Navigating Japanese Culture

Zack got off of work on Friday and we all headed off base into the city...we rode to the main gate on the bus and it just happened that this was the bus the housekeepers take from the Lodge back to the city.  Almost all of the housekeepers are 30-50 year old Japanese women....and they all absolutely love Noah.  They stop and play with him..talk to him in English and Japanese...and just pick on him.  So..the bus ride to the gate was entertaining with the housekeepers playing with Noah...there is one in particular who Noah really likes and she gets down to his level and talks and plays with him.  She sat behind us on the bus and we saw her again today when she came to clean our room.  She cleaned our room and then took a few minutes to play with him in our hotel room.  That day I spent my usual blogging time(Noah's nap time) downloading handy apps for Zack's phone...a translator app, currency exchange rate app, and a dictionary app...this one also allows me to write in the Kanji(one of the three written forms for Japanese writing)...it then tells me what the Kanji means.  I programed...Does this contain peanuts, nuts, or nut-based oils...and my son is allergic to nuts into the history of the translator app.  With this we were armed and headed out to eat at our first Japanese restaurant.  We headed a little further out than before and visited More's City...this is a clothing related mall, which has dedicated floors for food.  We headed to the eighth floor and picked out a restaurant.  They were all nice restaurants and a few traditional restaurants(where you sit on a pillow and take off your shoes when you enter...we're going to do this when we have a sitter for Noah).  We entered and were greeted with the statement...No English.  This would be a test for all of us and for the apps on the iPhone.  In Japan, it is completely standard to have pictures of the food on the menu and to advertise your food outside of the store with plastic replicas.  So...we pointed on the menu and I brought up my food allergy questions on the iPhone and handed it to the waitress.  She told me ni, ni-no no.  I ordered us water in Japanese, mizo.  Our food came and Zack cooked it at the table.  Noah did really well and we were thankful.  I have heard that the Japanese population is decreasing and this seems pretty consistent to what we have seen...not many pregnant women or children around Noah's age....and these children are just not seen...a lot of children around 2-3years old are out.  We did see a few babies when we were out today, though.  Our food was done and we ate with chopsticks at the table.  Zack was a natural and I struggled a bit...but was able to eat pretty well.  Noah put down his fork and wanted to eat off of the chopstick!  The waitress however did bring us some forks just in case we couldn't do the chopsticks...and she giggled when she handed them to us.  LOL  Towards the end of our meal the restaurant became more crowded and had many couples doing supper out on a Friday night.  We saw a few women wearing kimonos and the traditional wooden sandals.  Those are two of the items on my buying list...I want to get a kimono and the wooden shoes that actually fit me.  We headed back to the base and started the bedtime routine.  Noah took almost a 2.5 times longer nap than usual and he was not ready to go to bed.  While we were struggling to get Noah to go down we experienced our first earthquake.  Zack was laying on the bed and he felt the bed shake.  I was standing and only heard the mirrors hitting the wall and the ceiling mounted AC shake...we are on the first floor.  It was over pretty quick and I looked up later that it was a 5.3...located 50ish miles north of Tokyo. 

