Cultural Differences

I have been living in Kyoto, Japan for over two weeks now, and I am absolutely loving this new life change. I have completely embraced the cultural differences and drastic changes in my life and have used them to improve myself and my perspective. Sure, I find myself missing my regular cable t.v. shows or being able to check in with the world on my smartphone, however this might have been a blessing in disguise. I find that I am able to devote more time to my marriage and to exploration without these distractions. Having been here two weeks, I have gained experience that can only be obtained through immersing yourself into a completely different environment.  I have observed and noted numerous cultural differences in Japanese culture verses American culture, and they are often times improvements. Joel had always told me about many differences that he saw while spending time here, however witnessing them for yourself makes them more concrete. The differences I have found so far are as follows:

1. Appearance. People take pride in their appearance here in Japan. I'm not sure if it's because we are in a bigger city and there are more fashionable options, however most everyone looks very well put together. I have not seen anyone, I mean anyone, at the supermarket or the mall in their p.j. pants and I have only seen one person in sweat pants and he was actually working out! Everyone takes pride in themselves, they're called pajama pants for a reason. 
2. Skincare. We're winding down towards the end of summer, but here in Kyoto it is pretty warm. Everywhere I look there are women using umbrellas to shield themselves from the sun and arm sleeves to protect their skin. SPF is a must here and fair skin is beautiful healthy skin. In the USA people line up around the block to throw themselves into a small bed and actually bake their skin! How disturbing! People here take pride in healthy bright skin and embrace it. 
3. Transportation. Sometimes I miss the freedom of having a car, however I see the wonderful benefits of public transportation. There is less pollution, less congestion on the road, and it provides a cheap means of transportation for all. Kyoto's public transportation system is fabulous. For example I wouldn't feel safe riding the subway in the US in the evenings by myself, and subways in the states are often portrayed as sketchy places to be. However, here it is incredibly safe, clean, and reliable  They even provide a car just for women in peak hours for their comfort. Nothing sketchy about these subways or buses! 
4. Food Portions. I have seen a lot of blogs and articles online that joke that westerners coming to Japan often times feel hungry for the first few months. Well I haven't felt hungry, however I can see how much people in the states over eat! I have been satisfied with the smaller portions here and have implemented this new way of eating into my household as well. The fact is that you just don't need a quarter pounder with cheese or a 14 ounce steak from the roadhouse. It's just not necessary, unless maybe you are Michael Phelps. 
5. Environment. I am completely amazed at how clean and environmentally friendly this country is. You have to recycle here, it's not an option. It does take some getting used to, after all my first few days Joel went behind me and made sure I put things into the right receptacles. You don't see any trash or litter on the ground, what so ever. Even people who smoke put their ashes in a small container and empty it later. People care about the environment here.
6. Customer Service. It doesn't matter where you go, whether it be the high end fashion mall Takashimaya or the Circle K, you are greeted with wonderful customer service and a friendly attitude. I think customer service and what that entails has fallen by the wayside in the states. You often times find people who are either extremely unhappy with their jobs, thinking they are above the job they are doing, or just plain don't have people skills. It's completely different here, no upset fast food or retail workers here. Just folks wanting to do the job they've been given and do it well. 
7. Consideration. You might find yourself in an extremely crowded bus during busy hours where people are squeezing themselves in trying to find even another square inch of space. You won't find hostile or bothered people here, they act extremely considerate and kindly let you through when it's your time to get off the bus. You find this everywhere, not just on the bus. You find considerate, accommodating  and polite people no matter where you go. I like to return the favor! 

This new way of living has opened my eyes to how wonderful the Japanese culture is and how we could learn a thing or two from their people and their everyday lifestyle. These are things I have embraced and have taken in as changes to my everyday life. 

Start Up

The day that Joel starts teaching is finally drawing closer. With only two days before he starts, I can tell he's experiencing a few butterflies here and there but his personality holds true. He always stays pretty calm and collected when it comes to business matters. He has completed all of his orientations, introductions, and meeting and it's time to meet his fellow teachers and the children. We've arrived at this moment with much anticipation and it hasn't been without it's stresses. The process of being picked and hired happened effortlessly but the start up of this new life hasn't been a picnic. The technicalities that we have to sort through are immense and often times seem endless to me and I wasn't even here for the whole amount of them! Figuring out a new apartment system, utilities system, banking system etc. has been quite the adaption. However Joel has weaved us through this uncertain time with great ease and it seems as if he's been made for this. After all he has traveled around and can easily adapt to other situations. 

