March: Part one of 10,000

Ok, so I have been busy. Let's start with what I did at the beginning of March. I went to Okinawa. That picture does no justice to the beauty of the sea there. The water was at least 4 different colors and the perfect temperature to go wading in. But first, let's start with why I went.
I went as part of Chuo's peace seminar. We actually had a very good reason to go to Okinawa for a peace seminar if you know the history of the island. I mean the main island was practically destroyed from the Battle of Okinawa both by the Americans invading, and the Japanese who came to 'defend' the island. I put defend that way because they really did it half-@$$ed and unnecessarily endangered the lives of those who lived on the island. But I digress...
Our first stop was some underground bunkers built to hold off American troops in WWII. If you've ever seen Letters to Iwa Jima, it looks exactly like it did in that movie. I thought they were built quite well for its time and how quickly they had to build them, but then I would see the room they used as the infirmary or where they had to sleep, and I became extremely grateful for the time and place in which I was born. But below is one picture that and impression on my mind.

This is the room soldiers committed suicide in after the commander ordered every soldier and citizen to kill themselves or die fighting. They killed themselves with grenades...
The next place we went to was a museum dedicated to two all girls schools that were turned into nurse training camps. These girls would walk across battle fields to fetch water for soldiers, help preform first aid, and take care of all-ready 'treated' soldiers. I think 1st and 3rd years treated soldiers, while the 2nd years went and fetched food and water (read "dodge gunfire"). Only about 9 or so survived the Battle of Okinawa. After that we went to another museum, where I walked out to see this gorgeous view.

It was after I shot like four or five pictures of this view that I learned it was a suicide cliff. People just ran off as the Americans got closer. Our guide was actually on the island while this was happening. He hid in a cave down there...
But anyway, on to the less serious stuff!

We had entertainment at our Ryukyu dinner. They came out and performed a few Ryukyu dances.

I am BATGIRL

Learning a traditional dance

To the SEA! I kicked off my shoes and ran in. Everyone else was slower.

This is Minami. We were roomies the night we stayed in a hotel. She's pretty awesome.

Team Stephanie! No, not really...but this was my group when we made traditional Ryukyu food. 

Harvesting Sugar!

Cutting it down.

Packaging it up.

Making some candy from it =D

I can play the top part. Just one song...but still give the girl who can't read music some credit.

My home stay family

The castle was under construction, so here is a wing that wasn't under construction. 

The vicious habu. This snake's poison is just plain evil. Look it up.

I didn't know the password, so it wouldn't open...

Anyway, Okinawa is beautiful and everyone should go! I had a lot of fun and may return. I know there are not a lot of pictures here, but there were too many to choose from. My next update will be soon. I've been quite busy and have to go to Youth Conference this week. Toodles.