Booked and ready to Fly

We have our plane tickets! Ever since the military announced large budget rollbacks, almost no one flies commercial anymore. I would say 98% of outgoing families are booked to fly from a military base here In Japan to the commercial airport in Seattle via a government contracted airplane. This means no frills, like fancy in-flight movie screens on the seat backs.

Once we arrive in Seattle, John and I take different routes. He connects through to San Diego, where he'll be attending school and I grab my baggage and re-check into more flights ultimately ending up in Alabama late, late at night. It's going to be a very busy and very tiring couple of days.

Nine more days...

On our way home

Well, our trip to Niseko was much needed and wonderful! We flew out of Tokyo and into Sapporo and then it was a three hour bus ride (and one rest stop) to our hotel. This picture is of the dining room in our hotel. Breakfast came with our package, lunch was a reasonable $10 a person, but dinner was a whopping $35 a person, totaling nearly $70 for two. We didn't mind though, our days were lazy and we spent a lot of time night skiing. We'd sleep in all day and then get dressed and enjoy the night slopes. We stayed on the slopes so long they finally had to tell us to stop returning to the ski lift. Night skiing was wonderful. We had everything all to ourselves and the weather seemed better at night. At any rate, it was a good way to bookend what has become a very hectic time in our life.

As of today, our house has been packed. The movers came yesterday and spent 12 hours packing our stuff. They pack fast and as a result we lost track of one air conditioner remote and one $400 electronic thing we were supposed to return. 

Today we had our temporary furniture delivered and set up shop in our living room. Our mattress, sofa, and TV are all in our living room. It's better than spreading out all over the house and lets us slowly clean the empty bedrooms. We're getting used to the new "normal" that will reign over the next two weeks. John's already got his plane tickets booked and the Navy is working on getting mine ready (I hope.)

Speaking of normal, tomorrow's the first day we won't have movers coming. It's back to our normal schedule. Thank goodness. I could use a little routine about now. Our move doesn't feel real yet and I keep thinking about my wonderful friends here and how sad I am to leave them. On the other hand, I'm ready to get back to the US and my family. Three years brings a lot of ups and downs and many of them I couldn't be there for because of the distance and sheer cost of travel. 

I'll never regret choosing Japan and would do it all over again. I've grown so much as a person and adult during my time here. However, being home will be a blessing.

I'll update soon as we slowly say good-bye to our home of three years. 

Niseko - Green Leaf Villiage Resort/Moving/Feelings

We did it! We were able to book one final trip before leaving Japan. The first week of March, we are headed to Sapporo (island in the northern part of Japan) via plane to ski and snowboard the world famous Niseko. Some people say it's the best snow in the entire world. We're so excited to have a chance to do this before we leave!

If you want to check out the hotel we're staying in, the information can be found here:  http://www.thegreenleafhotel.com/en/ -- There's lots of hotels in the same general area, but this one seemed to be the cheapest. Traveling domestically in Japan is not cheap, that's for sure, so I'll take my savings where I can get them.

Once we return though, it's vacation over and we hit the ground running with our move. The week after our return, I'm listing my car for sale and the movers are coming to survey our home to determine the specifics of our pack out. The following week, the movers arrive to take our stuff away. We get a little break for a week and then we move out of our house and into the Navy Lodge. After that, it's only a few days until wheels up and we're headed back to the United States.

I'm not going to be so specific on the moving out process as I was on the moving to Japan process. The moving out process is a lot easier and involves visiting all the places you visited when you arrived in Japan, except telling them you're leaving instead of arriving.

Part of me is ready to be back in the United States and pick up my life where I left off (remember, I used to have a career!). Another part of me is SO SAD to be leaving Japan. We've made some lifelong friends here who will be there for us wherever we go. The community here is so close and once you find your niche (it may take a year, be patient!) it's like you and your friends are inseparable. I barely have the words to describe how incredibly hard it's going to to be to leave my friends. It almost feels like I'm leaving college and entering the real world where everything is just going to be DIFFERENT.

Anyway, I'll be back after Niseko to share some pictures!

Preparing for Reverse Culture Shock

We officially have 8 more weeks in Japan. We have a fly out date sometime in the first week of April and will be packing our house up in mid-March. I can't believe it's time to leave already. Part of me is excited to return to the US and be close to family. So many things have happened in my family in the past three years and I could only be there for a fraction of the events. When people first move here (especially people without children) they find they fly back to the US often. Eventually though, as time wears on, it gets pricey and you have a life here in Japan you can't just up and abandon. So, the visits to the US become fewer and farther in between. The last time I saw my family was over a year ago. I'm definitely ready for a visit.

