This morning I decided to have faith in the international postal service and the Japanese embassy in London, and buy my flight to Japan, despite not having yet applied for my visa, or having yet received the documents I need from Japan to apply for it.
Having been granted student status again I was able to benefit from STA travel’s ‘Blue flights” – £382 to Tokyo, direct with British Airways. I’ll be leaving on the 4th of September from Heathrow’s Terminal 5.
The documents (Japanese family register, *Twinkle*s certificate of residency, copy of her passport including all UK entry/exit stamps and letter of guarantee from her) are scheduled to arrive by EMS on Tuesday. Provided they do turn up then, I can go down to London on Wednesday (Wednesday being the only day i can really take off from CELTA due to it being the only day that we don’t teach on), if everything’s in order I should then (hopefully) receive the visa by the 28th of August, about a week prior to departure.
I will have achieved my goal of getting back into Japan on a long-term visa. It will have taken me five years and cost me in excess of £20,000 (US$40k) – but it will have been worth it. I mean, come on, I get to spend the rest of my life with *Twinkle*. Who wouldn’t invest that amount in order to be able to do that?
Hmm. So that means that in three weeks from now, I’ll be with my *Twinkle* in our flat in central Tokyo, at the start of a long and happy life together. It seems somewhat unreal. We’ve never been in that situation before. Up until now we’ve always been on ‘one year contracts’ – not just in terms of housing, but in terms of how our entire relationship is structured. This will be different. There will be no enforced changes to act as a safety valve. I’m going to have to start working harder on our relationship than ever before. I want it to be the most rewarding relationship it could possibly be, for both of us. I’m also going to have to work harder in a job than I have for many years in order to pay back the debts we have. I think I’m going to be very busy.
Anyway, my eyes are tired, and I want to go to sleep dreaming of what it will be like living with *Twinkle*.
night
xxx
“I’m going to have to start working harder on our relationship than ever before. I want it to be the most rewarding relationship it could possibly be, for both of us. I’m also going to have to work harder in a job than I have for many years in order to pay back the debts we have. I think I’m going to be very busy.”
As a highly objective visitor to your blog, as I am, I must say from what I have read, it would seem you two are off to a great start.
You two have done your homework, have aquired various linguistic tools, and are finnishing up on a certificate as well.
Not, only that but you have a dynamic support group, apt, and job waiting for your arrival in your new home.
It’s only logical to conclude that you two have already been greatly devoted to each other for sometime now and have invested a lot in each other. Keep up the good work, friendship, and trust.
later,
Brian
Thanks Brian, appreciate that.
Sometimes I wish I could read the daily mumble of the future to see how things turn out!
🙂
Well, being that Japan is technically hours ahead of England and I am posting comments from the future. I might try to see if I can read your future post. Ah, but there’s no ‘time’ in cyberspace is there?
Posted at 21:16 August 19th, 2008