When I arrived we had to visit the ward office to announce my arrival and give them copies of our marriage certificate as well as declare I'm here as his dependent. Although Joel studied Japanese extensively, this was something stressful for him because he had to speak totally in Japanese for this. He did wonderfully and didn't miss a beat! However I know he was a little shaken up due to the fact that he isn't used to using words and verbs that are involved in business matters and are more formal. One thing that I have noticed since I've been here and Joel has always told me about is the Japanese mentality of modesty. They are very modest no matter what is in question. Whether it be their craft, skill, their looks, or just paying them compliments they except the admiration graciously and are extremely humble throughout. Joel has always been modest, but he embodies someone who has a true passion for a culture. He has taken on this mentality of modesty and humbleness. When I congratulated him on his big accomplishment, after all he did manage to get us through this big task, he just blushed and told me things he could have done better. I don't think he could have been any more successful! His skills continue to impress and surprise me everyday. 

I am actually an extremely private person when it comes to my finances however, as any of you could probably guess it's not the simplest and cheapest thing to move across the world! Financially it has been stressful because it seems like expenses are endless your first month, and you also don't know what to expect your checks and bills to be like yet. Joel and I have gone through financial check lists and budgets a million times but ultimately the stress doesn't diminish and you never feel completely secure. I'm sure everyone can relate because this is not anything new and I think no matter how much money you earn you always feel the same way! However just when I think we are definitely going to be in the hole for the month, miraculously we're provided for once again. We have to remember to have faith and know everything will be okay no matter how grim it looks at the time. We have managed to wiggle our way through situations such as this before and have made quite an adventurous life for ourselves. Joel has felt somewhat guilty about this and has said "I can always get a second job." I said "Absolutely not, you have to enjoy your time here and we'll figure it out no matter what." I can understand his guilt and I know he feels like he has to be the provider. When he came to me a little down about this I explained to him that he actually has provided in the best way for us. He provided for us this once in a lifetime opportunity with experiences and memories that will last a lifetime. He provided the wonderful opportunity for us to further bond by seeing and experiencing fascinating cultural rituals, historic sights, and seeing new places for the first time together. I said to him, "I vowed for richer or for poorer remember?" And that's exactly what I meant! I'm rich in many different ways now.   

Independence

During the last 3 days of my adventure here in Japan, I have been on my own during the daytime while Joel is at work. Although I've done really well and have guided myself through the foreign wonderland that is Kyoto, I can't help but feel somewhat alienated. I can't speak the language, although I can say "Where's the bathroom" and "Can you speak English." It doesn't mean I'll know what they say in response! I have no idea where I'm going aside from the streets that surround my apartment building. And at this time, I have no way of contacting Joel or anyone else for that matter if I get in a bind. Something I've been pondering about as well is how reliant myself and millions of other people have come to depend on smart phones to get them through their day. My navigational skills are somewhat extinct due to this modern commodity.  Thanks to Garmin, Siri on the IPhone, or mapquest guiding yourself to your final destination seems pretty mindless. Smartphone-less, all I have is my wit and that natural instinct that traveling soul's tend to have. This has left me feeling somewhat handicapped. 

On my first day I ventured to the conveyer belt sushi place that Joel and I have grown very fond of. No problems there, I know exactly where that is. But wouldn't you know that as soon as I got into the restaurant there's a line of people. I observed that everyone was checking into this kiosk and getting a number so they could be seated, of course the kiosk is all in Japanese! I panicked a bit while staring at the foreign kanji symbols. I then saw the familiar face of the woman who has been working there every time Joel and I are in. I said "Can you help me?" and pointed to the kiosk. I knew she couldn't understand me, but it was the only thing I could manage to get out since I left my Japanese phrase book at home. She giggled and helped me, making my sushi excursion a success! I then charted my way to the supermarket to grab some necessities for dinner. My confidence rose a little after my first successful day. 

