Six months

It's been almost a month since I last wrote.  It's been six and a half months since moving to Japan.  Normally, at the six month mark anywhere new, I still feel somewhat ill adjusted and of course, this is 100 times bigger but I've decided that if there was an award to give out, I'd get the award for slowest adjuster.  I guess it doesn't really matter how fast I adjust, as long as I do it.  

I did want to list all my favorite things about Japan so far but I will make that a separate post.  

So far, I have figured out where to get food and figured out what things I can buy here and what I should buy at the commissary.  It doesn't make a lot of sense to buy produce at the commissary except for grapes, pumpkins (for Halloween), and bagged salad mixes (like the chopped cabbage ones).  Produce might be cheaper at the commissary but their variety isn't that much better and the produce in Japan is better quality.  

I have discovered how to make the Japanese curry packets that they sell everywhere.  My kids like it and I just requires onions, carrots, and potatoes mixed in plus rice, of course and then if I have it, some thinly sliced meat.  I've learned how to make Miso soup, and homemade ramen.  I've discovered where I can buy international foods (black beans, tortilla chips, salsa, pasta, etc) if I need them and can't get to the commissary.  I know which store has the cheapest milk and where to buy bread that is thinly sliced (they sell them in packs of six, eight, or ten, and usually sell them in huge, thick slices).  

I've figured out how to recharge my bus/train card.  I walk Felicity to ballet and then on the way home, as I pass Hiro-o station, I stop and charge the card.  I have not really figured out the train system (not yet really) but I am getting more comfortable with the bus and have tried four or five different routes now.  I have figured out how to use a taxi, though, I also discovered that I can't schedule a taxi because my phone won't let me go to the Japan App store on my phone and their taxi apps are different.  

We have discovered how to pay our bills at 7-11 and that we can get money out of our account at 7-11 also.  

We have finally found a doctor, a physical therapist, and a dentist.  I have discovered the most yummy bakery on the way to the doctor, which makes the 35ish minute walk not so bad.  We found a place just a 20 minute walk away that will cut the boys' hair for only $12.  

We are getting used to the large amount of rain and getting used to having an umbrella as an accessory.  

I have learned some essential phrases, "Thank you" "excuse me/sorry" "I don't understand" "yes" no" "Hello"  "My name is..." "How are you?" "Good Morning/afternoon/evening" "cute" "Dog/cat" 

I have a drivers license and can drive to Mike's work and church.  

I started this post this morning and since then Felicity and I took a bus and then walked the rest of the way to Tokyo Midtown where we went to lunch with a woman in the ward.  We used chopsticks and paid with Yen.  We walked to a different bus stop and rode a few stops to the bus stop closest to our house.  After, we went with Mike to Hardy Barracks (Mike's work) to pick up packages and get American treats for youth activities tonight.   A little after 4, we buzzed the kids in and they rode the elevator up to the apartment.  At six, I sent Mike and the kids out to the trash room with the recyclable papers and cans for those trash days before they headed to YM's.  Of course, more than this happened today, but I am mentioning these particular things because they are just a few of the details about our lives now that are different than they were six months ago.  

My head swims with all the things I could mention about what I've needed to learn since moving here but I think this is good for now.  It is somewhat comforting to look over this list and see that yes, we are making progress.  We are figuring out life here a little at a time and hopefully in six more months, this list will only grow larger and larger until we feel like we've conquered this city and life here.