This will be the last time that I write in my blogg while still in the states. I depart for Japan on Tuesday and I have much to do still. My itinerary is as follows:
Dinner with Tomoko and Freddy, Trisha and Michael, Tommy, Lorie and Frankie this evening. Tomorrow: leave for the island and fare well party at Robert Mosses Beach with Sasha’s wonderful Family. Return on Saturday to pack up. Monday: go into the city and pick up my Visa at the Japanese Consulate. Monday evening: drive out to the Island and spend the night. Tuesday afternoon: Leave JFK @ 12:35 for Narita Airport, Japan. Wednesday: go through customs and get money exchanged, then go to the baggage sending desk and send 1 or 2 of your bags up to Kuzumaki, they will probably arrive before I do.
Then I will take the Narita express or Keisei Skyliner to Ueno station, this will take about 1 hour. I will get a hotel around Ueno for the night I arrive because I will arrive around nighttime. It will be nearby Ueno station .Then the next morning I will go to Ueno station's JR green window office and buy my Tohoku Shinkansen ticket to Iwate-Numakunai station.
Once I arrive in Iwate, Numakunai station, my host family, my replacement: Chris Sickels, will meet me and bring me to the house of my host family. I will stay with the host family for one week, then move into my new apartment (Rent free).
During the first few weeks this is what I will expect:
Drinking parities and welcome parties will start early September and these are fun but they will make the next days rough. I will be working.
I will need to bring gifts for the following people because they are throwing me a party: the Mayor, the Board of Education, and my Host Family.
Shopping for food and such.


When I start school:
I will be driving a stick shift and on the other side of the road, it will be backwards.
I will be traveling to 5 schools a week, for English classes at the nearby schools.

I also have a friend in Ichinomiya, Aichi. Yukiko is a girl I graduated college with. She is Japanese and back at home with her American “Cracker” son-of-a-bitch (she calls him). We will be meeting up for a lot of travel. Also I have another friend in Thaiwan, so I am sure I will be traveling to China as well. This is going to be great.

I made sure to say good buy to my parents (of whom I will miss very dearly), my Aunt and her boyfriend Dave, My best friend Holly and Tony, Gerry and Jerry, and my beautiful Grandmother, and a surprise stop from my Uncle Mark and his family. I will miss everyone a lot. But most of all, my cats Darhma and Bub Sumo and of course, You Sasha!

I am feeling a bit sad and scared, but I know that this move is a dream that I have had for 6 years, one that I am living!!! I have done everything I always wanted. I moved to New Orleans and now Japan. For that I am very happy. If I died tomorrow I would know that I did everything that I dreamed about and more.
So, give me some time to get situated and I will post pictures of what I see and write what I feel. I will try to show Japan through my eyes- and hope that many of you will visit, my door is open-
Besides, I have a lot of wonderful memories to take with me- I will never be alone.