I’m sure we’ve all been asked “what would you take if you were stuck on a deserted island?”. I just never thought I would actually be stuck on an island. No, it’s not deserted, by it’s definitely isolated. Living in such a remote place can make you feel disconnected from the rest of the world. And the COVID pandemic doesn’t make things any easier.
When I first learned that we were moving to Okinawa, a tiny Japanese prefecture (island) and a 2-hour plane ride south of mainland, I was excited. My husband and I had a conversation the year prior about wanting to live outside of the US. We wanted the experience because we didn’t want our view of the world to be isolated. I didn’t think that it would happen so soon or that a pandemic would hit, causing me to feel isolated from the world.
The downside:
We had plans to travel all over Asia. Taipei, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand, and Bali are just a few places on our list. Our travels came to a halt when countries began to go on lockdown. Thankfully, in December 2019, we had the opportunity to cross Bangkok and Phuket, Thailand off of this list. I actually wrote a blog post about how we spent 36 hours in Bangkok and have a YouTube vlog on both our Bangkok and Phuket travels. It didn’t even cross my mind that this would be the last time we’d travel for the next year and half.
I miss traveling because it helped me get away from my everyday routine. For me, traveling sparks creativity and wonder. Visiting a new or favorite place, reminds me that there is more to life than being stuck where you are. Even staycations can lead to the discovery of things you never knew about where you live. The downside of being stuck on an island, specifically this island, is that is so small. On one hand, that could be good because you can easily see all that it has to offer, but under the current circumstances, things just feel monotonous. We’ve been on lockdown on and off and the restrictions are always changing.
It wasn’t until we arrived that I learned that Oki is only about 466 sq mi. That’s over 570, yes, five hundred and seventy, times smaller than the state of Texas. Initially, I thought it was pretty cool. Now, I can’t wait to get away for a while. Don’t get me wrong, living here is amazing. I’m immersed in a new culture and get to see a part of the world I never thought I’d experience in this way. However, the disconnection from the outside world and not being able to easily see my family takes its toll. Currently, we can’t even visit other parts of Japan.
Things haven’t been all bad though.
Being stuck on an island has forced me to find things to do locally. If you’re outdoorsy, this is a great place to be because there are many hikes, trails, and dive/snorkeling spots around. I’m not really into that, so I’ve mostly been finding new places to eat. Now that is something I can do all day, everyday! Over on Instagram, I’ve created many Reels showing off some of my favorite restaurants.
My favorite food has easily become ramen. Specifically, ramen known as volcano ramen. The only type of ramen I grew up knowing is the instant kind in the cup or package, but my life seriously changed when I had this ramen for the first time.
Check out the video to the left to see a bit of the experience!
Aside from eating, I mostly spend my days substitute teaching. This is a welcomed change because for the first year, I was only creating content. I greatly missed the human connection that comes from meeting new people on the job. This experience also reignited a dream I had as child. When I was younger, I wanted to become a teacher but life took me down a different path.
Since I had nothing but time, and struggled to find work in my field as a biomedical scientist, I felt I had a chance to fulfill this dream. If nothing else comes out of the pandemic situation, the completion of my teaching certification program and becoming a certified teacher will. While I planned on making this childhood dream a reality at some point, I didn’t expect it to happen this soon. I’m not mad at it though. Great teachers are in need and that’s exactly what I strive to be.
Find the good in it all.
Finding the good in bad or unfortunate situations is my way of coping. The last 2 years has been difficult for many of us, but I try to find joy each day. I know that being sad about my current situation won’t help me, so instead, I look forward to better days ahead. For awhile, I thought traveling was a thing of the past. When I would be able to see my family again was unknown. However, we’ll finally be able to return to the states this summer. I can’t wait to share our rediscovery of the US with you all!
Being here has truly taught me that things aren’t bad forever.
If you’re stuck on an island, or feel like you’re stuck on an island, maintaining a positive mindset is key to living a happy healthy life. Some days are easier than others, but just remember that you are not alone. Better days are ahead.
