Sorry to keep those of you who check my blog often waiting. Paul John didn't want to go to the traditional tourist sites so I wasn't taking any pictures until this past weekend. Paul John left yesterday (Sunday) after 12 nights in Okinawa. I have to wait to get the bulk of pictures from him but here are a few to give you a little insight into some our adventures.
Paul John arrived last Wednesday afternoon, I picked him up at the airport and brought him back to school with me. On the way back to school, we realized he forgot the extra suitcase that I asked him to bring for me, at the airport in Naha! I was almost back to school so couldn't turn back around. We called the airport and they said they would hold the suitcase but we would need to be back by 4:30 pm to pick it up. I told them I could make it by 5 pm. It was Jessica's church night so I'd have to drop her off at church, then go to the airport and that would be cutting it close. The airport staff said they would wait until 5 pm for us. Jessica found a ride to church, so we were able to go straight to the airport after school got out. We made it there at exactly 4:30, paid 350 yen ($3.50) for a storage fee and got the suitcase back in one piece.
Since we were in the area (Naha), we decided to go to International/Kokusaidori Street. We ate at Sam's (a seafood restaurant shaped like a boat where a chef cooks food in front of you). It was definitely the best place to take a new visitor on their first night. All the shops have traditional Okinwan foods and souvenirs. Paul John loved looking at all the cars and seeing their weird names. I don't even want to know how many car pictures he took! We ate dinner, walked around and headed back home since it was a school night.
Roxy of Okinawa on Kokusaidori Street. I really wanted to buy a tee shirt that said "Roxy of Okinawa" but none of the shirts here fit me, they are all very wide and short.
Paul John and I in front of Sam's Restaurant on Kokusaidori Steet in Naha
Paul John went with me to school Thursday and Friday and the kids loved him, the boys especially liked having a male "teacher." He played with them during recess and helped teach first grade when Sarah was out for the day. The weather went from hot and humid to cold and rainy and back and forth throughout Paul John's entire visit. Luckily, he had a variety of clothes to adapt when needed.
On Saturday we ate at Jakkepoes which is known as the "IHOP" of Okinawa. I've read about it several times on various websites. Paul John read about it on his own before I could tell him about it so we decided to give it a try. It's a very small, "house turned restaurant" located down narrow, side streets. The only directions were to turn at the grocery store and follow the signs. We surprisingly found it without getting lost! The menu was basic but just what you need to satisfy a pancake craving. I had the plain pancakes with eggs and sausage. Paul John had a traditional Okinawan spice on his pancakes and the pancakes lived up to their expectations, delicious!
One of Paul John's main goals while in Okinawa was to take a karate class. Okinawa is the birth place of Karate so it's a unique experience to take Karate in Okinawa. Rocky drove us to a few different dojo's but they told us they don't offer one day/one week classes. On Monday night, we even walked to a dojo two miles from my apartment. We finally found a dojo about 20 minutes from my apartment. Paul John signed up for the class and we went back at night so he could take the class. Paul John bought a gi at a martial arts store on gate 2 street. We also found an organic bakery on gate 2 street that I think I'll be visiting often (delicious cinnamon rolls and french toast!).
Paul John was the only new person at the Karate class, four other guys who were black belts from Canada were training at the dojo. The sensei spent all 2 hours working with Paul John and another guy who was a brown belt. It was interesting to watch, I got a lot of good videos! Paul John was very happy with the class and enjoyed every moment of it!
The sensai is the one with the red belt. A red belt means you earned enough stripes to pass a black belt!
On Saturday, we went to Cape Zampa beach during the day and found a variety of full seashells! I was very excited about this =) (pics to come).
We stopped by a traditional Okinawan soba house for noodles and rice on the way home. I guess because it was so hot and humid Saturday and I hadn't been drinking much water, I got sick Saturday night and was up half the night throwing up my soba noodles. I won't be eating that again for a while! Paul John loved the 100 yen store and sushi go-round. I have lots more pictures to post of all these fun events, I just need to get them!
School is going well, two weeks until the 3rd quarter is over! I've been doing more oral language practice with my students which seems to be helping their phonics grades. We are going on a field trip to the aquarium next Friday. We have lots of parent volunteers (which means less students per adult) so I hope it's a successful event. I'm still tutoring a 4th grade girl every Monday afternoon for an hour. Before tutoring today, her teacher told me that she had no work to do but needed to practice her oral language, so to just talk with her and correct her grammar. So, todays tutoring session consisted of me asking her questions and giving her one minute per question to talk/answer as much as possible. I asked things like "describe what you ate for lunch today, describe an apple, describe the different between a cat and a dog, etc). Again, I felt bad for getting paid for such as easy task. I know that these little things do add up and make a different though. When tutoring was over and I met with the girls mother, she was very happy to hear that we "talked the whole time and practiced oral language skills."
Philip arrives tomorrow night, YAY! He will be here 7 nights. I am very wiped out from Paul John's visit but I am excited to be sharing this place I call home with so many loved ones. It's a lifetime memory and I will enjoy every moment. Spring break is less than four weeks away and I'm still trying to book a trip. I promise to keep you updated so your not waiting on me so long this time.
Happy St. Patrick's Day.
Love and miss you all!
XOXO
Kristen
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