Trip to Okinawa: Part 8

Half way into my trip I was able to meet up with my favorite study partner, Yukiko-san! Yukiko-san and I used to study English and Japanese together at least one time a week when I lived in Okinawa. One afternoon we got to catch up on each other’s lives over lunch. I learned that she has been helping to run a business with the Americans on-base. In the past two years he has had to speak a lot of English when she contacts her customers, so her English has improved a great deal! I was very impressed! Also, she just found out that she is having another baby! This is great news because she was told she couldn’t have any more children (she has a 4 year-old daughter now). Miracles happen every day!
私の　お友だち　ユキコさんと　会えました！沖縄に住んだ時に　毎週　ユキコさんと　日本語と英語をべんきょうしに　会いましたね。彼女の仕事で　よく　アメリカ人と　話しているので　英語を　話すのが　とても　上手になりました!　WOW!　かんど　していました!　２回　ユキコさんと　会えました！私たちの前の　べんきょうするのところに「 Main Cityのサンエ」行きました！そして、ユキコさんは　にんしん　して　いると　言っています!　すごい　ですよ!　ユキコさん、おめでとう　ございます!　　

Not only did I have the chance to go back and see and do and eat everything I loved from when I lived in Okinawa, but I also got to have a few new experiences as well….such as… riding the bus!!!! I was totally confused the first time I got on, but after just the first ride I was able to easily take the bus to Okinawa City and Chatan. Although I didn’t take any pictures at the Laundromat, I can now add that too to my list of experiences in Okinawa. What fun!
はじめて　だった!　沖縄で　バスを　のりました!　読谷から　北谷と沖縄市まで　バスで　行けました。さいしょに　はらうことが　分かりませんでした。一回の後　ダイジョウブだった。一回だけ　バカに　みたい　でしたね。コインランドリも　はじめて　した!　新しい　けいけんが　大好きですよ!

Trip to Okinawa: Part 6

On the first weekend I spent some time with Erica-san in her hometown, Naha. I got the chance to meet her Grandmother (the cutest person I have ever met) and spend the night in her family’s house. Erica-san took me to a bingata (Okinawa fabric printing) factory. The factory wasn’t open, but the lady let us inside anyway. This picture is of Erica-san standing next to what will soon be an obi (the wrap that goes around a kimono).
週末に　エリカさんの　家族の　お家に　とまりました。きれいな　お家　ですよ!　おばあさんも　会えました!　彼女は　とても　やさしかった。しょうかいするの事　ほんとうに　とくべつな事でした。　いつまでも　おぼえます。エリカさんは　私を　ビンガタの　こうじょうに　つれて行きました。この写真で　エリカさんは　おび　の　となりに　立っています。

I went out with Erica-san and her friend Nao-san. We went to see Flamenco guitarists play at Erica-san’s guitar teacher’s restaurant. It was impressive! Especially since the two men from South America could speak Japanese…so cool! We took a short ride in a taxi to an Awamori bar. There we played with all the cool stuff they had in the back room, to include the san-shin(3 stringed instrument). Here we are having fun at KaraKara.
エリカさんと　ナオさんと　Flamencoライブに　行きました。このライブは　エリカさんの　ギター　先生のレストランに　いましたね。ギターを　ひく　二人男の人は　南アメリカから　沖縄に　ライブをしに　来ました！二人は　日本語を話すのが　上手でした!　すごかった！三人は　ライブの後　タクシーで　あわもりのバー『カラカラ』に　行きました。楽しかった、また　カラカラに　行きたいです!　

The next day Erica-san took me EVERYWHERE in southern Okinawa. First we went and weaved our own coasters with Nao-san. After that we drove to the glass factory and the laquerware factory. We then took a glass-bottom boat ride off the eastern side of the island. We were able to see so many fish and coral! Riding over the edge of the coral reef was the coolest part though…it just suddenly drops off… like a cliff..it’s amazing!
The waves were a bit rough though, so we were both pretty sea-sick when we got off. Next, Erica-san took me to one of Okinawa’s most sacred places on the Eastern side of the island. We had a great day and topped it off with a dinner at a local hotel that included a live performance by Suguru!!!!
次な日に　エリカさんは　たくさん　ところに　私を　つれて行きました。朝で　ナオさんと　会って　沖縄の　でんとうてきで　手作りの　ものの　ところに　行きました。自分で　コースターを　作れました！ほんとに　楽しかった！前の日に　ナオさんは　『いつのよ』『5－4』の　いみを　せつめいして　くれましたね。その後　コースターで「いつのよ」を　作れました！　次は　エリカさんと　りゅきゅの　グラスと　りゅきゅしっきの　こうじょうに　行きました。その後、エリカさんと　グラスボートを　沖縄のさんごいろを見に　のりました!　さんごいろの　はし　も　見られました。急だった!　びっくり　していました。次は、沖縄の　有名な　しんせいな　ところに　行きました。夕方で　スグルのライブに　行きました！　楽しい日だったけど　二人は　とても　つかれて　いました!　

MAY 30TH HAS COME!!!!!

