June 24, 2009

Away We Go Redux - Leaving Japan

Well we kicked off this blog over a year and half ago with this pithy post. It has been QUITE the journey for all of us since then.


We are now down to our last week in Japan. Ilena and the kids are running around visiting with friends and saying goodbyes. We've been keeping it local lately, as we ease to the finish. With the kids off from school, it has been days at the River Mall and day trips to Suma Rikyu Koen, Reso Water Park, the Oji Zoo, a local bowling alley and Maiko Beach.


Mike is winding down work. And over the past weeks there have been some nice going out farewell "drinking parties" with work colleagues and dinners out with good friends (though not blogged about to protect the innocent!). We have been enjoying our wind down.

But with all the upcoming mundanities (is that a word?) - closing of bank accounts, paying of final bills, movers, packers, etc., this may be our last entry made from Japan.

We suppose we are about to find out what this repatriation thing is all about. (Though we are taking it easy on ourselves by stopping over in Hawaii on the way home. You know, in order to ease the transition.)

The future of The Kasdan Family Blog remains unclear. (Thus far it knows no subject other than our Japan experience!). We are still hopeful that we will continue to update it; though probably not as often as we have while being abroad. OK - yeah - there will probably be some Hawaii posts in the near future!! At any rate, thanks for reading to those of you out there reading along! Now we just need figure out how to turn this thing into book form, so we can use it to look back at our year and a half adventure in Japan . . .

5 comments:

Unknown said...

I thank you for the time and care you took in sharing your lives, your experiences, your children, and your love of adventure, the world and each other. It added immeasurably to my days in the last year-and-a-half.

Not being the best these days on the telephone - at the end of the day and on weekends it seems to be the very last thing I want to do - it allowed me to see your world a bit through your eyes, to stay in touch, and to be a part of your experience and in your world with you.

Whether you keep a blog in the future or not, I know this one has done more than you could ever have envisioned.

With much love....till we see you.

Semsavblanc said...

Thank you Mike, Ilena, Jacob & Lauren, for entertaining, informing and including me and others in your wonderful journey. Your blog was not to be missed, ever! Lots of the infomation you shared has become invaluable to us as we prepare for our trip over in September/October. We're even staying at one hotel you stayed at, actually, no two - the one in Hong Kong as well!
I've also printed out whole blog entries that we're going to use as our tourist guide. So thank you, thank you, thank you.
The best thing for me though, is that I feel like I've made great new friends, even though we've never met.
I really like you guys and hope you will find things to blog about from NJ NY. I know I will still be interested to see how you're all doing.
Who knows, we may even catch up with you over there one day, or perhaps you will make a journey to Australia. Never say never.
So, wishing you well with your winding down and have a great time in Hawaii.
Until you blog again.....
Thanks again, so much xxx

The Kasdan Family said...

jmgesq - Thanks for being such a loyal reader! It was nice to share this way...

semsavblanc - We are so happy we "met" in this way. Hope you enjoy your upcoming trip to Japan. We really would love to visit Australia someday!

haseemscamel - Our pleasure!

Unknown said...

I have that feeling..the one where you have just finished reading a really good book and want to tell your friends about it. Have enjoyed your blog immensely. Filled with humor, insight and information the blog was a joy to read. I loved hearing about all your adventures. I cant believe that you guys will be back in Maplewood when I get back to NJ at end of summer. Will be very cool to see you all :)

Unknown said...

I have been following your blog for a little while - as my family too live in Japan - your posts have been very interesting and informative. Many of us will miss your stories. I look forward to the day when I can write my last post from Japan as well ;)
Good luck with your repatriation back home. Perhaps you can let us know how you get through the transition and settling in. Your family must be really excited, and thanks for sharing.