Tuesday 15th September 2015

Today I cleaned the house and did laundry. 

Then went to the bar, working again but had to study a bit beforehand. 

Sanae got all happy that I can write better now. She insisted on taking a picture. 

Lots to learn this week. 

Monday 14th September

Working again today. 

May as well while Sensei isn't here. 

Got my new gi today too. I SO want to try it out, but no one wants to do karate except me. 

I Cannot wait for Sensei to come back. 

Re- did the board at work tonight. Special pizza this week. 

Long night, really not enjoying the bike ride after work, not a huge amount I can do about it right now. Unless I just sleep at the bar. 

Sunday 13th September 2015

Happy birthday Sanae. Love you buddy!!! <3 

We went for lunch at our favourite buffet place, soba, salad and lots of mikan and pineapples! 

We've got a new pizza at the bar this week and I am the artist of this masterpiece: 

All by myself!! 

Special ne. ;) 

Saturday 12th September 2015

Today I had to bake a cake. 

No break after all. Woke up kinda early, watched some TV and wandered around the apartment eating yoghurt in my pyjamas. Purely because I can and because it is Saturday. 

Yukata party at the bar tonight. Well I'm wearin a jinbe but at least I have a costume! 

We made (I) a peach and banana cake for Sanae and Peachy's birthday. 

Not sure if it was the best mix but they both seem happy. Banana is Sanaes favourite and peachy is well, peachy so got peach cake! 

I didn't feel great after baking the cake so went to sleep in the office for a while. Ended up missing most of the party, I don't mind though. I was totally out of battery! So needed a good sleep and it seems there is a nice cosy space upstairs that I like! 

Friday 11th September 2015

Last night at work for a day. Lol that sounds so crap! But it will be good to have a break tomorrow. 

I've ridden my bike over 100km this week and my poor legs are not accustomed to this!! 

Finally starting to feel a bit happier today. 

I'm in the best place in the world. 

It's all gonna be good. 

Thursday 10th September 2015

Today I'm working with Sanae. 

She's like my best buddy here. 

We had a good time, only a few customers tonight so we closed a little early so I could get home, the glow in the dark caterpillars I see on the way home are starting to freak me out a little. 

Finally got wifi in the apartment today. Spent the whole day watching the Great British Bake off. I want to bake as well as some of them can! 

I'm loving the picture updates of my sensei in England. It's great to see them all having such a incredible time. 

I'm so glad they are all getting to experience what I get to experience every day here. 

I'm a lucky girl. 

Wednesday 9th September

Working again today. 

I'm halfway through the week! 

Going through another cleaning episode and felt the need to clean the entire oven and sort out all the fridges and freezers at work. Shouldn't be a issue- in fact I think it's a good thing! 

Spent all afternoon making pie. It's been a long long day today. 

Tuesday 8th September

Working every night this week except Saturday. I think it will kill me, not the work but the trek. It's difficult, got to work to buy a bike but getting to work is a complete killer. 

I'm actually working a lot more recently so that I don't have to work when Sensei comes at the beginning of next month. Haven't had any time off since he left, I think a holiday and getting to spend some time with the guys I miss the most will be just what I need to get all refreshed for the next year. Been the longest I haven't seen my karate family for since I started the journey with them Over 4 years ago. They're a huge influence on my life, hence I miss them. 

Feeling stuck in my own world today, I can't speak to people they are literally speaking another language and well as we all know explaining feelings is not my strongpoint and I'm missing Sensei (Both of them) and karate. 

I think karate is the only thing that keeps me sane, that's not necessarily a bad thing though eh, as long as I keep doing it. 

26 days, Sensei :) <3 

Monday 7th September

Today I didn't wake up til around 10am, I fell asleep at 10 last night too, literally slept for the entire 12 hours. I so needed it though. 

Edited my videos from yesterday a bit, studied for my Japanese lesson later and then went off to my lesson and to work. 

Nothing too exciting today! 

Sunday 6th September

Today I got to watch some of the best karateka in the world perform some absolutely incredible kata and kumite. 

I went to the yomitan 2015 karate demonstration. 

There was a 82 year old Sensei who is just the most perfect example of what karate can do for longevity. He was just amazing. 

Habu Sensei is pure inspiration, his kata is immense, strong and fierce but when he is teaching and working with the children and with people he is just the softest, kindest, most friendly guy I've ever met. 

