Things I WILL Miss About Oki

*Knowing Michael will come home every night

*Our island friends

*The beach

*The sunsets

*COLA (Cost of Living Allowance)

*Amazing sushi, yakitori, edamame, curry, teppanyaki, gyoza and Asahi beer

*The CrossFit box at Torii Station!

*Beautiful water

*Snorkeling

*Traveling to close, exotic places ... and seeing the different cultures at those places

*Free UFC fights

*Wet towel wipes before meals out in town

*Corn on pizza and salads

***Quite frankly, no matter how short this list is ... the first bullet will ALWAYS trump the long list of things I don't like***


Things I Will NOT Miss About Oki

• Asian drivers (traffic)!!!!!!! This includes: JCI and road tax, stopping in the middle of the road to talk on your cell phone, parking on a two-way road that is wide enough for one car, not going (at all) when the light turns green, the shades covering the driver's window b/c you don't want the sun to hit you, the kids climbing all around the vehicle with no seat belts, the babies asleep in the driver's arms, driving 20 kph slower than the speed limit ... continuously, yellow plates, green/yellow and red/yellow stickers giving inexperienced and/or old drivers a free pass, MOTORCYCLES.
• Living in a multiplex
• Allergies. Too many to list ... for me AND Piglet.
• Ugly architecture (but safe - so I take the ugly here b/c it kept us from crumbling in earthquakes and typhoons!)
• Earthquakes
• Typhoons - and the thought of having to go to the commissary in TC2
• Tsunamis
• Expensive plane tickets no matter where you go b/c it is expensive just to get off the island
• Feeling like the fat American whenever we go to a restaurant - or buying clothes
• Not understanding the language
• Waiting for items in the commissary for months on end (i.e. lemon juice, artichoke hearts, turkey pepperoni, sealable ziplock bags, etc), then having staples for holiday meals sell out before you get a chance to pick them up
• Pumpkins rotting within 1 day of carving
• Carrying two wallets - one for dollars and one for yen
• The exchange rate
• Walking to the wrong side of the car to drive
• No street names
• Superbowl MONDAY
• Shiny napkins
• Watching the Morning Show ... from yesterday
• Waiting for weeks for the newly released movies to make their appearance
• Not being able to buy items we normally would in the states (diet Sunkist coke, GNC everyday vitamins, new items released in the states)
• AFN - delays on shows, sporadic access during storms
• One radio station
• The rainy season
• Grass that hurts your feet (sleepy grass that has stickers)
• Box jellyfish/semi/mosquito season
• Not being able to have things shipped to our house b/c they won't ship overseas (i.e. electronics)
• Cell phones in which Softbank sends messages in Kanji that I can't read ... and are important
• The time difference when calling family
• Expensive fruit - even at the commissary
• Our crappy cars
• Not being able to let the dog out by herself b/c a) we don't have a yard and b) it is so hot/humid outside that it could kill her if we accidently forgot about her
• The humidity
• The cold winters with no heat in our house
• The HOT summers with air conditioners that can barely keep up
• Crap internet service (Mediatti)
• Blogger showing up in Kanji until I change it to English

Sayonara Oki!!

We board the plane in about 7 hours for the trek back to the states ... but up until now we have been insanely busy!!

I had my farewell from the Army Garrison:

Bailey got a new wool blanket for her crate:

We stripped our house down to nothing for the packers:

Michael said good-bye to his grill - the only one we've had since we've been married ... it made the move from Lejeune with us!

Waving good-bye :*(

Aaahhhhh!!! More packing!!

... still packing ...

wait for it ... more packing:

Express shipment on the kitchen table:

TMO loading everything into the crates:

Living at the Hamagawa with the bebes out in town:

... and a final Cocok's pedicure :)

I can't believe the time has finally come!! Sayonara Okinawa!

Bright Toes

My toes for the Change of Command - they are not my faves, but they were bright and summer-ish :)

Bravo Company Change of Command!

Michael finally gave up Command after 26 months!! I grabbed some quick snapshots over at his company barracks before they switched out the CO sign:

last day as Company B CO:

Marines setting up for the changeover:

Bravo Co Marines before the ceremony:

hanging out before the festivities:

Our friend Dean came down from Camp Courtney!

Craig was able to make it!

Michael reporting to the Battalion CO for his award:

**Video at the end is the award citation being read**

Michael after receiving his Meritorious Service Medal!

Co Gunny before giving the guideon to the 1st Sgt:

1st Sgt delivering the guideon:

passing the guideon to Capt Drew:

FINALLY!!!

Changing of the Command ... Done!

Battalion CO giving his remarks:

Michael's speech:

SO glad it is over!!

Dean congratulating Michael:

1st Sgt Montoya and LtCol Piatt:

Ms. Zeny (aka the glue that holds the company together!) :)

Our friend Ebeth made it down for a little bit!

D. O. N. E.!!!!!!

the cake I ordered for the reception:

My gorgeous flowers in a vase:

the spread:

hanging out and handing out bracelets for the bar:

The company presented Michael with his guideon framed!

They did a GREAT job - the frame was made by guys up at the brig :P

... they also gave him a nameplate for his desk!

... and another speech :)

This is the Meritorious Service Medal award being read (it was windy):

I'm so proud of Michael!! He did a great job as the Bravo Company CO - but we are REALLY ready to get back to the states and see our families!