Kyoju 301!

The Metrics:

10.2          =  The number of kilometers WR wandered in Chikushino last weekend

2               =  The number of very short conversations WR has completed,
                      totally in Japanese.
288,754   =  The yen in WR‟s last paycheck (WHOOO!).

2               =  The number of “Margaritas” WR consumed, at a local Chikushino bar.

 ----------------------------------------

Hello from Japan, loyal readers!

Yes, it is I! The “Row” of the “Rowstein.” I know it’s been a very long time since I’ve written for the blog (sorry about that). But, as of yet, the Japanese Telecommunication Gods have deemed me unworthy of Internet service. We’re hoping that will be fixed in the next three weeks or so (GAH, THREE MORE WEEKS, GAH!). The good news, though, is that I have a smartphone, which allows me access to my gmail, Facebook, Skype (sometimes), Viber, and WhatsApp. So don’t be afraid to drop me an email! I always enjoy hearing from my stateside buddies.

So, Japan. Where do I start? I’ve been here for over a month now. (Time’s really flying!) I feel like I’m adjusting pretty well, which is great for my daily life… but terrible for blog writing. Where to begin with a blog post? What do I talk about? I’ve asked myself, “Do I tell them about the funny foods I sometimes see in the grocery store?” Or, “Do I tell them how there’s corn and mayonnaise on nearly every pizza on the delivery menu?” Or, “Do I talk about my suburban hometown, Chikushino? Or my urban work and play-town, Fukuoka?”

I talked to my husband about the challenge of starting, and he suggested I start small. Something simple, something personal. Like… my apartment!

I live in a kyoshokuin jutaku, which just means “Teachers / Government Employee Housing.” Most of the buildings are old (as is mine) and most of the buildings are pretty ugly (as is mine). But my apartmen is in great shape on the inside and the rent is DIRT CHEAP (about $165 American, depending on the day’s exchange rate), so I can’t really complain.

As you can see, it’s not the loveliest of buildings. But, hey! It’s home!

The layout of my apartment is pretty standard for this era of jutaku. There are three tatami rooms, a kitchen, a bathroom (shower / tub, and sink), and the other bathroom (toilet and tank-sink). It’s pretty spacious, as far as Japanese apartments go. Heck, it’s spacious as far as Twin City apartments go! Since I have only a few pieces of furniture (bequeathed belongings from the former ALT), it remains a rather spare and plain place. But, what currently I lack in color and personality, I gain in having plenty of open space and an orderly, clean, and functional apartment. (Besides, in a few weekends, I’m going to go to the Fukuoka IKEA and go shopping for some furniture of my own! Yippeeee!)

Well, let’s start at the start! My apartment has a heavy, metal, submarine-like door, which makes a satisfying Ka-CHUNK when you close it. Dan has heard it many times over the phone, and can attest to its incredible noisiness. Just inside the door is a shoe-alcove (the Japanese word for it escapes me). It’s a recessed entry way, complete with tiny shoe closet, where everyone removes their shoes before entering.

At first, I thought it was silly and excessive to never wear my shoes into the apartment. But now, with how clean my floors stay, I’m a believer!

The first room you come across is my bathroom (the shower-tub kind). Here’s a photo.

Yep. That’s my “shower.” The big blue-green, square thing is my soaking tub (something I only use for hand-wash laundry, since it’s summer). The metal box, just to the left of the tub is the gas-powered water heater. There’s no mega-water-heater for the building. Each primary water outlet (usually, the kitchen sink and bathing area) has its own small heating unit. See the white hand crank? To make the water hot, I hold down a gas-release function and crank that handle until the gas lights. Then, the water is wonderfully hot! To shower, I switch the heater to the “shower” function, turn on the water, and use the handheld water wand to bathe. There is no shower curtain needed, as the room itself is made to get wet. See the drain in the floor? I just stand there and bathe. It’s strange at first, I’ll admit. But it saves water and it makes for a nice spacious place to shower.

The next room is my other bathroom.

