Piping Samantha Ashore!

Nellie here...



Samantha arrived in Okinawa safely back in January! She has been getting settled into her new home, and enjoying some cultural experiences. She brought these darling sailor outfits from her ocean adventure. I absolutely love mine. It's my new favorite.



I'm so excited to share our adventures together with you. It's been raining a lot, which means we've spent a lot of time indoors...but hopefully that will change soon. I can't wait to ride this Ferris Wheel!

Until next time...

Fun with Nellie at the 100 Yen

There are so many fun things to do here in Okinawa. I can't wait until Samantha gets here so I can show her everything I've seen. Saturday, Coree took me to a 100 yen store. It was so much fun! 100 yen is approximately one dollar, depending on the daily exchange rate. (That means...how much money from one country is worth, compared to the value of money in another country in the world market. It changes every day, believe it or not!)

I've been to a dollar store in the USA, but a 100 yen store is much, much bigger. Also, there is much more of a selection here. Some types of products are the same, but since the Japanese culture is unique, it is fun to see how many different items there are, too.

Coree said she would buy me three things of my very own, but there are SO many wonderful treasures to choose from, it will be hard to pick. Let's get shopping...


I chose this little Rottie first. He was good company for the ride...



Look at all these things to make cooking fun. In Japan, meal presentation is very important. Even school lunches are an art. Many things here are miniature...just my size! Most items have English writing, too...but some are only written in Kanji (Japanese writing) so you might have to guess what they are. If you are lucky, the pictures help you to figure it out.



What cute flags! I've been to some of these places...can you guess which countries I've been to?



In Japan, stationary and gift wrap are very important. The presentation of a present is as important as the gift itself. This card is just my size...and it has kittens. I LOVE kittens! I'm getting this for Samantha.



After the 100 Yen Plaza, we went to the Dragon Palace. It is an amusement arcade with games and little rides. We posed for these sticky pictures. Why do you think they are called sticky pictures? I didn't know why...until Coree's friend told me they are printed out on sticky paper so you can use them as stickers. How fun!



These were fun, but you have to be fast or it will take the picture before you are ready! It takes practice, so I think I'll bring Samantha here sometime.



Our last stop was a candy store inside the Dragon Palace. There were SO many candies to choose from. Some candy in Japan is the same as it is in the USA, but there are many candies that are different. Coree and I plan to try as many as we can. Japanese chocolate is VERY good. They don't add wax the way that many American candy makers do...AND they put chocolate over things I had not thought of before...like spicy rice crackers!

We had another fun weekend here on Okinawa. Check back next week to read about our next adventure. Until then...Sionara!

Nellie Lands Safely in Okinawa...

Nellie here! I arrived in Okinawa on Christmas Eve! I flew from San Diego to San Francisco, and then on to Osaka, Japan and finally Okinawa. Coree kept me safe and comfortable the whole way...although the turbulence did get a little scary at times!

I have enjoyed the holidays with Coree's family...but I sure miss Samantha. I'm looking forward to a New Year's celebration at Shuri Castle on Friday. I love Okinawa so far, and I'm learning everything I can about Okinawan customs and culture.

What do you think of my new kimono? I love it!


The Shisaa are a gift from Coree's mom...they are a cultural symbol in Okinawa found in most homes to ward off evil spirits and bring good luck. There are many versions of the story, but my favorite is this: The male has his mouth open to catch the good fortune...and the female's mouth is closed to keep the good fortune.

Samantha is still on her way. She is traveling by boat, so we are sure she will have many stories to tell when she arrives...in less than two weeks now! I already have adventures to tell her about...and some places to show her, too.

Until next time, Happy New Year everyone!