The Fighter Pilot's Wife

Konnichiwa!

I hope you all have had a great weekend. I know my smile is a little bigger here in Japan because the Gators seized a victory over the Kentucky Wildcats! Go Gators!! I'm sure the rest of the season might be a little bit rockier but as of right now it feels good to be undefeated. Now if only the Armed Forces TV Network (AFN) would of showed the games over here in Japan. I will have to write them a strong worded letter.

Two weekends ago we had a big event for the wives of the squadron. It is called a Head Count and it is suppose to somewhat mirror what the pilots of the squadron call a Roll Call. It's a party where all the wives of the squadron dress up in one of their husbands old flight suits, drink, and give some of the ladies "call signs".  When you are a spouse in the fighter squadron not only does your husband get named but you do as well. If you are confused about the naming thing think of Top Gun (maverick, goose, ice) but our fighter pilots don't end up with names that cool. They are usually something a little more embarrassing than macho.

Kendall wanted to come to the naming too. 

At this event we dress up in our husbands flight suits but we usually alter them to make them more "girly". I had mine made into a dress with custom patches that had my name with the 13th panther logo. The whole outfit turned out really quite adorable and I topped it off with some red toms since our squadron color is red. I do have to say though....I do not envy Dennis having to work in a flight suit everyday. It is so stinking hot even with the legs cut off and it being made into a skirt.  I can't go into all the details of the night but I can say that there are a lot of crazy stories told and a good amount of alcohol involved. It is a fun little tradition of the 13th spouses and I can't wait until I get to be named at a future head count.

Custom patches for my flight suit dress. I even have my name written in Japanese :) 

After the head count most of the ladies headed to the Officer's club to play a game called crud. Crud is played on a pool table with two balls and you use your hands instead of pool sticks. It's a little complicated to explain but the overall gist is that you want to get the colored ball in the pocket before the other team. But there are many rules in order to do this and you cannot let the ball stop moving on your turn. You have three lives and once your lives are up you are out of the game. The last team with a remaining member wins. I played for the first time this last weekend and had a blast. It was definitely a little intimidating at first and I broke a couple of rules but it's a lot of fun once you get the hang of it. I know that by the end of this year I will be pro. :)

I hope everyone has been enjoying their weekend. We are sadly starting to see the end of summer over here. We just hit our first couple days in a row in the low seventies. And we all know it will get even colder soon...until then I am going to enjoy these 70 degree days : )

Survival Japanese and Air Show

Konnichiwa! Hajimemashite. Breanna desu.

Air Show time! 

I thought since I will be living in Japan for the next three years it might be a smart idea to learn a little Japanese. So last week I started Survival Japanese classes on base. These free classes are every Wednesday morning and will run for a month long. If I wanted to extend my knowledge even further there is also Beyond Survival Japanese class and you can always pay for lessons off base. I know for right now I will take all the free lessons they will give me and then see how I feel about getting more intense with my studies after that. As you can see above I am already putting some of what I learned into good use. This phrase above means "Good Afternoon. Nice to meet you. My name is Breanna".

The Japanese language is very difficult to learn since there are three different written symbols; Hiragana, Katakana, and Kanji. Hiragana and Katakana have fifty symbols each which all are assigned a certain phonetic syllable. Not too bad, right? But then there is the Kanji. Kanji has over 2,000 characters and each character has it's own meaning. So with Kanji the only way to really learn it is to memorize all 2,000 plus symbols. With this class I am really just learning some basic phrases and little nuances about the Japanese language and people. One little thing that I found interesting is that the Japanese like to shorten everything. Our instructor told us that most of the time people will not use the subject at the beginning of the sentence. They also have some words that are very similar to each other and sometimes Americans confuse them. For example kawaii (pronounced like Hawaii with a k) means cute but if you pronounce it kowaii it means scary. So it wouldn't be good to go around and accidentally tell a Japanese child that he is kowaii instead of kawaii. That would actually be pretty funny.  I will keep you all updated with my lessons and maybe if you skype me I will speak a little in Japanese to you : )

F-22. This is what the real fighter pilots fly, right Dennis?!? LOL!  

Japanese F2. Their version of the F-16

This past weekend we had the Misawa Air Show on base. This event is put on by the American and Japanese Air Forces and is visited by thousands of Japanese nationals. I heard they mostly come for the cheap American pizza...haha! There are planes displayed everywhere and air demonstrations going on along with booths selling food and goods.  Dennis and I got to visit the show and work at his Squadron's booth to help make money for the 13th Fighter Squadron. I have never seen people so excited to meet and buy things from the pilots. They want to take pictures with all the guys, buy patches from their flight suits, and get their autographs on anything they buy. And I am not talking about the little kids this was mostly done by grown men. The pilots of the squadrons are celebrities for the day. People were coming up to the booth with pictures that they had taken from last years air show to get them signed and actually some of them with flight suits on. It was so nice to see such enthusiasm and appreciation for what our service men and women do day in and day out.

