about the new president of Toyota apologizing about the direction that Toyota has taken (making big suvs and pickups, probably to please the U.S. buyers). Toyota wants to get back to the basics.

You do see some cars that you may recognize in the states. The strange thing is that they have different names and see different versions with slight changes of the same car we might call the Camry. Maybe it is a different year. I notice with the Toyota's, you don't know that they are a Toyota until you see the emblem on the back of the car because it has a different emblem on the front. Haven't quite figured that out. Also, many of the cars that would be known as a Lexus, Infiniti or Acura model, are actually Toyota, Nissan, Honda models. They seem to change the model to the more expensive car in the states. I think they are beating us out on this. I've seen a lot of Toyotas that I know good and well that it is a Lexus. I wonder what the cost here is.

My car that I have now, (the 2nd car), is quite spacious. It is a Toyota Funcargo. You can never go wrong with a Toyota, this is my 4th one. It reminds me of a mini van on the inside but when I drive it, I feel as if I'm driving a small suv. I can't begin to describe it. It would not fly in the U.S. I decided to purchase it because it had good leg room for me. That was one problem with my little Nissan March convertible that I had when I first arrived. I turned the car back in not only because of engine issues, but it was too small for my legs and no trunk space.

Eventhough I'm not in love with my Toyota Funcargo, it serves its purpose. Folks who know me, know I love cars so this is quite a stretch for me to drive something I'm not in love with. It is not a "me" car by any stretch of the imagination. Someone said to me that no one here, Americans at least are driving "me" cars. Because so many folks are here for a short time, maximum is usually 4 years, they don't want to invest in a car and have to hock it when they leave. This Funcargo was actually less than the March so I'm pleased with that. I came to my senses to make sure that I would have little to pay on the car. After my down payment, I owe $800 opposed to the $1200 that I would have owed if I kept the March. I can pay off $800 in no time. I just stay focused on the goal, save, save, save and when I return to the states, I can get what I really want.

The shapes and colors of the cars are sometimes interesting and some crazy. I would venture to say fun too. You will never see these shapes or colors in the U.S. The Japanese people like things fun and cartoonish so the colors are represent that. Take a look and judge for yourself.

Follow up answers to blog followers

Hey all,

I just want to thank you all for following me on my blog. I look forward to the comments you all make. It really makes my day. Please register as a follower so I can see who actually reads the blog. I'm curious about the following I have.

Thank you so much to all of those who continue to pray for me. Keep them coming because I know I have some challenges ahead of me. (work related but I'll blog about that later) Belvia, I know you can relate. All I can say, professors, professors, professors. I'll leave it at that for now. :-)

Some of you have asked questions and I'm not sure how to respond to I decided to do a quick blog on some of your questions. If anyone knows how to respond to readers/followers, please let me know.

To Belinda: I'm not sure how long I will be here. I first thought, at least 2 years. You can't really accomplish anything on a job a year or less. I don't think this will be my final home place. Many folks come here and love it and stay. I think a lot of folks do because they can totally reinvent themselves. You can do so much hear personally and professionally that perhaps the U.S. doesn't allow. I have another theory about this but I won't go there right now. :-) As I said when I found out that I was leaving for Japan, I would find out if it is true that there is no place like U.S. I think it is true for me. I can't imagine not returning home. I really miss the U.S. Not painstakingly though. I'm doing fine living in Japan. I'm enjoying the experience.

To Kathryn: I'm looking forward to your amazing news to come. Please make sure you share it with me when the time comes!

To Kay: Thanks for discovering my blog. I think you are the first person that is following that I don't know. To answer your questions, I feel pretty good about the change and transition. I'm feeling more at home now that I'm settled in my new home. I'm not homesick yet but I suspect that will come, especially with the holidays coming. I do miss having friends to do things with.

The food is very good. I love Asian food, my favorite. The different types of Japanese dishes are not what I have had in the states. I've done some experimenting at some local Japanese local stores and it is hit or miss if I like what I've chosen once I've opened the packages. You just don't know what you are buying because it is in Japanese, which I don't speak. I need to get on that! I have some books and perhaps will get in a class.

As far as church is concerned, there are several Christian churches, off base and on base. I have visited 3 different ones so far. I know that God will lead me to the right church. Not sure when that day will come but in the meantime, I will continue to worship in the various churches available.

