LIVING IN JAPAN-2009

Returning to the States

2011-10-03T16:08:00.000-07:00

It has been a while since I sat down to write, 11 months. In the midst of life and priorities, my updates have suffered. Two big distractions occurred. Finishing school, I finished my HR Management Certificate program in August and going through structural changes at work. School took a lot of time with papers and tests and at the same time, work totally preoccupied my time with the impending changes.

Leadership changes brought about changes in the organization structure. To the point, the four regional managers who oversaw operations for the 4 territories in Asia faced elimination of positions. We were give 1 month notice, told that the position would be replaced with a lower level, lower salaried position with less responsibility. For me, the writing was clearly on the wall, I was in jeopardy of losing my job.

It was now time for me to either find another opportunity in Japan or prepare to leave. I put my best effort forward to find employment via the government jobs on the military bases but to no avail. The majority of these jobs are reserved for military spouses. With that, I put forth my efforts to prepare for my return to the States.

Preparing to leave was truly bittersweet. Bitter because I didn't want to leave my work, sorority sisters and my friends but sweet because I did actually miss the States, friends and family.

It was a lot to take on, more than I imagined. I had to pack, sell household goods, sell my car, find a company to ship my remaining personal items, close out all business transactions, including my apartment and relocate to new housing until I departed. A lot to take on in a month's time.

Once I landed on US soil, I was overwhelmed. The transition was not easy. I felt, alone, tired from jetlag and out of place. My attitude was negative because in reality, I didn't want to return, no matter how much I missed the States. I never wanted to return to unemployment, the bad economy, depressing news and the fast approaching cold weather. Regardless of my feelings, I knew that I had to readjust my attitude and get IT together.

With much prayer, support of friends and family, my attitude shifted because through all the negative happenings, I know that I am blessed. I know that everything happens for a reason and that God has a plan for me. Although it has not been revealed, I stay focused on that and know that this uncomfortable journey will come to an end in victory.

UPDATE AS OF 11/14/2011
I remember telling someone that I will have yet another testimony after my second layoff. I never wanted to return to the States with no job. Well we know the story, I was downsized once again and had to return, unemployed. It was tough going through a downsiziing twice in two years but I always knew that God had my back. I had to stay focused on what He did for me before and knew that He would do it again. It was tough for me more so this time around but I prayed that my faith would be stronger. Through it all, I had to continually praise Him for the many blessings that He had given me and will give me. With the support of friends, prayers and staying faithful in God while always giving Him thanks and praise, God heard me.

One Sunday morning, I got up and heard the word from Joel Osteen and he talked about continuing to praise God in the midst of the storm, no matter what. I then went to church and was blessed by the sermon that spoke to me. When you come down from the mountain, times will be hard but you have to remember what God did for us when times were good. Praise HIM. It is so funny how 2 years ago, the exact same thing happened, I got up in the morning and listened to a sermon from Joel about my situation, as if he was speaking to me. He spoke of stretching your faith. I then went to church and the pastor spoke about the same thing. God works in mysterious ways.

As some of you know, during my job search, I stayed focused on getting my foot into the door of Human Resources. It was a challenge because I have never worked in the area but I have the relevant experience. Competing with others who already worked in the field created even more of a challenge. But no challenge is ever too much for God so I prayed and put it in His hands.

I have accepted a job with FirstEnergy in Akron, OH (50 miles from home), overseeing their co-op and internship program. It is the perfect entrance to HR. My hope is to learn other aspects of HR in due time but I'm in!

Going home and returning to Japan 2010

2010-12-23T04:47:00.000-08:00

This time of the year, Thanksgiving-Christmas is always tough for me. Holidays are just not the same without my mom but each year it does get easier. I usually look forward to this time breezing by but I have managed to take it in and get into the spirit.

The season started with my trip back to the states. That was truly a gift to myself. I had not been home in a long while and I enjoyed my time immensely. I landed in Chicago, spent a few days there with my friends, LaMonica and the INROADS crew, Monica, Ian and the twins, Kim and my old friend, Yarb's aunt, Liz. They showed me a good time and I loved being in Chicago.

Next stop, Cleveland. My sorors and friends showed me much love. The Delta's scholarship dance was my opportunity to surprise and see Greater Cleveland Alumnae chapter. What a treat that was. It was so good to be in their midst. Days later, some of the sorors got together and we went out to dinner, just to catch up and enjoy each other's company. Some of my sorors from Akron, Virginique, Ramona and Denise dropped in to see me with two bundles of joy.

