2024/Makayla -

Over the course of 17 years, I have lived in a total of three places. Of the three places I have lived, I would say Okinawa has had the biggest impact on me. Living in Okinawa has forever changed my life. And that is why I will never regret that I was a military child because that would mean Okinawa wouldn’t be as deeply rooted in me as it is now.

For most of my life, I’ve struggled with my identity. The question, “Where are you from?” always seemed to strike me. I didn’t know whether to say, “I’m from California” or “I’m from Japan”. I was born and raised in Japan for five years until I moved back to California which is where my family is originally from. I lived in California for six years then moved back to Japan and have been living here for nearly seven years now. Even though I’m barely 18, these last seven years have been the most raw and beautiful moments of my life. Okinawa is where it all happened for me; This is where I’ve laughed, this is where I’ve cried, this is where I’ve loved. This is home for me.

A main core memory I have from Okinawa is my “friendsgiving”. I celebrated Thanksgiving with my friends at the beach during my junior year. I still remember sharing a meal and talking about how wonderful our boring little life is together, I still remember swimming until the sun went down, I still remember watching the fireworks go off. It feels as if it was yesterday that I was creating memories and learning to grow in love. And although my experiences were my experiences alone, living them out in Okinawa made them more meaningful to me.

Living overseas has allowed me to experience so many new things. I learned, healed, and grew so much over the years. For most people, being a military child is almost a curse because nothing is forever. But for me, being a military child is a blessing in disguise. Ironically, for once in my life, I feel like I have a permanent sense of belonging. I belong here. And when I’m back in Okinawa, I feel it, another version of me, I was in it.