What do you teach Mainland? How long have you lived in Okinawa?

On 9/21/09, Mainland Curious wrote:
> Hey Alaskan - glad to hear you are enjoying Japan so far. I'm
> down in Okinawa, but am thinking about requesting a transfer to
> a mainland school in the future. I'm curious as to what your
> impressions are about off base housing. Okinawa gets close to
> $20K more per year in LQA than Misawa, and we are able to rent
> sparkling new - spacious by American standards - houses with
> yards and often ocean views. What kind of place would you be
> able to rent with your LQA up there? I expect I'd lose the
> ocean views and a little bit of the spaciousness, but can you
> afford a new house with room for a king-sized bed, oversized
> Levitz sofa, and a couple kids with their toys?
>
> As far as maxing out your 90 days in billeting, there could be
> worse things. I look back fondly on my 5 weeks in a hotel,
> eating out every night on my TQSA. You won't get that again
> unless you transfer somewhere - and in my case it was worth the
> wait to get my dream home. I understand it's rough living out
> of suitcases though. Hang in there - once you do get into a
> place you will incur some pretty massive expenses (at least
> that's the case in Okinawa - about 3 months rent up front), and
> the reimbursement can be slow. Sometime in the 2nd year you'll
> finally catch up with all your debt and life will start to feel
> better.
>
> On 9/21/09, Alaskan wrote:
>> On 9/20/09, Sugasmile wrote:
>>> New Hires...How's it going?
>> So far it's been a dream job. Small class sizes, nice
>> students, all the equipment I would want to teach with, a kind
>> principal, hardworking and helpful faculty that do care about
>> their classes, WONDERFUL tech support for computer stuff I
>> want to do...my only criticism would probably be that a good
>> chunk of the staff is more cynical about professional
>> development than I am. I have plenty to learn. Expect to
>> take extra duty contracts as a noob.
>>
>> I haven't ridden a bike in many years but I am loving my new
>> $100 Japanese mommy style bike with a basket and built in
>> lock. Wonderful weather and now my son and I can get to most
>> offbase restaurants for dinner and it's quick to tool around
>> the base now. I am supposed to pick up the used car I bought
>> this Friday. Japan has the best used cars I have ever seen.
>> No luck finding the offbase Japanese style house of my dreams
>> yet. Pickings are VERY scarce. I think I'm going to be in
>> billeting for close to my full 90 days if I hold out for the
>> dream.
>>
>> I bought an unknown bright purple figlike fruit and an unknown
>> warty zucchini with huge seeds to eat and a pepper plant that
>> has tiny multicolored spicy peppers yellow and orange and red
>> and purple called Namba...it looks like a miniature gumdrop
>> tree from a Candyland game.
>>
>> I got to go to a local festival a couple weekends ago and see
>> men hoist and balance a huge sail of lanterns into the air
>> weighing 100 lbs and balance it in the breeze and switch
>> positions and lifters...brightly dressed well-rehearsed
>> musicians and dancers...
>>
>> Life is good
>>
>> Alaskan

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