It's not purple. It's lavender!

So all this Visa nonsense has gotten complicated. I'll have to wait until my arrival in Japan to get my work Visa, and just go on a tourist Visa (on which you can stay for up to 90 days). The problem is that immigration in Japan didn't get my COE completed in time, but I'll have it in hand when I get there, I believe.

Anyway, none of this is a big deal, happens all the time. The only problem is going there on a tourist Visa on a one-way flight...typically the airline won't let you do it. They're afraid immigration in Japan will deny you and make you turn straight around, which usually happens on the airline's dime. So, as a precaution my employer informed me that I should buy a one way ticket to Seoul within 90 days (which I won't use) and MIL will reimburse me. So I've been all over the internet trying to find a ticket to Seoul from Narita for under $300. I think I got it, but boy, it's been hectic. I can't wait til we go into Tokyo after I arrive and change my Visa status so I don't have to worry about this crap.

Anyway, boooring. I have so much to do this weekend. I stupidly waited to buy travel compression bags and I won't get them til Monday. So I have to do this really funny thing where I lay everything out but have to wait til Monday to actually pack the clothes in. Ug.

I've barely started actually packing. Most of my time has been spent making lists of things to buy or to pack. Oh well. I guess that's a somewhat organized way to go about it. And yes, my big suitcase is leopard-print with fuschia lining. Laugh all you want, it was the only reasonably good quality and cheap one I could find, and it has about a million side pockets. Very handy.

I've been reading blogs of lots of former MIL employees, and it all seems so great. I've also been fascinated by the allusive Mt. Fuji in the past couple days...maybe if I get in better shape I'll climb it. Maybe not.

I'm thinking now that I'll probably spent my week off after arrival in Kamakura or Nikko. These are more traditional villages in the Japan Alps, and they seem awesome. And of course I'll be in Tokyo a bunch. And Narita. I can't believe how different everything is going to be in just a little over a week. Living in Japan won't make my life better neccessarily, but I'm excited for the new experience and the chance to push myself out of the rut-like comfort zone I've gotten myself into.

I cannot wait to see my family and friends next week. I'm a little sad that it'll be at least a year before I see my mom's house again...as weird as that sounds. I love that house. It's beautiful, warm, and cozy. Maybe I'll take some pics of it before I go. I'm a little sentimental, aren't I?

In other news, maybe I'll eventually move to New York after all...I fell in love with NYC when I was 12 years old, but decided that I probably wouldn't want to live there several years later. But everything is feels like an open book in my life now. And I really want to go to France. There's so much to see. I think I need to live to 125 so I can do it all.

Thumbs up: being positive, having Blake in my life, Skype/Google Voice, Amazon.com, meeting other future ex-pats.

Thumbs down: again, my anxiety. It's a bitch.