I have a Western-style toilet (versus the traditional Japanese-style), a thing I’m very grateful for. (Google Japanese “squatter” toilets. Search it on YouTube, I dare you.) The back water tank has a very Japanese feature, though. See how it’s mounted on the wall? See the spigot and sink atop it? It’s a great feature that saves a ton of water! When you flush, the new water that fills up the back tank comes out the spigot and goes down into the drain, allowing you to wash your hands with the water from the future flush!

Pretty smart, no?

Next, is the kitchen. I have a small fridge (which is being replaced Tuesday, due to it spontaneously filling up with water), a microwave, a rack with a toaster and rice cooker, a simple utilitarian sink, and a two-burner gas cooktop, with a fish oven. What is a fish oven, you ask?

 

Well, it’s an oven for fish! (Or toast. Or… other small food items.) I’ve yet to use it, so I can’t really report on it’s functionality, but the cooktop is brand-spanking-new and works great for everything else. So, I’m sure it will bake fish with the best of ‘em!

The other three rooms are my tatami rooms. They are called tatami rooms, because they have tatami mats (up until now, all the other rooms I’ve mentioned have had a firm-ish, hardwood-looking flooring). Tatami is a standard-sized, organic, woven-grass mat that is the traditional floor in Japanese homes. It’s softer than a typical Western style floor and, when taken care of, makes for a very comfortable room. But tatami can be easily damaged or discolored, so it takes a little effort to keep it looking nice (hence the “no-shoes-inside-the-house-ever” policy).

I’ve not yet decided on the purpose or layout for my tatami rooms, but they’re currently used as 1.) My bedroom & living room, 2.) My spare bed & closet room, and 3.) The kotatsu room & where-I-shove-all-the-crap-I’m-going-to-get-rid-of closet. These titles will change, I’m sure, after my visit to IKEA. Most of my doors are a heavier, sliding-screen type (not paper screens… think heavy foam and wood). It saves a lot of space and allows for a lot of flexibility, as you can literally just take them down when you want more room. And the sliding aspect means you can put furniture right up next to it, and it’ll still function perfectly as a door. I like them a lot.

What else? My apartment is on the third floor, which gives me a pretty decent view of part of Chikushino, as well as the mountains beyond. It’s nothing breathtaking, but it’s a much better view than looking at the broadside of another jutaku.

I see this view a lot when I’m doing laundry, because my washing machine and clothesline are on the back porch (Oh, and I have a back porch). Washing machines are typically kept outside and dryers are non-existent, mostly because of the nuclear power crisis and the heavy emphasis on power-saving. But at least the washer is free to use (unlike my American apartment counterparts) and my clothes come off the line smelling like sunshine, if a little linty.

That’s all I have time for now! I’ll try to be better about writing in the future. If you have any specific questions about Japan or my experiences, write them in the comments below! I’ll try to answer them in later posts.

Thanks for reading! And, as DW says, don’t forget to feed the fish!

WR

Much to look at, little to read.

The Metrics:

62        =  The number of pictures taken during my travels

4          =  Forms of transit used in arriving at Doe Bay

8          =  The assuredly non-fire-code approved occupancy of our Cabin

2          =  The number of coffee cups in the afore mentioned Cabin's Kitchenette . . . curious

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 Hiyo All,

Whit's internet access has been further delayed, so I'm afraid you all are stuck with me for while longer yet.  On the upside I just returned from the Pacific Northwest, where I was visiting my Sister, Brother-in-law and Nephew, and attending the wedding of a longtime family friend. Since the recent posts have been heavy on the talk low on the pictures, I've decided to reverse direction and post some of the MANY beautiful pictures from my recent trip.  It'll be light on narrative but I'm sure you won't mind ;).

The trip began with a few days in Portland visiting the familia, including my increasingly bipedal nephew Ollie.

Another difficult day at the office for Ollie.

Fortunately he has his assistant Ez to help keep him up to speed
with the days memos.

