Expat Bostonians

Five weeks from this second in time (and only days past our one year anniversary in Singapore) I will winging my way to Boston with Ravi and Elanor for a 2 (Ravi)/3 (Elanor and I) visit home.  Eight weeks from tomorrow, I will be flying back with our first non-family visitor, our friend Jim.  I am elated about both.

The visit home will be a wonderful chance to see our friends, visit with some children who are growing far to quickly, and meet some new additions to our friend’s families whom thus far have just been pictures we’ve poured over on Facebook.  I am working on a list of things I want to fill our suitcases with (I notice a big food trend when I look at the list).  I am practically foaming at the mouth to get my hands on our Accord, and the gas pedal once I hit the highway.  I’m also practically bouncing at the idea of all my favorite restaurants (I wanna go to Friendly’s!!!–to my local friends; it’s part of their tv commercial jingle).

Dear in-laws…we will be invading your home…

While our friends will call us wimps, I’m relieved that we’ll be visiting once spring has fully sprung.  I am not particularly eager to shovel my car out, or deal with the insanity that is a grocery store on the eave of a “big storm,” (which more often than not will turn out to be a piddly three inches).  Of course, the flip side of all of this is that we will be returning when my allergies were always at their worst, and I’m likely to spend the three weeks sneezing my head off, popping decongestants, and with eyes so red you’d swear I’d been toking up.  (Certainly one of the pros that Singapore has going for it is that none of the local plantlife seems overly invested in interfering with my ability to breathe).  But a lack of breathing won’t keep Elanor and I from playground playdates.

CJ, Zane, Francis…all the party kids…who wants a playdate?  <3 Elanor

Ironically, perhaps, given that a year prior to this trip I wanted nothing more than to go home and stay there…I’m equally excited about the idea of bringing a friend to Singapore and showing them our new home.  Jim will have to remind me that it is impossible (and more than a little crazy) to try to show him EVERYTHING in a week.  It’s hard to explain exactly how exciting it is to have a friend come visit.  Realistically, it’s not something many of our friends will be able to do, between family commitments, the cost, and the ridiculous distance…and we completely understand why most of our friends will be unable to make the trek.  So when it does happen, it’s practically cause for a ticker tape parade (or, to put in local perspective….for hiring a dragon dance team).

If any local friends need something, just drop me a note on Facebook/Twitter/comments.  I’m sure I can find room for a few things

Our flight plans in both directions currently take us through Narita Airport in Japan.  We are keeping an eye on United’s website and will accept a change in travel if judged appropriate.  Tokyo is over 150 miles from the reactor, and while flights through the end of the month have been offered a travel voucher, it is unclear if that will be necessary in late April when we fly.  If safe to do so, I’d like to help in part by giving Narita our money and doing some shopping on the way through.  Also, from a purely selfish point of view, routing the trip through Narita breaks it up into far more manageable chunks (7 hours, 10 hours to San Francisco, and 7 to Boston instead of 3 to Hong Kong, 16 to Chicago and 2 to Boston).  To any friends/family who are worried…please remember that we would never take a risk with Elanor, and that we will act responsibly.

Filed under: Japan, Pictures, Singapore, Travel, US | 5 Comments »