My dad was able to come in town from Cincinnati and spend Thanksgiving with me. We went to my good friend Cassandra's and enjoyed the day with her family. The food was plentiful and good. It was nice having him around, although I fuss at him, I do it out of love and concern. I let him know that. I was also able to spend a morning visiting my INROADS "mom", Jacque. It was good to catch up with her and have lunch at Melange. That was a treat.

The icing on the cake was my game night at the house. I was able to spend time with my closest friends and boy did we have a great time. My last guest left about 2:30 a.m. I must mention, we played taboo, guys against the girls and we kicked butt!

The day before I left, my friend Kathryn treated me to the bball game, Cavs vs. Celtics. Although I was hoping for a Cavs win, the Celtics did them in. Wasn't so bad given I like the players on the Celtic team. KG is one of my favorite players. It was good to be back in the Q, watching basketball is something I miss living in Japan. That was a fun night.

The things I missed, I was able to take in. My church home, NCBF, Garrett's popcorn, Cheesecake factory, Beachwood Mall, TJ Maxx and Marshalls and my house. My trip home was bittersweet. Sweet because I was able to return to what I missed most and bitter because I had to leave it all behind. Being away for a year and a half, living in Japan has taught me that there is no place like home, no place like family and friends, no place like the U.S.

Going Home

2010-11-14T04:28:00.000-08:00

It has been been 3 months since I have written a post. I know, I know, I know. Why and what have I been up to? I have been quite busy. This past summer, 2010, I decided to do something that I have been wanting to do for sometime, go back to graduate school to work on a certificate in Human Resources. I have always enjoyed the field of HR but have no formal education so I thought a certificate coupled with my experience would give me an edge if and whenever I formally enter the field. To say the least, it has taken up a lot of my time, kept me quite busy and challenged me but I have thoroughly enjoyed the program. Juggling my work, class and sorority schedule/commitments has kept my hands full. In between time, I have been able to get a break here and there but not much. I will be finishing up my third class in a couple of weeks and have 2 more classes to go! I see the light. I will officially be finished at the end of summer 2011. YES!

In the meantime, all is well here in Okinawa. My job continues to be a challenge for me but I still enjoy it. My biggest challenge is managing faculty. I won't go into that but I will say, I'm learning something new everyday when it comes to working with folks from all ages and walks of life. I know it will make me stronger and more prepared for my next level career opportunity.

I have not been back to the states since Aug 2009 and I'm so excited to be returning in 3 days. I will first spend a couple of days in Chicago and see friends there. I'm excited about that and excited to get one of my favorite snacks, Garrett's Popcorn! :-) I suppose I will bring some back to share the goodness with friends here. To do that is big for me because I usually don't share my Garrett's popcorn. If you tasted it, you would understand why.

I will then head to Cleveland Hts., back home. I will be staying at my house on Greyton, which I really miss so it will be truly like coming home. I will arrive just in time to attend the Delta's annual Red Hot Scholarship Dance. What timing. When I found out about it, I changed my flight to come in one day early. I thought it would be the ideal way to see folks that I probably would not get a chance to see. I'm very excited about that. I will also get a chance to see my father for a few days. He will travel from Cincinnati and spend Thanksgiving with me and friends.

I will be in the states for about 2 weeks. The time won't be long enough and I hope that I won't feel too sad to leave. Most folks have told me that when they return to the states for a visit, they are always ready to return back to Japan. We shall see if this will be true for me. I only hope to be able to see and do everything that I miss most: friends and family, Target, TJ Maxx, the Mall, did I say shopping, driving on two lane streets, tv commercials, Cheesecake factory, picking up my cell phone to call friends and family and winter/fall clothes.

I will do my best to not let so much time go by again before my next post. I will share my experience during my trip to Hong Kong.

First Year Anniversary

2010-08-01T05:22:00.000-07:00

Boy how time flies. I can not believe that it has been a year since I landed on Japanese soil. When I first learned about the job here, it was surreal, no way did I ever imagine that such an opportunity could come my way. When I received the offer and accepted, I had to sit down because again, I could not believe it.