I can't really tell you how to do something like this in London. I would say begin researching on line and see what jobs are available overseas. There is a school system here (Dodds) Department of Defense affiliated where a lot of people come over here to teach or are administrators. I was blessed because I had an inside contact that forwarded my resume on. It was all about the network for me.

Please look forward to upcoming blogs. I hope that you all continue to enjoy my experience as I am!

Driving in Japan

Many of us in the US make comments about how certain ethnic groups drive. We may not want to admit it but you know we do. Well, now that I live in Japan, I now see where it comes from. Whatever we may think, times that by 10 here.

I must say I would consider myself to be a defensive driver and in some parts of the U.S., you need to be. I'm somewhat of a speed demon, put the medal to the petal sort of driver. Japan is putting a stop, well somewhat, to all of that.

Let's first start with the speed limits. Most streets, you have to drive 30-40 kilometers. That's 18-25 mph. That's how fast I can drive down Noble Rd. without getting caught by the speed camera. You know many folks have been caught by the trap, me included, 4 times at $90 a ticket. The maximum speed limit on the larger busy streets are 50-60 kilometers. That is 31-37 mph. In Cleveland, to stay on the safe side, I would drive 40 mph safely without getting stopped. Now on the highways, the speed limit is 80 kilometers. That is about 50 mph. You know I'm having a hard time! Many drivers stick to the speed limit and some drive below that. The audacity! There never really ever seems to be any urgency about getting to work or wherever drivers are going to.

Moving on to the narrow streets. Not sure if they were created so narrow because most of the cars are so small. Regardless of the size of the road, I always seem to be hugging the curb because the drivers coming in my direction on the 2 lane roads tend to lean so close to the middle line that they always seem to be awfully close to clipping me or causing a head on collision. Another thing about the narrow streets, cars still park on these streets which force drivers to go around and end up in the oncoming traffic's lane. In the states, you have to give the ride away to the car who has no car to go around. That rule doesn't apply here it seems. Drivers don't try to squeak by, they outright come into your lane, really potentially causing a head on collision. The buses are known to do that so you just better get out of the way.

There are a lot of motor scooters in Japan. It was at first rare to see. The scooters rule here. If you see a brotha in Cleveland on a scooter, I think he will be laughed at. Not in Japan. My thoughts though about the scooters driven by the guys, they would really rather have a motorcycle (scooters I'm sure are less expensive) because they drive like they are on one. They zoom in and out of traffic and when I say they zoom in and out, I mean they cut you off, sneak up on you from behind, drive between you and the car next you, creating a 3rd lane. At first it was scary because if you are not careful, you could really cut them off and send them flying. They come out of no where so you don't know they are there until it is too late. Now everything they do is illegal but they don't seem to care. I don't think the police have time to try and catch them because it is such the norm. You so have some scooters who drive as if they are sightseeing. They drive slow and hold up traffic. Some cars pass them while in the scooter driver's lane opposed to getting in the other lane to go around. Crazy! Two things I do like about the scooters. Because the traffic is so bad here, you can get to your destination pretty quickly by cutting through backed up traffic. The other, seeing women drive them. They look large and in charge! For these reasons, I think I would like to get me one.

Now as some of you may know, driving in Japan can be a challenge for some, including myself. I had to get used to driving on the left side of the road and the steering wheel being on the right side of the car. I still find myself going to the left side to enter the car and as some of you know, I did make the mistake of driving down the wrong side of the street a couple of weeks ago. It happens to the best of us. I actually almost did it again today, this time off of base. I have to pay closer attention before I pull out into traffic. Inside the car, the turn signal is on the right of the steering wheel and the wiper on the left so I often reach for the wiper when I want to use the turn signal. My car that I have now, my second one since being here in Japan, has the stick shift next to the wiper, meaning old school stick shifts. In the states, it is between the 2 seats. Not sure why they are still making it like this. I'm having to get used to this.

All in all, Japan is turning me into a gentler driver. No road rage here. When a red light turns green and you don't go, no one will honk at you. They just sit patiently until you stop texting, dialing a number, putting on makeup, or whatever you are doing. If you need to enter the street and the traffic is heavy, they politely let you enter. None of that, "I'm not letting them in." They will even stop and hold up the moving traffic to let you in. I do love that about Japanese/Okinawan drivers, they are so polite and cordial. A lesson to be learned by all.

