Whew! I have been in Sasebo for just under a week and I am doing my best to get out and learn, while also completing the long list of to-do's! As I reflect on this first week, I wanted to share the highlights:
Monday, June 21:
I landed in Fukuoka around 2:30pm onboard an ANA flight. My first domestic flight was interesting, to say the least! I felt so strange being the minority on the plane ride. As the safety video played (linked here for those interested), I caught myself thinking that this was truly the first time I had ever experienced feeling like a true outsider, the "other" in a group, and it was such a humbling moment for me. As many of you know, I am all about reading books that discuss the lives of minority groups, but realizing I was experiencing a minute fraction of what others feel on a daily basis struck a personal nerve. During the 2.5 hour flight, I wasn't able to sleep because my adrenaline was still coursing through my body from nearly missing the plane, so instead I sat and listened and watched. I was seated in the center section of the plane between two men in suits, one of which spent the entire flight reading his Japanese newspaper! (I probably seemed like the weird American, sitting next to him eyeing his paper over and over again! It was just too cool!)
Once I landed, I headed to the luggage bay and collected all 4 suitcases and then waited at the service door for the pups to come out. Eventually Hugo and Reynolds were wheeled out to me, where I was told Hugo tried to break out of his kennel knocking the door hatch open. Luckily the ANA airline wraps all dog crates in Cargo nets, so he was still safely contained. Crazy pup! Once I found my military driver, we headed out for the hour and a half drive to Sasebo! The pups enjoyed this van ride, where they were allowed out of their kennels and could roam free in the backseat of the van with me.
We arrived at the Sasebo Navy Lodge around 4:30pm. I checked into a second floor room right next to the outdoor staircase, which made it easy to get the pups in and out. Our room has two beds, a closet and cubby area, a kitchenette with two stovetop burners and a Japanese sized fridge, and a little dining room. It's a good size, considering we will be living here until we are assigned housing!
Tuesday, June 22:
With this being the first full day in Sasebo, I started by morning with a two mile walk with the pups! I may have used the dogs as an excuse to figure out my way around the base, so together we located the food court, two different Naval ships, the commissary and NEX, and the library! Hugo was happy to get out of the hotel room and mark our entire trail, while Reynolds enjoyed chasing off the pigeons! Around 10am, I headed back out with my bookbag filled with paperwork. My first stop was to the FMAT building to schedule a van ride to the dog's vet appointment for the following day, followed with a visit to the housing office. After scheduling an afternoon appointment with our housing coordinator, Lauren, I went to the commissary for a grocery run, and then make the half mile trek back to the Lodge!
At 1pm, I went back to the housing office for my first meeting with Lauren. During this meeting I learned that, until Bryan officially checks in with the ship, there's nothing the housing department can do. This means I will stay in limbo and just enjoy my time at the Lodge for now. (It seemed like a pretty pointless meeting, but at least everything was turned in and ready on my end!) Before heading back to the Lodge, I did another grocery run...let's just say you get much more picky about food when you have to carry it a long way to your hotel!
Wednesday, June 23:
Today was dedicated to the dog's welcome visit at the Sasebo vet! Around 8:30am, a van arrived to take Hugo, Reynolds and I to Hario. Hario is the other part of Sasebo's base that consists mainly of base housing, and its about a 20 minute ride from main base. Our driver was so friendly and chatty- I learned that he had arrived about a month earlier and he and his wife were staying at the lodge as well! We chatted about car buying, the USS America (he will be stationed on their with B!) and about places to visit within walking distance to main base.
The vet visit went great! Hugo and Reynolds were so happy to meet friendly faces. Of course Reynolds decided to carry on a conversation with the vet tech as she checked us out at the end of our visit, but I would expect nothing less from my vocal girl. Since the pups have a month left of quarantine, we were told to stay on base and away from other dogs until our next vet visit on July 26.
After their checkup, my amazing driver-friend took me to the Hario Commissary while he watched the pups in the van! What a Godsend! I was able to get "heavy foods," you know—canned veggies, frozen chicken breasts, a big bag of dog food and fresh fruits— all the things I was too stubborn to carry the day prior! I was so thankful, and Reynolds was happy to crawl in someone else's lap that wasn't family...the girl has never met a stranger!
Thursday & Friday:
I spent the next two days at the main base outdoor pool! After setting up my library card at the Sasebo Library, I got a stack of new books and enjoyed some time in the sun! On Friday, Bryan was flown down to Okinawa, where he caught a helicopter ride onto the ship, so I spent the day checking my phone and keeping track of his travels. Around 8pm that night, I received a DSN call from him to the hotel! He had made it on board and was getting settled for the night. We are now officially beginning our first ship deployment apart.
Saturday, June 26:
Today I left the Base for the first time. By myself.
I'm not going to lie, I was a little nervous and I almost backed out. I don't know why, but I was hesitant to go out on my own to explore but I forced myself through the turnstile gate off base. By 11am, I made it to a shopping mall that my vet-driver-friend mentioned was a good place to go and explore. I walked through several stores and even found a popup Pixar store with a lot of Toy Story 4 merchandise!
The highlight of my day was finding a Japanese bookstore! I spent an hour walking through it and looking at the different styled books. I found a tiny section of English books, and ended up buying Bryan the English version of Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone that was published and printed in London! I then found a store clerk and, through Google translate, asked her to help me find the same book in Japanese. She led me to the pocket book section.
Pause: I quickly learned that pocket books are literally books that are printed and bound in a small version that fit in your pocket. Many fiction books are split into several parts, so that the books stay small enough to fit in said pockets. From what I gathered, most fiction works are sold this way, rather than in complete large books like I'm used to. These books also don't have the typical cover art-instead they have basic images and seem quite plain. (Keep in mind this is what I have gathered from this one bookstore in Sasebo. I will update you as I find and explore other bookshops in the future!)
The first Harry Potter book was split in two, so I bought Bryan both parts in Japanese, as well as the London printed version. I knew these would put a smile on his face when he receives them in his first care package to the ship! (Shhh...he doesn't know they are coming!)
I spent the rest of the afternoon sipping from my Starbucks, reading some of my library book in the shade, and then exploring a nearby park that happened to be directly across a waterway to the base Navy Lodge! Enjoy the exorbitant selfie collection of my afternoon adventure:
Sunday, June 27:
After a busy week of running and doing, I am spending my Sunday in this hotel room, resting my calves! Hugo and Reynolds have taken this life change in stride and I am rewarding them with a day of no kennel jail and plenty of cuddles with me!
I will consider this a successful first week in Sasebo. I am happy to be staying busy and I hope to continue filling my time with new experiences in my new home!
'Til next time,
Katie
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