私の要素で

"In my element"

I finally got to do some exploring this weekend off base,and I have to say Japan did not disappoint!

We decided on Saturday to head to the AEON Mall, and as we were leaving base I was filled with fascination looking at all my new surroundings. Moving to another city or state comes with its own challenges, but moving to a completely new country is a major adjustment. I want to find my new role while I am residing in Japan, and really hope to embrace all that this new culture has to offer.

As we arrived at the mall, I instantly felt excitement, Lord know's I am an avid shopper so my heart was very happy. I have alway's been interested in fashion so of course I wanted to know what fashion looked like in Japan. When we arrived at the mall, we took the escalator down into the building and straight away all eyes are glued on us! I'm not exaggerating, I even asked my husband, "why in the world are people just staring so intently?"He explained to me that many Americans didn't reside in these areas, so they were just intrigued by our presence.

Can I just tell you that I had such a blast picking out my husbands suit for work, and exploring all that the mall had to offer that day! If any of you have met my husband you know he is insanely tall, and extremely skinny so the odds of finding something that fit him off the rack were slim to none. The ladies in the store spoke absolutely no english, but through translators and hand gestures we were able to communicate with one another. I wasn't able to see all of the stores, but the few that I explored were so interesting! I was so intrigued by their fashion, so while I'm here I will be purchasing clothing that is unique. I did make a purchase at one of the stores called "non-hedge" and it is so beyond amazing ( I will post about it later on.)

Once we left the mall my husband took me to try a Yakiniku restaurant, and it was delicious! Yakiniku means "grilled meat" so at this restaurant you get a tablet and you choose what meats you want to try, vegetables, noodles, rice, and desserts. You order and they bring the raw meat, and uncooked veggies to the table and you cook your meal on the grill net in front of you. I wasn't sure if I would enjoy this food or not, but I promised myself I would be open to trying all new things while I was here. I tried Wagyu beef, and vegetables and I can honestly say I will be going back. The only thing I couldn't master was using chopsticks, I folded and had to ask for a fork!

I am so excited to see what else Japan has to offer and all that our little adventure will unfold. This weekend I finally felt a level of normalcy in my element, you can take me to any mall and I'll feel right at home. As we traverse this beautiful country I hope you'll continue to join us on our Journey through Japan!