This event showed the true essence of karate, a mixture of ryu ha, a mixture of people all coming together to share their love of karate and kobudo. 

I got some brilliant videos, turns out a iPad is pretty good at recording! Dropbox is filling up fast! 

I've got a lot to try and keep up with on this little island! 

Saturday 5th September

I got home around 2am but had to shower (that beast of a hill nearly killed me!) needed a drink so took some time getting to bed. Probably was alsleep by 3. Woke up around 10, I was so hungry and I really fancied pineapple and yoghurt so off I went to the supermarket where there was no pineapples! Carried on the hunt along the river to agri house. Got pineapples and dragon fruits as well as broccoli and some salad stuff. I love agri house. The round trip back home turned out to be a 10km bike ride! 

By the time I got back I wasn't hungry, just thirsty and tired with a headache so I decided to sleep for another hour because I am working tonight. 

I carried on reading my book all about running, not too much to go and I'll be finished. It's a good book. 

Did the laundry and got ready for work. 

Not a really exciting day but me and my muscles are aching. 

Miltos has gone camping for the weekend so I have the apartment to myself.

Work is busier tonight than last night, it was dead last night but tonight there is a few customers at least. 

 Not working tomorrow night, should be going to see some karate tomorrow which should be fun. 

4th September 2015

Today was the first day that I was up at 6.15 to go and excersise, we didn't actually excersise until about 8am and then, we climbed the net a few times and hit the tyres with the hammers. 

The mosquitoes were out in force today! 

Drunk some coffee and climbed the beast of a hill back home again. 

Then rode my bike into town properly for the first time, went to spend the afternoon at the bar to make some pie and annoy James and use the Internet because ours still doesn't work- we have the box but no wireless router. 

Working tonight, 

Going to be my first late night cycle home, this could be fun/ scary/ exhausting/ all of the above plus a few more emotions. 

Still I've got my iPod and I've got a cool shower a cosy bed and Jeff waiting for me when I go home. 

Having a few problems today and feeling just in general a bit crap. 

Still could be worse and I'm strong eh. 

#kesshiteakiramenai 

 

3rd September

Day one of exercising together again, 

James was nice to us and turned up at the apartment at 8.30 after the girls went to school. 

We went for a run to the navy park which is really close by, spent some time playing on the huge adventure park thing there. Climbing the bars and ropes and nets. It's all 'training'!! 

Then came back home and showered, had some food (but way more drink, I like it, it's hot here but you gotta be careful to drink your body weights worth of water a day or you will feel like you are dying fast!) 

Then back to reading my book because I have to stay in today to wait for the internet guys to come. 

The best quote came right after our run today: 

"We say the 'rarajipari' (a running game) is the game of life, you never know how hard it will be. You never know when it will end. You can't control it, only adjust. And, no one gets through it on their own"

So true, the amount of times I would have given up had it not been for the boys (here and in England) pushing me to keep going and keep trying. 

Lets do it all again tomorrow. 

As Sensei says: 

"Small steps every day". 

2nd September

Today I began to catch up on our laundry and make sure all our bedsheets, dogi and workout clothes were clean ready for the craziness to begin again tomorrow. Finished putting everything away too. 

As the heat of the day subsided and the sun went down I decided to walk into town and get my bike from the guesthouse, took me a hour to walk from our house to the bar, not sure how many km it is but I'm guessing maybe 7, I'll measure it one day! 

Got my bike and my pineapple, and did my first cycle back to the new house, it took about 40 minutes, I could probably do it in 30 if I tried a bit harder and wasn't travelling leisurely! 

Because there has been no internet at the new apartment until tomorrow, I've been reading the books I've been given/ borrowed off James. Right now I'm reading born to run. Maybe it will inspire me over the next few weeks to get running again. 

Lots of exciting stuff coming up and I need to do tokashiki in February in under a hour. Better to start earlier than have to wait another year to do it again eh! 

1st September

Moving day! 

Yesterday turned out to be a really busy but good day! We moved everything in the morning and then went to get cleaning things. Spent the entire afternoon unpacking and cleaning things. 

Then off to karate where Toshimune told us the story of how Motobu Sensei learned Chatan Yara Kusanku. 

We went through kata and did some stretching- my legs are going to hurt in the morning!! 

Got some pics of our apartment- these don't really do it justice though! 

This is my room

This is the Lounge 

Kitchen... 

