Hello from Okinawa, Japan

[Okigroomer]

I've been lurking 'round here for a few weeks. I'm from Oklahoma City and my husband is in the Air Force and we have found ourselves back in Okinawa again. We were here from 2000 - 2004 and I had a dog grooming business that I operated out of my laundry room in my home on base.

I learned to groom dogs when I was in Jr. Highschool (long ago). My uncle had show poodles and taught me how to groom and handle them. From there I started grooming our families toy poodles and then schnauzers and then friends dogs and it went on from there. When we arrived on Okinawa in 2000 I found myself with nothing to do. I found out that people had a hard time finding someone they could communicate with to groom their dog. From there I started my business. I groomed from 2000 - 2004. We returned to Oklahoma City in 2004 and I decided to work in the corporate world and use the Business Management degree I worked so hard for!

In August 2009 we found ourselves back in Okinawa, courtesy of the Air Force! I am ready to begin my grooming business again. I am very excited to start working with pets again.

Any way, just wanted to say hi!

[THE_Redneck_Diva]

Hello!! Back 2 lifetimes ago (Viet Namese war) I was a young Marine nurse stationed on Okinawa! Is the 6-8 story gift shop still in Naha? Are the reefs off of the tank hill on Kadena still as beautiful as they were with as many fish as there used to be? Is the northern part of the island still isolated and rather rural? I loved the people, culture and food when I was there. Oh, do they still wage riot in May & Sept? When I lived on the Rock as we called it back then it was almost unheard of for anyone to have an imported pet. Our unit adopted a couple of local strays for animal companionship and we'd sneak them into the hosptial for the patients, mostly young, wounded GIs, to pet when they felt like it. I've not thought about that for years

[odette]

Welcome to the board! Interesting group and we need more Oklahomans!

[janelle]

Howdy back

Howdy from a groomer in NW Oklahoma city

[pixiedust]

well HI! I lived there for 5 months when I was a child. dad was in viet nam and we lived on Okinawa for a short time before the Army evac'd us. I am so glad that I can remember things from back then, I was 5. some how I remember the world's best ice cream, water buffalo, and walking home from school up this huge hill where the military families lived. our back yards were about 5 feet wide and there was about a 2 foot concrete fence and we looked over the cliff where you could see the water buffalo and rice paddies below. wow.

welcome!

[scullysmom]

Hey!!! We might be there someday (not Air Force). I think it would be really cool for us Military groomer types to start an on base franchise type thing!!!!

[Smart-n-Pretty]

Howdy! What a great handle.

[Okigroomer]

Thanks to everyone for the big welcome. For some of you who have spent time on "The Rock" you probably would not even recognize it now. Naha is a huge metropolis now. Tall buildings everywhere and 1.2 million people on the island with most of them in Naha! The Naha airport is what used to be the Naha Air Base. The North end of the island is still just as rural and covered by jungle as it has always been. The Okinawan people are as fantastic as they have always been! The reefs are just as beautiful as they were when we were here before. My husband and I are both avid scuba divers and we're out there just about every weekend.

Redneck Diva I think it's awesome that you were able to get some Oki-Mutts into the hospital for some pet therapy. Now everyone here has a dog if not 2. They limit you to 2 pets per household if you live on base. Small dogs such as poodles, yorkies, and Shis are the norm here. But, there are a lot of people with Goldens and lots of Cockers. At least that's the way it was when we were here in 2000 - 2004.

As for the icecream - Blue Seal Ice Cream and Dairy is still the best in the world.

As far as franchising a brand on base - the Air Force Kennel has a groomer. Although, that person is Okinawan and I think there are still language barrier issues.

I am really looking forward to getting my business started. I hope I will be as busy as I was last time. It makes the days fly by!

[BeeJL]

Hey the next time we have a cyber party here, you can bring the ice cream.

[windywaycavaliers]

Well, hello! And welcome!