20 days...

I have 20 days until I leave for Japan. I have sent my things to Japan and have my Visa to get into Japan. Now it seems that I have 20 days to spend time with the people I love and go hiking. I know these next 20 days will go by all too quickly.

Boxes packed and on their way to Japan

Boxes packed and ready for Japan. 

A piece of me is on it's way to Japan, mainly a portion of my shoe collection, clothing, and other randomness I'm not sure I will be able to get in Japan. Most likely my boxes will make it to Japan before I do. The great thing is once I get there all I have to do is call the shipping company and they will bring the boxes to my house... They will even help me unpack them if I need help. But I'm pretty sure I can unpack seven boxes by myself. It's scary to think that I only have about 38 days left before I leave. There is so much that I want to do this summer, but I won't have time to do it all. Next week I have to go to Tahoe for a conference about the International Baccalaureate school system. The school in Japan is covering all the costs of the trip, including my petrol. My mom and I will be road tripping down to California to visit family and then go to the conference. It will be nice to see everyone before I leave for Japan. It will also be great to spend some quality time with my mom before I leave. I am so thankful for my parents and will defiantly miss them both.

One month and two weeks...

I am officially done at Sweet Home High School. Today was a little sad, it hit me today that it was my last time in my classroom. I have had such a wonderful year at the high school. At the beginning of the school year I just thought that I could skim under the radar and do my job and escape for the other half of the day. But the staff and students pulled me in and made me feel like a welcomed part of their family at the high school. I am thankful for all of you at SHHS, thank you for making this an enjoyable ride. I will miss you all!

2 months

I officially have 2 months before I leave for Japan. I think this is the first time it has struck me that I am really leaving. 2 months is not very long, I have so much that I need to get ready and a relatively short amount of time. The main thing I really need to get squared away is my stuff. I need to get motivated and start packing my things, but I will have plenty of time when I am done with my master's degree (one week!!!). 7 days until I'm done with my master's degree, 10 days until graduation, 16 days until school is out, 17 days and I'm done at Sweet Home High School, then I'm off to Tahoe, then Japan... It will go quickly, but I'm going to try to cram as much summer as I can into 6 weeks.

100 days

I only have 100 days left in the States. I am so excited to head over to Japan! What makes me even more excited is how much God is providing for me to go to Japan. I just got an e-mail the other day from the lady who's apartment I will be taking over. She let me know that she would not be able to ship all of her things so she is selling me all of her stuff for $700. This includes a bed, table, chairs, couch, coffee table, TV, refrigerator, washing machine, rug, vacuum, and other miscellanies things. Also with the apartment the school is actually paying for the month when neither one of us are in Japan. It is great knowing that God has a plan for me to be over in Japan. It's nice to know that when I get there I have an apartment to live in and a bed to sleep in.

Leaving Date

I will be leaving for Japan on July 31st and arriving in Japan August 1st.

3 months and 29 days...

I figured I would start up my blog before I actually leave for Japan. I am really starting to get excited about traveling over to Japan, even with all the tragedy and devastation. I have had a number of people ask me is I was still going over to Japan... Yes, I am still going. God has a plan for me and it seems to include me going over to Japan. I know that God will use my travels to Japan to glorify Him. I have already had the opportunity to share my trust and faith with a number of people. I even got a chance to share a little with me entire wellness class. I had a few students express concern for me to go to Japan. A student asked, "what if something bad happens to you when you are there, aren't you worried?" I got the opportunity to tell them that my goal in life was to make a difference in at least one person's life. I asked, half joking, for them to raise their hand if I've made a difference in their life, and the whole class raised their hands, even kids I didn't really think that I had connected with. It was a pretty neat opportunity for me to share some of my goals and reasoning with them. 
As far as the school in Yokohama, it is safe, there was no damage. They have been on extended spring break, and students will be returning to school on April 4th. I have received a number of e-mails from different people at the school reassuring me, that it is safe and about their optimism that the situation will continue to improve up north.