February Furry

February was a delightful disruption of activity from what has become our routine, laid-back, island life.  It started off with a visit from our dear friend Amy Stoez.  Amy is currently in the midst of her emergency medicine residency program at Regions Hospital.  She had the opportunity to spend a week experiencing how medicine is practiced in Japan at a hospital in Okinawa and we were delighted to host her during her stay.  We would like to briefly sum up the best parts of Amy's visit:

• She was our FIRST guest. Yay Amy!!!!
• We loved hearing about Amy's experiences at the Chubu Hospital in Okinawa.  Her unique inside perspective on Japanese culture especially in the context of medicine taught us more about the country we live in.  
• Dropping Amy off at work, making sure she had snacks, picking her up, and worrying about her if she got home after dark made Amy our feaux-daughter for the week.  And Amy- Daniel and I would like to adopt you. 
• BOTH Daniel and I got sick while Amy stayed with us. We couldn't ask for a better and more sympathetic guest.  She accurately diagnosed my symptoms days before I ended up having to go to the doctor for a prescription.  :)

Lydia and Amy demonstrating their vending machine drink choices

Amy and Daniel on Kokusai Street

Five days after Amy left us, we were delighted with our 2nd visitor.  Linnea teaches at an International School in Shanghai.  She was kind enough to spend her 2 week holiday for Chinese New Year visiting a friend in Taiwan and then dropping in on us in Okinawa.  The Year of the Horse is starting with good fortune for us!  Highlights from Linnea's visit:

• Linnea and I lived on the same floor our freshman year of college at Gustavus.  Since then we have stockpiled a list of funny, delicious, and weird traditions/memories/experiences.  A big highlight of Linnea's visit was cherishing almost 10 years of friendship and the richness that comes with it.  It felt especially valuable in context of Okinawa where all of the friends we have are people we have known for 6 months or less
• Vegan pizza and documentary night lives on
• Love curry with Mr. Love Curry! (Daniel became "Mr. Love Curry" while I was visiting Linnea in Shanghai shortly after we started dating)
• All of the helpful travel tips/apps that Linnea shared with us that she has learned from years of living abroad
• Blue Seal Ice cream triple double day and Linnea's vending machine beverage choice (pictured below)

Dr. Pepper.  Extra long!

At Cape Zanpa

Photo credit: Linnea McCully
Cold, wet, but still cheerful fans credit: Linnea McCully and Daniel Dahl
3rd place in my first ever criterium road race!  I would brag quite a bit more except that first place is 13 years old ...ouch!

Exactly one week after we said our goodbyes to Linnea, I jumped on a plane headed to Chicago for an interview at the Embassy of Japan for a position with JET (Japanese English Teaching) that I applied for in the fall.  After that I spent a few short but wonderful days back in Minneapolis spending time with family.   

The day after I arrived back in Okinawa, we welcomed our 3RD visitor.  Joe was recently hired with a company owned by Delta Airlines and had a stretch of time off.  On Thursday, Joe and I were seated at Hard Times Cafe in Minneapolis planning his first trip to Tokyo using his hard earned flight benefits.  On Saturday, Daniel and I pulled up at the airport in Naha, to welcome him to Okinawa!  The last minuteness of it all was part of the fun.  We planned the entire trip three days before it happened.  Pretty awesome.  Highlights from Joe's visit:

• FIRST family member to visit!  Having Joe's lively company in Okinawa and simply spending time with him was the biggest highlight 
• Joe spent a couple nights in Tokyo before coming to Okinawa.  We enjoyed hearing his unique impressions and experience in the city while comparing/contrasting it to our own.  
• Joe loves to bike and enjoys fishing as well.  This makes him an ideal guest because he enjoys two of the things we love most about living in Okinawa.  Joe and I were able to go on my favorite bike ride around the northern tip of the island together.  A beautiful day long event including a 10 Kilometer climb into the jungle, multiple breathtakingly scenic ocean views, and meeting a friendly old Japanese man who offered us "beeru."  
• Joe, Daniel and I were also able to spend a warm Sunday afternoon out on the Zanpa cliffs fishing for Mahi.  

Fishing at Zanpa

Joe's adventurous spirit beats mine when it comes to sushi.  Here he demonstrates the raw sardine nigiri seconds before consumption.  He also gets props for eating raw squid nigiri, and many many more..