The second day on my own I didn't have much planned other than going to the grocery store again to grab some fresh fish and vegetables for that night's dinner. While standing in line for the elevator on my floor of the apartment building, a middle-aged Japanese woman approached me obviously waiting for the elevator as well. She started speaking to me in Japanese. Feeling very foolish for not knowing how to say "I can't speak Japanese" in Japanese, I said it in clear English so maybe she'd get the idea. She then asked me if I spoke Spanish, in Spanish! This was absolutely hysterical to me because it was the last thing I expected to come out of her mouth, however, having took a couple years in college and four years in high school I could make out what she was saying. Believe me when I say my Spanish is very rusty, nonetheless it proved to be a great medium for us to communicate by! We talked about how hot it was outside and then parted ways with me saying "Konichiwa!" Confidence is growing even higher now. 

Here we are on my third day by myself and I was faced with the hardest task yet! Joel wanted me to meet him for lunch which meant me navigating the public transportation system by myself. To everyone else it might seem pretty straight forward, however I've never lived in a city where public transportation is the norm so it's a little foreign to me. Joel drew a little map for me and gave me instructions on how to get there. Also being that this is payday for Joel we were super low on money at the beginning of the day, so I had the exact amount of change for one bus fair, and nothing more. Afraid I would mess up and get stranded, I studied what I was supposed to do. I was to get on at Horikawa Imadegawa and get off at the Shijo Kawaramatchi bus stop. Sounds easy enough right? After I got on, I followed the bus on my map stop by stop to ensure that I stayed on the right path. I successfully got off at the right stop. Proud of myself and standing there waiting for Joel, I pulled out my hand drawn map, and then a sinking feeling. The land marks that Joel had drawn didn't match where I was! Joel later explained to me that he was drawing what I would see when I got back onto a bus to come home, however I didn't realize this at the time. I was a little panicked but thought "Ok Nat, let's wait here for a bit and if he doesn't come you'll just have to follow the map and walk back home." After about 10 minutes and still no sign of Joel, I felt a little helpless. But then the crowds parted and my extremely tall husband appeared in the sea of small people. Thank God! 

We enjoyed a nice lunch, took some silly pictures in a picture booth (will post soon), and then he walked me to the large shopping center Takashimaya for me to browse. On my own again! This time I felt accomplished for navigating myself. It might seem like a small task to some, but it was a self affirming moment for me. As I was leaving Takashimaya and stepping onto the first step of the bus home, I heard "Nijo Castle?" I knew it was an American voice, so I turned and said "Yes take this bus to Nijo Castle." Wow, I'm actually giving someone else directions, I'll be a local soon enough! The young man sat in a seat beside me and I navigated him to Nijo Castle and even alerted him when his stop was coming up. I felt very accomplished, I even showed him where to pay for his fare. My confidence is strong now knowing that I've got the wit, knowledge, and pure gut instinct to get me through this adventure! 

Thanks for reading, will post more soon! :) 

Part 2 of Festivities

Hello again faithful followers. I decided to make a part 2 of my last blog titled Festivities since I didn't fit everything in last time. As I explained previously, there were lots of cultural experiences to take in this past week with festivals and events lining up night after night. The whole week Japan was celebrating a festival called O-Bon. Essentially the week is for commemorating one's deceased relatives. People from all over Japan are inviting the spirits of their loved ones back into their homes for the week during a time of remembrance. Being a spiritual person myself, I thought it was a brilliant way to show your appreciation and respect for your loved ones and to also remind yourself of your heritage and your future as well. What a wonderful way to pay tribute to the afterlife as well as to those who have gone before us! 

Now rewind to before Joel, Matt, and I went to Kiyomizu-Dera temple. As we were making our way to the temple, we came upon another beautiful sight. It was Ryozen Kwan-on, a statue of Buddha that was carefully positioned between the immense hillside as well as a pond and a few shrines that lay before it. Although the enormous statue is about 80 feet tall, you feel right at home as it looks down on you while entering it's presence. The large statue and the surrounding shrines serve as a memorial of the unknown soldier killed in World War 2 as well as others that died during battle. Services are conducted frequently to honor and cherish their legacy. Buddha was breathtaking shelled in white and laying against a bed of green foliage in the background. Certainly the Kiyomizu-Dera temple and the Ryozen Kwan-on, both masterpieces, are definitely some of my favorite sights I've seen so far.

The statue against the hillside

Lanterns that dotted the shrine with light

Saying goodbye to Buddha and moving onto Kiyomizu-Dera

When you enter the shrine they give you an incense and you then place the incense into a large pit where you can offer up a prayer. 