Yes, of course I need to put this on my blog. I've been waiting a long time to find out what happens to my girlies. I must say... I was not disappointed. ahhhhh!!! I'm going again!
SEX AND THE CITYの日　ですから　もちろん　沖縄の話しの　きゅうけい　しています。今日は　１２：３０午後に　SEX and the Cityの　えいがを　見ました。やっぱり　ABSOLUTELY　すばらしかった!　Sex and the Cityの　ファンは　この　えいがを見るの後　とても　うれしくなりますね。日本で　八月２３日から　見えますよ!　「チカさんは　せいかく　な　ジョホを　おしえましたね。」（＾０＾）楽しいんで　ください!
After the movie I went to hang out with my favorite little man.... Keaton Coby!
えいがを見たの後　お兄さんのお家に　甥と遊びに行きました。

Trip to Okinawa: Part 5

Mod’s LiveHouse! I went to two shows at Mod’s the first week I was in Okinawa. Mod’s is where I saw a lot of shows when I lived there, so it was nice to be able to go back. Not much has changed there, actually. These pics are from sound check.
MODS　ライブハウスに　行きました！沖縄に　住んだの時　よくMODSに　ライブを　見に行きましたね。かわりませんでしたね。

The first show was Suguru. Suguru plays the sanshin and although I can only understand about a quarter of the lyrics to his songs, everytime I hear one of his songs it brings me right back to Okinawa. I was so happy to grab a pic with him after the show, although for some reason everytime I’m around him I suddenly lose my ability to speak Japanese. I just smile and giggle and look like and idiot. Oh, well…..lol
チカさんとSuguru ライブに行きました。ときどき　スグルの唄のかしを　分かれますよ!　かれの唄を聞くの時　沖縄の時間を　思い出します。スグルと　写真を　とりました。いつも　スグルと　話したいの時　日本語を　わすれます。。。ぜんぶ!　どうして?　ハハハハ!　どきどき。。。。

The next night I returned to Mod’s to see Hisano Live!!! What a treat! I was so excited to hear her perform her original songs from the CD she made last November. She even did “Nakayoshi” or “The best of Friends”, a song she wrote about the two of us. I love every song on her CD and I’m so glad that I had the opportunity to see her perform them live! She also threw in Nada Sou Sou and Daydream Believer…
次な日に　唐真久乃ライブに行きました。久乃のオリジナルの曲を　聞くのが　わくわく　した!!!　すばらしかった!　「なかよし」ライブに　かんどうしていました。「いつまでも　なかよし　思い出　忘れない。。。」久乃さん、この唄 ありがとう!

Trip to Okinawa: Part 4

One of the many places I re-visited on this trip was the Yomitan Pottery Village. The owner of one of the shops actually remembered me. It was nearly a year and a half since I set foot in her shop, but she recognized me right away! She gave Hisano-san and I some coffee and we got to chit-chat a bit. This was Hisano-san’s first trip to the Pottery Village. I was very happy to show her this very special place in Yomitan.
また　やちむん里に　行けました！　やきものの店　女は　私を　思い出しました！びっくりしていました。彼女から　コーヒーを　もらいました。久乃さんは　読谷の　やちむん里に　はじめて　行った。久乃さんと　いっしょに　やちむん里に　行って　うれしかった。

Trip to Okinawa: Part 3

Hisano-san and her husband cooked some delicious food a few times during my stay. My favorite was Hisano-san’s shabu-shabu/nabe lunch and also the miso soup she made from the broth of the left over nabe!!! It was sooooo delicious! Her husband also cooked up a few delicious meals to include niku-udon and gyoza! He is quite the chef! I am so happy that they cooked for me. It is one thing to go to a great restaurant and be served great food, but it is quite another when you have an unbelievably delicious home-cooked meal prepared by your friends.
沖縄に　いるの時　たくさん　おいしい　りょうりを　食べました！久乃さんの　シャブシャブ・ナベが　大好きですよ!　そして。。。。久乃さんの　味噌汁。。。WOW!　うまい!!!　平山さんも　りょうりが　上手です!　肉うどんが　おいしかった!！そして。。。おいしいな　じかせいのギョウザもを　作って　くれました!　二人は　りょうりが　上手ですよ!　また　沖縄に　二人の　りょうりを食べに　帰りたいです。じかせい　の　りょうりが　私の　いちばん　大好きです。ありがとう　ございました!

Trip to Okinawa: Part 2

子どもの日 !!!! or, Children’s Day! On Children’s Day I went to SunMarina Hotel for lunch with Hisano-san’s family. I was very excited to see them all, especially Hisano’s nephews Ryoga and Hiroha. Ryoga has grown so much since the last time I saw him. He talks a lot more now! This was the first time I met Hiroha… what an adorable baby…he has the cutest smile.
子どもの日に　唐真家族と　サンマリナホテルに　ランチを　食べに　行きました。二年前から　りょうがを　見ませんでしたから　びっくりしていました。リョウガは　いっぱい　しゃべります!　すごかった!　そして、ヒロハも　会いました！　ほんとうに　かれは　すごい　笑顔が　あります!