The Japanese also have some the biggest camera lenses that I have seen owned by amateur photographers. I think some of the lenses were almost 2 feet long. Here is a picture of a couple of the lenses I got a shot of and this isn't even the longest ones that I saw that day.

Taking Photos of the F-16

Huge Camera Lenses!! 

Well that's all I got this week. I am happy to announce that after many prayers my wonderful Grammy is feeling much better. Grammy, I love you so much and I can't wait until we have another skype date soon.  As for everyone else, I hope everyone has a great week!

I will leave you with some more Japanese. Soredewa mata which means See you later.

Quakes and Lanterns

Konichiwa! 

Konichiwa! I hope everyone has enjoyed their weekend! We have been trying to enjoy the summer months in here in Japan as much as possible and this week was no different. Let's get you up to date on what we have been up to : )

Here in Japan earthquakes are common occurrences. From what I have heard there are a can be a couple earthquakes a month. Since we have arrived in Japan we actually have had two earthquakes. One big one and a smaller one that you didn't really even notice. I would say that I experienced my first earthquake but that is not entirely true. The bigger one measured a 7.3 magnitude and was in the Southern Sea of Ohotsk . Dennis was at work, and felt it, but I was mowing the lawn and didn't feel a thing. I think with the bumpiness of pushing a mower along I could not tell the ground was shaking....haha!  I'm not going to worry too much because I am sure I will feel plenty in the future. Hopefully, not any scary ones.

Big Buddha

This past Thursday I was invited by the wives of the squadron to go to a Seiryu-ji Buddhist Temple to commerate the beginning of the Obon festival. This is a three day festival in Japan which honors their ancestors. During this time, many Japanese return to their home towns and visit ancestors graves. At the end of the three day festival paper lanterns are lit and floated down the river symbolically showing the spirits returning to the land of the dead. The temple we visited had hundreds of lanterns around the grounds in honor of the festival. All I know is I would not want to be the person that had to go around and light each one of these candles. The temple looked beautiful with all the lanterns and the Big Buddha lit up. There was also a special ceremony by the monks and were praying in a Georgian chant like manner. It was neat to get to participate in such an important holiday in the Japanese culture. 

Monks performing special ceremony for Obon Festival 

Big Buddha all lit up! 

I hope everyone has a great Monday! And to all my teacher friends in Florida....enjoy your first day of school!

Until next time....
Breanna

Hachinohe Beach

Konichiwa!

The past two weeks have mostly been filled with unpacking, meetings, picking up things for the house, working out, and catching up on sleep. So this week we were lucky enough to meet some really nice people at the Crossfit classes we attend on base and they invited us to go to the local beach with them on Saturday. We were told to take advantage of this warmer weather while we can since most of the year it's cold and snowy here in Northern Japan. So we packed up some chairs, Kendall, and got in the car and headed toward the beach. We went to a town called Hachinohe which is just south of Misawa and about an hour car drive. The beach was very different from the ones I grew up with in South Florida. The sand was a darker hue, with lots of shells, and it was surrounded by tall boulders and rocks. It was really a beautiful view from the grassy area where we made camp and it would be amazing to go in the morning to watch a sunrise.

When we arrived we were in awe of how huge the waves were and rough the sea was. They are always showing commercials on our TV network warning you about swimming in the ocean in Misawa so we knew it had to be pretty bad. The waves were about 15 feet tall and the water was ice cold. There were some brave souls from our group that went swimming and even tried to kayak, though most attempts were unsuccessful. Dennis and I were satisfied about going in just ankle deep.

It was Kendall first time at the beach and he had a great time. He was a little frightened of the waves and would run away at the approaching surf, but overall, I think he was happy to be out with us. It was great going to see some of the local sites of Japan and hanging out with some new people. We are thinking when we have visitors from the states we will need to take them to this beautiful beach.

Kendall and Dennis 

I hope everyone had a great weekend and is enjoying the last weeks of summer. To all my teacher friends, have fun getting ready for a new school year : )

Arigato,
Breanna

Konnichiwa!

We have finally arrived in Japan! After about 5 months of moving from Phoenix to Alabama and visiting lots of Family in between we are back in the far east. This time we were allowed to bring a very special member of our family Kendall Jackson. He was a trooper after two straight days of flying underneath the plane as cargo but he is so happy now to be with us in Japan.

When we arrived in Japan we were greeted by the 13th Fighter Squadron with a very nice warm welcome from husbands and wives. We then preceded to drop Kendall off at the kennel and arrived to our lovely 90 degree hotel room. It is rare to find air conditioning on base and we will be living without it in our home for the next 3 years. The key to success is box fans and that most of the year it's cold enough to where you don't need A/C. There is a rumor that they are going to get air conditioning base wide but not sure when that will be done. Until then, I will be sitting in front of fans and hanging out at places on base where they do have air conditioning. 

One of the things that is the hardest to get used to at first is driving on the other side of the road. It goes against everything you have learned in the states. Not only do you have to drive on the other side of the road but the steering wheel is on the other side of the car. I still catch myself going to the wrong side of the car when getting in and I just try to play it cool. I guess as long as I am not driving on the incorrect side of the road I will be good. We did purchase one car already. It's a cute Japanese Toyota Raum and it's perfect for me. And don't worry....I already ordered a Gator sticker online for the back of it. The Gator Nation is everywhere! 

