Going "Home"

The countdown is on: the luggage is out, the shopping is almost done, and the reality of going "home" for the first time in two years is setting in. The list of things to do, people to see, food to eat, etc. grows longer by the day. I hope I can pack it all in. If not, I guess there will always be the next time. Whenever that is.

I have no idea how I'll react to being at "home" or if it will even feel like "home" anymore. Cause really, I've put more time into living in my apartment in rural Japan than anywhere else since I was in middle school. I'm worried that I'll feel like a stranger in my own country. And I'm legitimately worried I won't be able to speak English as quickly as I used to. Or even understand some spoken English.

And I don't know what I'll say when family and friends say, "When are you coming home?" Because really, I find that very annoying. Home is where you make it. Right now my home is in Japan. My family and friends are all over the world, so home can be many places. I just hope I can answer it patiently and without too much sarcasm!

And then when we reach the conclusion that I may or may not be coming "home" anytime soon, I'm afraid there will be nothing left to say. Will they want to hear about Japan? Will I want to talk about it? It's not a wild and crazy adventure anymore, it's just daily living! On the flip side, will I have the patience to listen to them and hear about their lives. I hope so. I truly do! And I'm sure I will slip back into an easy comfort zone with many people, but there will be others that time and distance won't be so easy to bridge over lunch and coffee. I guess that is the hazard of being an expat. Some relationships are solid for life, others come and go, and others dissipate.

Enough of the banter...onto the important stuff. Excluding people cause there's simply to many, here's a list:

Things I WANT to do/Places I WANT to go when I'm back at "home"

(does not include EVERYTHING and is in no particular order )

Norm's
NW Breakfast brunch 2-3x's (umm, so good!)
Unitarian Xmas Service
Make Xmas Cinnamon Rolls/Fudge/Cookies
Snowboard on Mt. Hood
Over-the-shoulder-boulder-holder shopping (desperate!!)

Costco
Eat Thai, Vietnamese, Mexican, Indian & Ethiopian Food
Dairy Queen
Bagels & Coffee
Brew Pubs--Movie & Good Beer
Rimsky's Raspberry Fool
Peacock Lane
Old neighborhoods
Chiropractor

watch a movie in the hot tub

watch a movie in the big chair with mom

take Max for a walk or 5

Boot Camp Aerobics

Fargo, ND (visit the fam--NOT THE PLACE)

meals at home (salmon & wild rice and AM eggs)

Grocery List:
Malt-o-meal/Cream of Wheat
Brown Cow Yogurt
Morningstar Chick Patties
brown multigrain bread

avocados
squash/zucchini
Odwalla juice
Shredded frosted mini-wheats
Pepper Jack Cheese