Spare room/ second lounge 

It's a good new step, let's hope no X-ray spiders come here! 

31st August 2015

Today is packing day! 

And recovering from our excellent party yesterday!! 

Check out the video miltos and I made: 

http://youtu.be/QjWQX7thspI

I think we will become a good filmmaking team! I enjoy the editing and filming and he is a Johnny Depp in front of the camera. 

Spent the afternoon packing up all my things, it seems one can accumulate a lot of stuff in 10 months! started with two suitcases and now I have probably double that! Most of it is gifts/ new karate clothes/ memorabilia. It's all useful and precious to me! 

I hope this will be the last time I move for a while. It's gonna be expensive if I decide to move back to England!

(Not happening any time soon so we're cool!) 

Jeff's ready for his next new adventure! 

;) 

I'm excited for the next step in my Okinawa life, change is becoming less stressful and anxiety inducing as it was, or maybe I'm just more ready for it! 

I think I'm growing up. 

30th August 2015

Today was the big beach BBQ! 

This day was set to be a really good 'end' to the best summer ever. 

(Except this really isn't the end of summer here. It won't start cooling down until October!) 

This August has been like no other in my life, kicked it off with my first ever proper birthday party (I'll do the video soon!) then we went camping and saw the most incredible stars I've ever seen and slept on the most beautiful beach ever, too and finally we had the best BBQ with karate, hula girls, water balloon fights and lots of food and drink! 

Turns out being 23 really isn't that bad if life's like this ;) 

We are the top chefs, literally the best pineapple in the world.

This right here is how you get sparkly eyes. 

29th August 2015

Today I woke up earlier than yesterday, although not sleeping any earlier (3-3.30am) it seems to be a inbuilt response to karate days, however Sensei left for his trip to Europe this morning so the normal classes won't be happening for a while. However I still wanted to train and not spend the whole day being lazy again so decided with James we would train in the office. 

Started around half 11 and decided after a warm up we would work up through all 18 kata a couple of times each. 

This gave us a pretty good sweat in itself, it's hard and very hot here recently! 

Still- there's a huge reminder why we are training right here! 

Something silly like 56 days until karate day!! 

That would mark my year here too- been incredible and has flown by! 

Then we got talking and as I've said a lot recently I want to try something new to do alongside my karate, I think I have a firm enough base in karate to be able to enjoy and benefit from new stuff. 

So, we decided to work on groundwork mainly judo/ jujitsu style. 

After three hours of training, my minds made up- I so need to learn this more. It was a lot of fun and potentially will just make me that bit more lethal ;) 

Lots of sweating, lots of chokes, lots of locks. I think It would complement my karate perfectly! 

Then downstairs to prep for our giant summer bbq tomorrow! 

There's gonna be a LOT of good food and a lot of fun. 

Finally, my treat of the day. James bought me a sugar cane. 

Gonna spend the night chewing sugar. 

I'm cool like that. 

28th August 2015

Today I didn't wake up until late, but didn't sleep until after 3am. 

Went to fix bilbo, he's the punching bag we kick over and he just bounces back up (and will hit you back if you don't move!)

I read some of Heston's book- it was a introduction into the history of French cuisine and the theme of his first feast. He wanted to turn chicken testicles into a jelly bean! I think it will be a funny book, although it is a little difficult, purely because of my retardedness with reading and seriously thinking about it, I really haven't been reading enough recently! 

Something else to change/ add to the year two list of things to do eh! 

Dad's package came today, this is a very cool tshirt! I love it, and it is very true and very me. 

Then I cooked more scotch eggs for James, seems he doesn't get bored of pies and picnic food! 

There is the most fantastic piece of advice from my Sensei here: 

'Devote yourself to training daily, steady progress and small steps can lead to astonishing results in the long term' 

I think this can be applied to everything in life, and mainly right now I should apply it to karate and trying to learn Japanese. 

It seems so huge and daunting, break it all down- one step at a time. 

The idea of black belt at white belt was just a laughable inconceivable dream.

Four year later, I did it. 

Small steps eh. 

27th August 2015

Today I woke up all tired still because I had a bad nights sleep again what with creepy spider nightmares and it was really warm last night. 

Still, I was happy because I could just wake up and go to karate, off I went where it was just me and Sensei, I like that- quality time together and I get to learn at my level because it is just me. 

We did basics and we did a couple of the Pinan kata and then onto gojushiho and kusanku. 

