The driveway at our place here in Kamikawa is symbolic of our life here. Up and down… Sometimes it takes us 3 tries to get all the way up and sometimes we only make it halfway.
And this winter?? We have been STUCK. More than once. Sighhhhh…
We are coming up on the 2 year anniversary of my contract here in Japan. And it has been a year. I am grateful not to have lost any family or friends… but we did lose one of our lovely band students from past years. It is tragic when someone so young dies. And she wasn’t the only one in RMH.
Still, both our parents are doing okay. My mum has had a few bumps but in true “nana” fashion - she has come out the other side of all of them. Having said that, her need to be in care, due to her inability to walk, has shone a light on the horror that is senior care!!!
We miss our boys. I am grateful they have great girls but still… for now - however temporary it may be - they don’t have “home”. You know? They are so supportive and maybe even a little proud of us? But the reality is that our choice to do this has an impact.
I miss my tribe… my friends… my people! How amazing is it that we are going to see SO MANY over the next year! Not the least of which are our boys and their girls! So grateful for those who are managing to come and see us in this foreign land.
My poor husband has to deal with his “passionate” wife… At times his life is a rollercoaster, mimicking my feelings about this experience! Learning to approach this experience - living here - the job - like a Japanese person is a challenge.
I had a meeting with my supervisor and other coworkers a couple of weeks ago and I was SURE it would be horrible. I definitely have baggage from my last job. Three years out…
But it was great!
How was I? What could they do to support me? Things were going well… don’t worry about your Japanese… Really?
I cannot believe how the trauma of being disrespected and discarded hangs on…
So onward I go…
Travel? In only our second year… I made an unexpected trip to Canada and spent time with family and friends in Edmonton, Calgary and RHM and 4 blessed days with my boys in Montreal… taken in a Pacific Music Festival Orchestra concert, had our first set of Canadian visitors (Yay Kathy and Al), taken a train trip to the beautiful Hakodate, spent a month in Canada, attended a family wedding in beautiful Mexico, and AGAIN spending time with our boys… travelled to Tokyo when it was NOT 40 degrees… visited the Philippines and experienced Hong Kong!! And yet to come in this, our second year in Japan? Singapore and Kuala Lumpur!! WOW!!
Have I cried? Once or twice!! Have I threatened to quit? Of course! But with the support of Mark, and the AMAZING Nicky… I am still here - doing this crazy thing!!
More adventure to come!!
Happy Belated Valentine’s Y’all!!
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