Packing (Noun) - Like a game of Tetris with more headaches.

There are now less than 10 days till my flight, my emotions are playing ping-pong between excitement and absolute nerves.

Originally I was set on just using the 1 checked bag, however when I did my trial run with packing (Yes a trial run… good thing I did this!) I found my bag was in at 25kg. My allowance was 2 checked bags at 23kg. So I unpacked and turned my room inside out. I was able to find a smaller hard-shell case and have accepted my fate. I will pay to have the two shipped once at Tokyo airport. If Jetman has paid for 2, why not use 2.

I am probably 75 percent packed now. The postman knows me by name… 8 parcels in one day! The furry beast has cottoned on that something is happening.

The hardest part about this journey will be leaving her behind. She will be cared for in my absence. But I feel sad knowing she will forget me and I won’t have her company anymore. I think a lot of ALTs encounter loneliness from time to time. Especially those on remote islands or in small villages where they may be the only fluent English speaker for hours.

I am blessed that my location appears to be pretty lively. But I am prepared for the low days, Japan will bring new challenges both good and bad.

Last weekend I had my usual pilgrimage to the Knebworth Food Festival! Smaller than previous years, but fun! I ended up talking to some of the stall owners and one of the chefs, a few of them had all done stints outside the UK. It was reassuring to know that they all had glowing reviews about their time abroad.

I recommend checking the food festival out if you are ever in the area around July. There are cooking demonstrations, food challenges, and lots of good food to indulge in. Just remember to bring some sun cream as there is very little shade.