This morning we headed to Misawa Park located about 15 minutes by walking from the main gate.  It's located on the water...and there is a museum ship from the turn of the century...and the park also does a water show in the afternoon.  We decided not to do the ship today and wait until we could do it without Noah being along.  It makes me nervous to be on a ship where if he starts yelling and screaming(which Japanese children do not)...and then be stuck on the inside on a tour.  So...rather than making a cultural mistake we'll come back at another time.  Noah was asleep in the stroller and we headed out to find some food.  We found a great Chinese restaurant and were able to eat most of our meal before Noah woke up.  When dining out at a restaurant in Japan...the waiter or waitress will bring you a hot moist towel.  You use this towel to wipe your hands and face off before dining.  This was also done on our flight when we were close to Japan.  In smaller restaurants there is a button on the table that you push when you are ready to order or need to speak with the waitress...pretty nifty thing.  We ordered off of their English menu and ate our yummy food with chopsticks.  Noah woke up and waitress brought him a glass of orange juice, which he enjoyed...and an older Japanese couple sitting across from us enjoyed watching him.  We told them hello in Japanese(konichiwa) and they told Noah bye-bye when they left.  We actually had to say bye to everyone in the entire restaurant as they were all talking to Noah in Japanese and they telling him bye-bye(in English)!  He also gets touched a lot because it is good luck to rub a baby or small child's head.  He gets his back, head, hands, arms, legs and just about everything touched when we are out in the city.  Noah hasn't reacted negatively yet towards anyone...he enjoys the attention but often turns into shy guy.  We've noticed the Japanese love to talk to him...I am sure it's not just him...but we haven't really seen any small Japanese kids out and about.  When we were out with Dixie and her 5mth old daughter we got twice as much attention from people walking down the street...people coming up and checking out the kids...smiling...and then bowing to us.  We then headed down to More's City and checked out some clothing places.  I found two shirts that can also be used as maternity shirts.  I just love the clothes and shoes here and will enjoy shopping at that mall!  Also at this mall they were handing out small packs of tissues with their business' name and info on it...this is a way of advertising but also a necessity because not all restrooms have toilet paper!  Zack was loving the food...and he said his mouth was watering just looking into the windows!  We were melting from the heat and headed back to the base to rest.  The entire time we've been here it's been clear skies and hot.  I am thankful that the rainy season decided not to happen but I'd take a few clouds!  We paided our first bill to the Lodge...we pay in 10 day periods and then Zack turns the paperwork into the Navy...we then get paid back.  We also did the laundry and just hung out.  Noah fell asleep almost two hours earlier than usual...partly because of this short nap and because being off base and in the heat just wears him out...and wears us out!  The decision to get an iPhone was the best option...it's so nice just to be able to type in the question or statement and then hand them the phone to read in Kanji!  We've successfully navigating shopping and dining out this weekend...and it all went well considering that we didn't understand them and they didn't understand us...or they knew a few English words to give us an idea of what they were trying to tell us...it's kinda interesting to shop or dine because they still talk to you in Japanese like they would any regular customer even though they know you don't understand a bit of what they are saying!  We know a few of the major words and I am sure that we'll learn a lot more and hopefully some Kanji as well!

Here is the link to the pictures:

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.732399753333.2206263.47209158&l=d87dfa91e9

Here are a few cultural "things" that we are aware of when we are out in town..I am sure there are tons more that we'll learn along the way!  This is a culture that is full of improper behavior and rules!

It is improper to eat in public...such as eating a snack while walking down the street.  It is also improper to drink and walk down the street.  There are vending machines for drinks along the street but the items are bought and then you find a place to sit down before drinking.

It is also improper to argue or be cross in public.  This would embarrass the person in public.

It is a HUGE no no to stick your chopsticks upright in a bowl of rice because this is similar to incense being burned at a funeral...as is passing food from chopstick to chopstick.  It is a cultural thing here to share the food you have ordered...however the food is put on a plate and then passed...this is because at funerals bones are passed in this manner into a urn.  It is also improper to mix the rice into the dish if it was not prepared in that manner...this is considered barbaric.  It is also improper to pick through your food dish...you don't leave certain food in the bowl and eat the rest...also better to eat everything on your plate than to leave some behind.

It is improper to look an elder man in the eye...this causes him to be uncomfortable and possible embarrass him in public.

There are TONS of rules about bowing...and the degree of bowing and what it means.  Generally non-Japanese people are not expected to know the ins and outs of this...just doing a bow is doing well.  We have seen Japanese natives bow when opening their stores, leaving the front of the storefront and going into the back area, when they are in your way and general things like that.  Zack and I just do a head bow for now...but the Japanese bend at the waist when they bow.  We do it to say thank you(arigatou), I'm sorry, excuse me type thing...or if we are around an elder man and might have stepped on his toes somehow.

It is improper to point and a big no no if someone might happened to be standing in the direction of your finger!

It is improper to count your money to stare at it too long when someone gives you change.  This is a culture that prides itself on honesty(no crime..we leave Noah's stroller outside of stores and it will be there without a doubt when we return)...or to do anything to make the other believe that you don't believe they are honest.

