Sayonara!

Leaving Okinawa, 12:25 p.m. local time on December 19th

I like structure and symmetry, so since this blog began with a list, it seems appropriate to have it end with a list as well.

Things I Don't Miss About Okinawa

1. Figuring out where in God's creation I was actually going.

2. Ohmygoodness the heat in the summer. (Yes, I know NC is hot. This was oppressive for days on end.)

3. Grocery shopping: our eating habits, especially our love of dairy products, made grocery shopping a challenge. Yes, they sold milk, but only in quarts, so I had to buy at least 4 every time I went to the store. Also, I don't read Japanese.

4. The time difference between Okinawa and the U.S. I really missed talking to my mom whenever I felt like it. Despite email and social media, I just like the *idea* of being able to call someone whenever I want without waking them up in the middle of the night.

5. Homeschooling. I provided an adequate education, and I might even say I'm glad we tried it. (I might not say that though.) I learned that it's not for me, and that despite Maddox's incessant curiosity, love of reading, and generally good attitude towards school, she does better in a social setting with some semblance of structure.

6. The random, and sometimes unposted, hours of restaurants. Places closed when they wanted to and opened when they wanted to as well. It was a rough evening the night the local burger joint was randomly closed.

7. Doing laundry. I never really mastered the all-in-one washer/dryer. Our clothes never seemed completely clean and were always wrinkled. I can't say I *enjoy* doing laundry in America, but at least I can do it effectively.

Things I Do Miss About Okinawa

1. The most efficient grocery bagging ever. I think the cashiers must master Tetris as part of their job training.

2. Blue Seal Ice Cream, especially beni-imo, brown sugar, and Okinawan salt cookie flavors. The girls would probably say they miss the ubiquitous kakigori the most.

3. The sheer number of farmers' markets - open almost every day, all year round.

4. Sending my kids outside to play on the playground bars, out of my sight, and not thinking twice about their personal safety.

5. Vending machines everywhere. With coffee.

6. Beautiful sunsets almost every night. We have had our fair share of gorgeous sunsets in Albuquerque as well, but there's something about watching the sun set over the ocean that is particularly beautiful.

7. The general kindness and gentleness of the Okinawan people. Having lived in the South since I started college, I have become accustomed to Southern hospitality. However, the kindness in Okinawa was different, and Okinawa felt different to me than mainland Japan in this aspect as well. There is an attitude of helpfulness that extends beyond basic courtesy, and as a mostly confused American, I relied heavily on this culture of kindness.

The Bottom Line

The fact is that Okinawa was both amazing and hard, that I am glad we went, but found it very isolating and difficult many days. It was rarely the way I imagined it. But I learned a lot, our family learned a lot, and I am really proud of myself for saying, "Okay, let's do this" when John proposed the idea. "Spontaneous" and "adventuresome" are never words I have used to describe myself, and it was hard to push my comfort zone while trying to be a decent mom and supportive spouse. Pushing one's comfort zone seems better-suited to the 20's rather than the 40's. Now that I have had several months to reflect on the experience, I think it was pretty great. I would never have chosen to visit Japan -- it would have been far down on any travel bucket list of mine -- but I learned so much. I don't know what the girls will remember about our time in Okinawa. What I hope they take away in some part of their brains is that we can do things that make us nervous, that scare us a bit, that even give us minor panic attacks in the last days before the plunge; that life -- even sabbatical life -- is simultaneously awesome and difficult, and that it works best if we are kind, open-minded, and try to have some fun.

Or maybe they will just remember the kakigori. And that's okay, too.

Arriving in Seattle, 9:45 a.m. local time on December 19th
Yes, time travel is possible. 

Sayonara, readers. Thanks for sharing our adventure with us, friends. It has been fun to bring you along!