Jason and Jennifer Schrager

Staying Busy...

2009-01-31T16:31:00.000-08:00

We're almost half-way through a seven month deployment. I try to stay busy- with work, with friends, with Japanese lessons, running and whatever else I can find to occupy my time! I feel so fortunate to have such great friends here to keep me busy!!!

From going to the butterfly park with Amanda and her daughter Cayce, running 10K's with my friend Susie, or celebrating birthdays with Amber, Amy and Miranda... I am thankful to each of them for making the last 3 months fly by.

Me and Susie at the Futenma 10K (we both won first place for our age group)

Me and Amber at the O'Club for Miranda's birthday

Me and Amanda's daughter, Cayce, at Tinseltown

Home for the Holidays

2009-01-31T16:10:00.000-08:00

I've not updated the blog as often as I should. But I wanted to share pictures from my trip home.

I can't begin to tell you how important it was for me to go home for Christmas. With Jason in Afghanistan, it was so nice to be surrounded with the love and support of the most important people in my life. Being with friends and family took the "sting" away from being alone, though it just wasn't quite complete without Jason there.

My trip started in New Jersey with my in-laws. I appreciated all the planning and coordinating they did to make sure I had a great weekend. Despite the cold and snow (LOTS of snow), we made a trip into the city, had dinner with the extended Rekuc family and I enjoyed some of Dorothy's excellent cooking. Heavy snow almost delayed (or canceled) the second half of my trip, which was a short flight south to Kentucky to see my parents. But I had a "Christmas miracle" with on-time flights and landed in Louisville on December 21st. While I was in KY, I saw my three best friends from grade school, traveled to Nashvhille to see my Vandy friends and up to Cincinnati to see the cutest baby in the world (my nephew Jack).

The trip was fast, but well worth all the stops along the way. I hope to return home this summer- this time with Jason! Here are a few photos to highlight the trip!

Three generations of Manis on New Years Eve

Vandy Friends... I miss you guys!

Me and the cutest baby in the world!! (Baby Jack)

My three best friends from grade school... Michelle (Smith) Tolbert, Lisa (Smith) Jeffries and Teresa (Smith) Hall

Missing Jason...

2008-11-15T20:25:00.000-08:00

It's been a little over 2 weeks since I watched Jason's bus pull out of the parking lot with a final destination in the middle east. I go through my days with laughs and smiles- determined not to let the fear and sadness change who I am on the inside or the outside. Some may view those smiles as if I'm not actually missing Jason, but please let me assure you- I am.

I miss my best friend, the person who I share everything with. Of course I miss the companionship, the togetherness. But it's the small things that I miss the most. I miss how he pokes me from behind when I don't know he's there. Or how he tries to slap my rear end in public because he knows it embarrasses me to death! Or how he gives our cat Grace a "voice" that always takes his side in any dispute and I can't help to laugh. I miss how he yells "I'm home!" when he comes home from work. I miss how he holds up 10 fingers at the gym while I'm on the elliptical machine indicating he'll be done with his workout in 10 minutes. I miss how he tells me I'm beautiful at the most random times.

I miss it all.... and while I allow my Facebook status to always be funny, upbeat or otherwise mundane. Missing Jason is a constant emotion I feel. No matter what. And I will continue to feel that way until I have him standing safely in front of me, God willing, 7 months from now.

Please keep us, all of our troops and our families in your prayers.

Ryukyu Kings vs Fukoka Rizing

2008-10-11T18:44:00.000-07:00

My friend Susie and I went to a professional basketball game last night. The Ryukyu Kings is a new francise here in Okinawa. I don't know how the popularity of basketball compares to other major sporting events, but the arena they played was very small! Maybe comparable to my high school gym. But the crowd was really into it and the game moved fast. As you can tell, there were several American's playing on both teams. I'm guessing these are guys who didn't get picked up by the NBA after college. The Japanese players were quick and passed the ball and took open jump shots, but it was the taller Americans who took it to the hoop! I think there were at least 10 slam dunks last night. I recorded a brief video of the opening. As you can see, it is very similar to what you might see at a game at the states! And if you can't understand anything the announcer is saying, it's all in Japanese- except of course the American players names. We had a great time and Susie said it best when she looked over at me and said, "Can you believe we are at a professional basketball game in Japan? This is so cool!"

Jason is still training. Thank you everyone who have kept us in your thoughts and prayeres.

Our New Favorite Sushi Place!

2008-09-20T06:26:00.000-07:00

Just minutes from our house, a great new sushi bar opened called Gen. The rainbow roll was excellent and rivals the Kitakaisen rolls. A definate "new favorite place" for us! Fresh sushi is something I will miss when we move back to the states.

