It is Different

We are on a Spanish naval base. We are hosted here but in no way own any part of the base. I do not see the usual guards that I have seen at every other base we have been to. The are no Americans. There are only Armada Española sentries guarding the base.

Some of these sentries look to be no more than children. Perhaps it is only appearances, but I cannot recall an American sentry looking so young. They are also heavily armed, which is rather intimidating when passing through the gate or watching them patrol the fences. I have heard from our sponsor, who lives on base, that hearing them walking past at night can be unnerving at first.

Taking pictures on base is challenging. Where you can take them is controlled for security reasons. There are certain buildings forbidden to take pictures of. Others you can but they have to be zoomed in so the entire building does not show… no other building can show… no building identifiers… So many rules make it not worth taking pictures on base.

Jared officially signed in today, a day early. It did not take them long to take him. He will meet his crew tomorrow by taking the ship out into the Atlantic for the day. Barely any dust on his boots before they have him at sea. Lol At least it is only a day cruise. No, I will not trust that it will remain a day cruise until He is home tomorrow evening. The Navy has fooled me too many times for me to trust them on cruise lengths.

The saddest thing I have seen since our arrival is seeing my normally gregarious children timidly looking over our courtyard wall at the children playing in the small park across the street. No amount of encouragement drives them from their perches. I will be happy to see them overcome their fears and return to being the energetic children I know them to be.

Today, Jun put her ear to my tummy, and I asked what she was doing. She shushed me and said, “Quiet, the baby is talking.” I gave her a few seconds and asked what the baby said. She responded, “The baby is saying, ‘Get me out of here!!!” Perhaps Jun’s own frustrations showing themselves.

So, we are all still adjusting to new surroundings. Being a Navy base, some things are normal for us. Being a Spanish Navy base means some things are different. We will balance them in time and our new “normal” will emerge.

Until then, we live each day expecting surprises. Our little family will do this, Again.

A Taste of Rota

We are settling as best we may. We have spent our time completing im-processing tasks as we have need to begin our life here. Jared has not checked in yet but they know he is here. He is debating which day this week he will officially “arrive” at Rota. 

 

We have done some exploring but mostly just adjusting to the new time and overcoming jet lag. The people we have met so far have been wonderful and very forgiving of our elementary Spanish. I have again returned to carrying a dictionary to understand what is being said to me though there is much English spoken but usually of the British accent, which is slightly different. You can imagine how little of a Chinese accent you hear. LOL

 

My first OB appointment is Friday, which is coincidentally, Jared’s RNLT date. We will be finishing week 24. I am not sure when they will make up my week 20 ultrasound. So far, there have been no surprises or causes for alarm. Unlike Chao lei and Jun, Su a very calm baby with not too many demands of her mother… but we are only 24 weeks, so it remains to be seen if any develop. 

I have never seen my children timid to explore new things. They seem reluctant to explore without me. They are stand-offish with the local children despite my urging them to meet them. Something is going through their minds so I must discover what it is. They are not behaving as my children normally do. I am sure they will return to their normal outgoing selves soon.

Welcome to Rota

 

We have arrived to 80° and 80% humidity. At least I will not be required to become accustomed to the weather. It is far more sunny though. Let the SPF100 buying begin!

The blue outline is our flat

 Our house is nicer in person than it first seemed. Our agent demonstrated how the house works. Now there is a bidet to use. I anticipate much “experimenting” with it by the children.

 

I admit I was spoiled by an AC in Japan so was a little concerned with the absence of one in the house. Marisol, our agent, showed which windows and vents to open to cool the house with the sea breezes that seem to blow all the time. I think I will prefer this kind of cooling.

The neighbors have been quick to greet us. By what have been told the neighborhood will seem like our neighborhood in Japan in that they have community gatherings often.

We will stay at the Navy Lodge for a few days while we wait for leases to be signed and temporary furniture to be delivered to our house. Our UB shipment is scheduled for delivery next week. We will only need to wait 35 days for our HHG to arrive. It seems we were blessed with unimpeded shipping to get our things so quickly.

For now, we will focus on overcoming our jet lag. Several long flights in such a short time can exhaust you. Our goal for now is to use the following 2 ½ weeks to recover and climatize to our new home… and arranging for the change of command… and visit necessary in-process offices about the base…

Much to do. Much to explore.

Farewell Japan

It is the final day of the school year, I have finished grading exams, and all final paperwork is submitted. I will board a Delta 777 at Haneda International at 9:55pm flying to CONUS tomorrow.

さらば日本よ。お招きいただきありがとうございます。

It was a wonderful stay. We will miss you.

Japan has been welcoming to the point of becoming spoken of as “home.” My children have certainly thought of it as such. They have known little else. Their American side influenced by the base outside of the normal cultural influences so it has not strictly been an American influence. Their other influence has been very Japanese. Living off base gave them an immersion into Japanese culture that often took precedence over other influences and they will carry with them for the rest of their lives. Jun especially has been influenced. She is the only one of us that speaks English, liberally seasoned with Japanese words and phrases (and new Spanish words she has been learning) such that some struggle to understand her.

We will miss the scenery here. Japan has much scenery to enjoy from the beaches to the mountains, rivers to lakes. Much of the scenery is as you find in art works.

 

We will miss our friends and neighbors, especially Sobo. She has watched over our family as if we were her blood. The children know her just as a grandmother. If I could not locate my children, it would be likely they were at her house. 

 

The entire neighborhood around our house accepted us plainly and treated us as if we had always been here. Last Thursday, they hosted a 送別会 “farewell party” for us. They became family. 

 

We will miss the strange to us things that can easily be bought here. Things we will see nowhere else are abundant. Like Cheese Tea or Emergency Underwear. Being in the land of “Hello Kitty,” a bathroom would be incomplete without “Hello Kitty” toilet paper.

 

We are looking forward to our time in Spain but there are things uniquely Japanese that we will miss.

To Japan we say goodbye and thank you for everything.