Thursday, October 06, 2005
Hands Down Okinawa
The people I met in Okinawa are hands down my favorite Japanese people ever. Although we only knew each other for a short time, in some instances only a few hours, I feel like I know them better than some people I see everyday here on Goto. Naoki couldn’t stop moving and always said exactly what he was thinking. He played with buckles and zippers on his bag, napkin holders in restaurants and spun pens around his fingers. He was like a real human being that wanted to fidget when he was bored or grumble that people were watching him eat. (I say that makes him a “real human being” because I’m so used to seeing Japanese people being extremely polite in every situation. Polite is nice, sometimes, but it can also be very superficial.)
Naoki was always forthright and honest with me when he disagreed with something I said or when I made a mistake in Japanese. He was well-spoken and mature. He could spend hours in a bookstore. He offered a wealth of information to a stranger so that she could experience the best of Okinawa. I finally emailed him today and hope to hear from him soon.
Mai allowed me to talk and invited me listen. I haven’t met a single woman in my entire year in Japan that 1.) I felt this relaxed with and 2.) could speak English with such ease. We immediate jumped into relationship-talk (one of my favorite subjects) and went on for hours. She wasn’t married to the man she was with, they lived in different cities and weren’t seeing their futures coming together anytime soon. She was independent, smart and entertaining—a model Japanese woman with a career and a determination to succeed. I felt like she was a good friend with whom I was catching up after having not seen for a long time.
Hiroki made me feel comfortable. We immediately clicked, but our relationship lacked any flirtatiousness so I didn’t have to worry about any attraction or come ons. (Now that I think about it, I’ve never met a Japanese guy capable of flirting or coming onto me, but nonetheless.) I was able to spend two worry-free days enjoying the company of my favorite sex. I probably got to know Hiroki the best of anyone in Okinawa, and by the end of it I felt I could really call him a friend. He sent me an email just three minutes after midnight on my birthday so he gets five stars in my book! Hiroki was always smiling and always a gentleman. When I fell asleep on him on the bus, he didn’t squirm like a typical Japanese dude uncomfortable with PT (public touching) but took a picture with his keitai. Then he sent me the picture on my birthday.
Although we agreed to meet each other again sometime, I don’t expect him to come to Goto and I doubt I’ll ever be close enough to his hometown (outside Tokyo somewhere) to warrant a visit. I’m perfectly happy that our lives came together when they did and I could enjoy my last days in Paradise with such an awesome person.
Anyway, the last few pictures from our day at Churami Aquarium.
Hiroki and I. I wish this picture weren't so far away!
The world’s largest aquarium.
We went to a dolphin show (it was free).
To get away from the crowds and intense heat we took a walk toward the ocean. It was gorgeous.
The wind was so strong, but it felt good because it was so hot.
Hiroki pretending to nap. We sat on this bench in the windy wind for a very long time. I loved that we just did anything we wanted for as long as we wanted. It was great to have such freedom.
I didn't even mention that he plays soccer! Seriously plays Yeah! In some ways, I think he's the perfect man for me!
Our feet.
I told Hiroki I thought his toes looked funny and he tried to defend them for a while, but eventually agreed that his left foot toes slant at a funny angle. Actually, for being a feet-are-best-when-far-far-away-person, I rather liked his feet, but it was fun to tease him anyway.
Also notice my new shoes. I tend to buy shoes while on vacation. This vacation included two new pairs: the Birks pictured, and running shoes for all the running training for triathlons and because I needed narrower-toed shoes to fit in my bike's peddles.
We explored the museum and aquarium for a long time—all day essentially. I had to wake up at 6:30 or something to catch the bus going north and so I was pretty tired and needed to leave in the early evening to get back down to Naha. Hiroki was staying up north. The bus ride was over 2 hours and cost $30 (except I had my trusty $10 weekend pass and I saved a ton of money). It was awful saying goodbye to him, but I who knows, maybe I will see him again.
He just emailed me today and said he’s back home and is now looking for a part-time job again to earn money for his next trip. He’s such a floater. I love it.
And THAT’S the end of my stories about Okinawa (probably).
Thanks for reading,
Sierra
