The people of Okinawa are well known for living the longest, healthiest lives of any single group in the world (the most prevalent amount of centenarians on earth!). It has often been attributed to their diets. Fish, vegetables, legumes (lots of tofu!), lean meats (pork is popular), sweet potatoes (imo is a big deal here), and spices from all over the world (garlic, ginger, turmeric, etc.) are common ingredients in an Okinawan meal, along with white rice. Add active social lives and regular exercise and you have an effective mix for a long, healthy life. Although these impressive stats are changing due to more western influence in diet and lifestyle, I still like to think the health and vibrancy at the heart of this island rubs off on everyone, including visitors and temporary residents.

That said, I see a lot of old people.

I also see whales. Last weekend, some friends and I went to Naminoe port and took an enjoyable boat ride outside of the harbor and toward the East China Sea, where in late winter and early spring many humpback whales make their way form the Northern Seas to the nearby Kerama Islands during breeding season.

On another note, I went to a play a few weeks ago. Okinawa's relatively recent addition to the nation of Japan is obvious in many ways here. The food has remained somewhat different from mainland Japan. The arts are similar, but certainly not the same. In fact, most parts of life have retained some flavor of the separate island culture that Okinawa once was, as the helm of the Ryukyu Empire. The play was interesting in two ways (probably more). First, popular and ancient Japanese theater, such as kabuki, is not present here. However, there are a few rare Okinawan-style theater arts that have survived the repeated takeovers of the small island chain. Secondly, the play itself centered around a creative retelling of the history of Okinawa, particularly during the time, about five hundred years ago, when Japan and China, two trade-partners of the Ryukyu Kingdom, wanted more control. It's a rather sad history of a peaceful island often taken advantage of, not to mention the complete decimation of most architecture and nearly every part of life during the second world war. A note on current Okinawan affairs: Did you know that nearly 75% of USFJ military bases are located in Okinawa prefecture? Sadly, a number of young women have been raped by servicemen, particularly gaining attention are one case in 1995 and another series just last month. These crimes have obviously created tension between the islanders and the strong military presence. I'm not usually affected by it firsthand, nor do I have much to do with the bases, but it is part of Okinawan life thesedays.

Anyway. February and March are transition months at Okisho. The official new academic year starts at the beginning of April. As stated earlier, the seniors graduated in mid-February. So for about seven weeks, teachers have 2/3 the class-load (even less, usually). However, as often happens in busy lives, when a moment of free time comes up there are about twelve million things that have been waiting on the back burner to get done. So although these weeks are lighter on regular classes, we have many additional projects going on, including the preparation for a friendly cultural/intellectual exchange with nearly thirty visiting Vietnamese students mid-March and an ESL camp at the end of the month.

Whatever you're doing, keep it up. And take a few moments to realize you are in the midst of the life you are choosing to make for yourself. That's a gift not everyone possesses. And this is not a test. There is no right answer.
I know many friends are going through awkward post-college transitions, and I, of course, am not exempt from this group. Migrating not through the East China Sea, but through a plethora of possibilities. Of confusions. Of frustrations. Of young adulthood. I'm guessing life is a series of awkward transitions. So whatever your situation is, I hope a few words from Trappist monk Thomas Merton, care of a friend, help you along on your journey:

"Advice? I would say there is one basic idea that should be kept in
mind in all the exchanges we make in life, whether of career or
anything else. We should decide not in view of better pay, higher
rank, 'getting ahead', but in view of becoming more real, entering
more authentically into direct contact with life, living as a free and
mature human person, able to give myself more to others, able to
understand myself and the world better. I hope that these few notes
may be of some use."