On Friday August 16th, Japan continued it's celebration of O-Bon. This was the final night for the celebration and the city of Kyoto would be celebrating in a very interesting way. Joel and I invited several other JET programmers to our apartment to view the final phase of O-Bon called Daimonji. This is a ceremony in which they light 6 fires on several different hillsides around Kyoto to guide the Japanese relative's spirits back to the afterlife. We got very lucky because you could view all 6 fires from our apartment roof top and watch them light up and burn out. It was different this evening, you could tell that spirits ran high and that there was something unworldly swirling about. Again, being spiritual myself, I thought there was a definite magical quality to the air that evening. We were joined by several different people that live in our apartment building as well as their guests. We all watched closely as the fires lite up one by one around the city. Truly a memorable experience!

Joel and I enjoying the festivities

This is just one of the 6 symbols lite on the mountain sides

My city, Kyoto

Stay tuned for more from Kyoto Kanai!

Festivities

Konichiwa from Kyoto! I haven't had a chance to write within the last couple days, so there is much to tell! I arrived in Kyoto on August 10th, and my timing could not have been more impeccable. Joel and I were blessed with a great opportunity for quality time because he had the whole week off. We were able to explore and make up for time lost during the move and the separation for two weeks. Not only did Joel have the week off, but there were many cultural festivities happening during this past week! We were not only able to explore and see many things for the first time together, but also able to gain insight into the festival culture of Japan and also the spiritual side.

The first festival that we attended was a light festival that had displays around the city. Joel and I decided to stay closer to home and walked along the river that isn't to far from our apartment. And we were very glad we did! The displays were phenomenal and the lights glimmered so beautifully on the river and against the night sky. It was wonderful seeing the festival tied in so charmingly with nature. They had lights floating down the river and bamboo trees decorated with trinkets, lights, and prayer ornaments. The river walk was transformed into a whimsical stroll.

Floating river lights and art displays

Floating glass orbs placed under the bridge for illumination

A light canopy entitled "Milky Way" (this changed and evolved colors and shapes)

A few days ago Joel and I, along with our new found friend Matt, made the journey to the old traditional district of Gion. We headed to a festival of sorts that only happens a couple times a year. They light up all of the Kiyomizu-dera temple at night. The temple is immense and such a beautiful vision against the forest that lies next to the temple. It's situated against the vast hillside and offers fantastic views of Kyoto city. A few facts about the temple are that there are no nails supporting the structure and the present buildings were constructed in 1633. Walking through Gion at dusk was like walking through history. You were transported back to a different time in Japan where silk kimonos filled the streets and stores were filled with beautifully crafted fans, silks, and tea sets. You might even see a geisha or maiko slipping into a restaurant or bar if you watch close enough! Gion preserves that traditional feel, making it very magical!

Me in Gion

After a long hike up and down stairs and through the old stone streets of Gion, we caught the first amazing glimpse of Kiyomizu-dera. The temples brilliant colors of red and orange were illuminated perfectly against the night sky and looked absolutely majestic. As we entered the temple there were many people praying, and many with the same expression that we bared, we were in awe of what we saw. The awesomeness overwhelmed you, and it was almost emotional. Joel and I felt very sentimental and reflective because being able to experience this together made us realize how far we've come since we decided to apply for JET. Walking through the temple and seeing the nearby forest lite up was very enchanting and whimsical.

Temple with the moon on the background

The forest lite up making the trees look white. Very beautiful

When I travel to historic places, one of the things that I love to think about is standing where people from history once stood. When we were in Italy, standing where Julius Caesar stood or standing in the holding area of the Colosseum knowing that you are standing where many men took their last few breaths gave me chills! I love how the historical significance of things fills me with excitement, however I took on a different approach to seeing the Kiyomizu-Dera temple. Instead of thinking about people who made history, I thought about common people like myself who made the same journey I did to see the temple. I thought about people who sat at the temple and prayed. Maybe they prayed for wisdom or courage, maybe fertility and health, or maybe even for peace and guidance. There were many prayers running through the walls of the temple, and you could feel the spirituality. That's something I've never felt before. It was wonderful!

More adventures, reflections, and stories to come! So stay tuned!

