This is Happening

Its been a long time coming now, originally I thought that I would be living in Japan by May of 2012. After a few delays due to paperwork related to my wife's green card we finally have everything all set and are ready to move to Japan. We have bought our plane tickets and will be leaving on 9/11/13, for some reason that day had the cheapest flights.

There was a lot of things we had to do to get to this point, aside from paperwork the biggest thing was getting my condo in Boston rented out. We have got a management company to help with anything that may come up with the place and tenant that way the only thing I have to do is sit back and collect the rent checks. 

My car filled to capacity.

A few weeks ago we shipped most of our things to my in-laws home in Japan. I don't know how we got it all in my car but we were able to complete it in just one trip. At this point my wife took off to travel to Alaska for one last trip while we are still in the states.

Just this past weekend I fully moved out of my place, it was an adventure to say the least. In the five years that I had lived in the condo I had never been locked out, well that streak came to an end when I mistakenly thought the change rattling in my pocket was my keys and shut my door which locks automatically. We ended up having to call a locksmith, they took 2 and a half hours to show up so me and my dad (who was helping me move) ended up standing around with nothing to do but wait. When he did show up he made something up about the door and lock and how it would cost more then the $95 they told me on the phone. $225 later I was once again able to enter my place, two sets of my keys were mocking me from the counter.

The next day my dad and I were back to move my king size bed out and all was going well until we got to the bed frame. We didn't have any tools as they had been moved out the day before, one part of the frame was jammed and when we were getting it out my dad took the brunt of the beam in the leg. He cut himself pretty good and had to go to the hospital he ended up needing 3 stitches. The reward for our blood, sweat and tears? I will be living with them for the next 10 days, a joy for both of us I'm sure.

Lucy and I hanging out.

The only good thing about being delayed in my plans to move was that I was able to see my new niece,  Lucy, who was born just last week. I'm hoping to spend more time with her and her older sister, Eleanor, in the next week before leaving.

I have put in my 2 weeks notice at my place of employment and will have to figure out what I will be doing for income once I get to Japan. Before I get there I hope to have my English Educators Certificate from Bridge TEFL, currently I'm 70% of the way though the 60hr program. Teaching English is just a back up in case I can not find something in the information technology field. 

The income I get from renting my place out should help ease the pain of not working in the first few months while I get settled (figuring out where I'm going to live, change my visa status, find a doctor, get my drivers license). 

Another huge focus I will have in the first few months is increasing my knowledge of the Japanese language. I know a little bit but I will not be able to step in start talking with people, which will make finding a job that much harder at first. I'm hoping the full immersion will help move things along.

I will definitely be busy once I get there but I will try to update my blog as often as I can to keep everyone up to date.