About me

(PHOTO-me and my friend's dog, Bassy.)

Since I wrote a bit about myself in JAPANESE in the last post, I decided to do the same in ENGLISH as well.

I was born and raised in OKINAWA, JAPAN. (Please take a look at the slide show on the right hand side! Click to enlarge the photos, and you can read the captions, too!)Gorgeous, gorgesou place! For me, it's the best place on this planet!

When I was 17, I left Okinawa, the TROPICAL ISLAND, and went to Black Earth, WISCONSIN!(45 minutes to the west of Madison. population of 1280! Lots of snow, lots of cows!)

There, I spent my senior year of high school, and I loved it!(everybody was super nice to me! I don't know why...)
After the graduation, I went back to Japan. I did not go back to my hometown. Instead, I went to TOKYO and lived there for 7 years in total. I totally loved my life in Tokyo! While I attended the university and graduate school, I had all kinds of part-time jobs(I might tell you about it in the future posts. you gonna like it! ;). In my 1st year of uni, I spent a bit over 1 month in YAKIMA, WASHINGTON. In my 2nd year of uni, I spent half a year in Victoria, CANADA. That was such a horrible experience! The place was ok, but I guess Victoria was way too quiet for a 20 year old... There, I learned American Sign Language and I fell in love with that language and the ASL community!

Right after I graduated from my grad school, I went back to OKINAWA and taught English as a foreign language in senior high schools. Working with high school kids was a lot of fun! But it was not something I wanted to continue for the rest of my life.(Japanese work environment is very backward and primitive! My personality does not suit that kind of environment!) So, I quit that job and went to Australia!

In AUSTRALIA, I took a road trip for 1 month from SYDNEY to MELBOURNE to CANBERRA. I loved Australia so I decided to stay there and go to school. For 2 months, I attended some language school in Melbourne during the day time and got drank at night. After all, I decided Australia was not a place for me to live, even though I loved the country.

So, I headed to MIAMI, FLORIDA, and hung out on the beach for 1 month. How nice, huh? Of course I absolutely loved it there!

From there, I came to SF BAY AREA. It's been a bit over 3 years since I started my life here. I've lived in SF and OAKLAND. Even though I like SF enough to the point I lived there for over 2 years, I feel that SF is way overrated. It's too cold and foggy! But, I LOVE OAKLAND! I go to a grad school in SF, pursuing my doctorate program in education. I am supposed to be done within 1 year! Then, my life in the Bay Area will come to an end. I will go back to Okinawa and work there for 4 1/2 years. :(
I am hoping to come back here to the U.S., after that. Who knows what's going to happen though.

MY INTERESTS include big black DOGS(and most dogs in general. I love dogs like crazy!!! But I'm one of those people who draws the clear line between people and animals.Unfortunately, I cannot keep a pet in my apt. :( ), learning SPANISH(I love this language. I wish I had more opportunity to practice it), volunteering, working with KIDS, hotsprings, flying single engine AIRPLANES (yes, I love speed and height!I've been flying on and off for 17 years now! wow, I feel old! lol), GOLFing(I do it terribly, but with enthusiasm), and sleeping!!

I'm also a BIG TRAVELLER, I guess. I've been to 14 countries(and at least 136 cities!) so far, and lived in 4 countries. I want to go to African countries, Cuba, and more Asian countries such as China, as well. I have been making many many visits to L.A., LONG BEACH area throughout my life. Eventually, I want to settle down in Long Beach.

Oh, don't forget, lOSING WEIGHT IS MY #1 INTEREST at the moment!

As you can see in my earlier posts, I'm into this boot camp now.
So far, I haven't missed a day yet!
I'm 2 weeks into the camp and I can already feel the difference!
I have to change my diet, though.
I realize that exercising by itself is never enough in order to lose weight and get in a good shape. Diet might count 80% of the process.
I'm 32 and I feel like this is my last chance to do this, or I will get sick at some point and I cannot afford to do that to myself.