Being a 21st Century Expat

This morning I talked with my mom on our Vonage line.  All day This afternoon I browsed Facebook, catching up on my friend's latest status posts. Earlier this evening, I watched my US television shows online. And tonight I sat on my laptop Skyping with my husband, who is on a business trip in China, while chatting on Yahoo Messenger with my friend back in Ohio. To those who were expats before all this technology, YOU ARE MY HERO!

I honestly cannot imagine being an expat when all you had were snail mail and very expensive phone calls. So much has changed over the past 20, 10 and even 5 years.  Do you remember what life was like before things like email, digital photos, VoIP phones, Skype, My Space (does anyone use My Space anymore?)  and Facebook? Now imagine that life being thousands of miles away from everything you know, in a place where you cannot speak the same language, remember which side of the road to drive on, or even figure out what milk to buy.

Then there are things like SlingBox, iTunes, and online video streaming. I know there are expats living in rural parts of the world or places where some of these items are forbidden, but for many of us, these technologies make life so much easier.  Just imagine how grumpy I would be if I couldn't watch all the same junk TV that I watched back in the United States. (However if you knew the television programming I watched, that may not be such a bad thing.)

One of the hardest things about being overseas is missing family and friends. One can adapt to the food, language, landscape, and culture but there is no substitute for our loved ones. But with all the technology today, the distance doesn't always seem so far apart.

"Wow" Moment

Today was the beginning of a 26 1/2 day long winter break from school. The week has been full of last minute homework, special treats, small gifts and over stimulated children. Today was filled with class parties, a dodgeball game, a middle school talent show, a 5th grade bowling party and holiday appetizers and drinks with friends. It wasn't until I had a chance to sit down tonight that I really had a chance to process what went on all around me.

Obviously I have not been clueless to the different nationalities of expats, as well as the local Japanese, living here. However, today as I watched my kids interact with their friends, I really had a "wow" moment. I never dreamed in a million of years my kids would have friends from all over the world. They have friends from Japan, Canada, Korea, India, Germany, Australia, New Zealand, Switzerland, the UK, Norway, Finland, Belgium, Taiwan, Thailand, France, Iran, Sweden and China. When I was Sam's age I didn't even know these places existed. Chris is one of the only Americans in all fifth grade (He may even be the only one since one of the kids just moved) so he really has had an eye opening experience. Emily has more international friends than Americans.

As I stood in the school today I heard their friends shout "Goodbye! Have a nice break! Happy New Year!" in English and then turn around and say the same thing to someone else in their own native language. Some kids could say it in multiple languages. I heard chatter of "where are you going over break?" "Do you have any plans" and "I get to go home!" throughout the school. There was excitement in the air, whether the kids were staying in Japan, going on a holiday somewhere or going to their home country after not being back for 5+ months. (We have friends who are going home for the first time in over 2 years!)

Christmas has been a very hard holiday since we lost Allison. And when we made the decision to not go back to the states this December for multiple reasons, I felt very secure in our decision. But I have to admit Thanksgiving here was hard. And now that the reality we are not going home for Christmas has sunk in, I am a wee bit homesick. I miss my family. I miss my friends. I feel like a bad parent not being there to visit Allison for Christmas. I miss our holiday traditions.

But, as I sit and think about today, I think of the memories and experiences we are creating for our kids. I think about how much our kids have changed since moving here 11 months ago. I think about the new memories we will create as a family, spending Christmas and New Years in Asia. I hope they will look back on our short time here with fondness, as I do so many memories from my own childhood.

An Awesome Surprise

Yesterday I came home from a long day helping out at the school and working on some CHIC things to find a delivery slip in my mailbox. Usually the slips say who the package is from, but this time all it said was "USA".

I bribed Sami to walk with me by telling her I would let her pick out a treat from the grocery store near the post office. The post office is a little over a mile away from our house –– downhill there and uphill home.

I handed the worker my slip and she and came back laughing and carrying a huge box. The side of the box said it weighed 14 pounds and 12 ounces. I about fell over, especially knowing how much it costs to ship 15 pounds to Japan. So uphill I carried this just shy of 15 pound box home.


My super special, full-of-surprises friend Val sent me a taste of "home" package. I think she somehow knew I was a bit homesick. I was totally blown away and speechless.

Sami & I began to open the box. It was like Christmas in Japan.

Sitting at the top was a card and a bunch of pictures. Some of the pictures was of us from Christmas and of the kids from Christmas, and she even sent a few of Illinois and NC.

Noah sent Sami a "love" note and a photo of himself and Maia sent Sami a box of fruit snacks. She was so excited.

Next was a bag with relaxing candles, bath wash and some pretty matches, that as you can see in the note, Noah picked out for me.

Next was this Ohio State tumbler that included a note saying every time I use this Val hoped it reminded me of "home".


Then came the "goodies". Tons of "USA" type stuff from candy to dip and drink mixes to gravy to biscuits to Spanish rice to Chex Mix to almost every item Hostess makes.

I have to admit I was crying over a box full of Hostess King Dongs and Cupcakes. Not that I missed them, as to be honest I am not sure I have eaten them since college, but because I was just missing "home".


At the very bottom was a Mexican cooking magazine, as Mexican food is just not found here, an Illinois newspaper and a Real Simple magazine.

Here is all our stash spread out. The only thing missing is appetite suppresants to keep me from eating all this food.

Little things like this show me that proximity doesn't make a friendship, the heart does.

So thank you Val. Thank you for bringing a smile to not just me, but my whole family.