When I finally arrived, it was surreal and that remained for several months. A year into my bless filled journey, it is now real. It actually feels like home. As I sit in my Japanese apartment, away from the world outside, it really seems as if I'm in any city in the U.S. It is not until I step outside that I am reminded that I'm in Japan. Driving down the road on the left side of the street, getting into the car on the right side, the buildings and signs with Japanese words, faces that don't look like me, constant reminders that I'm in Japan.

To my surprise, it took me longer than I imagined to become homesick. It wasn't until the 6 month of my journey that I had a longing for home. That yearning didn't last long but 5 months later, the longing returned. I'm happy to say that I will return for a visit to Chicago (November 17-21) and Cleveland in November (Nov 21-Dec 2).

Upon my arrival, my job was probably the biggest challenge. What a learning curb. I would have to say that it is the most challenging job that I have ever had. A good challenge. In my 6 month, I finally felt more confident and competent. It is funny to hear folks describe me when I first came. One person said I looked like a deer in headlights, another didn't think I would last. Boy did I prove them wrong. My constant prayer early on was "God, I know you didn't bring me all the way here to fail, give me the strength to succeed". Working at UMUC has been my "next level opportunity" for sure. I have so much responsibility. Overseeing an entire region is a lot to take on. It has also allowed me to take advantage of returning to graduate school, for FREE. Once I am finished, I hope to begin learning the language of the land.

The things or people that made my stay here less lonely and more like home are my sorority sisters, yes Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. is here. We actually have a chapter in Okinawa, Tokyo and Korea. We are everywhere, I say with pride. Having our brother fraternity has been good too. Hanging out with them has been good. The military has been a lifesaver. Of course, my purpose for being here starts with them. UMUC provides undergraduate education to the military personnel. Although I work for the University, I'm contracted by the Dept. of Defense, which gives me SOFA (Status of Forces Agreement) status, access to all the military bases. Why this is such a privilege is because Americans are everywhere so I get a semblance of home. I can shop at an American commissary for my groceries. I love Asian food but I don't want to eat it everyday. I can go to American movies on base and shop at the BX tax free. Entertainment, mostly free, is available on most of the bases. I've had my share of concerts,my last one was Erykah Badu, comedians, spoken word poetry and wine fests.

I know if I didn't have access to the military bases, I don't think I could stay here long. Not being able to speak the language would be difficult, eating the food everyday would be a challenge and lastly, getting to know the locals would be tough. I live among Japanese people but don't interact much with them. Not by choice, but mostly because of the language and culture barrier. I do thankfully have the opportunity to interact with the locals through work, our staff and professors.

Being in Asia has been great. It allows me to travel and see this part of the world. I have been to Tokyo and Korea. In September, I will be heading to Hong Kong with friends and Korea again for work and play. I hope to take another trip during the Christmas holiday. Australia, Mt. Fuji and Singapore are on my list of places to visit. What a wonderful opportunity to see this side of the world. The cultural events and food have been wonderful. Asian cuisine is my favorite so I get to explore a lot of different kinds of Asian foods while here.

Everyone asks me how long do I plan to be here and my answer is pretty much the same before I arrived, 2-3 years. Truthfully, I really have no idea. What I do know is that I don't want to return with the job market as is. I can't imagine coming home to unemployment so when I do return, it will be to a job. I'm asked too, where will I return. Although I still have my home in Cleveland and my great friends, the thought of returning to bone chilling weather just doesn't sit well with me. Where I will end up and when, only God knows. I leave it in His hands. He has ordered my path and I will continue to let him lead me.

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Oh the Beauty of Japan

2010-06-20T02:22:00.000-07:00

In my very limited spare time, I have had the opportunity to take in the sites and culture of Japan. This is one thing that I need to commit more to doing. Okinawa is a lovely island, the place where many mainland (Tokyo) Japanese escape to for vacation, much like Americans who escape to the Caribbean.

Okinawa is a small, quiet laid back place. It has taken some adjustments for me because although I am from Nebraska, I am city girl at heart. I love big cities because of the excitement, culture and entertainment it offers.

Before I came here, many would say that Okinawa is the Hawaii of the US. Upon my arriving, I didn't quite understand. It wasn't until I ended up on a road off the beaten path, well, uh, lost I should say, and discovered the beauty of the place I now call home.

So I invite you to enjoy the photos and perhaps it may inspire you to consider visiting me here in Japan. I welcome all visitors, giving you the opportunity to take in the beauty of the little island called Okinawa.

