Okinawa! 2

What a great day it was today. I went back to work after having a week off for Spring Break. It was great to go back and see my students. Now I have completed my chores for the evening, and I can sit down and continue my story.

We arrived on Okinawa during the summer, and it was hot. It used to rain alot, and when it did, huge snails would come out! We were scared of them at first, but we initially got over our fright. We did some horrible things to those snails.

Our first summer in Okinawa was exciting. It was there in Oki Sho Housing that I learned how to skateboard on a simple piece of wood, and it was here we rode our first horse. There was an old Okinawan guy who used to bring his broke down horse to the village, and we would pay a dime to ride it up and down the street. All of the kids in the neighborhood used to ride that old horse. The man used to put us on the horse and take us down. There were never any adults around when this man came, and he used to touch us inappropriately. As he took us off the horse, he would rub our bodies up against his. I knew what that man was doing at the young age of nine, and I stopped riding that horse.

After living in the village for a short time, we (my brother and I) ventured away from our house a short distance and discovered Okinawan Christian School. We were on a mission to find the candy store to see what exotic treasures it held. The candy store sat in the shadow of this big gray school. The students wore gray uniforms with small hats, long knee high socks, and sensible black shoes, and they also carried huge satchels. We used to see children going to school when we were out of school, and shopping for Japanese treats.  We also realized that the Okinawan school children attended school on Saturday! Wow!

My younger brother and I became regulars at this store because we picked up a nasty habit. When we weren't playing in the street, we used to go into the boondocks. The boondocks were these gullies behind the village that housed all kinds of wild life. We were not allowed to go into the boondocks, because they were dangerous. Of course that made us want to explore them more. I did venture down the side of one because, I discovered some snake skin.That was so cool. When I took the skin home, my mother told me to promptly take it back, because the snake would be looking for it. I never took it back, and she never found out. I kept that skin until it dried up.

We soon found out that even though we were living in paradise, all was not a bed of roses. The American military families who did not live on base were targets for thieves. The thieves would break into the houses when no one was home, and rob them of everything. All of the military families who did not live on base were encouraged to get a dog, because of these thieves. They were called the "stealy boys". If you  had a dog that barked a lot, they would not come in your house. We got a dog named Thunder. He turned out to be quite a good watchdog. Once, when we came home, we could see in our bathroom where someone tried to enter the house by cutting a small hole in the screen, and Thunder kept them away. I remember a story about this watchdog who was taught not to bark, but let the stealy boy get in the house. Well, when they found the thief in the house, he was barely alive. Thunder was not a quiet dog, he was a verbal dog and that worked for us......but he was afraid of thunder and fireworks.

The first summer on Okinawa brought the best 4th of July celebration I had ever seen. The military had a huge party for the families on the base. They provided all of the food, drinks, entertainment, and the fireworks show at the end of the night. Prior to the base celebration, we had some really cool fireworks that my dad had bought. We had cherry bombs, rat chasers, rockets, whistling rockets, and stink bombs just to name a few. We did not realize how dangerous those fireworks were, we were having fun.

The first time we realized Thunder had a fear of loud thunderous noises was on the Fourth of July. That dog took off running like someone had shot him. He ran under the bed, and would not come out until all the next day. Hence, his name......Thunder. The three years we had him, we knew where he would be on the Fourth of July. When we left Okinawa, we had to give him away. We all cried, because it was like giving away a member of our family.

Okinawa!

We arrived in Okinawa during the summer. It was steamy like a jungle, and I could not wait to explore the neighborhood we lived in. The first thing we had to do was get a military I.D card. This card allowed us to enter any facility that was run by the Military. We not only used them on Air Force bases, but we could use them on the Army base as well. The base was an interesting facility as well. We would be attending school on the base and they would provide transportation for us.

We soon discovered that almost every house in our neighborhood held a military family. Oki Sho Housing was the first stop for families who had to get in line and wait for base housing. My father was stationed at Naha. We stayed 2 years in that village. There were non-military families there as well. I made friends with some of the Okinawan children, but the majority of our friends were military. When we visited the base, my father showed us the swimming pool, bowling alley, and the school.