Baby Bean Check Up

Nothing impressive to report today...Noah and I headed to the CDC this morning so that I could drop him off and head to the hospital for my OB appointment.  I called a taxi right before heading into the door...I signed him in and dropped him off in the room.  He went in and started playing with some toys and I snuck out the door.  I'm headed out the door and can see the taxi waiting outside....and I get stopped to fill out paperwork.  I've been in this building two other times to fill out paperwork...including paperwork for Noah's epipen.  I'm a little annoyed and after rushing through signing and dating permission slips for the epipen(exactly why these weren't given to me the two other times when I signed paperwork for his epipen...I don't know)...I go outside to see that someone else has snagged my cab.  Another call for a taxi and I'm on my way.  I am able to knock out a few errands in the building..dropping of more of Noah's medical records, dropping off dental charts and putting our names on the waiting list for appointments, and lastly leaving a paper for a pediatrician to sign for the CDC about his epipen.  The CDC keeps nagging me about this piece of paper...I am only one person running errands all over the place and can get it done when I can.  I should have it back in 72 business hours, which means it will probably be done on Monday.  And I won't be able to go and pick it up because I'll be at AOB all day every day...and I'll have to listen to more nagging!  Yeah, well...they'll just have to get over it.  My appointment went fine and I have one scheduled in 4 weeks and an ultrasound scheduled for July 25th.  Because we were changing duty stations I missed the ideal window for the ultrasound and the Dr. told me that they will probably give me a difficult time about it...but it really doesn't matter....they may not be able to get pictures of everything(the gender though shouldn't be an issue)...but since I'm thin she thought it wouldn't be a big deal.  It is what it is...and we're having this baby.  Well..surprise...surprise the lady at the desk in radiology was less than pleased to find out that I am 23 weeks...missing the window by one week.  I told her that I just got here and we were between duty stations...this information was met with a scowl and tight lips.  She was also not pleased that I have AOB all next week and wouldn't be able to make an appointment that week.  She informed me that this is a time sensitive appointment..to which it was difficult to hold my tongue.  A few more scowls and the appointment was done...and then she says nicely that I should call if I need to reschedule.  Time out!  You just have me a hard time because I moved duty stations half-way around the world and missed the ideal window by a week and now you say that it's okay to reschedule?  Really?!  I smiled and called for a taxi!  I picked Noah up and was told that he did great and loved playing outside in the water.  I'm glad that he enjoyed it since he will be there everyday next week.

The afternoon proved to go much better and Dixie and I were able to go to PSD and get our passports stamped with a multiple re-entry stamp...no idea how this differs from a single entry stamp but we assume that this allows us to travel in and out of the country freely.  Dixie and I chatted and learned a bit about each other.  We are going to get together tomorrow morning...probably off base and check things out together.  We've really connected and I think we can become great friends.  So far...Operation Find A Friend is a real success!  Also on a positive note I called the AMC counter and my suitcase is in Yokota!  Yay!!!  I made the lady all but swear on her life that it would be on the shuttle to Yokosuka tomorrow.  I contacted the shuttle service and they are going to call me once the suitcase makes it to them.  I will then go over and pick it up in the afternoon.  So...say some prayers that I am able to get the suitcase tomorrow and it makes it onto the shuttle.  I am looking forward to having my belongings back again!

Japanese Apartment Searching

I made a few setting changes to the comment area...anyone can make a comment...and I hope that it will solve the problems that some of you are having when trying to comment.