Made in the USA

2010-05-06T23:40:00.000-07:00

It has been 9 months since landing on Japanese soil. Before I came here, I said that I will finally find out if the slogan "there's no place like home" or there's no place like the USA" is true. I concur with both statements. It always takes leaving home to appreciate what you have. The grass is not always greener. It reminds me of when I left Nebraska and Ohio. When living in both places, for a period of time, I was ready to move on to bigger and better things. Moving to Ohio soon gave me an appreciation for my home state, the Midwestern, down to earth upbringing that I had. Once I moved to Cleveland, I did embrace the city more than others and appreciated the diversity, culture and friends that the city offered. I think my attitude and approach stemmed from the things that Nebraska lacked, hence, why I left.

Now that I'm living in Japan, I do miss the comforts of home. I live in an environment that offers two very different cultures; the Japanese and the military. Because these environments are so different from what I am used to, I miss home even more and get so excited when I see anything that reminds me of the USA.

The military culture is great to have access to because the bases are like mini U.S. cities. They offer the common comforts of home; the commissary (an American grocery store), chain restaurants (Chili's, Macaroni Grill, Subway, Burger King, Popeyes, Dunkin Donuts and Pizza Hut)and the BX (American Dept. Store). For those who don't fancy the Japanese food or clothing, the bases are a life saver. Many of the clothing stores don't fit average Americans and the food is a bit different from what we are used to. Although I love Asian food, I don't love it everyday so thank goodness for the commissary.

Off base, the Japanese have acquired some made in the USA companies. The fast food restaurants are ones you can't get on base. There is McDonald's, KFC, Baskin Robbins and Shakey's Pizza.

I seem to get most excited when I see American made cars. It just reminds me of home because the cars here are so different. I have seen Cadillac cars and SUVs, P.T. Cruisers, Chrysler 300s and Mustangs. Who knew, me, a loyal Toyota driving consumer would be so excited about made in the USA cars.

Other reminders of home are in my neighborhood. There is one Shell gas station down the road and I live across the street from a Coco Cola warehouse.

I'm looking forward to a visit back home soon. The opportunity to put my feet on US soil is something I'm excited about. In the meantime, I will enjoy the little reminders of home here in Japan.

Women's History Month

2010-04-06T05:54:00.000-07:00

As March was the month to celebrate Women's History Month, I was asked by the Navy to be their keynote speaker during their Women's History Luncheon. As I have with my journey here in Japan, I would like to share this experience by posting my speech. This is my tribute to my beloved mother and how she impacted my life to face my fears and live my life by faith. I hope you enjoy it.

When I think about the great women in history, who paved the way, I could give you a long list, past and present; Eleanor Roosevelt, women’s rights activist, Delores Huerta, co founder of the United Farm Workers, Rosa Parks, civil rights activist, Gloria Steinem, feminist and Marian Wright Edelman, children’s advocate. These women, many of you may know are inspiring indeed. But the woman who helped pave my way, who was my teacher, my role model, my mentor, my shero, my mom. Many of you here today might say the same about your mothers. When I think about celebrating Women’s History Month, I celebrate her. I celebrate my mother because every fear that I ever faced, my mother was always there telling me I could do it. I celebrate all the mothers who told us we could. I celebrate you mothers here today who inspire, encourage, motivate and lift up our daughters, our girls.

So what I’d like to share with you is my journey and my testimony of how I come to stand here before you today because of my mother’s influence in my life. I’d like to share with you my journey because it tells the story of how I grew to gain confidence to face fears and share my testimony because it speaks to gaining confidence through faith.

Fear tolerated is faith contaminated.

As a little girl growing up, I was very shy, quiet and a bit awkward. The only girl in the family, I was also sheltered and over-protected. At the age of 12, my parents moved me and my 3 older brothers from a place as some refer to as “chocolate city”, otherwise known as Washington D.C. to a place where people often say to me, even today, I didn’t know there were black people there. Omaha, Nebraska, the Cornhusker state. Moving to this new place only intensified my awkwardness and lack of confidence. I was always afraid of the unknown. For me the unknown were things that were new to me and things that I had to face alone, things that I didn’t have the confidence to do. But thank God, I had a loving and nurturing mother who saw in me what I didn’t see in myself, a mother who wanted more for me than she had for herself.

