Tokyo Honeymoon Phase, Extended

We’ve lived in Tokyo for six months now, and I’ve barely written about our newest home. The truth is, I’m still in the honeymoon phase. Because I hate to brag when I write about life abroad, I almost didn’t know what to say when this current life phase kept getting better and better. All I could think about when I began to write was: “Look how awesome this is!”

Annoying, right?

Our other wonderful posts have had their share of hardships and blessings, but honestly, I have absolutely no complaint about life in Tokyo (aside from mosquitos, of course, but that’s not unique to this city). I’m simply so happy here.

And after that first rough year of adjusting to life with two children, and then moving countries again, I feel like we’ve hit a nice groove in our family life. I understand better what Luca needs to feel loved, and Damien daily gains new words he uses to express his sweet personality. The two of them are finding more ways to interact and play. Joe and I have regular date nights to explore the city or experiment with new Japanese foods.  

Sharing is caring, breakfast on vacation in Guam

And, truly, Tokyo is officially the coolest city I’ve ever seen. I’ve loved our other homes, and I’ve loved other cities, but it’s hard to find words enough to express my gratitude for this particular stage in my life and this particular place. I find myself busier with activity and exploration than I have been since leaving the workforce, but busy with activities that fill me up and challenge me and make me healthier. I’ve been so busy living life that I’ve had no time to pause and write about it.

Take today.

I woke up and turned on YouTube for yoga—I’m attempting daily yoga in an effort to manage chronic pain—while Joe sleepily tended to the boys. After breakfast, I played “Venus fly trap” with Luca and Damien, a game where we pretend our hands are carnivorous plants that close around any unsuspecting imaginary bugs. Damien and I walked Luca to school and wandered the fish ponds in our compound’s gorgeous Japanese gardens for a bit, during which I got some great news in my email: Luca secured a spot at the school we’d favored for him for next year.

Later, we walked to a neighbor’s house for a sushi roll party. The hostess had prepared all the fixings in the middle of the rolling stations positioned around her table. As Damien played with a toddler buddy, we ladies chatted and laughed while filling seaweed with rice, fish, avocados, roe. I had to leave early, though, to bike over to my Japanese class, where a sensei drilled a group of us embassy folks on two-digit numbers and taught us to tell time in our host country’s language.  

After a quick and delicious bento box lunch with Joe, I hopped on my bike and rode by my favorite little grocery store where I found a fantastic price on strawberries—198 rather than 598. I bought enough to make the boys more than happy for a few days, and I also grabbed the red bean paste I’d need to make strawberry daifuku, a mochi treat, so Luca and I will have a tasty activity this afternoon or tomorrow.

Bonus: Dinner is covered by these jam-packed sushi rolls I made!

Of course life is not always easy and not always filled with this kind of bubbling happiness. Nobody promises it will be. I’ve had to struggle to find a deeper joy in difficult phases in the past, and I know there will be challenges ahead. Happiness and joy don’t always align, but when they do, like now, you’d better believe I’ll spend every minute soaking it up.