On Friday we were able to move into our new home. It's a two bedroom, one bath and it's perfect for our little family. We have a backyard for Kendall to run around in and actually live right next store to another Golden Retriever named Wally. We are still unpacking boxes and waiting on my household goods from Florida to arrive but it's nice to have a place where we will be staying put for a while. The house is stark white right now so I am thinking about painting while Den is at work. He, like most men, think it's fine all white but I'm thinking we need some color to make the place feel more homey. I will post some pictures once it's a little less messy of the place.

I'm sure some of you are thinking...."Breanna, are you going to work while you're in Misawa?" The answer to that is yes. Instead of being a full time teacher I have decided to substitute teach. The reason for this is so I have flexibility. Dennis will be gone a lot while I am over here and a lot of the times he will be going to some really cool places. (Gaum, Alaska, Singapore) I want to be able to hop on a cargo plane or tanker for free and visit that place as well. That way we can have some more fun adventures together. 

I think that's all I got for now everyone. I hope you all are enjoying your summers. Shout out to my amazing sister who competed in her first Crossfit competition and placed 2nd! You amaze me with your athleticism. Love and miss you all! Please, keep in touch ; )

xoxo,

Breanna 

PS-If you want our new mailing address just shoot me an e-mail at BreannaLHayes@gmail.com and I can send it to you : )

We're back

Nothing out of the norm for Dennis and I lately. We have been traveling around the States like crazy since we have gotten back from South Korea. Here is a quick update on what has been happening since then. We first arrived in New Orleans where we had a wedding celebration party for Dennis' side of the family. It was a wonderful party with great people, food, and dancing. Thank you to everyone involved for all your hard work in making the occasion happen. Dennis and I and I think everyone else enjoyed themselves throughly.

Den and I at our NOLA party

After that Dennis made his way to Phoenix and I went home for a bit to take care of some business and see my family. There really is nothing better than being home with my family, and of course Kendall Jackson, and relaxing on the couch with not a care in the world. But I couldn't keep still for long I headed up to Orlando to visit my sister and then to St. Pete for my good friend Rachel's wedding. The wedding was on St. Patty's day with all the bridesmaids in Shamrock green so you know it was a good time : )  After my two weeks in Florida and getting to see my family and friends I flew out to Texas. This trip was extra special because I got to meet my Goddaughter Tegan. She was just 3 weeks old and is just the cutest little baby. I had a wonderful time meeting up with all my old friends in Texas and getting to see some of my old students at Sendera and Thompson Elementary. It's crazy to see how much they have grown.

All the Ladies at Rachel's Wedding

So now I am in Phoenix with Den who is going through TX school to get re-qualified in the F-16. We will be here until June 1st and then heading to Alabama for two months. While we are here in Phoenix we are going to be taking advantage of the nearby cities and sites. We are thinking San Diego trip for Den's birthday, the Grand Canyon, North Carolina for a wedding, and Las Vegas to name a few. It should be a fun stop on our way to Japan. Speaking of Japan....we will be leaving for Japan at the end of July and will probably be stationed there for 2 1/2 to 3 years. We are so looking forward to our next adventure but are trying to get the most out of our time in the states before we leave.

I hope everything is going well with everyone and that you have a great Easter Sunday. Den and I will be happy to be able to eat sweets again and for me enjoy a nice cold coke. Miss and love you all!

PS-Happy Birthday to my good friends Sarah and Rachel!!

I do...again!

As most of you know Dennis and I are already "legally" married last July. We went down to Seoul, visited some offices, signed some papers, and that was it. No ceremony. No I dos. Just a marriage certificate that we had to get translated from Hangul to English. So to really not be "living in sin" anymore we needed be married in the Catholic Church. Since I arrived in Korea, Dennis and I had been meeting with the priest to go through our marriage prep course (pre-cana) over the past 7 months in order to get married. On February 18th, Dennis and I took our vows before the eyes of God and our friends in a ceremony at the small chapel on base. It was a full Catholic mass that ended with a sword ceremony done by some of the men of Dennis' squadron. The sword ceremony is something special because it signifies the beginning of our life in the Air Force together. While walking through the swords at the end there is a little tap on the brides butt from one of the swordsman saying "Welcome to the Air Force".  We want to thank everyone who was involved and came to our ceremony and reception. It meant the world to us to have you all there. 

Mr. and Mrs. Metro

After the ceremony we had a VERY classy reception in the Pond (the air force bar on base) with Popeyes, Korean beer called Cass, and cake for everyone to enjoy. We also had some drinking games like beer pong and corn hole. Like I told you before, Classy!! Overall, a great celebration and we can't wait to go through it all again with our family and close friends in Maui! 

On another exciting note....Dennis and I are only in Korea for about another week!! We will soon be back stateside for a while and can't wait to see everyone back home! Next up is NOLA for our wedding reception with Dennis' family and friends!