I'm also bracing myself to experience something called "reverse" culture shock, where people returning to the US are a little taken aback by things they aren't accustom to anymore. Now, I always giggle at people who claim they won't remember English words for certain things (it's going to take a lot more than three years in Japan to forget English, if that EVER happens). I'm talking about small things. Let me explain with a few examples:

1. Safety. It's not that Japan is safe (there's crime here like everywhere else), but people don't usually commit random acts of crime and thievery is almost as dishonorable and horrible as assault. I'm about to admit to something that I can get away with here in Japan -- ready? Try not to be horrified, my US readers:

When I shop at the Japanese stores, I leave my purse on the floor, under a rack and shop entirely down one whole aisle with my purse out of my eyesight.

WHEW. That was a confession. The horrifying thing? Last time I was in Target in the US (when I went to Hawaii),  I LEFT MY PURSE ON THE FLOOR AND WENT AROUND THE WOMEN'S DEPARTMENT! I didn't even think twice about it. I left it there and walked away! It wasn't until I thought about it that I ran back and remembered we can't do that in the US. How stupid of me!

2. Money. Japan still has a relationship with money that indicates cash is supposed to be handled honorably. As such, you typically never hand your money directly to a cashier. You put your money in a little tray and the cashier picks up the tray and counts the money.

Again, another story about my recent trip to Hawaii....I was checking out at a CVS and I had cash in my hand ready to hand to the cashier. She was busy bagging my items, so instead of waiting, I (without thinking) found a tiny, tiny space next to her register and tried to force the cash into the tiny space. Then, when I watched her trying to scoop the money off the little area, I realized how RUDE it was of me to attempt to put the money on the counter. I did it without thinking! I am so used to setting the money down next to the register, it has become a habit.


I'm sure there's other things that are going to become apparent like saying, "Hai." all the time when people are talking to you. Bowing for everything. Or giving a good loud, "SUMI MASSSEEEEEEN!" when calling a waitress over to your table (in the US, you would NEVER, EVER yell for a waitress unless you want spit food).

At any rate, John and I are ready to return to the US. Japan has been wonderful, but we're ready to be close to our families. I'm ready to have a job again. We're both ready to start investing money in things like a house to get our lives started.

More to come....

Things I Wish I Knew Three Years Ago....

We truly are wrapping up our stay in Japan. We may have as little as six weeks left here or as much as three months. We should find out soon as John's orders are set to be released as soon as funding is approved.

I've been reflecting back on my time in Japan and considering questions that new arrivals ask either on forums or to me directly. So, I thought I'd post some tips to people coming in from the perspective of a person who is leaving Japan:

1. Don't stress about housing. Can I say it again? DON'T STRESS ABOUT HOUSING. And again? DON'T STRESS ABOUT HOUSING. In the US we're so accustomed to receiving news we're moving and taking to the computer right away to research the good areas, good homes, realtors, shopping centers, schools, etc. It's not really like that here. First, you're going to drive yourself batty trying to figure out which area you want to live in without really understanding the layout of the city of Yokosuka. Second, housing has extremely streamlined the move-in process. You're given plenty of time to research areas. Housing will help you determine how far certain areas are from base. Realtors will come pick you up and drive you to potential homes. Japan dosen't really have a robust Internet presence, so searching for things online and trying to Google map areas is just a stress you don't need. Wait until you arrive and speak with housing and go through their brief (which answers A LOT of the questions you're going to have) before letting the anxiety seep in.

2. Don't stress about finding a job. For sixteen years I've always had some sort of job, be it part time or full time. If you read the beginning of my blog, then you know that prior to moving to Japan I was a full time paralegal at a busy immigration law firm. When I suddenly didn't work in Japan I felt like I lost part of my identity. Turns out, there's TONS of military/civilian spouses here feeling the same way. The jobs spouses held before arriving in Japan range anywhere from nurse, teacher, to lawyer (I've met so many professionals who had to leave lucrative jobs to follow their spouse out here).

The professional level jobs on base are very competitive and many times positions are filled from within leaving the entry-level positions open. You can find jobs doing part-time tasks pretty easy, like working at the movie theater or bagging groceries, but honestly, why stress yourself out trying to see Japan, settle in, and work a part time job? Settle in first, develop a routine, join groups, find things you enjoy doing, find people you enjoy talking to, and don't worry about the job part. If it comes later, it comes.

3. Don't wait. Now with potentially weeks left on our tour here, I can think of at least three places I didn't get a chance to see. I would've liked to go to Hiroshima, the Tokyo Tower, and Niseko, but those things might not happen because we waited too long. Write a list of everything you want to see and do while in Japan. Try to knock off several things a year. Let's face it, you might only be here once so don't wait for the "perfect" time.

Tips for Visiting Korea - Military on Leave

John and I just got back from a wonderful Thanksgiving trip to Korea. We stayed at the Dragon Hill Lodge, which is located in Seoul on the Yongsan Army Garrison. The Dragon Hill Lodge (DHL) is a military rest and relaxation hotel designed for members of the military and their family taking leave.

