Oki Fever

I was recently introduced to myspace.com and quickly began reacquainting myself with many people that I have lost contact with over the years. Most of my friend requests have been from/to several people that I went to high school with or was stationed with in Okinawa and it occurred to me that I have not blogged about the place I consider home. I recall a post just over a year ago that I called Cuz you Gotta have Friends that explained that I was a military brat and that I have been fortunate to live in and visit several countries and states. As a military brat it's difficult to answer the very common question that is often asked when I meet someone new: "where are you from?" My usual answer is Florida because I have spent a total of 11 years here in the panhandle. It's much easier then trying to explain that I don't really have a home or that I call Okinawa my home and explaining why I don't look Japanese. I moved to Okinawa, Japan from Panama City, Florida during my freshman year of high school (1991). My father was stationed at Kadena AB for 4 years and I went to Kadena High School until the beginning of my senior year when I moved to Michigan until I graduated then moved back to Kadena. My father retired later that same year and we moved back to the states. I joined the Air Force only a few months afterwards and got my first assignment back to Kadena. I spent another 6 years there before coming back to Florida. I had a difficult time adjusting to state-side life after spending most of my adult life on "the Rock". Only 4 years ago I owned my first car in the states, with a steering wheel on the left side of the car and I had to learn to drive on the right side of the road. I lived on my own for the first time in the states (well, I was married at the time but I mean without parents or grandparents). I also had to get used to not having my high tech, compact cell phone until recently when the U.S. finally caught up.
Since creating my myspace account I have discovered that I'm not the only one who calls Okinawa home and I'm not the only one who misses it terribly. Nearly every one of the profiles for my former classmates lists Okinawa as his/her hometown. Most of them are military now as well and are trying to get stationed back home. I listed it as my first choice for my follow-on although I'm still waiting for the Air Force's decision I'm not worried at all that I'll make it back there eventually even if it's only for a visit.