{"id":881,"date":"2015-04-06T10:46:25","date_gmt":"2015-04-06T10:46:25","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.diningtraveler.com\/?p=881"},"modified":"2015-04-10T10:09:59","modified_gmt":"2015-04-10T10:09:59","slug":"live-in-okinawa-japan","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/diningtraveler.com\/2015\/04\/live-in-okinawa-japan.html","title":{"rendered":"To Live in Okinawa: A Homecoming"},"content":{"rendered":"

If you follow me on social media, you know that I recently spent five weeks in Okinawa, Japan.\u00a0 This has been a homecoming of sorts for me as my first time living abroad was in this idyllic island. \u00a0To have the opportunity to live in Okinawa has been one of the greatest experiences I’ve had. \u00a0In 2003, I was 24 years old and has just started my career as a Marine Officer.\u00a0 Although I stayed pretty busy at work, I took every free moment to discover the island.\u00a0 I bought a second-hand 1992 white Honda Integra (in the US is an Acura, there\u2019s marketing for you!) and drove all around the island, discovering secluded beaches, snorkeling in the East China Sea, eating amazing food, and dancing Salsa with the local Okinawans.\u00a0 Most importantly that experience of living abroad, of shyly trying to speak Japanese at restaurants, using hand gestures to get by, taking risks by ordering something I couldn’t even remotely read defined my adult life view of travel.<\/p>\n

\"Cape<\/a>
Cape Manzano, Okinawa, Japan<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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I grew up in a small town in Puerto Rico on the southern coast.\u00a0 My dad would take us on road trips around the tiny island and our plane rides consisted of visiting family in Upstate New York.\u00a0 My most exotic trip was in 1986 when I visited Toronto, Canada with my mom and my cousins.\u00a0 I dreamt of faraway lands watching National Geographic with my father.\u00a0 We would analyze the animals and talk about nature.\u00a0 At times we even wept together when we saw an animal die as part of the circle of line in four the wild.\u00a0 I would fantasize of visiting these lands one day.\u00a0 Okinawa was my first opportunity to immerse myself in a culture completely foreign to me and know that to live in a country is radically different than just visiting.<\/p>\n

\"To<\/a>
Sunset in Okinawa, Japan<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

To live\u00a0in Okinawa has opened my eyes and palate to a new and familiar world at the same time.\u00a0 In many ways, this small island south of mainland Japan reminded me of Puerto Rico.\u00a0 From the block cement home to brave the hurricanes to tiny dirt roads leading you to epic beaches, it was a familiar feeling in a foreign world.\u00a0 11 years later, I still see those similarities in many other things such as pig feet at the market (in Puerto Rico we love pig\u2019s feet), the smiles of the locals, and random gestures of generosity that are not lost in translation.<\/p>\n

\"Kouri<\/a>
Dining Traveler in Kouri Island, Okinawa<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Okinawa inspired me to see more of the world and to realize that we, the citizens of this earth can be so different and so similar at the same time.\u00a0 With that realization shortly into my arrival in 2003, it fueled my desire to see more of this beautiful and complicated planet.\u00a0 From there, I traveled to Thailand twice and to Australia. Now at my 36 years, I\u2019ve seen over 40 countries and I am still in awe of the things I encounter.<\/p>\n