Though it’s awhile before we’ll begin to pack, I’m already making lists of what to take to Japan with us. How do you fit everything you’ll need for a year in two suitcases and a carry on each? The school has sent us lists of things to bring and I’ve found other useful lists online. One suggests that the most valuable things to bring are a positive attitude and a sense of humour. Fortunately, those won’t take up any space in our luggage!

Being about the size of an average Japanese man, Richard shouldn’t have any problem buying clothing or shoes in Japan. I, on the other hand, may have more difficulty. I’ve been told that women who are taller than 5’4″, weigh more than 130 pounds or wear shoes larger than size 7 can expect to have difficulty finding clothing or footwear to fit. I passed that height and shoe size back in junior high and am slightly over the weight limit as well!

Our apartment will be furnished with the basics including bedding and dishes so we don’t have to worry about those. Of course, we can shop for any additional items we might need when we get there but we have been advised to bring certain toiletry and health care items with us. Unlike North American products, Japanese deoderants do not contain aluminum and are, therefore, not very effective. Toothpaste is another item that doesn’t meet North American standards and multivitamins are extremely expensive so those are a few things that we’ll take a year’s supply of.

There is one treasure that I absolutely must not forget to pack. On June 1st, at a year end concert in honour of the two teachers who were retiring from my school, I was presented with a very special gift from the students. It’s special to me because the students who chose it clearly put a great deal of thought into selecting something that would be meaningful to me. It is a brown leather bound journal and the inside cover was signed by every student in the school. Knowing my love of traveling and that I was dreaming of living and teaching overseas, they told me that I was to take it with me wherever I went and write down my memories. I will do that and whenever I do, I will remember the students of Lougheed School.