Well, hey hey hey!
I'm in OKINAWA!!! What else can I say?
Just in case you haven't heard, Okinawa is paradise.
On the flight over I just kept looking out the window at all
the water... as we got closer to Okinawa island I saw the water starting to
turn turquoise... That means one thing- tropical!
So basically I am living on a tropical island.
It's called the Hawaii of Japan- because it literally is
like Hawaii. There's actually a Hawaiian elder down here and he says it's just
like home.
It's kind of funny- on my way down here I was wearing
several layers and my coat and a scarf, but when I stepped off the plane I was
in mid summer heat! Totaly unexpected. I just got done with summer up on the
main land and now I just came back to it!
Okinawa is the most beautiful place I have ever been.
Everywhere is beautiful flowers and palm trees. My area, Urasoe, is right on the
coast, so we get the ocean air every day. We're also right next to the military
base.
One thing that is very different about Okinawa is the
relaxed attitude.
Up in the big city everyone is so serious and stone-faced.
Even among missionaries... But down here it's a party all the time! When we had
our first missionary get together with the zone I was so surprised. Everyone
was laughing and talking. I kind of stood off to the side for a while like an
awkward loser because I just didn't know how to act! But I'm getting used to
the island vibe and now I'm actually starting to enjoy the laid back feel among
the members and missionaries. BUT- just because it's relaxed doesn't mean we're
lazy. I've worked harder this transfer that ever before. The area is probably
less than a tenth of the size of my last area, so it's a lot easier to get
places. We get a lot more done in one day.
I feel like God has blessed me by sending me away for the
winter. Everything down here is warm and happy and sunny. Plus, they actually
have root beer down here, so that's a good thing.Oh have I mentioned that?
Japanese people hate root beer, so it was impossibly to find anywhere up on the
mainland. We're going grocery shopping today =) I'm excited to see what other
American treats they have here =)
We've got great investigators and the members are amazing.
Okinawans are so different that all the other Japanese people. They're happier
and more friendly and less busy!
Everyone down here is Japanese too, so I'm done teaching in
4 different languages! I just realized how bad my english is getting though.
Sometimes the things I say don't even make sense. I had to read this letter
like 3 times before I sent it just to make sure you could understand my
severely deteriorating grammar...
Everything else is fabulous though! I can't think of any
place I would rather be! I love the island, I love the people, I love Japan,
and that's all there really is to it!
Love you all! I'm happy as a clam!
Robatsu Shimai!!!
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