The Start of Something New

Hello again readers. My eyes have seen so many magnificent sights, my head filled with positive thoughts, and my feet have covered some truly historic ground since my last post. I want to share with you what I experienced with Joel in my first 2 days as a Kyoto resident. First off, I would like to say that nothing has been more settling and relieving to me than the more simplistic lifestyle that Joel and I have implemented. Of course I enjoy life's great conveniences such as air conditioning (a must during Kyoto summers), the great accommodations that the Japanese public transportation system provides, and technology. However, not having a t.v.,  phone, or many material possessions in Japan thus far has been a blessing. The idea that sometimes your material possessions weigh you down has become more relevant than ever to me. My mind feels more free of clutter. It could be the jet lag or heat exhaustion that I'm still experiencing, however I choose to believe that the Japanese way of life and a more simplistic lifestyle has brought a more euphoric peace of mind.

My first night in Kyoto was a hard one. Literally, hard. I am so accustomed to a cushioned soft mattress that sleeping on a traditional Japanese futon posed problems for me. However, we remedied this by purchasing another mattress pad, and now my back feels great! I was also in complete shock over the apartment and the fact that when I walked into it I had to accept it as home for the year. The realization that I was here to stay sunk in. This feeling lasted only about 5 minutes until I realized I was being a little melodramatic. I said to Joel, "Japan isn't supposed to look like the states!" I am very thankful for our Japanese style apartment and actually love it! Day 1 of Kyoto, Japan was truly something special. This was my first adventure on the Kyoto city buses. I must say that it can become crowded very quickly, but you don't mind as much since everybody is respectful of your space and is mindful of their manners. I also loved the Kyoto train system, the cars and seats are wonderful. There is nothing sketchy about the underground train system here in Japan, nothing but a clean environment and respectful people making their way to their destination.

Joel navigated us to a traditional Japanese ramen restaurant where we enjoying a delicious meal. No packaged 5 for $1 ramen here, only fresh noodles and ingredients with fantastic flavors. We then visited a fantastic store/mall called Takashimaya. It had several very high end offering and a vast amount of merchandise to chose from. We also had a list of things that we needed for our apartment such as bowls, towels, and the mattress pad I mentioned earlier so we charted our way to a store that's similar to an IKEA. We purchased several things and had them delivered to the apartment that evening for a small fee. The delivery was wonderful because I was at this time battling some heat exhaustion and could not have carted those items through the train system. The heat was such a shock to my system and something I don't know that I'll ever get used to.

Ramen!

Joel and I on our ramen adventure

You know how children are notorious for poking and proding their parents in the wee hours of the morning whispering "are you sleeping?" When they finally do wake up and ask "What?" the kids just look at them with big angelic eyes. Well that was what was occurring in the Crabtree household my second morning in Japan! Restless and tortured by jet lag I awoke at 3 am and finally woke Joel up at 5 am which I know he was thrilled about! The second day we organized our closets, put away our purchases from the day before, and put our new apartment together. This was actually a fun task and provided some nice quality time for Joel and I. We then ventured down several blocks to a conveyer belt sushi restaurant Joel was informed about. This was something I have always wanted to do, and it did not disappoint! It was tempting to pick up every plate off of the conveyer belt, however this was a meal that filled you up for little cost. We spent $20 and got some great tuna, salmon, and salmon roe sashimi among other things. It was a dollar a plate and the plate had two pieces on it. We calculated that back home these same offerings usually run about $5 for 2 pieces so we saved tons of money! 

Hurry and grab your selection before it moves down the line!

After our wonderful meal, Joel and I took a different route home and discovered a quaint little street where we saw many traditional looking homes and some lovely flowers. The street wasn't wide enough for cars, only for about three or four people to walk down, so it was calm and quiet. A lovely ending to a divine day! 

More adventures to come soon!

Crossing Over

I awoke at 1:30 am Indiana time on August 9th, 2013 to start preparing for my long journey to Japan. My day was filled with 3 different flights, teary goodbyes with my sister, mother, and grandmother as well as struggling with two large suitcases and a carry on suitcase. One of my suitcases weighed 82 lbs, which I can attribute to being extremely over prepared with toiletries. I'm not sure if I thought I wouldn't be able to get my beloved Estee Lauder serum or favorite Redkin shampoo here in Japan, but I knew I had gone overboard when the Delta associate checking my bag gasped at the weigh meter and told me "This is going to cost you an arm and a leg!" She then proceeded to almost fall over when lifting it from the scale to the conveyer belt. 