This is the role we as women must play for our daughters, our girls. My mother always pushed me to speak up and to know that even as a young child, I had a voice. She taught me the lessons that only a woman could teach me. That there were no such things as fairy tales or knight and shining armors to save my day, that I am just as smart and capable as the next person and if I set my mind on a goal, I can achieve it for myself.

We must encourage our daughters, our girls that they can stand on their own two feet and dream what some might think is the impossible, as Shirley Chisolm did in 1969, by becoming the first black female United States Representative, Sandra Day O’Conner in 1981, the first female Supreme Court Justice, in 1990, Antonia Novella, the first female and Latino to become United States Surgeon General and Dr. Sally Ride, in 1983 became the first American woman to be sent to space. Dreaming the impossible dream.

Because of my mother’s constant push, I somehow gained the courage and confidence, to stand on stage at the age of 13 and win the North Omaha Girls Club Pageant, at age 17, following in my older brother’s footsteps and mandated by mother, your turn next year young lady, to win first place in the NAACP Afro-Academic Cultural Technological and Scientific Olympics oratory competition and as a freshman in college become Miss Black University of Nebraska. Because my mother was always my biggest cheerleader, I believe subconsciously it helped me to step out on faith and face my fears.

Five years after college, my mother encouraged and supported my desire to take one of the most courageous steps and leave Nebraska, a place of the known, to a place and experience of the unknown. I left my family, friends and my biggest supporter, my mother, to pursue continued education and a new career opportunity in Ohio. Truly on my own for the first time, I began to see the woman my mother always saw; a woman with potential to do and become more than I could ever imagine. Through education, experience and opportunity, I stand here today because of gained confidence and faith. Confidence to know in my core, that faith is real. We must show our daughters, our girls that with a strong sense of faith, anything and all things are possible. This must be rooted in our core. This is what my mother taught me.

Our role as women can never be underestimated. Whether we are biological mothers or not, we are aunts, sisters, grandmothers; each of us must play a role in influencing the future generation of our daughters, our girls. We must be role models and set positive examples. They watch and hear everything that we say and do. We must lead by example. Our girls expect it, our girls deserve it.

So as I close, you’ve heard my journey and now, my testimony. My testimony of how I come to stand here before you today. It is my constant reminder that my faith real.

In May 2009, I was negatively affected by the economy and was downsized from probably my most rewarding job of 9 years working for INROADS. I worked with minority college students as a coach, advisor and mentor, helping pave the way in opening doors to their future corporate careers. The day before the news came, a Sunday morning, I had an eerie feeling that my name would be called, that I would lose my job. As I prepared to go to church, as I always did, I listened to evangelist Joel Osteen speak to his congregation. He said, “if you step up, God will show up”. He also spoke about stretching one’s faith in God. His words spoke to me. As I contemplated, I thought back to the last year on my job. I had become complacent, unmotivated and unhappy. I was ready to leave a year prior but I allowed fear to keep me there. I lost sight of my faith. With so many people losing their jobs left and right, I talked myself into staying. Fear won out. I had to take a step back and recall all the things that I learned from my mother, what she taught me about fear and facing it.

Even though today I no longer have the physical presence of my mother, her spirit and lessons resonated in me. I knew I had to get busy and do my part so that God would do his and boy did He ever.

Fear tolerated is faith contaminated.

Losing my job was the best thing that happened to me. I didn’t know that at the time but I certainly know it now. God moved me because I wouldn’t move myself. As a result of my job loss I had to step up so that God would show up. I had to stretch my faith in Him. Through much prayer, I knew with all assuredness that God had a plan for me. I didn't know what but I knew He had my back. God was responsible for closing that door and I knew He would open another.

I stand before you here in Japan because the unimaginable happened through a casual conversation with my best friend. I told her that I would love to just pack my bags and leave the country, given the state of our economy. I wanted to leave it all behind. Well you know what they say, be careful what you pray for, you just might get it. Long story short, during several email exchanges with my friend’s aunt who happens to be a professor here with The University of Maryland University College, I was told about an opportunity with the University here in Japan. My resume was forwarded to the Associate Vice President and I was asked to apply immediately. Within a week’s time, I submitted my documents, interviewed the next week on July 13, received the offer the next day and came to Japan one month later, embarking on a new and challenging career opportunity like no other; an example of faith at its best.

My faith gave me the courage, the strength and yes, the confidence to take a leap of faith. The courage to walk through that door that God opened, leaving the known, to a place of the unknown. Through this journey, this still surreal moment, I don’t know what tomorrow brings but I know that with faith anything is bound to happen.
Fear Tolerated is faith contaminated.