Busena Terrace, Busena Cape, Okinawa

2008-09-12T20:33:00.000-07:00

We spent last weekend at the Busena Terrace Resort. The weather here has finally started to cool down a bit, so it was a perfect time to enjoy the beach and pool. This resort was- by far- the nicest place we have ever stayed. It comes with a pretty big price tag, but it's a short drive away and a nice alternative from flying to another country. The G8 Summit was held in Okinawa in 2000, and the Busena Terrace was where the world leaders stayed during the summit. It certainly exceeded all my expectations! It was just a nice relaxing time, great food, good weather!

After a full morning at the pool, we had coffee and cake in this nice little open air restaurant while listening to someone play a clarinet in the background. It was so peaceful and relaxing.

Later, we had teppanyaki style dinner at Ryutan. It was traditional Okinawan foods prepared right in front of us. They asked us to have dessert on the terrace. Although some of the staff spoke English, like everywhere we go in Japan- communication was not easy. Our waitress came out with her camera and asked to take our picture. We were a little confused why, but later she came out with a calendar she had made on a computer with our picture. It was very cute and a nice souvenir!

Jason's Birthday

2008-09-12T20:27:00.000-07:00

Jason turned 34 on September 1st, which also happened to be Labor Day, so we enjoyed a nice 3 day weekend. Thanks to everyone who sent cards in the mail. Jason also recieved a Dwight Schrute bobble head which sits proudly at his desk and Season 4 of The Office.

Jason Climbs Mt Fuji-Tokyo

2008-09-12T20:08:00.000-07:00

Schrager's Visit Okinawa

2008-08-22T05:15:00.000-07:00

Well we must have been "pictured out" after Tokyo. By the time Jeff and Carol got here, we took very few pictures and didn't take ONE picture of the four of us. But, we enjoyed their stay all the same. Unfortunately I didn't keep up with the Japanese holidays and offered to take them to an antique store north on the island, but the traffic was horrible because it was the start of the 3 day Obon celebration. Due to an unexpected call from my boss in regards to a random drug test- we cut the day short and never made it to do antique shopping. Just as well-- since I learned Sacchi's was closed for Obon anyway.

Our first stop on Saturday was the Japanese Underground Naval headquarters. It's where the Japanese hid and coordinated their attacks before the battle of Okinawa. It was pretty impressive to see the tunnels that were dug- but unbelievable so many people were living down there. Later, we spent a HOT afternoon at the Peace Prayer Park, dedicated to all those who died in WWII Battle of Okinawa. Next- the Ryuku Glass factory/shop and I finally invested in some nice glass pieces (thanks Jeff). Finally we had a late lunch at an "off the beaten path" restaurant nicknamed by us American's as "Thai in the Sky".

We got to share all our favorite restaraunts and a nice little coffee place, the Hearth Cafe that serves great coffee, salads, and deserts. I'll have to order the "Double Cream Hearth Toast" the next time I'm there after I took a taste of Carols and it was so good!

Jason is in Tokyo now. He's with a tour group to climb Mt Fuji, but they have a few days in Tokyo first. He had one of the doctors he works with (who is Japanese) buy tickets to a minor league baseball game, but after a couple of innings the game was rained out. He's climbing Mt Fuji on Sunday. He has the camera, so I'll be sure to post some pictures from the top once he gets back. The pictures posted below are the view from Thai in the Sky, the Japanese Naval Underground headquarters and the memorial wall at the Peace Prayer park and Jason and I in front of one of the monuments.

Weekend in Tokyo

2008-08-10T04:58:00.000-07:00

We had a great weekend with Jeff and Carol in Tokyo. A weekend just wasn't enough and I hope to get a chance to go back and see more. Our first evening there, we settled into our hotel and found a little Kirin beer pub to have a late dinner.

The next morning we were up bright and early for our half day city tour. The first stop was Meiji shrine. Next, we stopped at the Imperial Palace. Unlike the White House in DC, the Imperial Palace can't be toured or even seen by the public. We were able to tour the palace's east garden. After the palace visit, we went to the oldest Buddhist temples in Tokyo. They had street vendors set up selling everything from food to souvenirs. As you can tell from the pictures, the shops were packed. I bought a hand-made sucker which was a strawberry on a stick wrapped in syrup and then cooled on ice. It was a bit of a mess to eat, but yummy!

After a quick nap we were off to Casita restaurant in the "fashion district" of Tokyo. Jason found the place in a book and boy was it upscale and trendy! It just so happened, that one of Jason's Japanese interns, Hiro was staying in Tokyo this weekend interviewing for a position in a practice. Hiro was able to help us out by not only finding the restaurant but also communicating with the servers. Appetizers, dinner and finishing with dessert on the terrace.... it was perfect!! (Nice work baby!)

Our final day, Sunday, we enjoyed views of the city from Tokyo tower. Standing taller than the Eiffel Tower in Paris, the Tokyo tower is 333 meters tall. (Not as tall as the Empire State Building in NYC, though). Even though the day was a bit overcast, the views were spectacular!