Today was a good day of spending time with a group of folks that I didn't know. The week I moved into my apt., I came outside, on my way to work and met a lady (Alice)on her morning walk. I said hello and we struck up a conversation. Even though I was in a hurry to get to work ( I welcomed the friendly neighbor) because if I don't leave by 7:30, the traffic is maddening. She shared that her husband is a teacher on the island and she stays at home. This was there 2nd time living here. They were here years ago when the area that we live in now was just sugar cane fields.



Today, I called her to see if she knew where the farmers market. She didn't know. She was in a rush to meet some friends so our conversation was short. She called me right back and invited me to join them. They were showing the new superintendent of the school system in Asia around the area. She had only been here for 6 weeks and Alice thought it would be a perfect opportunity for me to see the area we live in and meet some people.




It was a good day of touring the area and discovering a part of Okinawa that I had never saw. I also was able to be introduced to some short cuts to the different bases. I have longed for short cuts because the traffic on route six is congested and full of lights, not to mention how slow folks drive. The speed limit is about 30-40 kilometers. That is slower than our 30-40 mph so imagine how crazy that makes me. Those of you who know me, know I like to drive pretty fast so I'm having a hard time. :-)



We got a chance to visit sites where they make salt, a cookie store that makes cookies on site, pottery shops as well as other interesting areas. All very close to where I live so I'm sure I will go back.


We ate at a cute little restaurant and the food was oh so good! It was a soup, I can't remember the name of it but it had pork and noodles in a broth. It was my first traditional Okinawan meal. I won't count the fast food Japanese restaurants (hoto motto and the curry house) that I've tried, which I must say are very good. I actually went to the Garlic House last night for dinner. It was the best tasting food I've had in a long time. Not sure if it is a traditional place or westernized but thumbs up on the food. The restaurant today offered some of the more traditional foods. It was served with a side of rice. I thought that was interesting, rice with a noodle dish but I think that rice is just a given with most meals, regardless of what you order. I have to get used to being served 2 starches in one meal. I'm putting my chopsticks into practice. I did pretty good eating rice with them. I'm usually pretty good at it if the food that I pick up is big (sushi). Rice is more of a challenge but I managed.




The group, all from the states were very welcoming and friendly and promised to include me on their next adventure. I'm looking forward to it. Enjoy the pictures of the sites and the new friends that I met.

What is it that you really do?

Many folks have asked me, what exactly is your job. For while before I arrived, I would pick up the job description and read it to them. I then memorized it. When I got here, I learned that a lot changes occurred with the position. I think for the good. The title changed from Area Director to Regional Manager. The reason for the change was to not confuse people in thinking that the job was the same. I have a lot of responsibility on this job and it is quite a challenge, one that I welcome. I'm in the enrollment management department which means we have to make sure that our enrollment of students continues to grow. Everything that deals with the University of Md University College, falls under my department. There is the Associate VP for Enrollment management and I report directly to him. I oversee what the military refers to as "voluntary education", basically, classes that the military personnel choose to take by their own accord to gain college degrees. My main responsibility is to provide classes (scheduling) on all of the military bases (army, navy, airforce, marines) that are on the island, about 7 or so. I oversee faculty and staff in this department. When I first started working, I would ask if I could do xyz and the answer would be, you're the boss, you can do whatever. No one would tell me what that meant. I got that response a lot the first week so I just stopped asking the question and just do whatever needs to be done. I now know that I'm the boss and don't have to be reminded any longer.

I really enjoy the people that I work with, they are very welcoming and we function well as a team. So far so good. My biggest personnel challenges I expect will be the faculty. They are an interesting group but I have mad respect for them. That comes from my 9 years working in Higher Education. Many of them have been here for years and are used to doing things their way. Some of that may have to change and that might be hard to take for them. My goal is to establish a good rapport but make sure they know that I'm not some young push over. The first week I had to address the faculty, I made sure they knew of my 19 years of work experience because I had a feeling they were thinking I was too young for the job and I guessed right. People were shocked that I'm so seasoned. :-)

There are some other schools here that offer classes/degrees, University of Phoenix, Troy University and Central Texas College. So many folks know of U of Phoenix but I'm here to tell you that you can take online classes with the University of Md University College as well so for those of you who are considering on line education, do consider us!