After a few days we made the rather epic trek to Orcas Island off the coast of Washington, north of Seattle.  While you won't see it in picture form there was a 5 hour drive from Portland to Anacortes, the main ferry port for the San Juan Islands.

This is a panoramic shot of the ferry loading zone, there were easily 12+ lanes of cars waiting to make the crossing.

Yup, the cars got to make the journey as well. I'm sure they
enjoyed the experience of something else carrying them
for a change.

Ollie handling the travel like a champ.

Me having fun with my phone's panoramic function again.  This is just the tip of the iceberg for the beauty of the region.

Once we made it off of the ferry, it took about 50 minutes of additional driving to make it to the wedding location: Doe Bay.

The two bedroom cabin we shared.

putting the doe in Doe Bay

In addition to a whole lot of natural splendor there was a lovely
little garden, as well as a clothing optional hot tub and sauna
. . . for other forms of natural splendor ;).

The next day we back tracked to one of the larger towns on the island Eastsound to have a look around.

Ollie, ready for a day full of adventure!

Nothing pretty here. . . move along . . .

Ollie, recovering from a day full of adventure!

That evening was the wedding itself and everything went off without a hitch . . . or I suppose in this case with a hitch by design.  They couldn't have asked for better weather, it was a cool clear evening, perfect for an outdoor ceremony and reception.

The reception pavilion couldn't have been more than 100
feet from the waters edge.

This was the back drop for the ceremony . . . yup.

The next morning while the rest of the family headed back to Portlandia, my Dad and I stuck around Orcas island for an extra day before heading back to our respective Midwestern homes.

A short hike at Obstruction Pass took us down to the shore.

Not exactly sun tanning beaches.

I think we interrupted something intimate between these two
starfish.

A small panorama from the top of the highest peak on the island, Mt. Constitution . . .
yeah the name leaves something to be desired.

Dan, pinnacle of Constitution . . . *cue laugh track*

Another short hike around part of Mountain Lake.

We spent our last night in a comparatively posh suite in
Deer Harbor, making a subsequently easier travel day.

Finally our time to depart the island came, but nature offered a fitting send off . . . with a ham and cheese croissant no less!

The Orcas Village Inn where we grabbed a bite while
waiting for the first ferry of the morning.

Sunrise on Orcas Village.

Now that I'm back home things are starting to pick up with school so look forward to an update on that front, and hopefully we'll find a way for you all to get some the many amazing stories Whitney has been accruing while getting settled down in Fukuoka.

Until next time, thanks for reading, and don't forget to feed the fish!

DW

The Storm Before the Storm . . .

Hiyo All,

As I prepare to go to a wedding out in the Pacific Northwest and Whitney's teaching begins in earnest, I fear I must be negligent in my blog duties for the week.  Once I'm back I'll be hitting the ground running, with my new degree program starting up, so there will be plenty to talk about.  Until then, have a grand week, and don't forget to feed the fish!

DW

I'm Big in Japan!

Metrics:

15     = Total hours WR spent on a plane two weeks ago.
26     =  New foods WR has tried in Japan and liked.
1       =  New foods WR has tried in Japan and not liked.  (Weird
honey-bun thing.)
3       =  Cold showers WR had to take before Sempai came over and
showed her how to properly work the bathroom water-heater.
______________________________

______________________________


Hello from 日本, readers!

The good news:  I’m ALIVE!  I survived the 12:45 flight from Chicago
to Japan, and then I made it through a turbulent 2 hour flight from
Tokyo to Fukuoka (we were flying toward a Typhoon… awesome).   I’ve
also started settling into my apartment and I can feed and clean
myself to a functional degree.  So, things are alright.

The bad news:  I am totally disconnected.  As of right now, I have no
internet at the house (and only momentary, very limited access at
work), no cell phone, not even a home landline.   I’m totally cut off.
 And it sucks.   But, once my “Foreigner’s Card” arrives in the mail
(in the next 10 days, here’s hoping), I’ll be able to get a smart
phone and use some of the lovely Apps Dan mentioned in the previous
post.  The home internet will take WAY longer (like, weeks and weeks),
but once I have a phone I won’t care!