When I made the appointment with the realtor...she immediately called me back to change the time.  Then this afternoon she called to change the time again...I told her that no I couldn't do 1:00 compared to the 2:00 that we scheduled and it seemed to put her off a bit.  I was pushing making the 2:00 because of Noah's nap time.  She mumbled a bit either in English or Japanese..no idea...and then finally said..okay..I see you 2:00..bye...and then hung up.  It made me wonder if this is normal or did I have an appointment with a flaky realtor?  Either way I saw this appointment as a way to check out a real Japanese apartment and see some of the real culture of the country.  We shouldn't have any issue getting housing on this base...hopefully...so this is just jumping through housing hoops.  She arrived right on time and helped me install Noah's carseat in the backseat of her car.  She handed me the info sheets/layouts on the two apartments we were seeing...both were under 950sq feet.  We chatted on the way to the first apartment, which was about 20 minutes by car from the base and 10 minutes away from the train station.  She said that her last name isn't Japanese because she had an American husband.  However he died soon after they were married and before he could teach her English(she spoke enough but not completely fluent).  I am assuming that she was a GI bride and they never got the chance to experience marriage with one another.  She did say that she has a son...don't think he is married...as she didn't mention anyone else or grandchildren.  Her voice turned softer and her facial expression changed when she mentioned that she once had a husband but now a son.  Such love they must have shared for her to still get the love struck face after all these years...even though they only spent a short time together.  She was in love with Noah and I am sure that she would have made a wonderful grandmother.  I asked her a few questions...finding out the city is 7km long...seems short but this would probably take you a few hours to drive.  I also asked about peek traffic times.  Both apartments were the same just minor differences in the kitchens and square feet.  As you entered there was a master beedroom on the right with a closet and on the left was a second bedroom without a closet.  Each bedroom ranged from 5 to 6 square meeters.  Then down a narrow hallway with closets along the way and then a room with a toliet and sink.  The bathroom was next sharing a wall with the room with the toliet.  Then the kitchen...right around 4 square meters.  Then a living room ranging from 10-11square meters.  Then was the Tatami Room...both about 6 square meters.  This room as tatami mats on the floor(mats with .5inch reed type material weaved together)...The room has sliding doors that can be closet for sleeping.  This room does not have closets but it has room for two(crib-sized) matresses to be put in the wooden frames in what would be the closet area...one on the floor and one about waist level on me...bunk beds.  And each apartment had a balcony.  There is no possible way that our furniture would fit...and in American standards we would be living in a super small space for four people.  Our apartment in Va Beach was 1200 square feet and these both were quite a bit smaller than that...and now we'll have bean.  However...if we were single or only had one child it would have been perfect.  The first apartment was super nice and looked brand new...next to a school and had a large courtyard area for children to play in...down on the bottom floor (it was open in the middle with just roofs covering the apartment wings).  Both of the rents were just around 2700 USD a month...pretty normal here.  In Japan, an agent can only show you the listings for their company...so you have to see a lot of different agents to look at many apartments.  Also you must pay the landlord one month's rent, security deposit is also one month's rent, and the agent fee is one month's rent plus a percentage of the rent...so just to get the keys you must pay in this case 8100 USD and then also pay your first month's rent...so a total of 10800 USD in this case.  That gives a whole new definition to the American sense of a "qualified renter"!  She had an appointment on base, which is why she wanted to make it earlier, to sign a housing contract.  The realtor has to come on base and sign paperwork with the Navy in order for the housing option to be approved.  I took a few pictures but my cable is in my suitcase...so whenever that shows up I will post them on facebook.  Zack asked me when we were out in town Sunday...if I was happy.  We often ask each other this question and then take that time to unload if something has been bugging us or to bring up an issue to discuss.  I asked him...do you mean in this moment or in general...he clarified saying both...and added happy being here.  I answered that yes I am happy now, more than happy with us, and yes I am happy being here!  He nodded in agreement.  Zack never "bonded" with living in Virginia because he was gone most of the time...he never considered it his home.  I loved it there and yes some of this was a personal choice to learn to love it because it was my home.  And when we left in May...I left with tears in my eyes.  And I am surprised with the feeling of home I'm already having here...this is going to be a wonderful experience for us.  The military lifestyle has added so much to my character and just me as a person because I choose to see it as chance for personal growth...Zack also has this attitude and therefore our marriage has grown into something that is beyond amazing through our experiences.  We are looking forward to new experiences here and the impact they will have on our marriage and us as individuals.

America the Mighty?

Zack and I did a little research on the country and culture before our move...each in our own way...I read a National Geographic Travel Guide sent to us by Linda...and Zack watched a series on the Discovery Channel about Japan.  I had read that it is completely normal for the male of the household to leave for work with the sun and return as it sets...six days a week.  There have been reforms to some businesses to have a half work day on Saturday.  Last night after super we walked over to a mini-mart to pick up a few grocery items and on our way back(around 6) we met in the hallway the housekeeper.  I mentioned to Zack that she was our housekeeper....he said that "these Japanese people have a crazy work ethic...they work all the (enter cuss word) day...they give Americans a bad name!"  I reminded him of that tid bit I read in the travel book...and he answers, "They weren't lying!".  And for Zack to say that someone is working a lot is a big deal since his father instilled him in him what others see as a crazy work ethic.  I asked him if he thought an American moving company would deliver at 6:30 in the morning...and he replies, "Oh, hell no!".  LOL...some Japanese work ethic in America would do it some good! 

