An International Experience

Never in my life did I think that I was ever going to leave my hometown, Tustin, California. I moved to California from the Philippines before I was even a year old. I lived in California for ten years so it became my comfort zone. I thought that I was never going to move because I didn't want to leave. Then one night my dad told us that we have to move some where over seas. That's when everything changed, I was officially a military brat. I knew my dad was in the military, it just never occurred to me that we would have to move so much.

The night that my dad gave us the news that we were moving, we were able to choose where we wanted to move. The choices were, Italy, Okinawa, Guam, or Hawaii. My first choice was Italy because I've always wanted to go there. Unfortunately, my family decided to move to Okinawa, Japan. Moving to Okinawa was not a problem for me because I knew this would be a once in a life time experience. Living in Okinawa has taught me more about diversity, friendship, and life in a different culture.

When I first arrived to Okinawa, Japan, I arrived on an Air force Base so it wasn't anything different from what I have seen in America. Except that when I flew there, I rode in a cargo air plane which was different for me. That was my first time riding in one, so I guessed that was one of the advantage of being a military brat. Although I don't think people should take advantage of it because it was uncomfortable and noisy. It felt like my ears were going to pop. After going through customs and getting our luggage, one of my dad's coworkers were already waiting for us. I walked outside and I saw the van that we were going to ride in. When I tried to get into it I went on the opposite side of where the door was. I guess was thinking that I was still in America. I felt embarrassed because my dad's coworker was laughing at me along with my family. It took me awhile to get use to it.

As were were driving to the lodge where we were going to stay I looked around and observed the island. Everything was small - the cars, the houses, the parking spaces, and the streets. There were Japanese signs everywhere and vending machines on streets at every corner. This was all different for me but I was very excited to get to know the Japanese culture.

During my three and half years in Japan I have been to many Japanese cultural festivals and historical cites that indulged me into their culture. I remember going to this place called Nago Point which was the northern part of the island. At this place they had a cliff where it says that during the war, people would commit suicide here. I thought that it was interesting but it sent chills down my spine. When we took a picture near it, I was very scared and cautious. One of the Japanese festivals that I went to was the famous Japanese Cherry Blossom Festival. At these festivals People would perform their traditional dances in their kimono outfits. They would also play what they call, "taiko drums". I was amused about how big, loud, and nice looking they were. During my stay in Japan I always wanted to learn how to play those, but the closest thing I got to it, was playing the video game. I was also enlightened by the cherry blossoms which were prettier than the ones here.

Living in Okinawa, Japan not only introduced me to a different culture but it also taught me how strong friendships can be. When I first found out that I was moving, I thought that meeting new friends would be hard because I'm not the type to be the first one to approach someone. I moved to Okinawa in the middle of my 6th grade year so I came to my new school during the middle of the year. The type of school that I went to was a DoDDS school (Department of Defense Dependent School) where other students are military brats as well. On my first day of school I walked from the lodge where we were staying at. I had to go to the office myself for all the paper work and administration things. I was scared and nervous because I didn't know what I was doing. Then one of the counselors who was really nice showed me around which made me less nervous. She showed me how the classes ran and the "specials" that I would have each morning. I remembered that I had P.E the first day and once I walked into the gym, all eyes were on me. This is when I started to get a little shaky and played with my hands as a nervous habit. Then less than a minute later, this girl named Sheila ran to us and asked the counselor if I was new. She told me that she would show me around and introduce me to other people. To my surprise, everyone was friendly and I got along fine with my classmates. As the day went by I was introduced to other people in different classes, this made me more comfortable at my new school. At the end of the day I felt relieved and relax because I wasn't scared anymore. By the end of the school year, I got to know more about everyone and Sheila along with three other girls became my best friend.

I will always remember my first day of school in Japan and the people that I met because they are the friendliest people that I have ever came across. They understood how I was feeling on the first day because everyone is aware that people move around a lot and its not easy to have to meet new friends in a new environment. As the years went by many of my friends had to move but at the same time new people came. When new students would come I would treat them the same way I was treated. Everyone at school knew who everyone was and we were all close to each other because the schools were very small. Its easy to get close to someone because when people move here they move away from their relatives so all they really have is their immediate family and the friends they meet. I became close to my friends because they were the only ones around my age group. Even though I knew some of my friends for a short amount of time, they quickly became a best friend to me because that's how strong friendships are. I learned so much about the importance of friendship and how people should enjoy each other because eventually we have to move away.

When I lived in Okinawa I was around a diverse community. Not only was I around Japanese people but I was also around people of different races. My house was on a military base where other military families stayed. These families came from not only America but from all over the world. This was different for me because when I lived in California, the community I lived in consisted of Mexicans. My family and I befriended the neighbors who were of different races and we were able to learn about them and their culture. I had a friend who was Chinese and every time I came over it was like a whole new world for me. The way her house was decorated was different, the food was different, and I couldn't understand anything her mom was saying. I knew she felt the same way when she came over to my house. This made me appreciate my ethnicity and everyone else's. If there is one thing I learned from being in a diverse community it is that we are all different but there is ALWAYS at least one thing we all have in common and we should never judge.

I miss Okinawa, Japan and I wouldn't mind staying there again. This experience is unforgettable and very important to me because it has taught me a multiple of things. I'm grateful for the opportunity to be exposed to a different culture and life style. I've learned about friendship and how long they can last because even till now, Sheila is still one of my best friends even though it has been more than three years since we have seen each other. Although, I miss my hometown in California I'll always remember my experience in Okinawa.