Like those mentioned who paved the way by opening doors, mothers pave the way each day for our daughters. There is no role more important.

A MOTHER'S LOVE
A Mother's love is something
that no one can explain,
It is made of deep devotion
and of sacrifice and pain,
It is endless and unselfish
and enduring come what may
For nothing can destroy it
or take that love away . . .
It is patient and forgiving
when all others are forsaking,
And it never fails or falters
even though the heart is breaking . . .
It believes beyond believing
when the world around condemns,
And it glows with all the beauty
of the rarest, brightest gems . . .
It is far beyond defining,
it defies all explanation,
And it still remains a secret
like the mysteries of creation . . .
A many splendored miracle
man cannot understand
And another wondrous evidence
of God's tender guiding hand. Anne Rice

Mothers, continue to teach your daughters to face fear head on with boldness and confidence. That they must believe in themselves as we believe in them, as my mother believed in me. Our guidance, inspiration and support will allow them to dream the impossible and know without a doubt that with faith and with a mother’s love, all things are possible.

The food of Japan

2010-02-02T03:23:00.000-08:00

When I think of the food here, it reminds me when my soror Mylayna said that if she comes to visit, she would have to bring an extra suitcase with food. What I got from that is that Japanese food is not her favorite. Coming to Japan, I knew that I would not have a problem because Asian cuisine happens to be my favorite; Chinese, Japanese, Indian and Thai. Love it. Although I enjoy the food, I don't wish to eat it everyday. I'm fortunate that I have access to the military bases which means I can shop at the commissary where American food is plentiful. Also on base, there are several American fast food restaurants (Subway, Popeyes, Burger King, Macaroni Grill, Chili's, Charley's and Pizza Hut). Off base, there is McDonalds, KFC Tony Roma's and Shaky's.

Okinawa food is a bit different from traditional Japanese food. Well traditional in the sense of what we Americans view as Japanese food, sushi, tempura or the restaurants where they cook your meal in front of you with fancy knife tricks. The most popular dish is known as Soba. It was my first introduction to Okinawan food. It is a dish that consists of noodles in a broth that is often accompanied with pork or beef.

One thing that I initially had to get used to, like most Americans is the food portion. I think that many of us can conclude that when we eat Chinese food, after about an hour, you might end up hungry again. Here, the portions are usually small. Many of the restaurants that I have been to offer small dishes to share. Some of the restaurants that I enjoy are the Tuna House, Garlic House and Curry House. Fortunately for Americans though, some of the restaurants do try to cater to our healthy appetites and provide more food than what they are accustomed to. One thing however they don't cater to is our need to enjoy our food in a smoke free environment. I guess this would be my only complaint when it comes to dining here.

The presentation of the food is always exquisite, very appetizing. The time and attention given is clearly evident. It almost makes you not want to dive in. But you must because every bite will likely be a new experience. I'm daring when it comes to food and will try almost anything. I want to experience all there is to offer when it comes to the culture and food of Japan.

Men in Japan

2010-01-26T02:44:00.001-08:00

From the moment that I announced that I was coming to Japan and that I would be working with the university on a military base, it seems the first thing that came to most people's minds was that I would find a husband.
I have also gotten teased about returning to the states with a Japanese man in tow. Not that I'm not open to this idea, but I tell people that if I do return to the states with a husband, it would likely be with an American. In Okinawa, there are 9 military bases. I work on the Air Force base and live 10 minutes from the Army base, both of which are crawling with American men. Because I am contracted by the Department of Defense, my time and interaction is probably 99% with Americans.

The purpose of coming here is to embark on a new, exciting career opportunity. That was, has been and still is my focus. I must say, that me being here is truly a blessing from God and whatever His plan is on this journey, I will welcome and embrace it. I after all, allow Him to order my steps.

Since being here for 6 months now, I continually get asked the question from friends back home about the men here and have I met any potential suitors. As a result, I felt it was time to finally answer. I hope what I share will calm everyone's curiosity and put these questions to rest. This is my personal view, an overall picture of the military environment and the city of Okinawa.