After doing laundry this morning we jumped on the bus headed to get our passports stamps..only for me to realize that I forgotten the bold lettering on the to do list that stated they were closed on Wednesday.  We then took that opportunity to hike down to the post office and check our mailbox.  We had a few minutes to wait for the bus so Noah played around in a small grassy area...pointing out to me the birds.  I absolutely with no reservations can say that I hate birds.  They just freak me out...something about them doesn't quite seem real or natural.  A few birds in a tree singing a song is fine but swarms of birds or birds coming up to me wanting bread at the park is NOT.  In VA Beach it was Zack's job to get the birds off the patio should one make the mistake of thinking it was okay to land on the fence.  As much as I hate birds...Noah absolutely loves them.  He has brought me around liking ducks as we feed wild ducks in VA Beach...and they became tame enough they would eat the bread out of our hands.  I even went out of my comfort zone to go with Noah and a few family members to an outdoor aviary.  He was completely amazed and I was on edge the entire time!  Saying this...there are massive black crows here on base that sit in the tops of trees and caw down at you(Isn't there some bad luck saying about black crows cawing at you?).  They are no joke 3 or so times bigger than the crows back home.  Dixie and I even spoke about how big they are yesterday at the CDC...they would put the birds in Alfred Hitchcock's Birds...to shame(which is how I got my fear of birds...freshman year in English class...for some reason it was in the high school curriculum to watch this movie).  Noah enjoys finding them in the trees...and they are so massive that he can easily pick them out even when they are on the top branches.  Should these birds decided to swarm together in my presence...it just might make me run screaming at the top of my lungs!  From what I can gather about the base it was used first as a Japanese base and then the U.S. took it over in 1945 after the war.  From 1938-1945 there were more than 260 caves and in more than 20 different tunnel/cave systems...27km of known tunnel systems on the base...however I have heard a few people say that there are also tunnels out in the town and in the surrounding area.  During the war, each department was in charge of digging their own tunnels...so they are sorta everywhere...some faces of a hill have 3 tunnel entrances built in and others have none...it must have been we got!. here first go somewhere else type deal.  Included were a 500 bed hospital, large electrical power generating facility, and a midget submarine factory...among a few.  I believe that there are 3 tunnels/cave entrances that are still in use by the U.S. Navy and rest of the entrances were sealed off in 1992 for safety reasons.  The entrances are still quite visible and sealed with concrete and stone.  Zack has said that he's seen sealed openings on top of hills along the base...such as openings used as watchtowers, machine gun bunkers...and things of that nature.  The base was bombed only a few times with minor to no damage as most of everything was underground...one I've read to be during the Doolittle Raid.  We've learned about all of this in school...seen movies...heard people talk...but it's a completely different feeling to be on this base knowing that it was once a fortress of the Japanese military...to see the cave/bunker entrances...to be out in town and see faces of older men knowing that most likely they once were a part of the Japanese Imperial Army.  It's a sobering thought.  I know that many WWII U.S. military men hated the Japanese until the day they died...it wouldn't be too far of a stretch to think that some of these men or even women that we see out in town just might have that feeling about us.  We want to go visit some of the WWII memorials...such as the memorials set up in memory of those who lost their lives because of the atom bomb...they certainly aren't thankful for such actions that caused unthinkable pain, death, destruction, and now even the lasting impression the radiation is having on residents of those cities and even descendants of survivors(cancer, DNA mutations, birth defects, and so much more).  If the roles were reversed...could Americans welcome Japanese military forces into their country?  We have been in Japan for about a week and I have already gained a new perspective of that era in History.  Such a feeling it is to be in this country and seeing History...History that many Americans have forgotten or dismissed because we won and that's what matters.  Before now...I never really stopped and considered the tragedy that was caused to this country...In my opinion...Americans have the mentality that the war was won case closed...do whatever it takes to win.  I've dug around in my head and can't think of a single event in American History that would compare...other than 9/11...and yet that horrible day is already fading in the minds of Americans.  What an honor it is to living in this country...and please let it be known to those that ask about us...and give you that sympathetic look....we are happy, healthy, and even thriving already in this wonderful country.