After we left the base, he showed us around Okinawa. I remember seeing trucks with three wheels! How was that possible? We visited some exotic stores, and fish markets. The people looked at us as if we were an oddity. Okinwans did not resemble the Japanese people in their facial features. Closely resembling the Japanese in physique, the Ryukyuans are of mixed racial ancestry, and of this, the aboriginal Ainus is predominant to the Malayan and Mongoloid stock (got this info off the back of the above folder). Okinawans speak the Japanese that has been taught in their schools for over 120 years. Their own language, forbidden by Imperial Japanese edict, has nearly been forgotten, except in some of the outlying islands (wow, I never knew Okinawans had their own language).

Everything was so foreign and exciting! I remember the island as being lush with big plants and really big snails. Here I was, a nine year old child in this foreign country ready for an adventure. I was an avid reader of the Hardy Boys, and Nancy Drew books, so I was ready to create my own adventures! I would drag my little brother with me on my adventures. He was six years old.

Traveling

Good Wonderful Wednesday!

The day started fresh and sweet due to a thunderific storm last night! The air was charged with lightning and pure energy! Therefore, the morning is clean, fresh and cool, and I feel good.

When I last wrote, I was on my way to Okinawa, Japan! My adventure was just starting. I was nine years old and about to embark on a journey that would have me growing up quickly. My father was already on the island of Okinawa. He had set up house for us, so when we arrived, all we had to do was unpack.

I have not written since last Wednesday, so I need to get on the ball!

Okinawa (Ryukyu Islands)

I vaguely remember boarding the plane at Shepherd Air Force Base, and flying to Travis Air Force Base, California. We stayed in California for a couple of days, then boarded a plane to Hawaii. We had a short layover at Hickam Air Force Base, then we flew to Tokyo, and boarded another plane.

Finally, we arrived in Okinawa, and the heat smacked us in the face! Okinawa is a part of the Ryukyu Islands. The archipelago consists of more than 72 islands and is 2388 square kilometers in area, although the actual acreage is much smaller. The size compares to Rhode Island. Most important was the island of Okinawa which contains better than 75% of the Ryukyuan population in addition to a large U.S. military population. Okinawa is an island that is 67 miles long, and 2 to 16 miles in width. At some points you can see the China Sea to the west and the Pacific Ocean to the east. The northern two-thirds of Okinawa are rugged and mountainous; the southern third of rolling hills is broken by terraces, cliffs and ravines. It is not very big or long, I could have walked the length of the island if I had been older. This was our first time out of the United States!

My father was there to pick us up at the airport, and the air was tingling with an adventure awaiting us! My father took us to our house that was in a village called Oki Sho Housing. Oki Sho Housing sat in the shadow of the famous Okinawan Christian School. The school sat on a hill high above the housing area. The students who attended that school also went to school on Saturday. We were shocked when we saw those kids going to school on Saturday! Boy were we lucky not to be Okinawans! That school intrigued me so much because it was so big and formidable.

We use to venture to a Japanese candy store that offered treats we had never seen, let alone tasted before. The store was located almost on the campus of the school. The woman who owned the store would be in a perpetual squat with her baby tied to her back. She was not very friendly, but then I found out that's just how she was.....rude. We would buy goodies like; dried squid, bubble gum made from octopus, rock candy, seemoy (salted dried prunes), rice crackers with seaweed, and Japanese cigarettes.

Upon our arrival to our new house, we discovered two traditional Japanese dolls, one for me and one for my sister, and two blue and read sweaters w/an attached scarf (my sister still has hers!). My brothers got these great Japanese remote control race cars. I don't remember if my mother received any gifts.  Our new life had started and it felt good.

Desegregation 3

When we moved to Texas, it was a culture shock. Wichita Falls was a small town consisting of smelting factories, the Levi Strauss distribution center, and a major hub for cattle passing through to be put on trains. We lived a few miles from downtown in a small house behind my Grandparents house. The school I was to attend was an all black school. When we were enrolled, I could not believe it. I got my mother's third grade teacher! I thought she would be nicer to me, but she treated me just like everyone else. As a matter of fact, I remember her grabbing my mouth and squeezing hard to see what I was chewing. It was just an eraser, but her actions are vivid in my mind because she hurt my jaws. When I told my Grandmother, she said I should not  have been chewing on it anyway. I do believe if I had been at Pearl Stephens, and a white teacher had grabbed my face, it would have been all over the news. Those were the sign on the times.

