Planning a semester in Japan

A few years ago, Andy & I decided it would be fun to lead the Earlham SICE program to Morioka, Japan. We put ourselves on the list and waited...

Here we are one week from departure and I’m wondering what ever possessed me to think this was a good idea! We’re struggling to pare down everything the 3 of us might need to live in a Morioka for a semester into the absolute minimum. Packing is never much fun and this is probably the worst I've dealt with. The weather will range from high summer (80s & 90s) when we arrive to snow by mid-November. I've been warned by several people that "E-House", as the Earlham apartment is called, is rather small with limited storage space, so we have to pack light. I want to bring enough toys, books, and games to keep Catie entertained in our new environment, but am coming up against the limited space again. Ugh.

Other than the pain of packing, I'm sure this will be a grand adventure! Catie is looking forward to attending preschool and riding on trains. I think Andy is happy to be going back to spend some time in a country he loves. And I guess I’m just up for the excitement of living in a new environment. One of the things I'm most looking forward to is seeing how Catie experiences this new culture. I'm always surprised by the things she notices and think that watching her see Japan will be fun. 

In spite of the name of this blog, we did not consciously set out to raise an international child. We have never wanted to be one of those families who home schooled their kids while traveling the globe. All this travel just seems to happen. I'll keep you posted on our latest chapter as parents of a blonde preschooler in northern Japan.