It still feels like I’m just here in California on one of our visits, and that any day we’ll be heading back to Japan. I don’t think it helps that we’re still living out of suitcases, and will be for weeks to come. Doing an international move is a laborious process. First there was the sorting–trying to figure out what needed to go into our suitcases, what needed to go into our small air shipment, and finally, the rest either being given away to friends, being thrown away, or being carefully packed up to be put on a boat and make its eight week journey across the Pacific Ocean.
Then the day of packing finally arrived, and the packers quickly boxed up our possessions in their wonderful efficient and meticulous Japanese manner.
It was a bit surreal to walk through our house with everything gone.
Then it was time to say goodbye to our house, familiar sights and smells,
favorite restaurants,
familiar faces,
and the city and country which I have grown to love so much.
Then there was the flight over, arriving in L.A., and driving to the apartment that would be our temporary home for the next couple of months. We quickly settled in, forcing ourselves to stay up to until a reasonable hour that night to help reset our body clocks. The next morning we awoke to rays of golden California sunshine streaming through the windows and . . . ants.
{ 18 comments… read them below or add one }
yuck! those ant traps work wonders after a bit. ganbatte with the battle!
Ah, but it is all worth it just to see your mama and papa, right???
gross! i hate that creepy-crawly feeling…hopefully you will triumph against the ants soon!
Ugh. Hope you’re finding things to make you happy all the same.
Awww! Even the little guys are sending their welcome back to the states! I’m so sorry – I can’t stand bugs in the home. Did you have bad bugs in Japan at all? WHen my dad was in Japan on his mission he would write home about the hugest cockroaches… but I’m sure you were in a far more upscale apt than he was.
that is so sad leaving huh?? eww! the ants! how could you live with that???
Are you still having a problem with ants? But remember, the place has been sprayed twice! Ha ha, that’s what they say anyways! :-) Hopefully you won’t have to stay too long in that place and will be able to move into your beautiful home!
Ugh!! I HATE ants!!!! They were the bane of my existence in the Caribbean, they were just awful! Good luck with that. Congrats on the move, I’m sure you guys are still exhausted!
I can’t even contemplate the packing and moving…. Still a few months until I have to worry I suppose.
Urg, ants. Back in Brisbane, we get so many of them as well. Good luck with them!
So sorry about the ants!
Your post brought tears to my eyes! I cannot imagine Tokyo without you. I’m glad I’ll be the next one to leave so I don’t have to keep saying good bye to people.
Welcome back to California. If you’re ever in the Bay Area let me know.
For getting rid of ants my Grandmother swears by Grant’s Ant sticks.
First: I love movers – it’s the only way to move. My movers come to morrow to drop off our stuff.
Second: I hate ants. When David and I got married, the apt we moved into was filled with them. Just thinking about them is making me itchy. They would crawl on us at night even!! UUGGHH! There’s a special kind of chalk that kills them and it worked wonders in our apt.
Oh my gosh! I hate ants. I had them when I lived in the dorms and we had the cleanest room in the building. My poor roommate woke up with them in her hair!
Ants traps help, but the best is having it fummigated. Of course you can not really do this with a little one. We also had two weeks of no one being in the building so it could “air” out a bit.
If you run out of ant spray, spray fix works wonders.
Thanks a lot, after reading your post I had nightmares about rooms full of ants crawling all over me! Actually, it wasn’t all your fault, I did have some ants attack some bread dough of mine recently. Ugh, creepy crawly!
I know you may not be as happy to be in California but I am happy you are! Good luck with all the unpacking. Soon enough it will all be over. I can’t wait to hear about your house.
Welcome back to the US and SoCal! Congrats on completing packing and moving. I can’t even imagine all the extra complications of an international move. But you did it. And you’re here. And even the ants are happy to see you. :)
Please continue to post your wonderful recipes! I love trying them out over here in Japan! I hope you and your family settle back into life in the States with ease. Take care!
such a heartwrenching post…except for the ants that is. welcome back to the states and here’s hoping you settle in wonderfully