If you're living in Japan, I strongly encourage you to take a trip to Korea. The cost is relatively low (less than $300/person for plane tickets) and the flight is only 2 1/2 hours. Most of the Koreans we encountered (even those hawking goods on the street) spoke great English. The atmosphere is less formal than Japan and there's tons of great cultural sights right there next to the hotel. John and I were able to visit the DMZ (demilitarized zone) marking the border between North and South Korea. Very cool since I'm really interested in recent political history.

A few tips for traveling to Korea and staying at the DHL:

1. Bring two forms of ID (passport and military ID).

The Yongsan Army Garrison has strict security policies. If your military ID is not in their database, they require a second form of ID to access the military base.

2. Only active duty military members can shop at the exchanges and commissary right when they arrive. This includes the exchange on the first floor of the hotel.

Yongsan still has a ration policy in place (what up, World War II!!) and dependents, retirees, and visitors are not allowed to even enter any shopping facilities without showing a ration control plate. Temporary ration control plates can be issued, ask the front desk to point you in the right direction. Active duty military will have their ID scanned and do not need the ration control plates. I tried to go into the main exchange with my husband but was told I wasn't allowed to enter without showing a temporary ration control plate. I did notice the first floor Exchange in the DHL would let you enter without a ration control plate even though a sign in the front said it wasn't allowed.

3. Don't eat at the restaurants in the hotel!

The restaurants in the hotel are WAY overpriced. The buffets run about $16/person. Our average meals ended up costing $30/each + tip so we were paying nearly $70 for lunch and dinner for two people. Find other places to eat on and off base.

4. On the first day, hit the commissary.

Not only are the restaurants overpriced, but the Exchange on the first floor of the hotel is also overpriced. I noticed an energy drink I usually pay $1 for at the commissary in Yokosuka was marked up to nearly $4! If you're traveling with an active duty member, send them to the commissary to get provisions for snacks, drinks, and breakfast for your stay.

5. Don't go tour crazy (aka the Amethyst Center is a rip-off).

Try one or two tours, but truly they're pretty pricey for what they include. There's plenty to see right outside the gates of the base including a FREE war museum with tons of interactive experiences. Most tours (no matter who you book through) end with a stop at the Amethyst or Ginseng factory. Sounds cool until you realize EVERY tour that has ever been done in Seoul includes a stop here. It's just a place where pushy sales people try to get you to buy overpriced jewelry or herbs. The tour companies must get some sort of monetary kick back for bringing the groups in. Honestly, if you find the bus stopping there just sit on the bus and wait. It's not even worth it to go inside.

6. Expect minimal help from the front desk.

We ran out of coffee in the room and I went to the front desk to ask for more. Instead of just reaching under the desk and offering me a pre-made coffee pack, they had to look me up in the computer, verify I was in the room I said I was in, then they told me I had to return to my room and call the front desk (which is where I was standing) and tell them to send someone to bring my coffee. WHAT?!?!?! More on the minimal help in the next point.

7. When checking out have a Plan A, Plan B, and Plan C for getting to their airport to catch your flight.

We checked out the Sunday after Thanksgiving. Turns out 60 other people had the same idea as us. We were planning to take the free bus that runs from the hotel to the airport only three times a day. Turns out 60 other people had the same idea as us. The free bus is supposed to be loaded by priority (active duty traveling on orders, active duty on vacation, etc., etc.). This was not the case AT ALL. The bus pulled up and it was like Black Friday for a bus. People were pushing and shoving their way aboard. There was shouting, there was fighting, there might have even been some hair pulling. John and I, plus about 20 other people, got left behind.

When we asked the front desk to call TONS of cabs, their response was: "You have to text a cab we can't call them. Cabs don't want to go to the airport this early." What, what, WHAT?! This was also followed by a, "We didn't expect this many people to need to use the bus today." Sooo....let me get this straight DHL staff, on the weekend after Thanksgiving, the most traveled holiday in the world, you didn't expect a large number of people to be checking out and using the bus?! Yeah, okay. Needless to say the wait for taxis was excruciating and there was a fair bit of pushing and shoving in that line as well. There was also some guy making the situation MUCH better by screaming that everyone who had gotten on the bus was an "a**hole."

After paying $75 to take the cab to the airport (and have the taxi driver try to rip us off, they're not as friendly or honest as in Japan), we found out there was another bus that leaves from a nearby hotel off base and for $15 person we could have jumped on that. It's weird the front desk didn't tell us about this option when we were asking for cabs.




There you have it, my tips for traveling to Korea. We really and truly did have a great time, I just wish someone would have told me about all the little quirks we were going to encounter when visiting the Yongsan Army Garrison. We do plan to go back in 2014 before we leave Japan for good. However, next time I'm armed with information about how to make a good trip a stellar trip.