(Update:  I just recently got my “Foreigner’s Card” and cell phone!
Yaaaaay!  But I can’t use it as a mobile hotspot for my laptop [which
I write the blogs on].  However, the angelic Ellie [my JET Sempai]
informed me that the school’s computers can read Flash Drives, so I’ll
upload that way.  I still don’t have my own access to the Internet at
school, nor any Internet at my house.)

With that out of the way, let’s talk Tokyo!

So, I landed two Sundays ago, on the afternoon of July 29th, at Narita
Airport (flew out Saturday morning, landed Sunday afternoon… wheeeee,
time-change!).  I, along with hundreds of other JETs, filed out of the
plane and into the passport line, dragging our carry-ons behind us.
It was hot and crowded, and the wait was over an hour (thanks to an
entire Chinese tour group cutting in front of us).  But we were
thrilled to be out of the plane and finally in Japan.

After the passport line and customs, we went to the turn-styles to
collect our baggage.  Now, since JETs are actually moving to Japan,
most of us had around 150 lbs of goods (some had more) and there were
100 of us on my plane alone.  So, there was a lot of baggage flying around.
And we were limited in what we could take with us to Tokyo
Orientation.  That meant that there were a lot of JETs on the sidewalk
with their bags open, desperately repacking as fast as they could.
But, thanks to Dan’s and my super-planning, list-making abilities, I
didn’t have to do that.  I dropped my extra baggage off at the
shipping truck and waited (while sweating a lot) for the next
available bus to take us to the hotel.

The bus was caught in traffic a few times, so we arrived at the Keio
Plaza Hotel around 8:30 pm.  I unpacked, familiarized myself with the
bizarrely complicated toilet, Skyped with Dan (thanks to the free,
fast hotel internet… GOD I MISS THAT…), and went to sleep around 10:00
pm.  Many people went out in Tokyo Sunday night, but my roommate and I
were just too exhausted from the day’s journey.

The next morning, Orientation began with breakfast (a strange take on
the Western style, with things like “scrambled eggs” [tasty, but with
a consistency of American peanut butter] and sausages [which were
actually tiny hot dogs, served with mustard]).  But, the food was free
and the coffee was plentiful, so it was a good start to the day.  Next
came the formal JET Program 2012 Opening Ceremony, followed by
speeches, workshops, meetings, and the like.  There was a lot of great
advice given at the Orientation, but it’s hard to keep it all in your
head (given the overwhelming nature of it all).  And, since “every
situation in different” (a common JET expression), one is constantly
having to filter the information through the perceived notions of our
specific situation. But… the best you can do is try, right?

Let’s skip to the highlights of my time in Tokyo: my evenings out!

SPOILER ALERT:  2012 Fukuoka JETS in Groups C or Late-Incoming
Alternates, DO NOT READ ANY FURTHER.  The surprise is totally great,
if you’re going, and you shouldn’t ruin it!

After the Welcome Reception on Monday night, the fun-loving FUK JETs
went to a Shinjuku bar called “The Lock-Up.”  It… was… amazing.  Weird
Japan at its finest, some said.  The bar, which is located on the 7th
floor of some neon-encrusted building I could probably never find
again if you paid me, is “prison” themed.  But, Americans, it’s closer
to a prison-meets-Haunted-House theme.  The hostesses are decked out
in an outfit that’s somewhere between a leather “French Maid” and a
police officer.  One of these “guards” led us to our cell (all the
drinking / eating rooms are private-party “cells”), where we sat and
ordered drinks.

It’s difficult to describe the drinks, really.  Most were very tasty
and had a mad-scientist flair to them (i.e. most were served in
beakers, test-tubes, or made use of syringes, etc.)  But you can see
for yourself by clicking HERE.  After an hour or so, the lights
suddenly shut off and alarms start blaring.  A woman starts shouting
over the intercom (in Japanese, of course), “A monster has escaped!  A
monster has escaped!”  Then, we hear some sort of encounter between a
man and woman, which clearly ends poorly (I mean, the guy goes,
“MUHUHAHAHAHAHA!” at the end, which is International for “Bad Guy”).
Then, we see shadows outside our doors.  The windows start to rattle.
Strobe lights go off.  There are sound effects: creaking wood,
shuffling feet, and the occasional chainsaw.  We hear screams in
neighboring rooms, which are definitely not sound effects.

