international

Obon and the Last Hurrah of Summer

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It is nearly time for the Obon festival (お盆), or Festival of the Dead. Obon is a holiday season in Japan that began as a Buddhist tradition of honoring one’s family ancestors.

My husband and I do not practice Buddhist customs or believe in the spiritualism of Obon. However, the festival is a time of reunion, as it is one of the few times a year when family can take off time from work. This year, our aunt, uncle, and sister on Masashi’s side will travel to visit. (more…)

How To Plan A Budget Trip, Part 2

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So you’ve already set a budget or had the time-off approved for your dream trip.. but what about saving on all of the “smaller” expenses that add up while traveling?

Masashi and I are looking forward to our “bucket-list” trip (see here: how to plan a budget trip).. but this is not our first adventure, and we’ve both picked up some saving-money skills. We thought we would share these to help make your next trip cost a little bit less jaw-dropping.. (more…)

How To Plan A Budget Trip

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When my husband and I married, we did so on a creatively low budget, which meant foregoing an adventurous, out-of-country honeymoon. We took a few days off before jumping immediately into our new life, as well as moving into our new apartment, and a new job (in my case). We hit the ground running – and while that may not work for everyone, it suited us well!

While some might think that an elaborate honeymoon trip is a “necessity”, we feel that starting our lives with normal life was an excellent way to get to know each together. All too often, couples start out with the fantasy of an extended and expensive honeymoon, only to have the dream come crashing down later.. but, since we started out with the reverse, every adventure since has only been twice as enjoyable (and better financially prepared for!).

The average couple spends 4,000-5,000$ on a honeymoon, which only lasts a little over a week.

That’s a lot to be spending at the beginning of marriage! We do not mean to say that honeymoons are a bad thing (if you have the chance, by all means take it if it’s right for your family!), but that elaborate ones may be neither economically savvy, nor the only option out there.

However, that doesn’t mean that adventuring should be out of the question! (more…)

10 Misconceptions about Japan

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I remember hearing once in a movie a reference that unlike Japan, Ireland is not far from America.

This line made me laugh. Although the movie was referencing the east coast of America, which is in fact nearer to Ireland than Japan, I think that many people (especially Americans) have the sense that Japan is very far and inaccessible compared to European countries.. even though for those on the west coast, it may be easier to reach.

Other misconceptions I’ve encountered include that Japanese people eat teriyaki chicken all the time, or Panda Express-like dishes. Many people also confuse Chinese (or even Korean) culture and customs with Japanese, or think that it must be hard to get around in Japan because of the language barrier.

Before coming to Japan and later moving here, I was guilty of similar assumptions! So, I would like to share a few common misconceptions about Japan, and some insight into what Japan is really like. (more…)

Our Miscarriage Story

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**Warning: the following post includes discussion of pregnancy and miscarriage in Japan. Please do not read if it makes you uncomfortable.**

Does it seem strange to talk about miscarriage at the beginning of a blog about our family? While it is tough to share about this part of our lives, we believe that loss is also a part of life that ought to be recognized.. and it’s sometimes from the ashes that come beauty and joy.

We we were expecting our first child on July 29th, 2018, but I miscarried in the 3rd month of pregnancy.

While we believe that everything that happened is a part of God’s plan and trust His future for us, the following is an honest look at what it is like to experience both early pregnancy and miscarriage in Japan.. I hope it is helpful women who might experience a similar situation, to answer your questions, or to offer comfort through knowing that someone else has been through the same situation.

Please note that I am NOT a doctor, so please do not take any of the following as medical advice, and also note that every woman and every pregnancy and miscarriage are different.  (more…)