My bucket list is a brightly colored pail full crayons, colored markers and sidewalk chalk. When I do something on the list, I feel like I am grabbing an entirely new color from the bucket and going wild with it on the sidewalk, walls, floor, ceiling and whatever I can reach. This week I pulled out three new colors to play with!
Back To Life, Back To Reality: Okinawa
I came back to Naha after nearly five weeks of traveling to a ginormous slew of life and work issues piled haphazardly anywhere and everywhere. I decided that the first order of business was taming that chaos. The majority of the “to do” items were online, since I have been having so much trouble keeping a solid connection to the Internetz.
Community Coworking Cafe Coil
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After some research, I found my new third space, or home-away-from-home: Cafe Coil. Coil is a new coworking cafe designed for people just like me to have somewhere to work every day when home isn’t conducive to getting stuff done. I got a membership, and go there to work on life, the universe and everything with comfortable chairs, fast wifi, tons of power outlets, and a white board. I was quickly able to get caught up on everything with such a great supportive space to use.
Am I Really A Sage Clinician Now?
I headed back to my friend Adrian’s house this weekend, because I needed to have strong wifi for a Skype interview at 9am Pacific Time Friday, which is 1am Saturday for me. Barbara Phillips of npbusiness.org interviewed me for her podcast Sage Clinician, where she talks about the nonclinical aspects of being a nurse practitioner. We talked for almost 3 hours, and recorded 30 minutes or so for the podcast. I feel honored to get to know her, and excited for the exposure it will get my blog at www.healthynp.com.
The podcast will air in a few weeks, and I will certainly share when it comes out!
The podcast will air in a few weeks, and I will certainly share when it comes out!
Yambaru 山原
A few short hours after I went to bed, Adrian and several other friends managed to wake me up long enough to drag me out of bed and stuff me in a car to go hiking. I desperately wanted to go hiking and see an Okinawan waterfall, and fortunately it was a bit of a drive, so I instantly returned to sleep as soon as I got in the car.
Unfortunately for our hiking plans, it began pouring cats and dogs about an hour after we left, so we stopped off at a friend’s house to wait out the rain. The friend, bless his eternal soul, had an actual hammock in his apartment. My friends set up the hammock, removed me from the couch and someone’s lap, installed me in the hammock, and I blissfully knew no more for a solid hour.
Unfortunately for our hiking plans, it began pouring cats and dogs about an hour after we left, so we stopped off at a friend’s house to wait out the rain. The friend, bless his eternal soul, had an actual hammock in his apartment. My friends set up the hammock, removed me from the couch and someone’s lap, installed me in the hammock, and I blissfully knew no more for a solid hour.
Yambaru (山原) Wildlife Conservation Center Ufugi Nature Museum
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Before heading to the waterfall, we stopped off at a nearby museum/conservation center to poke around and learn about the area we would be hiking in. Trust Japan to teach kids and adults about beetles by turning them into cutesy anime/manga-style kids. Yes, those really are beetle horns.
We enjoyed the sights and sounds of the yambaru wilderness and its many plants and critters, including the super cool complete muskrat skeleton pictured above. Hey, I’m a health care nerd, what can I say?
We enjoyed the sights and sounds of the yambaru wilderness and its many plants and critters, including the super cool complete muskrat skeleton pictured above. Hey, I’m a health care nerd, what can I say?
Bucket List Crayon #1: Hijiotaki Falls: 比地大滝
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I have wanted to see a waterfall in Okinawa since the moment I arrived, and this week I finally succeeded, on the above hiking trip. After leaving the museum, we drove to the trailhead and then enjoyed a lovely hike through the hot sticky forest surrounded by gobs and gobs of critters, some of whom are pictured above.
The damned bird was full-on posing for us. He would turn this way and that, making sure we had plenty of time to get the best shot of him, and then would fly closer, hoping for something to eat. Somebody has clearly been feeding him, which is unfortunate.
I guess because it is so wet here with risk of flooding, the camping areas are all raised on wooden platforms, as you can see above.
The damned bird was full-on posing for us. He would turn this way and that, making sure we had plenty of time to get the best shot of him, and then would fly closer, hoping for something to eat. Somebody has clearly been feeding him, which is unfortunate.
I guess because it is so wet here with risk of flooding, the camping areas are all raised on wooden platforms, as you can see above.
Bucket List Crayon #2: Become A Teacher
“I want to work for 5-10 years in a profession, then I want to start giving back to the community and teaching.” I have said the above many times over the years, and now it’s finally coming true after 9 years in nursing.
Unfortunately, accepting a job while abroad is not as easy as it is when you are in the US. I had to run around to a couple of different places to figure out how to complete the paperwork. Fortunately, my new coworking space took care of my reliable wifi, printing and scanning needs, which had been a major issue previously.
The hardest part about accepting the position was finding a notary public. Apparently they do exist in Japan, but there are less than 200 of them in the country, and they charge $150-300 per document for their services. Ouch. Also, this particular document had weird wording, and the Walden University HR representative warned me that notaries often balk at filling out this particular form because it is definitely a nonstandard request.
“Nonstandard” and “Japan” do not belong in the same sentence. Or even the same paragraph.
However, there is an American Consulate General on Okinawa that helps out citizens. I had to apply a week in advance for an appointment, presumably so they could check my street cred, but once I got there it was utterly pain-free. The only problems I had were because I was so nervous, because I had never had to visit any place like it, and it was quite militarized.
Additionally, I was in the midst of reading a British spy novel, which did not help my nerves!
Unfortunately, accepting a job while abroad is not as easy as it is when you are in the US. I had to run around to a couple of different places to figure out how to complete the paperwork. Fortunately, my new coworking space took care of my reliable wifi, printing and scanning needs, which had been a major issue previously.
The hardest part about accepting the position was finding a notary public. Apparently they do exist in Japan, but there are less than 200 of them in the country, and they charge $150-300 per document for their services. Ouch. Also, this particular document had weird wording, and the Walden University HR representative warned me that notaries often balk at filling out this particular form because it is definitely a nonstandard request.
“Nonstandard” and “Japan” do not belong in the same sentence. Or even the same paragraph.
However, there is an American Consulate General on Okinawa that helps out citizens. I had to apply a week in advance for an appointment, presumably so they could check my street cred, but once I got there it was utterly pain-free. The only problems I had were because I was so nervous, because I had never had to visit any place like it, and it was quite militarized.
Additionally, I was in the midst of reading a British spy novel, which did not help my nerves!
Bucket List Crayon #3: Karate In Okinawa
I tagged along with my friend Emma to her Gojuryu karate class this week, and had an amazing time. She and her sensei were generous enough to let me work out with them as well, and basically designed the entire class around me. I am bursting with gratitude for both of them, and for the opportunity to have this experience.
Watching Hokama sensei move through the katas was like watching liquid art on fire. I was mesmerized. Emma has been practicing for several years and was also a joy to watch. I have wanted to see karate in Okinawa since I practiced shotokan karate as a kid. Dream come true!
Thanks Emma and Hokama 先生!
Until next week,
Sam
Watching Hokama sensei move through the katas was like watching liquid art on fire. I was mesmerized. Emma has been practicing for several years and was also a joy to watch. I have wanted to see karate in Okinawa since I practiced shotokan karate as a kid. Dream come true!
Thanks Emma and Hokama 先生!
Until next week,
Sam
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