Seeing what I've been learning and learning through what I've been seeing

Hey everyone,

Here's a list of things I wish I knew before I came:

1. I will sweat through two t-shirts everyday

2. Take off glasses when getting out of car because they are going to fog up and make you cry

3. There is no such thing as small bugs or small spiders- they come in XXL

4. There are do dryers

Sometimes, I don't know what I'm eating...but it's delicous!

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My aunt Yumiko and I went to the Okinawa Prefectural Peace Memorial museum and park. Inside the new travelling exhibition there were small artifacts found underground today that were miraculously preserved from the battle of Okinawa. However, I felt that the information was biased. It showed only images of Americans aiding local Okinawans. The exhibition emphasized "peace" and global understanding yet I wonder how can there be peace when many Okinawans don't feel as if the war ended.

In the paid exhibition area, I felt that the information was less biased. Inside were real accounts of war and a visual of the locations of battles. In one area of the exhibit there is a cave with replicas of scenarios that would occur during the battle. I was able to hold a canteen still filled with water that was recovered during the battle.

In the park, all the names of those who died (Japanese, American and Okinawan) during the battle are written on giant slabs. The number of names seems endless.

View of suicide cliffs from the park. Many Japanese refused to surrendor to the Americans and were told to kill themselves instead. War-time propoganda helped fuel the number of sucides. Many others not including soldiers decided to end their lives to escape the war.

Yumiko and I visited the Himeyuri Peace Museum. Before entering the museum is a gama where many Himeyuri and soldiers lost their lives. You may pay your respects there. I didn't take many photos to respect the space and those who died. In learning about the horrors the Himeyuri faced, I couldn't comprehend how some were able to survive and were able to share their stories.

Beautiful hibiscus everywhere!

Went to park that had many steps. I found myself at the top of a park overlooking Futenma air base. Miraculously, no one was injured during the crash but it came close to many apartment buildings and schools including my cousins middle school which is just a block away. More info here: http://www.japan-press.co.jp/modules/news/index.php?id=3902

I've begun to realize how the bases continue to affect the lives of Okinawans even today. And at the same time I realize I will never understand. I'm an outsider visiting the insiders. The more I research with a clear head the farther away from a solution I feel and I wonder if there even is a solution to the base conflict and to the forgiveness of war.

#himeyuri #gama #caves #suicidecliff #peacememorial #postwar