Bangkok Here We Come

Saturday morning we left the house at 6:20 am to head to the ferry for the start of our vacation (or as they call it in most parts of the world 'holiday'). The main international airport is in Osaka and the easiest way to get there is by a shuttle bus, taxi or a 29-minute ferry. Our neighbor swore to us that the ferry was the most economical and easiest way to get to the airport so we decided to give it a try.

Friday Matt & I did a "dry run" to the ferry terminal to make sure we knew how to get there. This is so not "Matt & Alexis" however in Japan nothing i ever how you expect it so we figured being prepared would be a good thing. So Saturday am we drove to the ferry and our neighbor was right –– it was super simple!

We had to buy our tickets from a vending machine (I swear everything in Japan is bought via vending machine) and then just wait until it was time to board the ferry.

The kids loved the ferry ride as we got to ride out with all the shipping boats coming in. I enjoyed watching the shore of our "home" disappear as we headed to the airport.

Our first leg of the flight was from Osaka to Hong Kong. We sailed through security and they had to wait until it was time to board. We spent lots of time teasing Emily as one of her teachers was on our flight as well.



I wish I had my camera within easy reach on the plane to take a picture of the meal. Let's just say it was so interesting that we rushed in the Hong Kong airport to Burger King and Starbucks before our flight to Bangkok.


Our flight boarded on time and we were excited to be on our last leg of travel before landing in Bangkok.

Who would have thought that we would have had to sit on the runway for 3.5 hours while they repaired a minor "technical difficulty'. We knew we were in trouble when the pilots and chef were walking around the plane after 90 minutes.

But we finally made it to Bangkok –– over 3 hours late. But we made it. It was a 45 minute shuttle ride to our hotel from the airport. We chose to stay at the Ascott Sathorn as it was able to fit our whole family (most places in Asia limit 3 to a room) and is more like a condo than a hotel (we have a 2 bedroom place with a full kitchen, laundry and living room). The place is amazing and has a great view.






Bangkok is supposed to be an amazing city. I can't wait to share our adventures with everyone.

Ohayou gozaimasu!

Good morning! (Actually good evening for most of my readers here) We made it to Japan, safe and sound, and surprisingly without any issues. Sometimes I still have to pinch myself to believe that I am actually living in Japan, as it has not completely sunk in. I think once our own belongings make it here (hopefully only one more week) and we start to turn this house into "ours" things will seem much more real.

Monday morning the kids, myself and 10 pieces of luggage left for the airport at 6:45 am. The first leg of the trip was smooth sailing and we had a few hours to play around in the Detroit airport.

We asked one of the few Americans waiting at the gate to take our picture. He had a bit of trouble trying to figure my camera out, but at least I have the moment captured.

Our flight was delayed about 30 minutes due to the cleaning crew taking their sweet time, but soon enough we boarded the airplane for Japan.


The girls sat together and Chris and I sat behind them. Initially the kids were going to switch back and forth, but in the end none of them switched seats. As the plane turned to head down the final runway I snapped a picture of my final look as a US resident for the next 3 years. As much as my stomach was turning in anticipation, I also felt excitement and a peace at the adventure we were about to embark on.


The kids did amazing on the plane. They had the flight crew wrapped around their fingers, so much that they came off the plane with a ton of free NWA items. I had to check once we landed to make sure these were really my kids and not some switch made back in Detroit.

It was so neat watching the kids press their faces against the window as they got their first glimpse of their home for the next 3 years. As Chris put it "Wow. This is nothing like I thought."

We are still adjusting to the time difference. We are 14 hours ahead of EST. It is a big adjustment, but I think we are almost there. I managed to sleep until 4 am today, Sami until 6 am, Chris until 7 am and Emily is still sleeping.

Our few days here have been full of getting the kids established for school, unpacking suitcases, getting forms filled out and slowly meeting people. Our neighbors two doors down brought us brownies and we went to dinner with the neighbors next door last night. Tonight we are going to dinner with someone from Matt's work.

The kids are loving the train and are slowly getting used to walking everywhere. Eventually we will have a car, but still the train will be the primary source for transportation.


Wednesday we had to go into Osaka to get some forms notarized at the American Consulate. Afterwards, we walked around and took in the sites and treated the kids to a Japanese lunch.


The one big adjustment and intriguing part of the culture is the food. Grocery stores are always packed. Packaging is much smaller than in the US. People tend to go to the store everyday or every other day rather than stocking up for a week. The exception is going to Costco. Yesterday Matt's boss took me to get a membership and to help stock up our freezer. Apparently chicken breast is not popular with Japanese due to it's lack of grease, so we can buy 4 lbs for $8!

Food overall tends to be more expensive than in the US, but I have already figured out some tricks (like Costco). The produce here is amazing. The fruit is so good it melts in your mouth. It is more than worth the extra few pennies we spend on them. I am sure I will be blogging alot about the food here as it is a whole adventure itself.

