Preparations, Part 1

i'm writing this blog wherever i go now. i caught myself writing in the shower today and realized that i will soon be wanting to write about how strange even my shower is. everything is going to be different soon, from bathroom habits to bedroom furniture to directions to the train. i will be starting over from square one essentially and am fully ready for the challenge of it all.

i met with a former JET (the program i've been accepted to, the people hooking me up with the gov't job) last night and it was a very good thing. i got to fire questions at him all night and just ask all of the little things that i've been fretting over in thinking of moving my world to the other side of the world soon. i ended up meeting another JET alumni last night as well and he shared some of his japanese experiences with me as well. i'm more excited now than i previously was, though that is hard for me to even fathom.

i'm jumping into learning the language so that i won't sound like a total idiot when i get there. my goals are to learn the basic katakana and hirgana alphabets and then getting down some key phrases such as "hajimamashite" (how do you do?) and "sumimasen" (i'm sorry, sometimes thank you or excuse me). this is in fact my word of the day, because apparently this is one of the most used words that folks use in japan. because of their polite and considerate nature japanese people are always appologizing i'm told. so sumimasen will be a word that i use multiple times a day.

i'm trying to learn this all and spanish and portuguese words keep flying through my head as i am. it is always easier for me to learn a language when i have someone to speak with. so when i speak with all of you for the next few months i'm sure that i'll be throwing in some japanese; get ready to learn!

konnichiwa for now, or rather matane!

(ps dear readers, sorry i've got nothing too intersting to give you yet. bear with me, i'll be exciting one day!) :)

Gratefulness

it is without a doubt that i am overwhelmed on a daily basis by the place that i live now and what small pleasures i am privy to day in and out.

upon my 6 am bike ride this morning it all just hit me very suddenly; the smell of the earth as i raced by trees in full bloom waking to morning sun. the way the smell of the moist dirt and the trees covered in moss twirl together in such an enticing tango is such a rush for me and takes me back in one inhale of their sweetness to a place high on a mountain and far away from so many things.

i could have ridden forever this morning it seems. it's a shame that the real world was calling and responsibilities made my early morning sun salutation short. the good news though is that i have many more morning rides ahead of me that will follow this same series of tiny pleasure and i will be ready to breathe deep with gratefulness for them all.

be well friends,

namaste

testing, testing, 1, 2, 3 months til liftoff

first blog entry, a bit daunting, but what the hell, here goes...

so i've got this job in japan now. pretty much a dream come true for me. i've been thinking of this particular dream for a long, long time now and i feel that it is fully time for me to be able to live it. i feel an overpouring of joy about life and how beautiful it is right now. i'm going to begin a great journey very soon and my heart is swelling with thanks and gratitude for so many people and experiences that have helped me get here. it is standing on top of the mountain and looking down upon it all ahead of you and running with wild abandon dow to the bottom and feeling the adrenaline rush and childlike joy that that sort of thing can give you. it is all of those feelings balled into one wonderful, light life.

all until i have another thought and think of perperations and things i need to do before i leave this Barack-voting country. i'm feeling a lot sadder than i thought i would about leaving now that hope has been renewed. now that i feel proud to be an american it is nice to know that i potentially will be greeted by other foreingers with a bit more enthusiasm. i feel like we have really started making some good changes here, but perhaps that is just my excellent place in life here in beautiful portland oregon. a city that works is how i will always think of it. they have such excellent public transportation, communities of people and so much invested in making this a healthy, happy place for all who live here to be. of course there is always populations of people in places like this that are bad off and the homeless population is insane out here, but i think for the most part that this city if really amazing. co-ops, community gardeners, public art, amazing shows, and i haven't even mentioned the endless amount of things to do outside here. i could see myself living here two-hundred years ago and being perfectly happy. if i had been here two-hundred years ago, i never would have left. this is the closest place to heaven that i could imagine on earth. i've been some beautiful places and there is just not as much beauty displayed anywhere on earth i've been yet. that said, i can't wait to try and prove myself wrong by finding out...

so, lots to do and lots to look forward as well too. i'm going to have to get good at editing while i write because i've looked over a couple of these paragraphs and it's bullocks. i promise i will write and keep you all in the loop about me and i also promise that i will become a better editor.

photos to come soon. my camera is in the mail on the way to me now.

lots of love to you, because if you're reading this you are most definitely someone i love.

peace be with you all everywhere.