 After my goodbyes to my mom, who is one of my closest friends, and my grandmother who is near and dear to my heart I was able to pick myself up and move onto a different phase in my life. Walking away seemed very monumental and symbolic to me since I have never been away from home. I told my mom "I'm on my own now" while crying joyful and sad tears. It all seems very cliche, but it is one of those moments in life that you never forget. Several tissues later, I passed through security with flying colors and managed to get a cafe mocha from Starbucks while heading to my gate. Despite exhaustion and battling the effects of severe insomnia from the night before, I couldn't even drink my coffee due to anticipation and excitement. After the initial stress from the separation wore off, I was excited for my journey and relieved that I would be reunited with my husband shortly.

I had layovers in Minneapolis and Seattle which were a breeze. I was a bit anxious about going through customs in Japan by myself, however I felt a new sense of empowerment while traveling by myself! The independence was fantastic and made me realize I can do this! Before boarding my flight to Seattle, I was forced to check my carry on luggage because the overhead bins were incredibly small. Although I clarified with the associate about five times that my bag would make it to my final destination, I had a gut instinct that my bag wouldn't make the trek with me to Japan. I was later proven right when collecting my luggage in Osaka. I was blessed with two enjoyable flights which brought me to Seattle. Upon arrival in the Emerald City, I charted my way to my international gate where I was met with many Japanese citizens making their way back home. This sight absolutely filled my heart with joy and brought a big smile to my face because everyone that I encountered was incredibly kind and sensible which is a rarity to find while facing a long flight. 

When I was boarding my flight, I was thoroughly surprised that I could pick up some of the dialect being spoken. Of course there were only a few words I knew, but I was proud of myself for picking it up based on hearing Joel talk. The flight was rather enjoyable for the first 5 hours. I watched Wizard of Oz, The Croods, listened to The Beatles, and listened to "Your Song" by Elton John about a million times because it makes me think of Joel. I was reflecting back on all the times Joel whisked me around the kitchen dancing with me. One of my favorite things to do with Joel is dance, so while he was in Japan I expressed to him how much I missed that. Being the romantic that he is, he picked me up over Facetime, put on a slow tune, and danced with me via the internet. How lovely. 

The first 5 hours of my flight were great, followed up by the last 5 which were completely miserable. I became incredibly stiff from about 10 hours total of crummy plane seats I had endured already. I watched minute by minute and mile by mile pass by on my small personal t.v. screen. Realizing that this was going to put me over the brink of insanity I decided to pull out my Travel and Leisure magazine I had bought in Minneapolis. Turning through the pages, I found the source that would revive my enthusiasm. Kyoto was voted #2 city in all of Asia and #5 in the whole world by Travel and Leisure and their readers. How awesome! I am going to be living in one of the best cities in the world!

I soon landed in Osaka, Japan where I would then navigate my way through the airport and into customs. There I collected my residence card, which basically acts as my identification and passport while in Japan. I then found my way to baggage claim where I was greeted with a sign on the conveyer belt that read "Natalie Jean Crabtree see a flight specialist." I then knew for sure that my carry on had been left in the states. I was however happy that my worst nightmare of my 82 lb bag ripping at the seams and spewing cosmetics and skincare all over the airport runway wasn't realized! I was thoroughly impressed with the wonderful customer service I received from a sweet Japanese woman who helped me with my luggage issue. She even took me through customs which was a relief. 

She walked me through a set of automatic double doors where I glanced around until I met eyes with my husband. We were reunited once again. Despite fatigue from my 28 hour travel day, the possibilities for the year ran through my head and love filled my heart as we made our way to our apartment and our new lives. Home is where Joel is.

Fear of the Unknown

One of the main problems that I have encountered time and time again during the JET process is my tendency to want to plan and control the process. I have always had the predisposition that I need to lead the way and somewhat control what is going on out of fear that someone else might lead me astray. As I have mentioned before in previous posts, the process of being accepted and hired as a JET is a lengthy process, and one that you absolutely cannot control aside from your application and interview. It takes patience and faith, something that is hard to process for a worrier and planner. However, somewhere along this journey I have gained the knowledge to harness the power of positive thought, how to relinquish power and have faith in the process and in myself, and to stop believing I can plan everything and take things one day at a time. All of these things are new concepts to me and will take strength to implement in my future, however all of them can be life-changing to myself and to others if you just let them. 