Then Sensei made me do the bo, he has a new basics routine he wanted me to learn. It was great except my hand aches like anything now. My thumb is getting better but wow at how much it aches. 

Then Sensei invited me into his house, today is the second day of Obon, where the dead ancestors of the family are invited back to visit the family. It's a personal and spiritual custom here. It's a family thing, hence why I am so moved Sensei invited me into his home and to take part in this part of okinawan culture. 

They have a shrine at the top which has all the names of the family members who have passed away. Then there is drinks and food for each family member, incense and candles are lit and everyday for three days breakfast, lunch and dinner is offered. 

I don't think it's really religious, more spiritual. From what I gather it's a Buddhist belief. 

Either way, i think it's a nice way of remembering and respecting lost family members. 

Mrs A. Always feeds me, she knows what I like and don't like,  I love her and Sensei showed me his final plans for his trip. I'll miss him in the next few weeks while he is in Europe- just gonna have to train with James aren't I! I can feel the pain already.

I went to work, where James just keeps talking about the scotch eggs I made last week. I said I couldn't make him any because I didn't have the ingredients- 10 minutes later he comes back with it, hence we have scotch eggs- or rather he has 10 to eat, and now this means training next week will be extra hard!! 

I need some coffee, it's 2 am and I'm still at work! Tired.com let's hope the spiders go away tonight. 

26th August 2015

Today was the last day teaching at school until October. 

It was the speech competition, long story short- my student came 1st, miltos' 2nd and another class got third. 

I'm very proud of my students and their hard work that gave them the results they got, they really earned and deserved those places. 

Miltos and I found a baby:

Look at his cute little chubby cheeks!! 

An evening off work tonight to start packing for house moving next week and to finish my laundry and relax a little. 

Neverending list of things to do! 

25th August 2015

Karate this morning, It's taken over six weeks of trouble with my thumb and it's still far from being back to normal but it's not sticking out (like a sore thumb- spending too much time with James to make jokes like that!!) 

I'm nearly back to making a fist and reintroducing power into my karate. 

My kata almost started to feel as zoned as it was a few weeks ago, it's not just a blur of pain that I can't wait to end. I'm enjoying it again. I think I love it more than before, I'm crazy. 

Then went with James to buy bedsheets at nitori for the new apartment, who knew that shopping for bed linen could be so difficult!

Then lunch and the arcade - funniest quote of the week- James "I'm the second strongest girl in Okinawa!" (With his Happiest face) we were playing a punching game in the arcade- I was the 10th strongest with my right arm! 

Then work tonight, I'm not feeling amazing recently-  so so tired, need some vitamins. 

The night was slow and rubbish until a lady called Grace came, she had no idea what karate was but after talking to her for a hour I discovered she is very rich and is travelling the world trying to find herself and what makes her happy. I told her as long as I have enough money for a house, karate and food that's all I need. She told me I have sparkly eyes filled with happiness and love and wanted to know how I found karate and why  I would leave everything and travel halfway across the world for it. 

I honestly don't know how it all happened, it just did. 

It was all an accident- a beautiful disaster. 

I didn't find it. 

It found me. 

And it was the most incredible thing that could have ever happened. I am so lucky and so happy. 

We went camping!

So the last couple of days we went camping on ike- jima and Nakijin

This place is just beautiful. 

We spent the first night in ike-jima with Pamela from the little Greek kitchen 

I fell asleep in the sun and got quite sunburnt - just one foot and my face and leg and neck- hurt quite a lot though! I'm sure I'll learn next time! 

Small is still quite possibly the cutest. 

We had a fire, and fireworks and lots of vodka and cooked bananas and marshmallows on the fire! 

The next day I woke up to probably the most beautiful thing in the world, I'm a lucky person to be able to live here. 

Then we went to Nakijin: 

It's like there isn't a part of this island that isn't amazing. 

We got suika! Grown in Nakijin and just sooo oisheeeeee! 

Then small found Jeff and decided she loved him too: 

As much as I adore small, she can't have Jeff. She can have Baymax and Jibanya but not Jeff, not yet. 

The place is beautiful, the camping was an experience- can't say I loved it or hated it but seeing the stars in the first night crossed another thing off my bucket list, as did camping. The stars were just incredible- millions of them, no picture could ever show you how beautiful and how many of them there were. 

The next adventure is moving house. 

Life's changing again- change is constant, and not always bad! 

:)