Then, one of our doors bursts open.  A blood-spattered, white-coated,
masked madman runs in the room and begins to terrorize us.  We, of
course, start screaming and laughing as he moves from JET to JET,
playing with their hair or suddenly rushing at them.  After a few
moments, he leaves.  Other madmen enter from time to time, each
scarier or more hilarious than the last.  My favorites?  One that was
dressed up like a scary-clown-reindeer (no, I’m being serious) and
another that entered right as “Thriller” came on, who danced some of
the MJ moves (naturally) and, just before leaving the room, tweaked
the nipples of the guy sitting next to me (….umm, naturally).  It was
beyond hysterical.

The production went on for many hilarious minutes (my stomach actually
hurt from laughing) and culminated in one of the She-Guards kicking in
the door, shooting the escaped prisoner, and dragging him back to his
cell in chains.  The lights rose and, of course, the drinking and
eating resumed.  But really, if you’re ever in Shinjuku and you’re
looking for a great place to hang out (and only 3,500 Yen for 2 hours
of all you can eat and drink!), “The Lock Up” is one crazy experience.

My second night out, though not as dramatic, was really enjoyable.  I
met up with my friend Peter, whom I’ve known since my days at JCCC.
He lives in Yokohama now and was willing to meet up with me in
Shibuya, to take me to dinner.  So, I actually braved the Shinjuku
Train station… by myself.  I was terrified and it was INSANE (people
EVERYWHERE, confusing signs EVERYWHERE), but I made it.  I got off at
the Shibuya station and followed the signs for “Hachiko Statue” (a
famous dog and a very popular meeting spot in Tokyo).  Peter found me
and we walked to a nearby yakuniku restaurant, one of his favorites.
(Note: Yakuniku is where there’s a small grill set in your table.  You
order a plate of raw meat & veggies that you cook to your own liking,
and eat with rice [or whatever other side you want].  There are
several sauces on the table.  It’s DELICIOUS.)  We had a great meal
and a wonderful conversation (it was nice to talk to someone I already
know, versus people I’ve just met [even when they’re really nice
people]) and it really put a nice close on my brief Tokyo experience.

I’ll probably stop there for the time being!  There’s much more to
tell, especially of my first experiences in Chikushino & Fukuoka, but
my lack of keyboard-friendly connectivity makes uploading difficult.
I look forward to being able to share more with you as my e-access
becomes stable!

Thanks for reading!

WR

A little post a little late.

Hi All, I'm afraid you get a place holder in lieu of a real post this week.  While I have done some more baking, and attempting to regain the ground I've lost since the Tri, things have continued more or less on the same trajectory both here and on the other side of the Pacific.  Unfortunately for Whit that means her access to the wonderous interwebs is sadly still lacking.  She will hopefully be outfitted with a smartphone inside the week, and will be able to login from work sometime in a few weeks there after, but sadly her high-powered wired connection for home will be even farther off than that . . . ahh the wonders of bureaucracy.  Before I go I will leave you with a parting story passed along by Whit.

Both fortunately and un, Whit was bequeathed a fair number of belongings from the Jets who lived there before her. Including a light coating of grime and pungency which were the gift of her most recent (definitively bachelored) predecessor.  So on her day off on Monday, she chose to spend a fair part of the day cleaning / inventorying.  While the cleaning went well aroma still lingered in the kitchen and she immediately thought of some incense she had seen earlier.  Never having used incense before she took out the holder, the sticks, and the entirely Japanese instructions.  It did however have pictures, and it all seemed pretty straight forward:

hold away from face, light the end with a match, and what could only be magical Japanesey starry smell will come out from it.