Something that I never got used to while telling people that I would be soon moving to Japan was their response. I would receive many "Aren't you scared?" comments or "I could never do that, you are so brave!" It didn't matter if I was at work talking with customers, in meetings, talking to family members, or even friends, someone would usually hit me with one of those responses. The first few times maybe I would respond with "Well, should I be scared?" But then I realized why they were saying this to me, they were fearful of the unknown. I often wonder how many beautiful opportunities are brought into people's lives and they turn them down out of fear. It's okay to proceed with caution. However, when the universe is trying to propel you into the next phrase of your life don't let fear of the unknown rob you of the tremendous gift of adventure. Let faith take over and let yourself go, something that I am thankful I did. 

Lovely picture of Mt. Fuji, possibly one of the biggest adventures to be had in Japan

Separation

I am inching closer and closer to the day that I leave to go to Japan for the year. I leave on Friday, August 9th which leaves me only two full days here in the states. Since we found out that Joel got a JET position and that we were in fact moving to Japan, it never felt very 'real' to me. It has always seemed like we were dreaming of going. Joel's parents and I dropped Joel off in Chicago a couple weeks ago to catch his flight to Japan and to attend a JET meet and greet. I can still picture myself looking out of the back windshield at Joel as we drove away leaving him behind to make his way to Japan. With tears running down my face, it looked as if we were in a made for T.V. Lifetime movie.  Even then, it seemed like Joel was going away on business, taking a trip for school, or maybe going on vacation. Not staying there for good. 

Yesterday I went to my in-law's home to have dinner with them and to say goodbye. The past few weeks as well as the the next couple days have been filled with worrying about getting everything done, telling of my plans for the next year, and saying sappy goodbyes. Saying goodbye to my closest family and friends for the year has made it so surreal. The existence of the move has finally hit me, and the 'realness' that I was seeking is now ever present. 

I have never lived anywhere outside of my small hometown so it's hard to imagine a life without my family and friends being a short drive down the road. How will I feel when I can't drive fifteen minutes to my mom's house for Sunday morning breakfast or five minutes to my dad's office? How will I feel when I can't be there for my family or friends? I have no idea how I will react to this unsettling reality because I have nothing in my life to compare it to thus far. At the same time, I've been without my husband for two weeks. When I was describing how I felt to my dad I said "Too little time with family, too much time away from my husband." 

However like many things in life, it's a trade off. Often times you have to take a risk in life and put yourself out there to achieve what you want to achieve. I'm trading valuable time with my family and the comfort of my home for gaining knowledge, wisdom, and worldly experience. The dream I always had for my life was to gain insight and wisdom through travel, and now I have this great opportunity to do exactly what I've always dreamed of. I'm going to take the opportunity and run with it! 

Beginnings

If someone would have told me four years ago that I would be moving to Japan, I would have said they were crazy. I have always imagined myself living somewhere besides Muncie, Indiana where I could experience new things and explore different possibilities for my life. However, thus far I haven't had the opportunity. Never in my wildest dreams did I ever think that I would be moving to Japan, of all places! But that's what happens when you meet the right person, fall in love, and you both happen to share the same passions in life. Your wildest dreams are met! 

Joel and I went on our first date on January 18, 2010 and hit it off right from the start. Anyone who knows my husband knows that he has an intense love and passion for culture, adventure, people and most of all life. People who know Joel also understand that he is a talker. During our first date I could barely get two words in. This, however, did not bother me because Joel has wonderful stories. Our one sided conversation is what I later identified as severe anxiousness and nervousness on his part, but at the time I was extremely intrigued by all that this man has done. He has been to Japan twice while performing in a Broadway production, he's a very accomplished and talented keyboardist, he worked on Carnival cruise lines as a performer, has lived in New York, and on top of that has a great smile and baby blue eyes! I thought to myself "What a catch!" I had never in my life met someone that had accomplished so much. I'm from a very small town and went to an even smaller high school surrounded by farms, mom and pop stores, and family owned business. It was hard to believe that people like him even existed! He was cultured, he was exactly what I needed. 

From the beginning of our relationship, I knew of Joel's adoration for the Japanese culture and people. He gained this while on tour in Japan for several months performing for the show "Blast". I also knew that he had ambition that I had never witnessed before. I remember sitting with Joel in the beginning of our relationship talking about the possibilities for our life together. He was studying Japanese and International business in college, so I understood what implications that had for my life. I excepted this and told him right then and there that I would follow him anywhere. Now here we are almost four years later and I find myself moving to Japan in only 4 days. 

You could say that our journey to become a JET couple started at the beginning of application, but I like to think that it started at the beginning of our relationship. I knew that together, we could accomplish anything and create great memories and adventures for ourselves.