hear the army

March: move back to USA from Japan. July: travel to Japan for 3 months. September: return to the USA to move back to Japan. Didn’t I say I was moving back to the USA because I wanted to settle down and have one home for longer than 4 years (my life long record)?
During the month home I was able to repack all my things and move. This time in a much more permanent way than last. “My room” at my Mom’s place no longer has much trace of me except for the boxes stored there – all neatly inventoried. The movers came for the rest on October 6th. Now all that is left of my life in the States are those boxes I will retrieve in maybe 5 years when Isseki and I relocate there again. The difference in this move was tangible – tears fell as I scoped out my room one last time before I parted – my Mom cried for the first time at the airport seeing me off.
We crammed as much into the rest of the time that I wasn’t packing and organizing as possible. Many thank yous go out to:
My Sister and Mother who put on a fantastic dinner party for Isseki and I at my favorite restaurant in town and to all who attended to celebrate our engagement! There was no possible way to include everyone I know and love but hopefully we’ll find another time to celebrate together!
Wendy D – our gracious hostess in the capital city of my adopted home state.
Vans & Yosh – who gave us yet another dinner party in the gorgeous mountains of NC and were our hosts the rest of the weekend – we’ll move there next!
Linda C and her beau – for taking time to treat us to a delicious dinner.
John McV – you’re a star for making it out to the NYC show – so sorry you missed the band (I promise to give more info next time) – so happy to have your humor and frankness – go back to the restaurant and ask the beautiful lady out.
Aunt D – here’s to last min arrangements and an adventurous woman who indulges in them – it was a great day.
Aunt C – you and Serge are award winning hosts – there’s no other way to put it. Thanks for everything.
Rachel – I’m so glad you stuck around.
Ellen – I couldn’t have described the farm visit experience better to Isseki than a dinner at your place. Thanks for the sweets too – I made myself sick.
All my RI family – thanks always for taking time out to visit with me every time I make it into town and for being great hosts!
Once again to my Mom & Sister – you two did the most to make our trip comfortable and fun – thanks for everything!
6 cities, 4 states, and over 30 new people for Isseki in 2.5 weeks…exhausting and expensive but well worth it. I can’t wait to see you all the next time around – unfortunately that probably won’t be for another year or so from now.
The only regret is that we virtually have no pictures of the event. One camera being forgotten on an Amtrak train from RI->NYC and never being returned. Another roll having some serious issues – maybe it ended up in an x-ray somewhere along the trip home? Sadness. Send any pics you have please.
Life now: I started teaching part-time within a week of my return. Two small English conversation schools in opposite directions from my station. I’m back at a kindergarten for 2 classes/week. I volunteer at least once/week at a local organization that provides assistance/information to foreigners in the area, CHIC. I attend Japanese lessons twice a week. I’m 30. It’s cold here now and I keep rotating the 4 long sleeve shirts I have until my belongings finally arrive. Hopefully I will REALLY be settled by Christmas. Then there is a wedding to plan…
Ah – the moment you’ve all been waiting for! Well, actually, we have already gotten married! Yes indeed – for the unromantic, practical reason: visa. We toyed with the idea of not telling anyone until the wedding because filling out some forms doesn’t exactly feel like marriage anyway – but after a while it seemed like there was no way to keep it totally under wraps. We required 2 witnesses and Isseki’s friends offered to do so but didn’t realize it wasn’t supposed to be world news yet…oh well. So people ended up knowing before we were prepared to tell them and before we knew they knew and…well, you know how it goes from there. I never realized what a touchy thing marriage is. I feel like for the next year we are going to have people unhappy with us because we didn’t include them or someone they knew in it. This is because I know we can’t afford a huge wedding, nor do we really want that. I’m starting to think weddings aren’t for the bride and groom at all. It’s going to be difficult – but I take comfort in the fact that we actually have so many friends and family – even if they aren’t all here in Kobe. Isseki’s Mom had a novel idea – “oh, you’re married? Well, let’s go to Hawaii next month and have a wedding!” haha. We are still shooting for sometime in April and are meeting with some people at the prospective venue within the week.
I plan on updating pictures soon too so keep a look out!