The Flight to Japan

I'm posting this information, even though I have been here for a month. I know it is kind of late but for those of you who said they want to visit, I thought it would be good information to share. Also, for those of you who dread the 13-14 hour flight, this would be good info. for you.

I was so not looking forward to the flight, in fact, I did dread it but to my surprise, it was not bad at all. I flew continental, the carrier I mostly fly, outside of southwest. You can bank some serious miles too btw. I left Cleveland and connected in NJ. The plane was huge and very comfortable. I fortunately changed my seat and chose to sit in an exit aisle. That was great because the one I chose had no seats in front of me and had a pretty nice space to stretch my legs, stand up and put my stuff down. The strange thing, because of the time change, we never saw darkness. I did sit in the row with a guy from Baltimore who had been living in Japan for about 7 years. He was really informative and helpful. He even made sure that I got through customs and baggage without a hitch. During the flight, we had personal video monitors so I watched Something New (for the 3rd time, I love that movie), listened to music and ate. They constantly fed us and the food was good. I have always liked airplane food. :-) I did a lot of writing about the experience of moving to Japan and wrote a lot of thank you notes. (I still have to email those off). Unfortunately, I didn't get a lot of sleep. I have always had a problem with that but I managed to close my eyes here and there.

The one thing that everyone warned me about when I landed in Japan was not to fall asleep or I would be sorry. I had to get my body clock on Japan time. I stayed awake, well kinda, until about 11:00 p.m. I was taken dinner with my new boss, his boss, Chris, my boss's assistant and new faculty. I literally fell asleep at the dinner table between trying to talk to them and eating. Of course they all laughed at me.

When you come to visit, you will go to Tokyo first. I believe but not sure if you have to go to another airport to get to Okinawa or not. That is what I did. I then took another carrier. I tell you, that airport was amazing. The women that worked there were all in the same uniforms and they were beautiful, like china dolls, well I guess I should say Japan dolls. :-) The one thing that struck me was that everything there was so efficient, they were so friendly and the customer service was top notch, something we Americans should learn from.

I must leave you with this in closing. During my plane ride ironically I had my O magazine. It lead me to the live your best life page and Dorothy Allison wrote, women lose their lives not knowing they can do something different.... This journey is allowing me to claim myself and remake myself. If this venture is not doing just that, I don't know what is. I am a stronger woman for being courageous enough to take this step solo. I took the leap from others inspiring me (thanks San), networking (thanks Traci and Sue), the job loss (thanks INROADS) and last but not least, my faith (thank you Lord).

It has been 1 month since I landed on Japan's soil. Before I begin sharing my journey, I hope that you oblige me and allow me to share my testimony again (for those who haven't heard it) or as I say, the divine intervention.

As many of you know, I was affected by the economy and was downsized from INROADS in May 2009. The day before I lost my job, I listened to Joel Osteen preach, if you step up, God will show up. He also talked about stretching my faith in God. The loss of my job made me do what God wanted me to do long ago. As a result of the job loss I stepped up and strengthened my faith in Him and became proactive in my career search.

A lot went through my mind at the time and I prayed constantly and turned it over to God. I stayed steadfast with a positive attitude because I knew that God had a plan for me. I didn't know what but I knew that God moved me from INROADS because I wouldn't move myself. That gave me comfort, courage and faith because He was responsible for closing the door. He had a plan and would open up another one.

During a casual conversation with my best friend Traci, I told her that I would love to just pack my bags and leave the country. During several email exchanges with her aunt Sue, I was told about an opportunity in Japan with the University of Maryland. My resume was forwarded to the Associate Vice President and I was ask to apply immediately. Within a matter of weeks, I submitted my documents, interviewed on 7/13 and received the offer on 7/14. GOD IS GOOD!

From the moment beginning with the interview and being offered the job, it was so surreal. The weeks to follow were stressful, crazy and overwhelming but through prayer, support from family and friends and a come to Jesus talk from Traci, I got everything together in a matter of 3 weeks and moved to Okinawa, Japan as the Regional Manager (with the department of Enrollment Management)for the University.

From surreal to real, I have officially been in Japan for 1 month. What a step in the next chapter of my life.

I hope you enjoy sharing this experience with me. Your prayers, love, encouragement, excitement and enthusiasm have been the driving force for me to make it here in Japan!