Okinawa, Japan. My lifes most epic journey. I spent hours researching and seeking advice from those who has already made the long painful trip across the Pacific ocean. By the time we left, I had a pretty good idea of what was in store for us. But many questions were left unanswered. It seemed every one who had taken the time to write this stuff down had absolutely nothing in common with me. Different branch of service, different ranks, no kids. These small details make for HUGE differences. So I decided that I would document our travels every step of the way, taking photos every chance I got.
Doesn't that said purdy? I thought so too. But it didn't happen that way. In a perfect world I could write a blog post and take photos between potty breaks, divvying out snacks and running across the airport with 2 children to our connecting detarture gate. But this world is far from perfect and so am I. While I may not have photos, I still believe that somewhere out there, there is a young mother scouring the internet with a long list of unanswered questions of her own, trying to make lemonade out of the big bag of lemons the Marine Corps has given her. It is possible, and hopefully I can help.
The Orders:
My phone rang one afternoon while I was sitting at my sewing machine making a
Bicycle Bucket for my daughter. It was my husband. He didn't want to let me know that he was going to the gym, he wasn't working late, and he wasn't calling to tell me to start dinner as per usual. He told me to sit down. Oh dear. He had gotten new orders. Big orders. We were moving to Okinawa, Japan. I didn't know whether to be nervous or excited. We knew it was an option, and had discussed how cool it would be. But now it was really happening. Holy crap. I really am moving to OKINAWA. We told our families. Tears were shed. But I kept telling myself that I would find the silver lining. I always do. Once the initial shock wore off it was time for my favorite part!!
The Research:
I found many answers and advice at
OkinawaHai! It became my bible in the months before our move. It's like a giant catalog of imformation, experiences and reviews from people just like us on everything from restaurants to playgrounds. They also have a
FaceBook page where you can ask questions or get directions. I do this ALOT! We have all been new the new kid on the block, and moving to a different country is kind of a huge deal. So everyone on this small island paradise is very helpful. People open thier doors, their families and their hearts to make you feel like you belong.
The Medical Screening:
Military spouses and dependants must go through a medical screening in order to obtain area clearance. They want to make sure that you are in decent physical condition before you come to the island since there are limited medical facilities here. I read so many horror stories about families who were denied area clearance and ultimately seperated for 2 years. The thought of being apart again terrified me. It was a slow and tedious process , and no one really knew what had to be done. I had blood drawn a dozen times, went through several tests and received an assortment of wicked painful shots. After 2 months my paper work was complete and submitted to EFMP, who would in turn submit it to the medical board in Okinawa. And then? Nothing. I heard absolutely nothing. No one ever had any information for me. I was ready to cry on a daily basis. Finally, 2 more months later, I got a call from the woman at the EFMP office. Our packages were approved. We were officially granted area clearance.
Moving Day:
TMO will divide your belongings into two different shipments. Unaccompained baggage and Household Goods. Unaccompained baggage will be shipped express and Household goods will take about 3 months or so to be delivered. Then it has to go through customs and be delivered to your new home. This all depends on the company contracted to do your move. We have never, ever had tmo organize our move. We are just do it yoursef people. So you can imagine my frustration with this. The bulk of your belongings will go into HHG including furniture, large area rugs and items that you won't need right away. While unaccompanied baggage should include bed linens, towels, shower curtains, kitchen items (your whole kitchen if your anything like me), coffee maker (also critical to my daily life), seasonal clothing and anything you can't live without for the next 3-4 months. When the movers arrive they will wrap and pack everything. Do not pack anything! If you do, the boxes will be marked with a CP and will not be insured if anything inside is damaged. Customer packed boxes will also be skipped when the movers deliver and unpack your things. You'll also be stuck with the packing materials. Not fun. You can read more about my moving experience
here.
The Flight:
After spending a fabulous month with friends and family, it was time to head to the airport. We brought one checked bag per person and one carry on bag per person. I have heard that you are allowed to bring two checked bags per person. This might sound tempting. But let me warn you that you will have to lug these bags around in Seattle until the Patriot Express leaves. So less is better. I packed my camera bag in my carryon, thinking it would be great for taking spur of the moment photos. It never left the suitcase. Seriously. Then they made me check it at the gate since the flight was full. I was super bummed.
