On military life

We live in Japan, which means getting used to a completely new culture. But, over the past few months, I've been dealing with another culture shock: military life.

It's a whole new world. Here's a few tidbits:

• We stand for the National Anthem before movies at the theater on base. Talk about patriotism.
• Everything has an acronym. BAH, DLA, IED, TMO, AMC are part of our daily military dialect.
• I shop for groceries at a commissary. And PX is not some ultra-modern laser gun; it's where I get my toothpaste (it's also referred to as "the exchange" and stands for Post Exchange. Or the BX if you're on an Air Force base for Base Exchange).
• I'm quite used to being saluted every time I enter the "neighborhood"
• Military ID. NEVER leave home without it. You can't get into the grocery store, buy anything on base, GET on base, check out a library book, etc. etc. without it. I would willingly get a radio chip installed in my arm if it meant I didn't have to carry around my ID
• Driving while talking on a cell phone/using a cell phone is not an option
• Your friendly neighborhood policeman is called PMO or MP's. And they LOVE to pull you over for speeding or using your phone on base.
• I regularly drive extremely slowly (see above). The speed limit on our street is 15 kph (9.32 mph), and the normal residential speed limit is 20-25 kph (12-15 mph). I feel like I'm SPEEDING going 50 kph (31.07 mph) You probably don't want to ride with me on I-10 when I come home. [Update: since I originally wrote this, I've been driving on the "expressway" every day to and from work. So I've amped up my speed. I usually don't go over 100 kph (62 mph)...the speed limit is 80 kph (49 mph)]

I'm sure so many of our weird habits have become normal that we don't even notice them anymore. There are many many more and I'll try to update.

Aggie Muster 2010

Like I said in the previous post, we celebrated Muster a little differently this year. I think it has broadened my appreciation for the tradition even more because unlike many other traditions (Silver Taps, Yell Practice, etc...) Muster is celebrated by everyone, around the world! What an example of the thriving Aggie Network and a testament to the bonds Aggies have!

The evening of April 21st, Zac and I had a Mongolian BBQ dinner with a couple of other Ags that are in the same MEU unit as Zac. It was such a departure of the pomp and circumstance of the Muster we know and love, but it was so fantastic. A few other non-Aggies were with us also, and it was so great to tell them about A&M and the traditions. We really did sit and reminisce of our days at Texas A&M, just like we're supposed to. Zac printed out the campus Roll Call and we also called out those names.

I was so excited to come to work on Thursday morning, anxiously waiting to watch the campus Muster on the online stream. All of the committee members on stage were great friends that I got to work with at least last year, including the Chair who was on committee with me all three years I served. I couldn't be more proud of the job they did, and I wish I could express my gratitude to them in person for their service to the Aggie community. I don't think I've missed Aggieland this much since I left. Another thing that just made me swell with Aggie pride is all the Facebook statuses...every single Aggie friend I had on Facebook had something about Muster.

We planned on going to the "real" Okinawa Muster on Saturday afternoon, but after a long and busy week, I was exhausted and Zac had a platoon cookout the same afternoon, so we didn't end up going. Hopefully they took a picture and will send it in to the Texas Aggie! I can't wait to hear, now that so many of my friends are spread out all over the world, all of the Muster stories from this year!

Happy Muster Day

"If there is an A&M man in one hundred miles of you, you are expected to get together, eat a little, and live over the days you spent at the A&M College of Texas..."

April 21st has been a very different day for us Cooks the past 5 years. For a combined 6 years (Zac for 3 and me for 3) on the Aggie Muster Committee, Muster Day started with an early morning flag raising, always consisted of a BBQ lunch with classic Aggie entertainment, and an evening devoted to our [favorite] sacred Aggie tradition, Muster.

Today, we're celebrating a little differently...it looks like we'll still have some BBQ (this weekend), and perhaps I'll catch a little bit of the ceremony on campus (online), but how awesome is it that halfway around the world, we'll be with Aggies on the day dedicated to celebrate April 21st.

I definitely have to say, for myself at least, that the memories I have from Muster are some of the best from college, if not ever. So in honor of Aggie Muster Day, I've decided to grace you with some (possibly never before seen) pictures from last year's Muster.

AND, you can watch the streaming campus Muster online, get more information at muster.tamu.edu or http://www.aggienetwork.com/muster/ to find your Muster. Or if you want to relive (my) glory days, google "Secretary Gates Muster Speech" and you can get a full video of his pretty amazing speech. I'm SOO looking forward to this years' Muster speaker, Major Ruth!