Needless to say this scenario ended with Whitney, grimy from her day of cleaning, standing in the middle of her Kitchenette . . . holding a sparkler.  Ah, the entertaining joys of language barriers :). 

That's all for this week. I promise a real post next week from me if Whit is still offline.  For now, thanks for reading, and don't forget to feed the fish!

DW

Finishing Up and Beginning Anew

The Metrics:

9          =  The number of paintings which still need to be hung up in the apartment.

3          =  The number of hard-drives which have been in my computer 

                 in the last 24 hours.

14612  =  The kilometers Google Maps claims would need to be traversed 

                 for DW to drive to WR.

0          =  How many Amphicars I have access to.

 ----------------------------------------

 

Hiyo All,

 

The dust is just beginning to settle from the chaos that was the past few weeks.  Whit safely reached Tokyo and navigated the gauntlet that was the orientation process, and as I type at you she is just about to start her day of travel which will take her to her final destination in Fukuoka Prefecture.  Thanks to the wonder of technology we've been able to talk face to face via skype several times since she landed, and rest assured you will be getting some choice stories in the weeks to come of her time in orientation and Tokyo.  

 

For now I thought I would give you all a look at our newly set up apartment, tell you a little about what I've been up to, and give any of you wanting to stay in touch with Whit a heads up on a few apps/programs which make the process easier and more affordable.  

 

Our new stateside apartment is back closer to where we lived when we first moved to the Twin Cities, in an area known as The Wedge.

-

Hard to see why they call it The Wedge eh?

-

Although we really liked our last apartment, distance from the U, increasing rent, and a lack of public transit options took it out of the running for a good long term fit.  And, while our new apartment is smaller, it makes up for size in a very ped/bike/public transit friendly area, swimming in restaurants, coffee shops, and grocery stores.  Did I mention I get free off street parking? Yeah, that hasn't happened in a few years.

 

The space is definitely compact, but with Whit's help in planning we've created a pretty functional living space.  Here is a quick tour:

-

The entryway. Whit's bike gets a much needed post triathlon
break beside the rack of bike hooplah.

-

The Kitchen.  This is always the sticking point for me in small apartments:
teensy kitchens.  But I've grown adept at creating counters and storage
where none were found previously :).

-

The Living Room.  Nice and cozy . . . well except for the fact that
the coffee table has been annexed for an alternate purpose . . .

-

Puck standing sentry over the Computer Repair Wing aka the coffee table.

-

The Bedroom. Both mirror and lamp were items I got as a result of
giveaways at the website I used to work for, huzzah!

-

The disaster area I call my office.  As you can see things still need
to be sorted out here, but the general shape is there.

-

Rags felt left out, so he decided to perch in front of the mirror to keep himself company.

-

No bathroom pics, sorry.  But I assure you it does exist, so if you wind up visiting you won't go wanting.

Before calling this post a wrap I promised I would point you to some ways of staying in contact with Whit and I over the coming year.  All of the apps below can be downloaded for both iPhone and Android OS and they're free (at least for most uses).  

Skype

This is a big one, and it's likely you've all heard about it, but if you aren't already on the bandwagon I'd suggest you join.  It allows you to make free video-calls to other Skype users, and for a charge (of less than what you'd pay to do it otherwise) you can use it to make phone calls to non-skype accounts.  While it can be used from a smartphone, Skype works best over a computer with a quick internet connection. 

WhatsApp

This is a program available on all major smartphone OS which allows you to do free texting including picture texts, be they local or international, via your 4g or wifi netweork.  And it's free.

Viber

Viber uses your phones internet connection to allow you make calls free to other people who have the app, even internationally.

Thanks as always for reading!  Look forward to our first blog update from Japan in the weeks to come.  

Cheers!

DW

Snapshots.

Hello again, RowStein readers!  Sorry for the delay, yet again.  It's been a very busy time for us (astoundingly, ridiculously, stupid-stupidly busy), so we're going to keep it short and sweet.

For this post, we present... our week.  In snapshots.

