{September 2012}: We packed our bags and said ‘farewell’ to our family and friends in Puerto Rico. We flew to NC where we stayed the night at our close friends house, the next day we started our journey to Japan! Flying from NC-ATL-SEA/TAC and getting on a military flight to Yokota – then to Iwakuni, making it to Kadena on Sept. 15th. We stayed in lodging for a week, found a house on base and G checked into his new unit!
{October 2012}: We got our new cars and we learned how to drive on the left side of the road! Some friends took us to our first Okinawan beach trip and although the water was freezing we enjoyed a day of BBQ-ing and fishing. We also experienced our first festival in Naha, the Tug-Of-War Festival, we helped pull that world record holding rope and our side won! We also visited the Aquarium and i fell in love with that previous world record holding tank! On Halloween we dressed up and had fun at a huge costume contest on American Village.
{November 2012}: It started getting chilly. We danced the night away at G’s Marine Corps Ball and we saw The Fray Live! We celebrated both of our birthdays and we went out to new restaurants, Korean BBQ + Toride (Tapas). Hubby got me the best birthday present ever, an awesome DSLR Camera! We ate pizza on Thanksgiving, sent out christmas cards and bought a christmas tree.
{December 2012}: I started the month by playing/dancing to my all time favorite holiday songs and made a DIY advent calendar to go in one of our walls. Gustavo got promoted! I went to a girls Cookie Potluck and Secret Santa party, as well as a ‘End of the World’ Christmas Party, we definitely ate a lot of baked goodies last christmas! We spent Christmas Day at home in our new pj’s and watching the Polar Express! I shared my New Years resolutions, we had dinner at a friends house but kissed New Year’s goodbye at home because we had curfew 🙁 !
{January 2013}: I tried Purikura (japanese photobooth) for the first time and we felt ‘culture shock’ for the first time at a Pachinko (sort of a casino)! We shared our Asia/Pacific Travel Wishlist for the next three years. Took our christmas tree down and packed up for our wedding trip back to Puerto Rico! Christmas in Puerto Rico lasts until mid-January and we were able to enjoy the last party of the holiday season at Las Fiestas de la Calle San Sebastián.
{February 2013}: We had our “big wedding” and we enjoyed every second of it with our families and friends in Puerto Rico. We flew back to Okinawa on the 4th. I made pizza from scratch and red velvet cupcakes, we spent our first Valentine’s Day as a married couple at home. We visited the Sunflower Festival in Kitanakagusuku and explored Shuri Castle in Naha.
{March 2013}: This month’s adventures were mostly spent with the company of my two friends Emily and Heather! We took countless beach trips, I had my first japanese pedicure at the famous Cocoks, we also went to the Azalea Festival in Higashi Village. We ate amazing burgers at Captain Kangaroo with our close friends.
{April 2013}: I suffered from loss of inspiration and the weather didn’t help, so there were not so many adventures, leading to only 5 posts (yikes!). We went river trekking at Taa Falls and we stopped on the way home to see the beautiful sunset over the East China Sea. At the end of the month, we took the ferry to Ie Island to see fields and fields of lilies at the Lily Festival!
{May 2013}: is rainy season in Okinawa, which meant little to no adventures. I did do tons of blogging in May, thanks to Jenni’s ‘Blogging Every Day in May‘ Challenge, to make up for the lack of posts in April. Gustavo and I celebrated our first anniversary, with a fancy dinner at Sea Garden by the Sunabe Sea Wall. Read all about what i learned from being married that whole year. The sun finally came out on Memorial Day Weekend and we explored our friends backyard beach and saw the most breathtaking sunset from Cape Zanpa that Monday, as well as Fukugawa Falls on Tuesday.
{June 2013}: The weather finally cleared up and our first Okinawan Summer was upon us! Sadly Gustavo left for a training in mainland Japan for three weeks, meanwhile i stayed busy by with beach trips, gym workouts and DIY’s. I met up with some ladies i hadn’t seen in a while for brunch by the sea. I fell in love with Japan all over again after visiting a local flower shop and taking pictures of my favorite view. I received our wedding album in the mail, and we petsitted baby Lucy as well!
{July 2013}: We celebrated the 4th of July with friends, beach, bbq, alcohol and fireworks, in Yomitan Village. But american fireworks are nothing compared to the 1,000 fireworks we saw at the Summer Festival in Nago. We explored Naha City’s Kokusai Street also called “International Street”. I also met a new pretty lady from instagram and with her two friends got lost on the way to Cafe Doka Doka; i died over that Mango Dessert. Oh and we petsitted Miss Penny.
{August 2013}: I started working this month and wasn’t able to explore as much. But i took advantage of two straight days off and enjoyed a night at the YYY resort on Ie Island. On the anniversary of Gustavo and I living together i shared all the dirt on living with a guy. I also shared some fun facts about Driving in Okinawa and answered some Expat to Expat questions.
We are so ready for our the second year in Okinawa!
Stay tuned I will be sharing our Bucket List for Year 2 this week!