Moving Made Easy.

I love Japan. (Disclaimer: I don't have pink or rose or whatever shade of glasses on that makes situations look unrealistically perfect - for there are many things that are utterly confusing very different to me about this place - for example the language!) But I DO love the efficiency! Japanese people do many things incredibly efficient. And since I am someone who appreciates thrives, understands and strives for efficiency in practically every area of my life I fit right in. My moving experiences is a case in point. These are the steps that it took to move in Japan.

1. Call a moving company. (We don't have a car and I have never seen a pick-up truck here in Japan so moving ourselves was not an option!) 

2. Moving company representative comes to our appartment. He looks at everything that he will be moving. He quotes us a moving price.  

3. Husband (who speaks Japanese) negotiates the moving price to make it a "good deal." 

4. Moving company representative leaves us with an estimated amount of boxes that we will need to pack-up all of our belongings. (I used all but ONE box that he left us. I would say his estimate was right-on!) oh, he also left us with packing tape! 

5.  I pack everything up. 

6. Moving company arrives on moving day and QUICKLY loads up everything. 

7. Drives to our new apartment and QUICKLY unloads everything. 

8. It was a smooth moving experience! 

9. Pictures to come of the new place soon. I promise. 

Transportation and Transitioning.

I got a new bike. It is nice to have a bike because it enables me to get around with ease and greater flexibility. Now, I have learned a few things about riding a bike in the city. Let me share with you three important tips life saving tips you must know when riding a bike through a city of 9 million people! I of course, have learned these points through careful study sheer life threatening experiences.

1. No formal rules exist in regards to which side of the sidewalk one should ride or walk on. To gain a proper mental picture imagine people walking and riding in all directions all over the sidewalk and you have a picture of “rush hour biking.”  

2. The proper procedure when you need to pass someone who is walking in front of you is to ring the bell that is attached to the bike. This communicates to the person walking that they should move out of the way to avoid being run over step aside and let the biker pass.

3. If you are a white American women, with brown hair, and blue eyes and you try to implement the procedure mentioned above then be warmed. The person may turn to see the bike that is coming then instead of moving over he or she becomes a frozen statue as they stare at the foreigner who looks ridiculous trying to maneuver around a new city! Is caught off guard at the American lady riding a bike and does not move out of the way. Thus, almost gets run over endangers both the rider and the walker.

There you have it three important tips life saving tips for riding a bike in Nagoya.

Now, about the transitioning part of this blog post. We are moving on Wednesday! In three months of marriage I will have moved three times. I informed Andy that we do not need to keep this pattern up for the rest of our married life! Thankfully, he agreed. We will be moving to our new apartment with no plans to move again any time in the near future! I will be sure to post an update regarding the move (including pictures of the new place – for by that time I will have located unpacked the camera cord so that I can upload pics!)

Happy Easter friends! The King has risen.