I guess I should start with some sort of introduction just in case I'm lucky enough to have some lurkers! I'm a 30-something stay-at-home-mom (I'm sure some clueless husband must have come up with this label; as any mom can attest, I'm never actually at home) and proud military wife. My family and I are new residents of Yokota AB, Japan, having arrived here in Aug 07 from Tampa, FL (Riverview to be exact). Yokota is located in the Kanto Plain region, in Fussa-shi, about 25 miles northwest of Tokyo.
I grew up on Yokota, my dad did two tours here when I was a kid. Needless to say I was ECSTATIC to be returning with my own kids!! Lots of things have changed, as you would expect, but suprisingly a lot has also stayed the same in the 27 years since I lived here. Unbelieveably, we live on the same street that I grew up on! I can actually see my old house from my new backporch; my youngest daughter is attending my old elementary school and my oldest will be attending her aunts' alma mater. Another cool twist, my daughter's first and now best friend here (who was also born on the exact same day!!) lives in my old building!! Is that weird, or what?
I have hopes to make this blog a regular update of our lives in Japan, both for us and for our families and friends. I'll have learn how to post pictures and all that jazz. My techie skills are ridiculously outdated. We'll see how it goes....
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3 comments:
Were you living in Tampa, Florida?
Stationed at "MacDill Air Force Base"?
I grew up near Tampa (actually the other side of Tampa Bay). I've have never been inside MacDill AFB...but I knew it was there.
I've been living in Tokyo since 1990...so I don't know much about Florida anymore (you surely know it better than I do! :) )
And you grew up in Fussa (Western Tokyo)...and now you're back there again.
How old were you when you left Japan? How many years did you live here for?
Anyways, my family and I have been inside "Yokota AFB" for their "Friendship Day" before.
I wrote about it here:
http://tokyo5.wordpress.com/2008/08/25/this-weekend/
Have you ever been to the US Navy base in Yokosuka?
We've been to their "Friendship Day" a couple times too:
http://tokyo5.wordpress.com/2008/09/14/us-base-attacked/
WOW! What a small world! Yes, we came here from Tampa, Riverview to be exact! Before that we were up in the panhandle near Pensacola. Where did you live? We love Florida and plan to retire there eventually.
I moved to Japan when I was only 1 mth old! And we left when I was 10 yrs old, I still remember that as the saddest day of my life!
And yes, we've been to Yokosuka lots of times, the American shopping and dining is much better there than here, so I usually go about every other month.
Do you ever go back to the States?
>Where did you live?
I grew up in Clearwater, Florida. Across Tampa Bay from the city of Tampa.
>moved to Japan when I was only 1 mth old! And we left when I was 10 yrs old
Oh, so you were young!
But you were here ten years. Did you learn Japanese? Do you remember it?
>we've been to Yokosuka lots of times, the American shopping and dining is much better there than here
Really? I thought the stores on those two bases were basically the same (of course, I can't shop in them though).
Off base, Yokota is kinda in the boonies.
>so I usually go about every other month.
That often? It must be a long commute from Fussa!
We've only been to each of those bases a couple times. (They're a culture shock to me :) )
>Do you ever go back to the States?
We went to Florida only once. Five years ago.
I'm not used to America anymore. Even tipping was difficult (I know how Japanese tourists feel in America. I didn't who to tip...or how much) But it was a fun vacation.
We'd like to go again...but it's expensive with a family of five!
Please feel free to comment on my blog!
Thanks.
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