Jason leaves to climb Mt Fuji in 2 weeks, but first we get to entertain Jason's dad and his wife here in Okinawa for a few days before their Japan trip comes to a close. I'm excited to share with them everything we love about this island.

My First Watercolor Painting!

2008-08-04T05:01:00.000-07:00

After my first lesson from Mr Yoshi today, I produced my first work of art!! Sure, it looks like a painting you might see in a Best Western in Panama City Beach, but I'm proud of it!!

Singapore

2008-07-08T04:57:00.001-07:00

Jason and I experienced beautiful Singapore! While our trip was cut a day short due to a last minute flight cancellation, we made the most of it! We packed in all the sightseeing and enjoying all Singapore has to offer in 2 days instead of 3. Like Hong Kong, Singapore was under British rule for many years, so Singapore's national language is English. It has a diverse culture and ,multiple dialects of languages from Malaysia, China and India. We stayed at the Rasa Sentosa Resort on Sentosa island 2 nights and then transfered to the Carlton Hotel in the city 1 night.

Friday, July 4th- We arrived late in the evening. We flew from Okinawa to Taipei and then on to Singapore- which was about a 4 hour flight. Considering our layover in Taiwan, it was a full day of travel.

Saturday July 5th- We woke up early because we knew there was a lot we wanted to see. After breakfast at the resort, we took the metro into the city to make our way to the zoo. The MRT system was really easy to follow. It helps when everything is in English! It is so interesting to see all the brands from the US and how American culture influences the entire world. From KFC to Ben and Jerry's, 7/11's and Long John Silvers! After making our way into the city, we made our first stop at the Singapore Zoo. It is huge and rated one of the top tourist destinations in Singapore. For a mere 5 Singapore dollars, I had my picture taken with a group of Orangutans. After the zoo, we went to a Thai restaurant recommended to us by our cab driver. That afternoon, Jason went off to a World War II sight (Fort Silosa) while I pampered myself for 2 hours at our resort Spa!! It was heaven! Later that evening we went to Clark Quay and had dinner on the water.

Sunday July 6- Woke up early again!! We headed back into the city for a half day city tour. We walked down to see up close the most recognized landmark in Singapore- the Merlion. It's a half lion and half mermaid statue in the downtown city park. It usually shoots water out of it's mouth, but it appeared to be under repair. We visited Chinatown and the "Little India" sections of the city. I bargained with an Indian shopkeeper and bought a hand carved wooden Merlion statue. It was marked $38 and I managed to bargain down to $22. Jason was pretty impressed with my strategy! Jason and I transferred to our city hotel. I sat on the patio by the pool and read a book, while Jason went by foot on the city... except for the brief bicycle ride he accepted from a local who offered to take him around. Later we met up again and went to a night safari tour. The tram passed through the zoo at night while the animals were asleep. It was really cool! Some of the animals were close to the tram, but I never felt in danger. After the safari, we went to the Raffles hotel for drinks. The first Singapore Sling was invented there, so we had to try it! A little pricey, but well worth the experience!

Of course there is so much more I could write about!! While we could have used an extra day there, we definately made the most of our limited time. We were already planning future trips in the airport on the way home. Thailand, China and Austrailia are all on the list. We are spending a weekend in Tokyo next month. I'll be sure to post photos of that trip too!

Jason in Thailand

2008-06-29T00:16:00.000-07:00

For those of you who missed it, or would like to see it again, here is the link to the brief AFN news cast that featured Jason when he was training in Thailand(May 2008) .

http://www1.apan-info.net/cobragold/Videos/VideoPlayer/tabid/2814/VideoId/144/Default.aspx

Mom and Dad come to Okinawa

2008-06-28T04:08:00.000-07:00

We really enjoyed having my parents visit Okinawa. We had a great time showing them the places and culture we have grown to love on this side of the world. The highlight of the trip was a visit to my friend Aiko's house. Her mom prepared a traditional Okinawan meal and she is a great cook! Other places we showed them... the Southeast Botanical Gardens, the Churaumi Aquarium/Ocean Expo Park, Shuri Castle, Kokusai street, "Pizza in the Sky", Okinawa World (known by the locals as Gyokusendo Cave). We enjoyed Eisa dancers and a presentation about the Habu- which is the most poisonous snake here in Okinawa. Mom actually touched a yellow python from Thailand!!! For those of you who don't know, my mom is terribly afraid of snakes. Just goes to show anything can happen once you step out of your comfort zone! We leave for Singapore on Thursday, and I'll be sure to post some pictures from that trip once we return. In the meantime, we are working hard to stay cool here! The summer heat and humidity is as hot as I remembered it to be when we got here last August!