Editor’s Note: Nii Borketey Anna, a 5th Grader at Yokota West Elementary School, submitted his story and the illustrations made by his cousin, Daniel Boahene Speid, a 5th Grader in Canada. Both worked on this project and wanted to share it with Stripes Japan readers. If you or someone you know want to share their story (and illustrations), contact us at japan@stripes.com!

It’s Friday morning at 7 A.M. I am currently taking off my goalie pads off my skinny legs to put in queue for airing out the sweaty odor it’s emitting from the grimy hockey bag. Ice hockey practice was tough today! A 10-year-old crane can only receive so many puck shots at 5 A.M. In the cold? Absolute torture!

In the kitchen, I spectate my mother flying side to side into cabinets trying to find her spices. “What are you doing?” I ask. My mother replies with a loud, rattling, bugling call. “I am preparing spaghetti for lunch,” she replies. I bolt into my room scattered, dazed, pupils dilatated, and feathers untidied.

“How’d hockey go?” my mother asked. “Not bad, but it was a bit rough,” I responded. “As expected,” my mother says. She is a no-nonsense woman. She is African, and very strict but nice, and there is a balance. Her being extremely annoying and stressed on the most slow-paced days. On the table was my favorite breakfast cereal, Honey Cheerios! Join my expedition as we migrate together through Yokota Air Base wildlife habitat, home of the Cranes, Pandas, White Tigers, and Black Panthers. Let’s go!

Looks like clear skies, and a slight breeze with the landing possibility of 125 knots with a chance of windshear upon arrival. How I wish I could explain it! Imagine a bird’s eye view of the library, commissary, and natatorium, which is known for its massive pool. And the best of all, the Youth Center! It is an afterschool fun program for young wildlife. To my right, planes are stationed on the airstrip! I love studying military airplanes. My favorite plane is the F-22 Raptor. I can go on forever, ranting about it for years, but I need to keep on going. A few moments later, I arrive at Yokota West Elementary School. Sweet home of the Cranes!

Swoosh! Swooping down low to enter my school. A flock of cranes make an attempt to enter the building, barricading the entry door. I also joined because, who wants to be late for class? At students gathering time, I sit down at the cafeteria table and talk to my friends. Mrs. Torres, our class teacher, announces it’s time to head to class. We also go to the library after we unpack to do morning meeting where all 29 students in 5th grade do activities that are assigned to us. Like greetings, she would do “Handshake your nearby peer and fall down.”

After we are dismissed from class, we all fly hastily to the shuttle gazebo to get out of the blazing, scorching, hot sun. I can feel all the sunrays bouncing off my white, vibrant, feathers! My body temperature begins to rise. I feel like I’m suffocating. Did you know the shuttle is a bus that’s used for transportation within base! You must be the age of nine to use the shuttle for transportation. You also must be on your best behavior because the shuttle is a privilege. When you mount the shuttle, the first thing you smell is the exhaust, the diesel fuel being combusted from a Cummins ISB6.7 engine. The commotion of the riders fills the air. I feel like doom is right now impending, until the bus we’ve all been waiting for arrives! I enter; it was heaven. The circulation under my feathers feels like an efficient A/C coolant. Then the chatter of the base shuttle riders fills the air. This is what you call the base shuttle experience.

As I exited the shuttle, I entered the commissary, the mall of our base. It has three floors. The first floor has a farmer’s organic grassland, and the food court. On the 2nd floor, you can buy anything from Yokota Base Wildlife Kingdom. And the third floor is a recharging station for the cranes (you!) migrating here, or for grubs. But I’m here for the food court for the CHEESESTEAKS! (For a crane, I cheat my herbivore diet, I eat like an omnivore. Don’t tell anyone!) They are my center of attention when I go to the commissary, but barely anyone knows what a cheesesteak is! It’s a sub packed with meat, lettuce, tomatoes, and more. I just love getting the savory scent of the cheese steak. As usual, the same Japanese cooks appear. They are the nice people who always serve me. The cooks make sure I have everything I ordered.