Gilligan's Island Suitcase Style

I woke up this morning completely excited to see my belongings today.  I held back and called the AMC counter at 7 this morning.  The man I spoke with told me that there was a note saying that it was not on the plane and will be on a plane next Monday from Korea.  He asked me to call him back while he tracked down the writer of the note...so I called back and he said that he's been calling all over the pacific/Seattle trying to find my suitcase.  Exactly which landmass in the Pacific is my suitcase on?  I told him that I was told that it was in Korea ...and now we don't know where it is?  He said he wasn't sure and that I should call back in the afternoon.  SCREAM!  As it turns out the bag is in Korea and to go along with the theme of this move here...someone didn't do their job and put it on the plane.  The next mission from Korea is on Thursday.  Everyone please say some prayers that my suitcase makes it on this plane...please!  One week down with beyond minimal clothes.  I have to attend a week long class (AOB) and at the end is the driving test...but I have to be here to accept the suitcase.  I have signed up for this class next week with Kat and Dixie..so hopefully all of our prayers will be answered and the suitcase comes on Thursday or Friday.  Zack came home yesterday and announced that he's pretty sure that he's been sweating since the moment he stepped off of the plane last week.  It made me giggle because it's true...he then stuffed his third t-shirt of the day into the dirty clothes bag!  Noah and I did one load of laundry this morning and saving the second load for tomorrow so that I can wear the shorts I'm wearing now(my only pair of shorts) to the housing appt. in the afternoon.  We then headed over to the CDC(child development center) to attend the mandatory orientation.  I will be staying home with Noah but it's also mandatory for hourly care(less than 25hrs a week)...so that stay at home parents can attend appointments, clean the house, go shopping without children...etc.  And for bonus one Saturday and month they are open from 5-12pm so parents can have date night!  How amazing is that!  There was one other mom, Dixie, also attending the orientation with her 5mth old daughter...they were also on the plane with us from Seattle.  Noah was entertaining her in the airport with his antics.  We exchanged room numbers and chatted....and spoke about getting together soon.  She also said that they went out in town and were a bit overwhelmed...she also asked if we took a stroller.  I said that we did and we discussed how there must not be any handicap accessibility laws b/c it is completely not stroller friendly...glad that I wasn't the only one who noticed this!  She said that they also have a jogging stroller and if they took it out in town it would be the Godzilla on the street...actually have not seen any Japanese parents pushing a stroller...but then again most only have one and at max two children.  They just carry them on their hips.  We have a double stroller to use after bean is born...it will be interesting using it in town!  I spoke with one of the teacher's of Noah's room and she went over the procedures, "safe food", and schedule of the room....they also do signing there!  We then walked down the hall so I could see the room...Noah immediately took off and was climbing on the toys in the room...he threw a fit when it was time to leave.  We walked over on Friday so I could fill out some paperwork and Noah fussed the entire time in the lobby and today he was playing with the toys...trying to escape down the hallway...and then threw a fit when he had to leave the room.  I will be taking him there Thursday morning so that I can attend my OB appointment.  I'm thinking that he shouldn't throw too much of a fit when I leave!  I also was connected to another wife here, Heather, who is from the Huntingburg area...so Operation Find A Friend has two new prospects!  The forecast outlook for the next week is highs in the 90's...the CO(Captain of the Base..Captain Owen)...mentioned in this weeks video message about how this will be the test for the base's energy conservation efforts...so I guess we shall see how we do.  Zack complains about how hot it is in the room...even compared to the hallway...but I looked and their thermostat is set at the same temperature as ours...25 degrees Celsius...77 degrees.  I remind him that he's going to have to suck it up because if everyone cranked it down then we won't have any electricity.  The Captain's wife is Japanese...and his wife's cousin went missing after the disaster and he gave the update this week that a body was verified to be hers by DNA.  Four months later his wife has closure about her missing cousin.  Just absolutely nuts...and completely sad.  And then the survivors of the disaster in the north keep having small to moderate earthquakes and tsunami warnings...I know that his is all a part of God's plan...but can't these people catch a break?  Noah went down for a nap super well this afternoon...with hardly any fighting.  I'm glad that we've made a lot of progress in only a week...sleeping through the night again and now doing nap well.  Zack has said that by the time he gets comfortable/adjusted here...we might have housing and we'll have to start the process all over again.  This is true but it will hopefully be the last move for us for a while.  I've asked Zack if he wanted to be a guest writer on our blog for a day and he declined the honor...but hopefully he'll come around...eventually!  We do have cable TV and enjoyed a Harry Potter marathon yesterday on ABC Family...there are maybe 15-20 American cable channels.  We haven't quite figured out how far behind we are...maybe 24hrs?  Anyone out there know when Harry Potter marathon was in the U.S?  We have some of the most important channels for our family..History, TLC, FX, and ABC Family...and PBS and a few Disney cartoons available as well.  Of the Navy mandated to do list we only have the passports left(the office was closed by the time Zack got back yesterday).  And then a few little to do that have popped up as bi-products of the master to do list...again can you imagine one sheet of 8.5x10 sheet of paper having so much power?!  Housekeeping always makes it to our hallway during nap time unless we are out and about during nap time.  I have just taken to asking the lady for what we need and exchanging the items.  They use the same sheets, vacuum and other items that I used at my summer's at Santa's Lodge...they however could use a lesson in folding sheets especially fitted....they could fit so much more on the cart neatly! LOL  Today we needed new sheets for our beds.  I went out and asked and their eyes got big when I said that I'll just take them..."you mean your going to change your own sheets?"...."Yes, I am...and I'll bring you the dirty ones"..."They exchange looks and say...oh".  Doesn't anyone else around here change their own sheets?  I'd wash them along with our laundry except it would probably cost me an extra 2 dollars to wash and dry them.  When we were out in town, Sunday, Noah didn't have shoes on b/c it was hot and he didn't get out of the stroller...and once we got on base he was walking barefoot on the concrete and grass around the bus stop.  A Japanese woman said.."Oh, my...no shoes?"...I informed her that we're lucky to get him to put clothes on in the morning!  She just giggled.  Well today Noah took a nap in just his diaper and woke up when I was getting ready to take housekeeping our old sheets so I had to take him with me(I did wrap his blankie around his diaper)...they commented while laughing..."naked baby".  Zack and I have both said that Noah would be perfectly fine being completely naked all the time!  These people should just be thankful that he at least had a diaper on...as this is often not the case!  Once again it seems the Gogel Family is bucking the system...this time it's changing our own sheets and our child being seen in a diaper and without shoes...what "rules" will we break next!

