not so normal

As if moving to Japan is not exciting enough, our family has thrown in a little health drama.  I believe that all will be well and life will resume to the usual abnormality rather than the extraordinary abnormality.  

My husband developed pneumonia and after a series of doctor's visits and tests, the consulting doctor in the United States decided to send him to an international hospital in Korea.  It is difficult to know whether or not this is normal in Japan or if this is specific to our situation and expat status.  

Of course navigating any medical system is interesting to say the least, so you can imagine that navigating a foreign system is fraught with challenges.  Of course, the normal language barriers come into play complicating otherwise easy tasks.  This occurs mostly with support staff, nurses, and pharmacies as the doctors we consulted have a decent command of the English language. A very frustrating element we encountered is that time seems to function quite differently in Japan.  I do not know how to explain this or even if it will be an accurate description, but it is my description.   Things are s-l-o-w.  I hear many people talk about the slowness in a variety of areas, but in our situation the slowness relates to getting tests completed and test results processed.  

On an up note the cost of all that was done in Japan was incredibly reasonable.  We have health insurance but had to pay for all services up front and wait for reimbursement.  A series of tests and consultation with a specialist cost only approximately 350 American dollars.   In the states it would have been thousands.  

Psychologically the health problems are adding stress to an already stressful situation.  Moving to another country, making a home, going through the culture shock is taxing in itself.  The addition of this complication is weighing heavy.  Hopefully a resolution is around the corner. 

Sorry it has been a while since I posted but such is life. I assume from time to time this blog will get neglected.  

full of beans

I went to the local Babies R' Us for some fun stuff for the baby boy.  I was eager to find a tunnel for him to crawl through and Babies R' Us did not let me down.  I found a cute little red one with some cartoon characters on it that I did not recognize.  

After I got it back to the apartment a friend looked at it and told me that the character was famous in Japan.  She also said he was a character who has a head full of bean paste.  Wa wa what? 

I looked it up and found that it is Anpanman.  You can check him out here.  I thought it was pretty weird but then started thinking about Sponge Bob Square Pants. I mean, how well does that translate?  

last night's sunset

fer-e-ner

Next time you go to the grocery store and are at the dairy section check out all the different milk. There is skim milk, 1% milk, 2% milk, whole milk, buttermilk, that coffee mate creamer stuff, half and half, rice milk, soy milk, whipping cream...it is all there.  It is quite easy to take for granted that you know what it all is. 

My biggest grocery store dilemma so far is the milk aisle.  Imagine all of the above listed milks with Japanese labels, like here.  I have the most difficult time figuring out how to buy skim milk. I had a little tutorial today with a friend. She showed me that on the back you can read these percentage points that say, for example, 1.5% may be listed on the back and that is the closest to skim I have gotten. 

In addition, some of the milk here will say 70% or some other number indicating it is milk and something else.  Something else being ??? soy milk I guess.  Don't know.  

So, next time you are at the store appreciate your ability to speak the language. And next time you see a fer-e-ner realize how exhausting just buying milk is  

I Spy

Life in Japan, during the week at least, has been limited to Rokko Island.  I hope to change that after I get settled and get comfortable with the trains.  

But, from my balcony, only at night, I can see the lights on the world's longest suspension bridge.  Check it out. 

How Do Describe It?

We headed out today to do some furniture shopping.  A lot of the stores here are ginormous.  We had an appointment at the furniture store, because you need an escort to guide you through all of the massive amount of furniture.  Our salesman/guide was lovely and patient as I had a hard time making up my mind with so much information overload.  

The furniture store was in a large shopping area called the ATC. It was full of shops and food and people.  Some of the people were teens dressed up in a way that I cannot exactly describe. 

They were dressed up in costumes. Costumes of the most colorful, creative, and extraordinary variety.  I wish I had pictures to show you, but I was too chicken to start snapping photos of them.  But I really should have snapped away because do you know what?  They were taking pictures of one another.  Like four teens would be taking pics of another posed teen. One dressed up person would place themselves in an interesting pose and other dressed up teens would take close-up pictures.  

For instance, one young lady was in a punked out, army green, military looking outfit.  Well, military looking except the shorts were super shorts and she had knee socks on with some 3-inch platform boots.  She was laying on the ground with a little brown box that had a red cross (like a medic box) on it carefully placed in front of her.  She was oh so carefully positioned with her little box and also...wait for it...two rolls of toilet paper!!! Huh?  Her friend snapped pictures and then the model took the toilet paper, unrolled some and carefully placed it on her body in various places.  Uh...okay.  I was mesmerized.  I so wished I could just go up and ask somebody what the heck was going on, but, alas, I had to sit in wonder.  

I came home, did a little research and found this which I think explains what was happening.    I would post a link to pictures, but you all can search for the photos yourself.  It is worth it to see the fantastic fun of it all.  

Wow. 

sorry

It has been a kind of difficult week.  I am having a hard time adjusting so there was no posting.  Let the posting resume. 

a tisket a tasket

Should I put my baby in a basket?  

So, the main mom mode of transportation over here is not the beloved mini-van, but rather, it is a bike.  How do you buckle your kid in for the ride? You just put them in a little ride along basket.  You have two kids? You put a basket on the front and a basket on the back  Is it raining?  You put a kid in the basket on the front, one in the back and ride with an umbrella in hand.  All of this is done in heels mind you.  I found a picture here (minus the heels and umbrella). 

Do I join in and get a bike with a basket on the front for sweet boy?  I am thinking about it.  But he is very squirmy, and I am scared I would do something to make us fall. Then what? Oy. 

