A Bit of a Setback Resolved - Cue the Panic

So the last job that we thought for sure my husband was getting fell through, and another better one popped up almost immediately after. I think this is a sign that the time has come. <3

Last night when we got the news I was on cloud nine. I was so happy and thrilled and excited.

Well, the high is gone and the magnitude of what I'm doing - in only a month! - is starting to set in.

My list of things to do and worry about is absolutely staggering. Almost all our belongings must be sold or donated away, we need to sell our car, end our housing contract, and I'm sure ten thousand other things will come back to me later. (UPDATE: Oh yeah...that happened.) Those are the things that I can handle here in America, but things get a lot more complicated looking at the Japan side of things. I need to apply for a spouse visa - or rather my husband does, because I couldn't fill out Japanese Immigration forms even if I particularly wanted to. He has to petition on my behalf anyway.

(UPDATE: I just found out the immigration forms are bilingual. Dang it. Don't this look like a bottle of giggles?)

As a random side note, an American spouse visa costs upwards of $1,000.00. The cost in Japan? 4,000 yen. Sound like a lot? A yen is worth less than a penny. Also, a spouse visa in Japan allows me to work. In America, that'll cost you extra. A LOT extra. So at least that is awesome.

Good on you, Japan!

We have to figure out what to do in regards to banking - both here and there, and negotiate the transfer of funds from one to the other. We need to find an apartment - blind, as we won't be able to visit in person. We need to furnish a home with everything from futons to kitchen knives (and don't worry, THAT shopping trip will definitely make this blog). Also stressful, we have scrape up enough money to start a new life over half a world away and live on it for at least two months. In Japan, your monthly pay is given at the END of the FOLLOWING month. So when my husband starts work in November, he won't get paid until after Christmas. I'm guessing we'll be eating 100 yen (dollar) Cup Noodles for Christmas dinner, which is actually fine with me as long as they are Curry Cup Noodles.

*drools*

Don't you judge me.

The good news is we will most likely be able to afford some Soba noodles for New Year's. 

So stress is probably going to be my constant companion for a while. But you know, something amazing is about to happen. I am going to the biggest city in the world, in a country that I have fallen in love with. I'm going to get a job teaching English and go to a school to learn Japanese. I will be a short train ride away from anything I want to do, anytime I want to do it. 

Yes...it will be a dream come true!

...Once I get there...

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...Excuse me, I have to go back and huddle under my kitty blanket in the closet now.