Jumping Through Housing Hoops

Zack was able to go the housing brief this morning...he came home and said that it was only the off base housing brief and he would have to go back in the afternoon for the on base housing brief.  The Navy gives us TLA-Temporary Living Allowance for 10 day periods.  After 10 days we must pay the Lodge and then turn in our receipts to get money from the Navy.  However we are only given TLA if we are "aggressively searching".  We learned today that this means that in the first 10 days we must look at 2 off base housing options...for every 10 days after that we must look at 5 off base options.  The housing office wants everyone out of the Lodge as soon as possible.  I called and set up 2 viewings from the list of English speaking realtors for Wednesday afternoon.  Zack will have duty that day and his classes should be beginning soon...so he may or may not be able to attend with us.  The realtor is meeting me here at the Lodge and will then take us to view 2 listings.  I have to get her to fill out some paperwork and then turn it back into the office for proof.  Talk about jumping through hoops...so this week that leaves Friday as the only day I'm not busy or jumping through some office's hoops.  Hopefully Kat is free on Friday...as I told Zack this afternoon...we are in Operation Find A Friend!  We want to stay in Yokosuka so if we don't get on base housing here then we want to go off base.  The other on base housing options are between 25-45 minutes away.  Zack would have to get up super early to get on the base shuttle at the base.  Also...the hospital is here along with all the major Navy "stuff".  We are approved for a 3 bedroom home on base because of baby bean(also part of pregnancy plan...if we hadn't come here pregnant we would have gotten a 2 bedroom home).  We have been told that we should be given an housing option within the next 15 days.  However we are free to decline if we don't want it and take the next offer.  It can take up to a year to get into the townhouses so we will most likely just take an apartment so that we can get in and settled before bean arrives.  I am pretty sure that we can rent or borrow some furniture if we get into housing before August 1st..as this is when our belongings are due to arrive here in Japan.  It should be an interesting Wednesday afternoon seeing off base options!  I want to take pictures to show Zack and then I'll post some as well.  Zack got off after lunch and was able to pick up new running shoes (his old pair was Navy issued at boot camp and were full of holes), then he bought himself a bicycle and all the necessary safety equipment...you must have a reflective vest, a light, and a bell or horn.  He has to go next door and register it...this is mostly if it is stolen and to make people think twice about bike theft.  They almost all have handle bar baskets so they can take stuff to and from work.  It is an interesting sight seeing all of these grown macho men in their uniforms riding bikes with baskets in the front...there arn't too many ways to man that up!  It's so humid here that Zack comes home dripping head to toe...even the towels and dish cloths in the room don't dry out all day long.  If we leave papers out in the room and not in the closets...they actually get damp.  But this is all in the name of energy conservation...I'd rather deal with this than have rolling blackouts.  Zack comes in from work and cranks up the fan...him and Noah are then in their respective underwear attire...Noah's hair is completely wet at the end of the day..especially if he's playing hard around the room.  On a side note Noah has been sleeping better at night...last night he woke up because he lost his bink in the bed covers(he sleeps in the other queen bed with pillows around him)...and the night before that he slept the entire night.  Because of the time difference I have hardly an fb updates on my homepage and so I pretty much stalk my own blog!  A bit on the "Oh, My" side I know.  However I am happy to report that one of you closet readers has become a follower!  Hoot, Hoot for you!  I am up to a whopping 5 and I am super excited! LOL..Also to report I have readers in the following countries: U.S., Japan, Germany, Netherlands, and Indonesia!  Zack likes to burst my bubble saying that some of these people might have typed something into Google and it came up and they clicked and then hit the exit button right away...however my spirit will not be dampened!  I appreciate everyone reading my rambelings and I report to Zack each night how people people visited the blog that day!  And to ramble...those family members that I have given our room number to...it will only be good until the 18th(Japan's 18th).  The room we are currently in is going to be remodeled and we will be moved to a room on the otherside of the Lodge.  We arn't too excited about having to move all of our "wonderful things" but just maybe this room will be bigger...but hopefully the same amount of storage.  I said "wonderful things" b/c there are two things that will send me to have steam come out of my ears in 2.0 seconds..1. pointing your finger at me while saying "you did..."...2. Calling my things crap or shit...both are just not cool...not cool at all.  Also today to knock off one of the last to do items...we have to go to PSD(personal support detachment) and get our passports stamped.  They were stamped at the AF base and no idea why they have to be stamped again but the list has spoken.  This list sure has a lot of power even though it's becoming a damp wrinkled piece of paper hanging on the fridge!