Meeting Secretary Gates the evening of Muster. I think he was saying something like "Y'all clean up nice." 

Oh, just a little breakfast with the Secretary of Defense. I was probably asking him to write a letter to the Marines to let Zac off for our wedding.

Welcoming Former President Bush (Sr.) to Muster.

Gig 'em Gates!

Muster Execs. Spent at LEAST 3 nights a week with these guys for a year. Love them and miss them.

Praying Muster morning after the flag raising. 

"Softly call the Muster

Let comrade answer here..."

Video: Jena on the Luge

Singapore 2

To wrap up our long-ago trip....

One of our main goals was to do some serious relaxing and catch some equator rays. We succeeded on both. Until the trip in late February, Zac had not had a full day off (weekends or other) since our new year trip to Hong Kong, so he definitely needed some downtime. Let's face it: I was not lacking on sleep or relaxation, but I would never ever pass up an afternoon by the pool/beach. So relax we did.

Our hotel was a fantastic oasis to spend a sunny afternoon. The pool looked over the Singapore River and Clarke Quay, but had its own flourish of palm trees and jungle-y flora. And of course we enjoyed a couple of frozen pina coladas in the pool.

Not to miss out on more sun-time, we headed out to Sentosa for a day, Singapore's resort haven. It had its own light rail with three areas, including theme parks and shopping galore. We headed straight for the beach, which was delightfully uncrowded. 

This picture definitely could qualify Zac to star in Cast Away 2. 

Or perhaps he could be a contestant on Survivor: Sentosa? (Zac is the little swimming head)

Enjoying the view.

The day wouldn't be complete without a Singapore Sling at a beach front restaurant.

Oh, and also at Sentosa, we did the "luge." Cool Runnings, anyone? I have a video of me...I'll try to post it.

Sentosa was certainly a success, though we were a tiny bit disappointed of our view of hundreds of ships in the background. We got our needed dose of sun and then some (SPF 30 was no match for the equator sun.)

One evening we headed out to see the Night Safari. After the two hour long "economical route" (read: cheap way) all the way out to the zoo, we made it. It was pretty neat, although I know that my Jeff-Corwin-wannabe-husband enjoyed it much more than I. I tried to take some pictures, but flashes were not allowed, and it was dark (hence the name Night Safari), so this is all I got:

We had to kinda hurry through so we were sure to catch the bus for our bajillon hour trek back. But some highlights were the giant flying squirrels (more like flying raccoons...they were huge!), and some of the bigger animals like hippos, leopards, lions, etc. I haven't been to a zoo in a while, so it was neat to see them in their natural jungle surroundings. Oh, and we saw some huge bugs on the way out.

Gross.

The days flew by too fast, but we loved every minute of it. Two countries in two months, not bad! I think it will be a while before another big trip, but we plan to spend the spring and summer months exploring the island and enjoying our newly semi-revamped patio and many local beaches. 

And Two Shall Become One...Again!

Zac is back!!

After about a two month bout on a ship, the ship has sailed...back to Okinawa! Which means Zac is back for good (or until his next deployment)! I cannot tell you how wonderful it is to have him home. The old saying is true...absence DOES make the heart grow fonder!

I was able to meet Zac ON the ship, do some exploring, check out his living conditions for the past few months, have a meal in the wardroom and take some time to catch up. However, after a 3 hour delay, we were both ready to get the heck off that ship!

After living 2 months by myself, I found how much of a transition it is going to be to have Zac BACK home. Plus  it was funny to see how much it will take for Zac to reacclimate to Japan. On our way home (in the rain and cold), Zac said, "Oh, I forgot that there are Japanese people all around!" [To which I replied in my head, "Duh, we live in Japan."] But he's just not used to it anymore! Driving on the left side of the road, foreign to him. All of the things that I have taken for granted/gotten used to are totally new to Zac.

On the other hand, I have created this "rose-colored" version of our marriage and of Zac while we've been apart. In reality, we've been living and growing in two different directions for 2 months, so it will definitely take time to get used to it all over again! But no matter, we are savoring every minute together, cleaning and cooking seems fun again (b/c I'm doing it for someone other than myself), and driving to get dinner together is exciting! (We'll see how long all that lasts...;) )

By military standards, this was just a baby deployment. Most overseas deployments are 7-12 months, so the MEU was a good starter deployment for us. It's all about baby steps...

I took plenty of pictures, so as soon as I catch up (on Singapore, our new dog [!], etc...) I'll give you a tour of the ship from civilian eyes. And maybe I can get Zac to write something about his time at sea!

