*reminisces*
Hi, I`m Denise, and I lived on Okinawa from 4th grade (fall 93) until a week before 10th grade (fall 99), as PCS schedules always decide. I went to AEIS and was in Mrs. Cahill`s, Mrs. Morris`s, and Ms. Von Bon`s classes. I went to Lester Middle and then was at Kubasaki for a year
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Heh heh, I`m planning out my schedule now. It`s a shame I can`t go back to the places like Cinderella Park or the park behind Navel Kadena and play around on the playground like I did back when I was a kid...perhaps if I sneak out there reeeeeaaaal early on a Sunday morning I`ll have it to my strange gaijin self >:-)
When I got back to the states for 10th grade, I loathed my new area so much that I was set on finding an exchange program that would send me to a Japanese high school for a year. That didn`t quite work out, since my new German teacher was involved in finding the program, so I took the next best thing and fled to Germany instead. It`s kind of funny how that little island makes you wish you were anywhere but in the states.
We also lived there long enough that my younger brother and I (who started kindergarten there) started to become afraid of the states--you know, all the crime and stuff you hear about on the news. It was kind of strange, because even tho we lived on base and went to school with other Americans, I didn`t necessarily "feel" American; I was one, yes, but I didn`t identify myself so much with the people living in the actual United States. I wonder if anyone else ever felt that way?
About a month after we moved back to Maryland, Hurricane Floyd came our way. I remember how everyone panicked and was running around like headless chickens, but my brother and I just rolled our eyes and tried not to be bored--again--by another day off from school on account of "TC-1E".
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I meant that to say "my younger brother (who started kindergarten there) and I".
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That is so true. Five years after I left the island, and I still feel that way. The longing has died somewhat, but it flares up at least once a day. My dad is in the Navy, and his time on the island was up, so we had to leave. I couldn't find a job that would give me SOFA status to stay, so I had to ship out. I've been bitter ever since. ^_^
...I didn`t identify myself so much with the people living in the actual United States.
I still feel that way. And not just because I'm half-Okinawan. I think it's just a side-effect of living in paradise.
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Deanna
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