We departed Hartford, CT ay 12:30pm and our adventure began. The kids did great. We colored, snacked on delicious Delta Biscoff cookies and read our favorite stores. We planned on getting a late lunch when we landed in Detroit for a two hour layover. What we didn't realize was that the connecting gate was on the other side of the airport. I mean really, is that neccessary? Once we stepped off the plan we had to grab our bags and the kids and book it through a crowded terminal. We barely made it with only minutes to spare. We settled into our seats and tried to get some rest on our way to Seattle.
We landed in Seattle and headed to the USO. I made reservations at a nearby hotel, but I had heard that we could leave our large checked bags at the USO so we wouldn't have to drag them to the hotel with us. This is not true, and that is why I say that less is better. The USO is clean and and fully stocked with snacks, sandwiches and beverages, but the bunks are reserved for adults only. So your littles ones will have to sleep in the floor! We decided to head to the hotel anyway. Luckilly it was late and we had the shuttle to ourselves. I can't tell you how grateful we were for a meal, a hot shower and a soft bed to sleep in, even if just for a few hours.
We set the alarm for 12:30am and arrived back at the terminal around 1:15am. They had told us to check in by 4:30am, but my brilliant research told me to get there much earlier. And I'm glad we did because there was already a line!!! We stood in the families only line while the kids played. The line moved quickly and we were checked in by 2:30am. We went through the security gate and grabbed some drinks and snacks in the food court. The only restaurant open was a questionable mexican joint. So we opted for protein bars, beef jerky and trail mix. We headed to the gate and found good seats with power outlets and a comfy bench to put our feet up on. The kids napped while we played on our tablets and settled in for a 4 hour wait. They started boarding around 6:50am. They called families with small children first which was a relief. Boarding took forever! Finally around 8:00am we prepared for take off. Next stop, Yokota Japan!
They served two meals on board. Both were terrible, but we ate them anyway. I couldn't believe how hungry I was. There were also snacks and a full beverage service. The plane was loud and cold. Very cold! I waited for the kids to fall asleep and covered my face with the blanket. 10 hours later we landed in Yokota for a 2 hour layover. There were semi comfy chairs and vending machines. Though some machines accepting yen only. We boarded once again for the short flight to Iwakuni. Everyone had to get off the plane again. The terminal was hot but it had comfy seats and plenty of power outlets. It also had a canteen truck outside with snacks from KFC and Taco Bell. After a very long 2 hours we finally boarded for the last time. We were all so exhausted that we slept all the way to Okinawa!
When we got off the plane we went through customs quickly and painlessly. We collected our bags and went through a set of double doors where we were announced like a couple of celebrities. We found our sponsors and headed to our room at the WestPac Lodge on Camp Foster. We were ready for food, a shower and a good nights sleep.
Making Okinawa Home:
It took about a week for everyone to get back into a normal routine. There was so much to do. Housing brief and then the Newcomers Orientation. Thats where you will have the opportunity to take your drivers exam. Don't listen to anyone that tells you the test is a cake walk. It's not. You can find the study guide online
here and I suggest you print it and study it on the flight. I mean, you have nothing else to do so why not right? I failed the first time. It was very embarassing. After your housing brief you will be given two options to look at. There are many factors are used to determine what type of housing you rate. You can read more about that
here. We got really lucky and were given the keys to two units on Camp Kinser to look at the very same day! They were both towers and were more outdated than I had expected. I chose the one with the view of the East China Sea. Three days later we moved in! Our express shipment was delivered the day we moved in, and the government loaner furniture was already there. You get a basic loaner package.
This website will give an idea of what you will be allowed to borrow, and
this one is a good example of what it looks like.
So here we are. Two weeks on island and settling comfortably into our new home. It has been a crazy year. But if you have patience and an open mind, Okinawa can be the sweetest lemonade you will ever taste.