In a conversation I had with my boss, a brotha, he informed me (which I already knew) that men here don't have to do much because the native women cater to them in such a way, the roles have been reversed, in terms of the chase and the "traditional" role that we are accustomed to men playing. The native women go to extremes to do whatever is necessary, by any means, to attract and keep the American men. I would consider this place to be a man's paradise when it comes to the local women. They are having their cake, pie, cookies and eating it too. My new environment reminds me of what I experienced back in the day in college at the U of Nebraska (Leroy and Susie, now it's Leroy and Yoshi), same scenario. Living here also reminds me of moving to new cities (the cliques). It ain't easy. I feel like an outsider, I am an outsider. Trying to navigate my way in this new world, way of life and way of thinking is challenging to say the least.

Now, on to my observations of the men; Military, Black, Native, White, Married, Young, Celebrity.

Military Men. One thing that is very important to share about military life, it is a world, mindset and has a way of its own. In a conversation with a couple of guys, both of whom are in the military, I was so enlightened that what was shared never crossed my mind. I felt it is necessary to give their viewpoint to help people understand the environment that I'm in. Although I'm surrounded by men, mostly military men, it must be realized that they live lives of temporary circumstances. How they handle it varies but for many, getting close to people is difficult because for the most part, their time in a specific location is short. Trusting others and allowing people into their world can be a challenge so some choose not to engage or keep relationships superficial, surface. Some come with baggage, meaning, wives and kids back home in the states. This information is not always revealed. To live a life in this way, I can't imagine because the world military folks live in, albeit temporary, it is their life none the less.

Brothas. Brothas are brothas, different country, same story. No need to go into details or say more. I have caught the eye of several good looking brothas but I have found for the most part, unless I assert myself, it just becomes a casual conversation, a nod or smile in passing. I have had the pleasure of meeting a couple of pretty cool single guys, have gone out and enjoyed their company. At this point, my focus is friendship because I miss having close male companionship. Not that some of these guys that I speak of are not worthy of more, I'm just in a space right now that seek friendship first. If more comes of it down the road, no predictions, I will welcome whatever is meant to be. I will try not to resist.

Native Men. Because of the language and cultural barrier, it is hard to tell what is on their minds when I am in their presence. I have been told that some Japanese men do fancy African American women but because of the inability to speak English, it is difficult to approach. I will say, I have seen them staring, while driving in the car, in stores, or just walking down the street but I don't know if it is out of curiosity or interest. On base, there are Japanese construction workers that I pass each morning as I walk into work. As I pass, there is always one or two gazing with smiles. I return the smile, bow and greet them good morning in Japanese. On another occasion, while at a hotel restaurant, a group of men, clad in biker gear, pointed, stared, laughed and continued to do so until they left.

I must admit, I have not been attracted to many of the native men that I see. A lot are small in frame and short in stature. I have also noticed that some have taken on feminine regiments, such as arching their eyebrows, carrying (man) purses and preoccupying their time with their hair. This I have noticed among the younger guys. Smoking is very common among the Japanese. I can't tolerate the smoking and it is a turn off.

Good looks come in all ethnic races. When I do see a Japanese man that I find good looking, I do find myself staring. I hate to admit, unfortunately, it is rare here in Okinawa. Tokyo I'm sure will be a different story.

White Men. One thing that I have learned, the military is very diverse and interracial relationships and marriages are common. Interestingly enough, to my surprise, it is common among black women and white men. I have heard that in the US, the percentage of black women marrying outside of their ethnic group is on the rise. It is very visible and evident here. I used to jokingly say that I'm attracted to white men but the ones I find myself attracted to are on television or the big screen. I didn't see many walking the streets of Cleveland. Now, New York, Chicago, maybe. On the bases of Okinawa, all the time! I don't know if it is the uniform or the buzz cuts but I find myself in an admiring gaze, more often than not. I have noticed on several occasions gazes returned.

Married Men. They are everywhere. It seems that the military promotes marriage. It makes sense. In this environment, having a family is ideal when living with the stresses that being in the military brings. Unfortunately, extra marital affairs are common. I am a magnet to married men. I always seem to be approached by them, to my dismay. One guy offered his number to me as a gesture of friendship when he learned that I was new to the island. I accepted the number and trashed it on the way out the door. Another, caught me off guard during an official office visit as he took a double take and told me how beautiful I was. I was naturally flattered because it came from such a good looking brotha. My first instinct though was to look for a ring and to my surprise and disappointment, a nice shiny band.