I already mentioned before that grocery shopping is more of a daily occurrence here.  I head down to the grocery store almost every afternoon with my Envirosax (I highly recommend*).  This is proving to be more expensive though as I am more inclined to throw randomness into my cart.  

I love the fashion of the Japanese women.  I am totally into the heels although I cannot where them and walk all over like they do.  I love the fun layering, leggings, hats, and designer purses.

*I love having my own grocery bags instead of using the plastic bags.  It is an easy way to cut down on waste.  

for the sister

My sister asked me if the Japanese economy was seeing the same kind of problems that the U.S. economy is seeing.  Here is a fairly recent article I found on the subject.  Good question sista. 

Mommy Brigade

We went on a morning walk around the Island today.  It is exactly a 5k greenbelt...unless you forget where you enter and miss your exit.  

It was gorgeous.  

About halfway through the walk I saw, coming towards me, three non-Japanese women, all pushing jogging strollers. One of the jogging strollers was a double and one lady was wearing an infant in a carrier in addition to pushing her stroller.  They were power walking and looked pretty formidable coming down the walk.  I named them the mommy brigade.  Perhaps, maybe, just maybe...I will be asked into their inner stroller circle sometime.  

I unpacked some today and took care of bruiser aka: sweet baby boy.  He is banging his head, falling all over the place. We went downstairs and joined CHIC.  CHIC stands for Community House and Information Centre. They have all sorts of classes, trips, and other stuff. I joined a play group that meets on Tuesdays. Tomorrow is a holiday so they do not have it, but next week they do.  There is quite a bit that I am interested in doing there and it is conveniently located in my building.  

For dinner I made a chicken recipe out of my Japanese cookbook.  We ate with chopsticks as I am trying to practice up. 

Where am I Anyway?

I live on Rokko Island, a manmade island which is in Kobe, Japan.  Kobe is in the Hyogo prefecture.*

My knowledge of Japan is limited right now to that of Rokko Island.  That is as far as I have ventured alone.  It is a fairly small island and tomorrow I hope to run the 5K green belt that circles around it. 

Rokko Island is a very easy place to live as an American. There is a Subway, Wendy's, McDonald's, and Starbucks.  We are not roughing it here.  There are multiple grocery stores, restaurants, and shops. Yesterday I went to the 100 Yen store, the Japanese equivalent of the Dollar Stores, but there seemed to be a much better selection of merchandise at the 100 Yen store. I only purchased a Coke Zero though. I will pace myself. 

Throughout the Island there are waterways that are just a few inches deep with fountains. Children are welcomed to play in the waterways during the hot, sticky summer and there are a lot of children on the Island.  There is an international school here where most of the expat kids attend.  

Yesterday, in addition to my trip to the 100 Yen store, Sean and I went to lunch with a friend. Many Japanese restaurants are literally holes in the wall and I mean that in a kind way.  The restaurant we went to yesterday had seating inside for about eight people.  Also, in Japan they do not have high chairs or the ones they do have do not have any straps. Sean sat next to me in the booth with my leg serving as the strap holding him down.  

I ordered a set meal.  A "set" meal is kind of like a value meal minus the drink.  I had ramen noodles with rice and gyoza.  The ramen was not your typical college kid variety. It was delicious. Gyoza  are wanton dumplings filled with tasty treats and they are either fried or boiled. The ones I had were boiled.   Delicious or "Oishii" in Japanese. 

I have struggled to get Sean eating solid foods in the US but he went crazy for the Ramen yesterday.  He kept sipping the broth and chewing the noodles. Pretty darn cute. I am sure that the Ramen had something in it (salt) that he should not have, but whatever.  

The Japanese love children and in the restaurant they gave him little papers with cute cartoon characters on it.  The cook was quite pleased that Sean was digging the grub.  

We are settling into the Island although the apartment is not unpacked.  I need some friends, play dates, and babysitters so that is the next task. 

*I edited this entry because some of the information was incorrect. I am learning.  

First Grocery Store Trip

We made our first trip to the grocery store.  There are more similarities than differences really. Of course the most difficult part will be reading the labels.  I guess that will get better with time and language lessons. 

Move In Day

We took possession of our apartment and the movers arrived.  Japanese movers are incredible. Somehow my husband convinced the movers to come on Monday, September 15th which was a holiday.  

When we arrived at the apartment complex the elevators were meticulously lined with plastic, paper, and tape in order to prevent any of our furniture from damaging the walls.  The elevators were lined telling the entire building that newbies had arrived.  I heard that word spreads quickly in this building.

I brought a lot (almost all) of my stuff.  The poor movers probably thought I was insane.  I just figured that if I will be here for three to five years I may as well be comfortable. My quest for comfort led me to bring my king size bed. 

Sean was reunited with his long lost jumperoo and clearly it was a sweet reunion. The movers were amused by his constant jumping. 

The 4-footed Family Member

The day of our departure is quickly approaching and I am so very ready to complete the move and embark on the journey of living in a foreign country. Immediately after the decision was made to move to Japan (back in December) we started the process of moving our sweet and lovely dog Riley. We knew that she would accompany us or I would I would not be going. 

The process takes a lot of vet visits where there are forms, shots, tests, microchip stuff, etc.  There is also a lot of fretting over whether or not you are doing the whole process correctly.  A wrong move and my Riley girl would have to spend some time in doggie jail upon arriving.  Here is a rundown of the process.  

I guess this is just an introduction to the bureaucracy of Japan. 

intro

This is the place where I will document the next three (ish) years of our lives as we learn to live, thrive, and survive in Japan.