Our second full week here has been great. We are mostly just getting more settled in. 

We got our drivers licenses and bought a car - a 1998 Nissan Serena minivan. $1200. It is a little old and beaten. 

As all Japanese cars, it has the steering wheel on the right, since you drive here on the left. We have both made all the rookie mistakes -- trying to get in on the wrong side of the car, pulling into the oncoming lane, and turning on the windshield wipers instead of turn signals. I think we are getting the hang of it now though.

We also found the house that we plan to live in. We sacrificed spaciousness of home and yard for the convenience of living close to school and work. We can all walk or ride bikes if want to. We should be signing the lease and moving in within the next week. 

For now, we are still living the hotel lifestyle: "Sam, stop jumping. Hazel, no screaming... Kids, please be quiet or we will get another call from the front desk...Sam, you know you aren't supposed to jump on the beds...Mattie. Don't make Sam scream, Sam, be quiet...Kids, stop tapping the walls." We can't wait to get into a house without shared walls. 

Heat and humidity are serious here. On the day before we got the car, Keriann, Hazel, and Sam went for a walk, just to get out of the hotel. They got a little warm.

Fortunately, they were saved from heat injury by ice cream

 

Yesterday was "Yokosuka Friendship Day", when local Japanese people are welcomed onto our base for a celebration. It was in the classic style of a local American carnival, with tickets that you could trade for games or cotton candy. Hot Dogs and Nachos for sale, and lots of tank tops showing off tattoos and sunburns. 

The highlight for us was a huge fireworks display over the bay for 37 minutes straight (Emma timed it), some even in the shape of Hello Kitty, complete with shooting-star whiskers. (not pictured here)

We miss everyone at home, but we are having a really great time too. We have started to develop our list of necessary trips before we leave the area. Who would like to come join us for any of these?

Kyoto

Sapporo

Hike Mt. Fuji

Hiroshima/Nagasaki

Philippines - (With Mark and Marianne for Christmas 2014?)

Australia/New Zealand - (With Miriam in 3 years?)

Singapore

Thailand

Korea if Nathan has anything to do with it

What else do we need to add?