Young Men. They too are everywhere. Not a surprise. Most of the men who are lost in the war are 19-20 something. For those of you who know me well, know I am also a magnet to young guys. Not sure why, maybe because my age doesn't match my appearance and perhaps because younger men seem to love and appreciate older women. It has become the norm thanks to Ashton and Demi. I must say, I do seem to prefer younger men, within age reason . Their generation brings about a different attitude and approach when it comes to dating. They seem to be more confident and adventurous, something that I appreciate and welcome. Some of my good male friends are my young brothas.

Celebrity Men. I just had to mention the male singers that I have had the opportunity to see while here in Japan. Dwele, Eric Benet and J. Holiday. They are surely worth mentioning because all in all, when I speak of men, the time I spent with Dwele and meeting Eric makes the top of my list to date.

People come into your life for a reason, season and a lifetime. Whatever the case, I approach beyond the superficial. So, to my hopeful friends that believe that he is here, only time will tell. Only God knows. I will stay open and embrace what is to come. As I took a leap of faith and came to Japan, I will do my best to do the same with the men in Japan.

Getting around in Japan

2010-01-03T01:33:00.001-08:00

One of the things I'm starting to do is venture out a bit more in Japan. Yes, that means creating a social life. Now that I'm settling in more and learning my job, I have more time.

During the holiday season, I have been off for 8 days. The Christmas weekend, my friend/soror Nicole and I spent time in Naha. Naha is considered the downtown area of Okinawa. If you venture to Naha, one will find a more exciting part of the island. It truly looks like a large city. Because I only spent time passing through on my way to the airport, I wanted to check it out. We stayed at a nice hotel called the Loisir.
Day one, we drove around the city and dined at a nice restaurant that looked like a giant tree house. The food was really good. Steak, a salad, soup and desert bar for about 13 yen. That is really cheap for all that we ate.

Day two, the hotel had a really nice spa and yes we did indulge. Following the spa, we found a really nice outlet mall. It had some of the stores Americans would recognize, 9 west (yes, I finally found a shoe store that carried my 8-81/2 shoe size), coach, among other high end designer stores. Prices at outlet stores here are really high. Shopping in Japan has been a challenge. Clothes and shoe sizes are for small framed women. Occasionally I can find something that fits or fashion that I like. There are some Japanese stores, high end that have some fabulous fashions, different from what I see at home. Most stores though, the clothes are low end, cheap and trendy, bordering on tacky. A lot of the clothes seem to cater to the night club goers or night dancers.

Later in the evening, my boss ventured to Naha and showed us around the bar scene. When I say bar, I think that is the norm here opposed to a club. It is all about the music. We went to 3 bars that played old school R & B. It was incredible to hear the music that I grew up with and watch Japanese dee jays play albums at our request. I asked one dee jay (who barely spoke or understood English) to play a specific Mary J. Blige song that she sampled from Barry White. He actually found it. I could not believe it. The last bar we went to was actually called Black Harlem/Soul Bar. As we walked in, you can hear the great music and I'm expecting to find a room full of brotha's and sista's but what we found were Japanese men singing and jamming to the music. One even grabbed me and Nicole to join them to dance and dance we did! It as fun.

Day three, we had a fabulous buffet brunch at the hotel. I seemed to be an attraction to the 8 or so Japanese biker/punk guys that pointed and stared. They said a few words among themselves, what I don't know and kept staring until they left. Not sure what that was all about.

The last stop on our adventure in Naha was Kokusai Street. It is called the Miracle Mile. If you have ever been to NY Chinatown, it somewhat reminds me of that area but not as many interesting things to buy. It has a huge indoor market where you can buy just about anything that you can imagine at a market, clothes, food, flowers etc. It is like the Westside Market in Cleveland times 5.

I really enjoyed Naha and plan to venture downtown more often to see what there is more to explore. For those of you who plan to visit me here, get ready because it will be a place to see.

Settling in at Home in Japan

2009-12-18T14:52:00.000-08:00

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

2009-10-28T07:07:00.000-07:00

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

2009-10-11T17:12:00.000-07:00

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

2009-10-04T06:27:00.000-07:00

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

2009-10-01T06:06:00.000-07:00

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.

2009-09-26T06:28:00.000-07:00

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?

2009-09-16T02:33:00.000-07:00

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

2009-09-16T01:24:00.000-07:00

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).

2009-09-12T04:07:00.000-07:00

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!