One recollection of my short time in Wichita Falls, was the tornado siren. We had just returned home from school, and the warning went off. Mind you, Wichita Falls is a part of Tornado Alley. This is an area in the Midwest that is notorious for having quite a few tornadoes. I remember my mother screaming at me to get my shoes, because my after school routine consisted of me taking my shoes off as soon as I got in the house. She screamed never mind, and hustled the four of us to the car. We did not know where we were going, but it was in the opposite direction of that 40 mile wide tornado!

As we sped down the highway to my Great Grandmother's house, I could see the huge tornado behind us. I screamed at my mom to go faster! We got to my Great Gran's house and felt safe. We could see the tornado in the distance as it turned and went downtown to the other side of town. That huge tornado cut a swath through the well-to-do side of town, and skipped the poor section of town.
The year was 1968. A few months after that, my father returned from Korea, and we went to Okinawa, Japan.

Desegregation 2

Pearl Stephens Elementary School ( I am in the back)

We lived in Macon for 2 1/2 years, and my siblings and I attended Pearl Stephens for that long. I actually have good memories of attending the school. There were never any name calling or derogatory comments made in reference to our race. I loved when we had May Day, and the school would have a carnival for the whole day. They also had fairs on the weekends, that included eating a lot of  home cooked food and homemade taffy.
The next year at Pearl Stephens, more black children arrived. We were no longer the only blacks in the whole school. By my third year, there were quite a few of us. My third grade teacher was not very nice. She put my (and other black students in the class) desk in the back of the classroom. Now that I think about it, that was the only time I experienced racism at Pearl Stephens.
About half way through my third year at Pearl Stephens, my father got assigned to Korea. We had to move to Texas to live with my mother's parents. I would complete third grade at Booker T. Washington High School, in Wichita Falls, Texas. My mother completed her education at Booker T.

Desegregation

Good Morning Terrific Tuesday!

First Grade, 1965

I love this time of the morning, because it feels as if I am the only one awake. There is not a sound coming in the open windows this early morn, but later, the birds will be singing their joy to the world.
When I ended my conversation yesterday, I had introduced you to my experience with integration.

Sometimes, I am confused with the definition of integration (leveling barriers, and creating equal opportunities regardless of race), and desegregation (ending the separation of two groups). According to Wikipedia, they are one in the same. Desegregation is largely a legal matter, and integration largely a social one. Whatever the case may be.....I lived it.

My mother took us and registered us at the school of her choice. There were no other black children in attendance at this school. There would be no transportation provided for us to attend this school. We would have to walk a long distance to catch the bus to this school.  My mother walked with us the first few weeks of school, so we would know the route.We had to walk through a grove of Plum Bushes (I got sick from eating too many), down a long street (leaving the projects), and then to the bus stop. We would then take the bus across town (to the White neighborhood) to attend school. My mother bought us tokens to catch the bus, and that is how we integrated Pearl Stephens Elementary School in Macon, Georgia. The year was 1965, the heart of the Civil Rights Movement.

Integration

My parents were young parents with 4 children under the age of nine. My mother was 27 years old, and my father was 31 year old. We had just moved from Indiana, because my father got stationed at Warner Robins Air Force Base. We did not get base housing and moved to the projects in Macon. Otis Redding's parents lived behind us in the projects, and we would attend Vocation Bible School with Mr. Redding. We also played with Otis' children, but I always thought they were his brothers and sisters, because they were always at their grandparent's apartment.

I remember my mother asking us what school did we want to attend. I did not know...I was only 6. We walked to the school that was designated the Black School. En route, dogs barked and snarled at us as we walked by the yards. My mother took out her fingernail file. I don't know what she was going to do with that, I guess cut the dog if it attacked us. We finally made it to the school, and my mother did not like what she saw. She said we would be attending the White School.

Hello

Wow! I am about to become a blogger. I have lived a great life and would like to share it with you. I am a product of a military family. I was born in Hawaii, the year Hawaii became a State. What a beautiful place the Hawaiian Islands are. I have traveled to many different places with my family, and enjoyed it immensely. Even as a child, I knew we were privileged to be able to travel overseas.

Before traveling over seas, my two older siblings and I integrated a school in Macon, Georgia. The year was 1965, and I was 6 years old. That was my introduction to  desegregation.