Going off Base

Zack came home from duty this morning and we got ready..and headed to the bus stop.  We rode the bus to the main gate and then walked off base into the city.  It was nice to get off the base...as I was starting to feel caged.  We headed to the mall and got there around 9:30...the mall opened at 10:00 so we walked around a bit.  Most Japanese malls/department stores have grocery stores on the bottom.  So...we decided to take a short cruise through the store and I'm almost 100% positive that we were the only white folks in the joint...Zack made a comment how sorta strage feeling it is to see yourself as a minority...just not used to it.  The mall finally opened and we visited a few stores on each of the 5 levels(including a movie theater, Bowling ally, gym, arcade...)...the mall was pretty big and had many hallways.  Zack was on a mission to look for bicycles so I am going to have to go back with Noah and check out the clothing and other "girl" things Zack wasn't into.  I was trying to just soak it in and Zack was on his own mission!  Just about everything was in Japanese and stores ranged from video games, portriat studios, formal rentals, electronic stores, to department store type...where they sell just about everything...sorta like a wal-mart.  We did find a good clothing store for a children's section.  Our belly's were getting hungry and this momma wanted a cheese burger and fries.  Yes, I know that we are in Japan and I wanted a cheeseburger and fries.  So we found a restaurant...and Noah had my hamburger(This immediately made us both think of sailors on deployment that don't go out into the city...they stick right next to the boat and eat Taco Bell!...My answer to that is that what's more comforting in a foreign country than eating some delicious American food?  And I'm telling you that this cheeseburger was beyond delicious!).  I rubbed a fry on his arm a few times and once on the cheek to check for a reaction..and nothing.  So...now we know that they don't use peanut oil(I tried to ask and there was a huge language gap...we haven't figured out the iPhone yet! And the instructional pages and certain things on the phone are in Japanese!).  It is so hard to find safe food for Noah with the language gap that we will probably eating a lot of American style food.  I am going to have to research nut use in Japanese food...and a lot of Asian countries use cold pressed oil(peanut oil).  We then headed back to the Lodge to snack and rest.  On the bus...on the back to the Lodge we ran into the family that sat behind us on the plane to Yokota.  They have a daughter entering the 1st grade this fall.  Noah just LOVES her and is excited to see her each and every time.  The momma, Kat, chatted with me about getting together sometime this week...so with my schedule either Wednesday or Friday.  They have been off base a bit more than us and she mentioned seeing a great children's store and she thinks they have maternity clothes there.  In the mall I didn't see any store or any section for maternity clothes...saying this though most Japanese women(not teenagers or young adults) wear loose fitting clothing tops and pants and many of the shirts could double as maternity clothes.  I have only seen one or two pregnant Japanese women and they both were wearing long summer dresses.  Teenagers and young adults dress more modern and not as conservative...wearing tank tops, short skirts and shorts, and just in general tighter form fitting clothing.  The mall was beyond hot...not sure if this was because of the amount of people or because of energy conservation.  There was a system of escalators going up and down the floors...I looked over the edge of a balcony looking straight at the escalators and it sorta reminded me of an ant farm!  People moving one right after another along the "tunnels"...a lot...a lot..of people.  Even though it was hot...none carried water bottles or even acted like the temperature bothered them...many men had sweat spots on their shirts.  We noticed quite a few people with severe disabilities and I am not sure if they are ignored or simply accepted or if it's a culture thing where it's improper to point out others faults.  There was a specific elevator designated for wheelchairs but that's just about it.  The bathrooms and entrances to restaurants were not handicapped accessible to wheelchairs/strollers/or even people overweight.  Speaking about bathrooms...I used the one in the mall...I turned towards the toliets and on the right side were American style toliets and on the left were Japanese hole in the ground toliets(more than a hole in the ground...I'll have to sneak a picture sometime when there arn't any Japanese people in the restroom).  There was also a urinal in the bathroom...I'm assuming that this is for mother's with small sons...but I'm not going to say that with 100% certainty! LOL  I've added a few pictures to an album on fb and this is the public link:

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.732399753333.2206263.47209158&l=d87dfa91e9

We plan on further exploring down the street more...soon! 
Then later we headed to find Zack a bike.  He's already tired of walking to work and will mostly likely buy a bike tomorrow.  Just about everyone rides a bike to work!  We also checked out the used cars on base and Zack is trying to find a van type vehicle that isn't extremely hideous or goofy looking.