I saw the sun!

The weather has not changed much over the last few days - I am still cold, but the sun was out for a few hours. I broke down and spend money on two pairs of men's houseslippers - one for me and one for my husband... I do have big feet, but womens shoes end at around an american 8. Men's shoes are kind of the same, but they do get a little bigger to a men's 9 or women's 10. So we have two choices shop on base (very limited selection and everybody shops there, but okay for jeans, socks and underwear) or order through the internet. We are not only to tall and big for Japanese clothing, but the clothes and shoes here are a very different style from what we are used to. The womens clothes at the mall have a lot of very big prints on them and look to me as if they were made for a bunch of teenagers... The mens clothes are alo very flashy. Hey, what can be expected from a bunch of young guys that spend as much time blow-drying their hair in the morning as the girls. And the shoes.... well, the shoes for girls it is the higher the heel the better and also the flashier the shoe the better. For the guy flashy still applies. A few days ago Josh and I were driving or better sitting in stop-and-go traffic on the way home. We were going down Gate 2 Street (the street starts at a gate of a base, is about 1/2 mile long and is lined with clothing stores, bars, eateries, clubs with live bands and more bars (lots of the bars are in either basement or on the second or third floor above the shops). So here we are, sitting in traffic, and it is cold, rainy and windy... There are not too many people about. All of a sudden Josh says: "Mom, look at that bruise on her leg". I look and here is this young Japanese woman wearing a pair of short shorts (daisy dukes come to mind) , a heavy black patent leather looking fur-lined jacket, a pair of black High heel boots, that come up well above the knee complete with gold spikey heels, a pair of socks a little longer than her boots and a knitted cap. Half of her thigh is bare and showing of a huge bruise... That seems to be the dress code for the young ladies here - minus the bruise. One would think, that this outfit might have had something to do with the location, but no - girls dressed like that are to be found at the mall further away from any american base. I just, happen to remember that girl and thinking: If I had that bruise, it was this cold, the last thing I would be wearing is the shorts and boots (if I had the figure).

I have to quitt complaining here!!!! The Japanese have a different dress style and there are lots of people that dress not as flashy - normal in Japanese kind of way. And the great thing is I can wear what I want - in jeans, mulies and a plain blouse. Of course I get stared at a lot, because not only am I taller than most men in this country, but I am also not skinny and have a very light complexion, light brown hair with blue eyes in a country where everybody has black/drk brown hair and brown eyes..... When we go to places, where not very many foreigners go, the staring becomes more obvious. My son is also amazing to them: he is obviously a teenager, but he is way tall for them. Overall the people are very friendly and try to help in any way they can. The politeness is amazing: At night one can frequently see drivers dim their headlight when waiting at a red light to not blind the person in front of them or across the intersection..... Americans and Europeans could learn from them! So there it is: I hate the clothing, but love the people and their wonderful politeness... Just another little slice of living on this lovley island waiting for warmer weather and more sun!