As I walked to the library, I can’t help but notice the beautiful view of Mount Fuji! With the calming silver lining. But I enter the library. I can feel the mood change instantly. The silence is too loud. I greet the front desk and walk into the base’s encyclopedia. I browsed through the aisles one by one. Soon after, I find a chemistry book. So I checked the book out and started reading it. “Bromine is a corrosive element.” Did I also mention I’m a big nerd when it comes to math, science, and military history? I usually study the table of elements, but this book was different. It was immersive, realistic, and fun. Next stop is my mom’s work office, where all grasslands, nests, and buildings are designed and constructed.

As I reached 374th Civil Engineering Squadron, I see one of my mom’s coworkers. Hibino-san. “Hello,” I say, he nods with a smile. I’m currently walking up the stairs. I opened the door, and I see my mother walking down the corridor. “What are you doing?” I asked. “I’m printing a floor plan.” My mother’s an architect that builds, destroys, and renovates. “Co- “. I’m interrupted. “Fran!” to my left, I see Mrs. Tracy. She talks about how a ventilation broke in a tower. I walked down the hallway and turned left. I stood upon the majestic hot chocolate machine. I put in my yen and wait impatiently until it’s ready. I took one sip and I can tell, today’s going to be a good day.

As I Sprint out of my mother’s office, I gaze at the CV-22 flying in helicopter mode. The CV-22 can fly like a helicopter or a plane. Then something catches my eye. It is the soaring F-15E Strike Eagle. It flies swiftly and nimbly. It cuts through the air like butter. I want to fly a fighter jet when I’m older. But my favorite plane is the F-22 Raptor. It’s an all stealth fighter jet, but until now, I must get good grades. But take note, getting too close to the engine will suck you in and knock all your feathers off. As I fly up, I view all the hangars on-base.

Fun fact: Planes are stored in a big hut called a hangar.

After flying past the airfield, I find myself on the ground, I look to the left and view Tomadachi Lanes. The bowling alley on-base. It’s near my school. Even though I don’t like bowling, it’s still cool we can knock down some pins! I know some people who love bowling. So, when you have time, c’mon down to Tomadachi lanes to knock down some pins!

Me and my fellow cranes often fly towards our after-school provider, the Youth Center! This is where I can relax my with my fellow bird mates and shoot basketball hoops, sketch a Leonardo da Vinci, grind and max out your level on the computers, smash your opponents on Super Smash Bros, or just decompress with yoga. Don’t be afraid to try it. It won’t bite your feathers, I promise!

Wakamono is the Youth Center’s clone, except younger flocks tend to gravitate towards Wakamono. Wakamono is a friendlier approach that helps younger cranes to build friendships. Wakamono will always help you through the rough and shaky turbulence no matter what the situation. Wakamono always has your feathers.

The theater is where you can get your wings on outrageous amount of popcorn (don’t buy the wrong type of wings!), relax in a very bird approved chair and watch a projection casted onto a white background and tune out. Just make sure your popcorn doesn’t slip out of your wings’ grasp! Also, when the government is thinking about their budget, this is a good way to decompress. #funfurloughtimes.

Do you admire Michael Phelps? Well, the Natatorium is the place for you! The Natatorium is where animals come to do karate and mainly swimming. Animals like to come to do swimming lessons, free swim, and birthday parties. I usually only go to the Natatorium for birthday parties, so get your swimming trunks and shirt, and let’s make a huge splash! Imagine seeing a crane swiftly kicking a boxing bag. I wouldn’t be kicked by that crane!

Fun fact: cranes can deliver a kick that delivers 195 newtons of force which is equivalent to 20-kilogram force.

Still confused? Or just feeling sick, that’s fine! Because luckily, we have physical and mental health services. These superheroes are like Dr. Hazelwood and Leslie Cardona. Who help you through the tough times. Don’t be afraid! It really helps!

As you followed me through my journey. It wasn’t to tell my experience here, but for you the reader, to read it to best understand the base more. By reading this, you should have a better understanding of the base, amenities, and places. I wish somebody could have written this for me when it was my first day here. It probably would have helped me, benefited me a lot, but now I’ve realized I can do that for others who are coming. I’d also like to point out this was also done. Because I think we are lacking kid sections in magazines. Sometimes they put in an effort, and I really do appreciate that. But some kids aren’t into word searches, and coloring. They like reading. Things that are more into their style, this is just to make sure that new people who are just PCSing in enjoy their time at Yokota and know their amenities. Thank you for reading this and have a crane-tastic day!

Yokota Air Base