I did manage to cook lo mein one night. It turned out pretty good.

Drinking is pretty big here. While beer tends to be expensive, spirits are much cheaper. For example, a bottle of Absolute is $12. Many of the Japanese men like to drink and smoke. In fact in some places they have "shot bars." I am not totally sure how they work, but it was interesting seeing one in the middle of a shopping center.



The kids start school on Monday. It will be good for them to get established and start making friends. Emily already has met our neighbor, who is the same grade as her and they hit it off really well. We visited the school on Thursday and they finished some final testing and got a tour and met some of the teachers. I can't even begin to say what an awesome experience this school is going to be for them.

So there is our last few days in a nutshell. Nothing real exciting, but yet it is all exciting at the same time. Everything we do is a new experience. Now that we are here and I am able to see how the kids react to Japan, I think the Jacobs' will be just fine here.

The Adventure Begins

Matt and the kids bright and early at 4 am.

This morning the kids and I woke bright and early to take Matt at 4:15 am to the airport. I am proud to report only minimal drama from Sam and a few tears from Emily. Chris just kept telling me to hurry he had to use the bathroom. Yep. The adventure is beginning. I cannot believe how fast the time flew.

I am trying not to think about us being apart for 3 months. Luckily we know he will be back for a week at the end of November. And we filed today for an exception allowing him to come back to NC to help me bring the kids over on January 19. Fingers crossed that it is approved. I told the kids this morning over breakfast at the Waffle House (our plan was IHOP, however not open 24 hours here) just think of this as daddy being on another business trip. And between phone and webcam things will be okay. Matt said this morning that it doesn't feel like he is moving. It just feels like he is staying in a bigger hotel since he is on all rental furniture and without us there.

It's going to be hard, both on me and the kids. But I know that it is just 3 months and that we can do this. We are looking at all of this as an adventure. The separation, the move, new schools, train life, a new language, a new culture, different foods... It is a scary adventure, yet at the same time a very exciting and rewarding time. The experience and memories that our children will gain will be something that they will treasure forever.

So think of Matt and wish him safe travels and luck. And for us too. My poor kids will need lots of luck after spending 3 months alone with their poor mom. Matt told them this morning that their life lays in my hands. They may wish their was some type of online trading for mothers by the time January rolls around.

Matt, his dad, and his brother and sister last month.

And the adventure begins...

Matt left this morning for Japan. He is leading a meeting all week and then I fly out Friday afternoon to meet him for our week long house hunting and Japan "orientation" trip. If this morning is any indication as to how this move is going to go we are in for big trouble.

Matt's flight was to leave at 12:38 pm. We left the house early so Matt could buy a computer backpack. In Japan he will take the train to work every morning and from what I hear the hills to most of the train stops are huge. So he figured a backpack would be easier to carry than his briefcase. We found a decent one, as well as a new pair of pants. Of course Matt needed to assure himself that there wasn't a better backpack so we had to stop at a few other stores along the way to the airport.

Best Buy didn't open until 11 am and he said we had plenty of time to wait. (The airport is about 10 minutes from Best Buy) Now let me stop here for a moment and explain the difference between Matt and I and air travel. I am the person sitting at the gate at least 2 hours before boarding. Matt is the person everyone hates as they have to hold the plane as he boards breathless from running to make the flight.

Anyways, while we sat in the car for 20 minutes he put everything in the backpack he just bought and put the new pants in his suitcase. Afterwards he and the kids went to wait with the other masses standing outside Best Buy's doors. I sat in the car and cleaned out my purse, looked and saw no keys in the ignition, locked the van door and then went to wait with everyone else. (Do you see where this is heading?)

Of course there wasn't a backpack and while I stood in line to buy a super cool new wireless mouse, Matt went to pull the van around to pick me up. However instead Matt came back inside to get the keys from me –– the keys that I did not have. It was at this point that Matt realized he put the keys in the suitcase in the back of the van. In the back of the van that I had locked.

It was 11:15 am. Matt's flight was to leave in 75 minutes. We called the police and unless the kids were locked on the car they wouldn't do anything. The locksmith could be there in 30 to 45 minutes. We called our neighbor and he was on his way to bring us our spare set. In the meantime Matt ran about 1/4 mile down the street to a Michael's (it was over 90 degrees out) and found an over-the-door hanger to try to jimmy the lock system through the window. (I swear no one carries wire hangers anymore) Just before our neighbor reached us Matt got the lock undone. And we were off, like race car drivers, to get Matt to the airport in time for his flight.

Matt was filthy and sweaty. The kids and I were stressed. And our poor neighbor drove like a bat out of heck for nothing. But Matt made his flight, the kids and I went to lunch to unwind and I made my neighbor and his kids dinner (his wife is in California this weekend) for being such good sports.

I leave in five days. Let's hope my departure is a little bit smoother.