Singa-moon

A couple of weeks ago, I had the opportunity to meet Zac on one of the MEU's liberty ports in Singapore. I arrived a few days early with some other MEU ladies, and we had a great time sitting by the pool and relaxing before the guys came. Singapore is basically ON the equator (I'm lacking cartography skills...1 degree N...that's pretty close, right?), so the sun was strong, and it was very warm (in the 90's in February...fanTAStic!)

After spending a couple of days at the pool with the ladies, did some shopping, went to a Chinese New Year parade, we were anxious to meet up with our guys! We had such a great time watching the ship come in. What an experience! One thing I learned about Singapore that day (non-ship related) was the pace of life there. I had to leave the hotel at 7:45am, and conveniently there was a Starbucks across the street, so I planned a little stop there before we had to leave. Let's take a step back, now. In the US, Starbucks opens at, what, 5am? 6am at the latest? I show up at 7:15. Starbucks is NOT open. At the risk of sounding like a caffeine addict, what's the point of a coffee shop if it's not open early in the morning? Verdict: Singaporeans apparently do not wake up before 7. And in case you were wondering, Starbucks opened at 7:30. I mean, I started junior high at 7:30 in the morning, and they can't serve coffee that early?...

Anyway...we got to the dock/port (I'm no good at naval terms) in time to see the ship drive (float? drift?) up. Then we got to watch the boat for several hours before our guys were let off. Correction: Zac and his guys were let off, they just had to do a mandatory RUN before they were released! Imagine my impatience of sitting FEET away from Zac after spending a month apart! And then watch them run away! AHHHH!

This is a picture I took before the run. I didn't want to look like a crazy paparazzi wife, so it's not the most detailed, but Zac is in the back, just to the left of the pole.

If nothing, the Marine Corps will teach me patience. And surrender. Nothing I say, do, or act upon will change reality, and there's really nothing to do but deal with it. 

No worries. They DID come back. 

And then the grand reunion!

It's quite a phenomenon that things just fall back in place, right where they left off, when you reunite with a loved one.

And we lived happily ever after...

Just kidding. I mean we did, but there's more to the Singapore story.

After hours of waiting and sweating, first thing on the agenda was some dinner...and what better than some good ole Mexican food. Errr...Sing-Mex food, at least.

Forget a bowl of wonderful melted cheese. This is Sing-Mex "chili con queso" Or what we Texans call "nachos." Oh, and our Mexican restaurant happened to be next door to Hooters (the only one in SE Asia?) where we saw the other 1,999 marines off the ship. I'm so glad they got the most of their cultural experience.

We determined to see as much of Singapore as we could while still squeezing in plenty of pool time. Our first full day we stopped by Little India and Chinatown. Unfortunately, we went a little early (remember, Singapore doesn't wake up until late) and so not a whole lot was open. But we did some exploring and saw a few markets. Silly me didn't take many pictures of this leg of the trip, though.

One pic from Little India. We should have come back here for lunch!

After exploring the many cultures that make Singapore, we headed to the Merlion. I don't really know much about it...but wikipedia does: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merlion.

In front of the Merlion

View of the Singapore Flier from the Merlion park

A big casino being built (it looks like there's a ship on top). Apparently, when it's done, there is a $1000 entry fee for locals, but free for tourists.

The Esplanade. I believe there's a few concert halls/theaters, and is connected to a lot of shopping (like the rest of Singapore)

We moseyed back along the river, and decided to eat some lunch at the Boat Quay. Along the river was a neat area with a ton of restaurants and other neat things to see.  

There were these little statues all around the Singapore River. If you can't tell, this one is some kids jumping off to play in the river. Apparently the big guy behind them wants to play too! Also notice that the bottom kid is attached by the next kids foot! Amazing!

Our lunch...before...and alive. The story: Our waitress brought us a fake crab first to show the size. The first one was going to be over $50, so we asked for a smaller one, so she brought this REAL one to check out. I took a picure of it, and then she asked if I wanted to hold it!! No thanks!

Lunch at the Boat Quay.

Appetizers: Chicken Satay (a common Malay treat) and the local Tiger beer. Fitting also because it is the year of the Tiger!! I think Pei Wei carries this kind of beer.

The crab...after. The common dish Chile Crab. It was pretty good, although neither of us really knew how to eat crab from the shell.

I thought I'd be able to fit our trip in one post, but just got through the first 24 hours! More to come soon!