MOVING:
Ah, yes.  Those dreaded, dreaded boxes.  We'd thought we'd seen the last of them when we put them into storage.  But no.  Sadly... sadly, no.

"Wait, we have 40 of these?!"

EATING:
After two days of moving, sorting, shifting, straining, opening, and unpacking... we didn't want to add "cook" to our list of ing's.  Thankfully, there's Topper's Pizza and what we lovingly call the "Dan Special" (Buffalo chicken chunks, bacon, double cheese, and ranch on the side).  It's friggin' amazing.

Dan, stoked about his Dan special.

UNPACKING:
Yep.  More unpacking.  But look!  You can see windows!  And... there's a bed under there, I think.

Why do we have so much stuff?

SHOPPING:
We did a lot of my Japan-prep shopping while in Florida, but there was still a lot to buy.  Last minute clothes, toiletries, and... of course... omiyage.  To explain omiyage, very briefly:  There's a prevalent gift-giving culture in Japan, where foreigners and locals alike are expected to bring back small tokens from their trips and travels (especially for neighbors and coworkers).  The gifts are not supposed to be expensive, but should be local and unique when possible... and often edible.  So, as a new JET ALT, it's expected that I arrive with something snazzy from the Twin Cities.  Like a case of mini Pearson's "Nut Rolls," straight from the factory.

"100 Years of Nut Goodieness!"

OTHER IMPORTANT STUFF:
That same day, we did all kinds of things.  We got haircuts (both of us), got new nose-jewelry installed (just me), ordered my Yen, bought some clothes at the outlet mall, and gathered local "prop" materials in the form of to-go menus from some of our favorite restaurants.  (These "props," by the way, are used as part of my introductory lessons in Japan.)  And... since gathering menus requires us to actually go to the restaurants... we thought we'd stop and partake of the delicious pizzas at Punch Pizza in St. Paul.  I mean, we're already there.  Right? 

The "Cortina."  Shockingly tasty.

COMPUTER PREP:
By mid-week, a lot of the apartment unpacking had been completed (see the books and DVDs in the background? ), but my Japan packing hadn't yet begun.  While I sorted and stacked and folded every single article of clothing I own (see the stacks of clothes in the foreground?), Dan worked on prepping my electronics.  There was a surprising amount to be done, but Dan was super helpful and got everything up to speed.

Look at him go!  Computering!

RELAXING:
Believe it or not, we even found a little time to relax!  We biked over to the park around the Lake of the Isles and had a coffee-picnic.  It was a great way to spend a morning.

Whitney and the bikes.

TRI-CHEERING:
Our friend competed in a Sprint Triathlon in Duluth on Sunday, so we drove up to cheer her on and take photos.  It was a lot of fun to be on the other side of the sport (check out last week's post, if you haven't) and, besides!  We'd never been to Duluth.  So, why not?

Drew, the Tri-Champion!

MORE EATING:
Since the race-location in Duluth was a three hour drive each way, we decided that we'd visit some area sites while we were there.  And, of course, that means eating.  We hit up a very well reviewed local fish sandwich shop and we were not at all disappointed.

"The Northern Waters Smokehouse."

PACKING AND RE-PACKING:
By this point in the week, I've unpacked all of my boxed belongings and either, a.) found a place for them in the apartment, b.) packed them away into storage of some kind, or c.) placed them in the pile of "Things Going to Japan."  Once I was done with all of that sorting, I actually had to cram everything into bags.  It wasn't an easy task, let me tell you.

So... much............. packing.....

SWEET, SWEET REWARD:
Finally!  We're done!  We've unpacked, I've repacked, the cats are settled, everything is (basically) done.  So, we reward ourselves with one last meal at our very favorite Twin City wing-joint.  Oh, the :D Spot... how we adore you.

Best wings ever.  EVER.

So, there you have it!  This week has been a total blur.  And, to be honest, next week will probably be worse.  But, the next time I (Whitney) write, it will be from Japan!  Crazy!

Thanks for the support, readers!  We appreciate it!
WR & DW