I interrupt this Weekly Wishes programming to share with you…JAPAN WEEK! If you’ve been following along for any speck of time, you probably know that I am getting ready to say my goodbyes to my home in Japan — where I’ve lived for the past two and a half years — to trek on back to my original home of California. In fact, I am leaving THIS WEEK. Sunday, to be exact. The next Weekly Wishes you see on this blog will be written from my soon-to-be SoCal apartment. CRAZY, RIGHT? Anyways, back to business here — this week, I’m taking some much-needed time to sincerely reflect on and preach my gratitudes about my time in Japan. Living here has been a freakin’ roller coaster. It has changed me in ways I probably won’t fully understand until years later. The days leading up to this point have been tough, and even though I am ready to move on from this place, a part of me will always linger behind. There is SO much I’ve never shared with you all about my time in Japan, primarily because I started this blog long after the newness of expat-hood had worn off. But this week, I have fun plans to re-visit some stellar memories, lessons learned, cultural experiences I never knew existed and more. Since my dog, Monja, was born in Japan, he’ll be sharing some of his own musings about moving to the States, too. Be sure to look out for that…he’s got quite a mouthful to say! ;) I’m so excited for this week and I hope you’ll follow along with our adventures over the next seven days! Soon, we’ll all be saying goodbye to Japan. Thanks for being here to hold my hand through the transition. :)
Now, back to our regularly scheduled programming…WEEKLY WISHES!! :)
Hey there and welcome to Weekly Wishes, where I talk about the goals or challenges I want to achieve this week and also let you share your own through the link-up below. I’d love for you to join me and add a link to your own goal-oriented post! It’s a great way to make new friends from around the world and gain some motivation to achieve your weekly aspirations.
Last Week’s Wishes
Get ahead and give myself a day off. The basis for these wishes was because I wanted to make sure I finish enough work before heading back to California so I’m not bogged down as soon as I arrive, but I also wanted to take some time off to finish exploring and saying goodbye to my home here. So, how’d I do? I did…aight. I definitely succeeded more in taking time off. ;) I figured things would be okay because I do still have this week to finish up loose ends, but Keiji told me on Thursday that he’d taken this whole week off from work to be with me before I leave! What a sweetheart, right?! It did make me a little anxious though, because I have less time to work this week, but I’m just going to try focusing more and using my time as wisely as possible. I’m happy that I’ll get to spend more time with Keiji too — I’m going to miss that guy.
This Week’s Wishes
Nail down an apartment lease. My dad and future roommate have been SO helpful in finding a good place for us to live. I can’t thank them enough for how much time they’ve put into looking at apartments and negotiating leases in my absence. Hopefully we’ll get something nailed down this week so that we’ll have a place to move into right when we arrive. :)
Buy odds and ends online. I LOVE online shopping. God it is so freakin’ convenient and CHEAPER! I really want to buy all the random things I’ll need — from new deodorant and shampoo to a dog bed and bones for Monja — before we arrive so that they’ll be waiting at our new place. I’ve been putting this off a little because there’s so much random stuff we need, but I need to just make a list and buy it all in one swoop!
CLEAN and PACK!! My apartment is such a mess, y’all. I really need to make an effort to clean, do laundry, and then pack all my stuff together. I mean…it’s sort of important, right? ;)
Weekly Wishes Participant Art
Each week I choose five themed photos that I liked from the previous week’s linked-up posts and display them with a link to your blog. Woohoo! This week’s theme is “memories,” which I fittingly chose for my last week in Japan. ;) The picture of mine that I selected above is a memory from a different “ending” I experienced in Japan — my last day of teaching in the rural North before moving down to Tokyo. I lived in a small town with intense seasons and an extremely small amount of non-Japanese people (like, 10. I’m serious). I did enjoy my time there, but I don’t think I realized how special of a place it was until I left. The students were so pure-hearted and sincere. It’s something I’ll always remember about my time up there in good ol’ Akita.
Below, I selected five photos from last week’s Weekly Wishes participants based on last week’s theme, “hobbies.” Try guessing what their hobbies are and then visit their blogs to see if you’re right! :)
THIS week’s photo theme is: “Memories”
NEXT week’s photo theme is: “New Beginnings”
Clockwise from top left: Safaris and Sunsets // Little Miss Designer // Marelden // Ameliorer la Vie // Cat on the Wall
WEEKLY WISHES LINKUP RULES
1. Share your posts about your goals, challenges, or wishes for the week, month, year, decade, whatever! Entries completely unrelated to the theme or linked to your homepage will be deleted.
2. Link back to this site so others can get their goal-setting on, too! You can use the button below if you’d like!
3. You can link up your posts on any day of the week, but the most common day to do so is Monday. :)
4. THE MOST IMPORTANT RULE OF ALL! You MUST visit the person’s blog who linked up directly before you and leave them a motivating comment. This is such an important part of this linkup! We are each here to encourage each other and build a community of determined women and friends. :) If you do not do this, your post will be deleted from the link-up.
An InLinkz Link-up
Have you heard about this month’s gratitude project, featuring what you all have to say?
p.s. Remember my design survey? Thank you all SO much for taking it! I received 116 thoughtful responses which have already helped me brainstorm some new directions for my business. I’m really thankful for your participation!! I randomly selected one winner, using a random number generator, and the winner of the $20 prize is…Maggie Wallace!!! I will be emailing you soon, Maggie! Congrats. :)
Other Stuff You'll Totally Love:
Weekly Wishes #23: Lemme See Yo’ Selfies! (21)
Weekly Wishes #25 // Hobbies (32)
Weekly Wishes Linkup #13 (33)
Weekly Wishes #16 [+ TWO Everyday Happy Giveaways!] (25)
Weekly Wishes #18 + Happy Week! (38)
Weekly Wishes #17 (41)
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The post Japan Week + Weekly Wishes #26 [Memories] appeared first on The Nectar Collective.