Sunday morning we all got ready and headed to the train station to go to the zoo. We had used the website:hyperdia.com and it pretty much dummy proofs the whole train thing for you and tells you what rain to be on and when to get off...especially if you have to switch tracks. We got on the train and picked our spots next to the window. Noah loves riding the train and watching everything go by in his window. He also enjoys people watching and trying to get someone to pay attention to him. We were seated in a grouping of 4 seats...two seats facing another two seats. I picked one next to the window and Zack stood behind us with the stroller. We have been told that it is not uncommon for you to pick a seat and the Japanese nationals will not sit next to you. Someone got on at a stop and picked the seat directly across from us. And then at another stop a couple got on and they picked the other two seats(facing each other). I was surprised that the woman had sat down next to me...and I could tell she was uncomfortable because she was trying to lean as far away as possible and leaning forward. The man was talking to her at the next stop and motioned over to the seat across the aisle from him. She said something back and got up and moved! Haha! And yes we had all showered that morning and were smelling quite fresh...but it's just something that makes them uncomfortable! We got off at our stop and headed out to find a taxi. The trains between home and Tokyo are fairly English friendly...with English titles below the Japanese and an English option on the machines...but we were told that beyond Tokyo the English in the stations drops off. We got in a taxi and thankfully he understood the word zoo! He dropped us off at the entrance and we had to hike up the hill. Japan is not a flat country...all hills and mountains. The zoo is built on the side of a mountain so we did a lot of up and down walking through out the day. We began walking up and reached a fork in the road. Zack ran ahead to see what was down the hill...and saw that it was huge slide. The slide had rollers on the top and was a winding path down the side of the mountain....super super long! So...Zack and Noah climb to the top and have a blast going all the way down...but then they had to walk back up again! We eventually made it to the entrance to the zoo and use the automated machine(pretty much everything here is automated) and purchased our tickets. It wasn't a super large zoo but had four different areas...Africa, Asia, The Americas, and an Australia/Oceanic area. Many of the animals were the same...like Elephants, Giraffes...etc. But there were some that we had never seen before. The zoo winded it's way up and down the side of the mountain so there was a lot of trees and shade cover which was wonderful. I had packed a few lunch items and we bought a meat item for all of us at the zoo. I used the iPhone to ask about the oil and was told it was soy nut oil. Zack and I were pretty sure that this meant soybean...since peanut oil really doesn't exist here. But we aired on the side of caution and didn't order anything made in the oil. If we had been anywhere and had the option we wouldn't have eaten anything to be on the safe side...but we were 99.9% sure it was safe. We had hot dogs on a stick...and tested the it out before letting him chow down on it. Noah made it through most of the zoo before falling asleep after lunch. When we were headed out the zoo I used the iPhone to ask for a taxi number. We did try to find the number of the cab company we used to get there but there was 4ish different numbers listed inside the cab and none were the same. They had preprinted slips with the number listed for the taxi...and we were thinking that this is going to be easy. I called once we reached the bottom of the hill and immediately said English before saying anything else. The man said...I don't speak English...do you speak Japanese. And I'm thinking that was a lot of perfectly worded English for a man that doesn't speak Japanese. I then saw a couple getting on their bicycles and said...excuse me in Japanese. They knew enough English for me to ask them to call the taxi service for us. They took the phone and called and then hung up...we really didn't understand what they were telling us other than that no taxi was coming. He ended up calling two other places for us to find us a taxi. They then waited for the taxi with us and ushered us into the cab...telling the driver where we needed to go in Japanese. Super thankful for them...and how friendly/helpful the Japanese people are! Once we were home...Zack and Noah enjoyed father-son swimming in the kiddie pool!
On Monday, we also enjoyed a day together as a family. Zack had the day off because of the ship's return home. We went to Livin and Homes...about a 15min. drive. Livin is sorta like a Walmart but way more upscale...and Homes is like a Home Depot. I'm pretty sure that each of these stores are owned by Walmart and Home Depot respectively. Even though this is my second visit to Livin...I have yet to see the entire store...it's gigantic! We ended up buy Noah some rain boots in the store area part and then went down to the grocery level to buy a few of our favorite Japanese items. At grocery stores they have packaged food(and in convenience marts)...including meals and side items. Zack got his sticky rice balls(Noah also absolutely loves these) and I got my favorite rice item too...and then a few other side items...like barbecue pork on a stick. We've come to the point that when we walk by a convenience store we pop in our heads to see if they have our favorite items! Then we picked up Noah's orange juice. He will not drink American orange juice...but will suck down Japanese orange juice. It does taste different...and contains less sugar. Then we got some of our favorite drinks...tea and vitamin water and some fresh fruit(Noah's tangerines and the best pineapple I've ever tasted). Yes the food is safe...the food here goes through more testing than the U.S.! The produce that makes it to the commissary is already on the verge of going bad and the meat isn't very fresh and all is very limited. We went to the check out and paid for our items...then you go to a small table and use the bags the checkout lady put in the basket to bag your own items. The carts at grocery stores consist of a rack on the top and bottom where a basket can sit. Their refrigerators and pantry areas are really small so there isn't a need for a huge shopping cart. We then drove across the street to Homes...which consists of furniture, curtains and rugs(household items), and then an entire floor dedicated to the usual Home Depot stuff. We picked up curtain rods and a few other items. You can pretty much say that you can buy whatever your heart desires at one or both of these stores! Zack drove home, which was his first time driving off base...he was nervous but did great! The rest of the day consisted of pool time and Zack completing items off of his Hunny Do List (hanging curtains, helping me with Bean's room, etc.) I will post pictures of our home when we feel like it's home enough...Bean's room isn't done yet. And we enjoyed our favorite Japanese items...and we were already fast forwarding to leaving the country and not being able to get our favorite items in the U.S.! I'm going to have to take an on base cooking class to learn how to make some of these items.
What a culture shock it will be for us to return to the U.S....especially for our children. Noah is starting to prefer the Japanese brands over American, chowing down on rice, using chopsticks, bowing...and probably so many more things he's picked up since being here for almost two months. Life is just so different here than in the U.S. And this caused us to have a discussion about life after the Navy. I want to start this off by saying that Zack has been in the Navy for almost 5 years(September). And for the past 5 years our record has been about 4ish months straight without him leaving (but this includes duty days-where he sleeps on a ship one night a week). Our next command will be shore duty (as long as he doesn't talk me into doing another sea duty rotation)...and this would consist of him coming home every night for 3ish years. All of you are probably starting to cheer inside...but Zack and I looked at each other and just started laughing! And then thinking about him getting out of the Navy and being home every night for the rest of our lives...this just puts us in overload! The idea is honestly completely unimaginable. And it would be an interesting time for our marriage for sure...Zack says he's going to need a job that includes traveling! LOL But I am sure that we'd get the hang of him being home every night after a while...maybe a long while...but eventually! And then we discussed about our children...and if we choose to move back home how difficult it might be for them to fit in with their peers. We already know that the students don't exactly embrace new kids....as kids moving in in the 3rd grade were still pegged as new kids long into high school. And our children will have a completely-180 degree different upbringing...and all that includes in moving every 3-4 years to a new location around the world and traveling while stationed. We are starting to think about the places/countries we want to visit while we are here...Australia, Thailand, Malaysia, China..all are real possibilities! But we firmly believe that our lifestyle and the opportunities that our children will have...will be a positive impact on their growth and development. Even if this means they are the most cultured kids in a school district...where there is special parking behind the Ag building for tractors! But right now we are living, loving, and thriving in Japan! Who's ready to come and visit?!
