The Foreign Service Journal, May 2022

Please submit your favorite, recent photograph to be considered for Local Lens. Images must be high resolution (at least 300 dpi at 8” x 10”, or 1 MB or larger) and must not be in print elsewhere. Include a short description of the scene/event, as well as your name, brief biodata and the type of camera used. Send to locallens@afsa.org . 82 MAY 2022 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL LOCAL LENS BY FIONA MASLAND n OKINAWA, JAPAN T he morning mist was still rolling over the surrounding hills when I photographed these cherry trees in full bloomonMount Yae on the northwestern side of Okinawa’s main island. I was struck by the contrast of the wild palm and banana trees interspersed with the pink blossoms. The cherry blos- som season in Okinawa is mid-January through early February. In the distance, you can see a small viewing pavilion farther up the road. Not pictured: dozens of sight- seers queueing up along the road to admire the blossoms. Japan has beenmostly closed to foreign tourists since the start of the pandemic, so the other visitors were Japanese. n Fiona Masland is a second-tour State Department Foreign Service officer currently serving at U.S. Consulate General Naha in Okinawa. She previously served in Lagos. She took this photo in late January on her personal cell phone, a Motorola Moto G Power.