Overseas Life- Reflection-- as it comes to an end

The thought of leaving Japan in less than six months has me thinking, reflecting, and thankful......living here overseas has a lot of perks, and has taught me a LOT about myself!! Not to mention resulted in a ton of stamps in our passports ( 6 new countries and counting...) but it also leaves me anxious and excited for what we are going back to!! AMERICA!!!

We've been blessed with an amazing family experience living on base for the third time in our Navy career over the past 13 years.....and being part of a warm and inviting squadron "framily" that helps make all the struggles worthwhile! But the travels, and fish bowl life of friends don't compensate for the shortcomings of overseas life!! Overseas life definitely comes with sacrifices beyond those that you assume when you sign up for it (IF you sign up for it.........most people here did not CHOOSE to come.....) But if you get the blessed opportunity to complete an overseas tour, especially in Japan where we are forward deployed, here is a short list of the things you should appreciate stateside before you do.......

In six months..........oh the little things.......my top 20......

1-Driving a car......a real, beautiful car that I will love because I picked it out for real reasons and not because it was "cheap and runs"!! And doesn't have dents and scrapes (that I didn't cause) and a window that doesn't roll down.....

2-Park in a spot (that I don't pay for hourly or every 30 min) bigger than a mini-cooper fits

3-Go out to dinner and not have to use google translate to decipher the menu or wonder what we will be ordering/eating

4-Grocery shop and actually get everything on the list. Because who is ever out of mushrooms and
lettuce indefinitely?? Base grocery store for the win.....NOT!!

5-Back to cheap nail salons!!!! Nails aren't a THING here in Japan! Very few Japanese paint their nails---I'm NOT paying $50 for a crappy pedicure at the base salon.....NO MORE!

6-Shopping, oh the shopping!!! Walking into a Target at almost all hours to get--ANYTHING. Sayonara to waiting 7-21 days for a package that gets trapped in the FPO black hole

7-A gym membership!!! Yes I will be back to a routine! Me me me me me!!!! The base "family" gym here is suited for kids under 5......with padded blocks and a slide climber. So yeah nowhere to workout with my older kiddos in tow.....oh and said gym is closed Sundays.....go figure, family day and all.

8-Flights to family that cost less than $600 per person!!! I will never criticize a flight cost again after living out here.....or 8 hours drive-able in a car! Easy peasy!

9-Healthcare.....yes I want to pick my own darn dentist and medical provider; call me crazy!! Back to Standard we go!!!! WOOHOO!

10-Drinking a glass of wine while out to dinner and still being able to legally drive home!! Yeah....can't do that here!!

11-A garage!!!! Oh how I will never take for granted having a garage.....of any size.....EVER again! Storage is so valuable! Living in 1300 sqft leaves a LOT to be imagined and stored indoors.

12-A yard.......again something of any size I'll never complain about! Our 8x10 cement patio with chain fence is.....well, sigh......annoying.....and lacks privacy!!

13-A real Christmas tree!! I know it sounds tedious and most probably assume that US bases overseas have them delivered in droves.....but it's generally not the case! In fact I heard our base was one of 4 in the area that actually got a delivery of live trees! So amidst probably tens of thousands of people....you can imagine how fast they go! No less how much they cost or how long they last. By 12/1 they were sold out

14- We won't be paying $10-20 or more each way to travel the highway by car!! Any trip around here adds up quickly!! Going hours away could be $100, $200.......

15- Traveling the highways and missing an exit and just "getting off at the next one". That isn't a thing here! The highways have very minimal exits--so a simple "I missed my exit" doesn't go over well! You could travel miles past that point to cover your tracks and will pay more because the highways charge by distance!

16- Not using an ATM machine on a weekly basis!! I've used it here more in the past 20 months than I have in 20 years!! Cha-Ching!! Japan is cash friendly.....CC not so much

17- Hair salons.....I will be back to the land of salons and I will never complain about cost, time spent......just to get my hair done and enjoy it!

18- Clothes......so "Japan size" items don't fit the average 5'8" American!! You can imagine why!! Neither do their shoes! A US 8-1/2 equivalent is very hard to find. So I will thoroughly enjoy not having to shop online anymore!! Base shopping results in everyone wearing the same pieces, so that's not a great obvious option! Best I've found here is Old Navy.....best.

19- Mail that gets delivered......to your HOUSE! It's quite the concept right??!!! Here we frequent the small and inefficiently run mail office and wait in horribly long lines, for unknown packages.....and have to remember a ridiculous 3 variable combo lock code just to retrieve flat mail! I'm coming for you, mailbox on my driveway!!!!

20- Extra-curricular activities!!! My kids will finally know what it's like to do something fun after school! Or maintain a hobby or skill!! They are already making their list of things to try when we get back!  And I'm excited to know I can finally help them fulfill those checklists!