HOME - Month 8 in Review & Reflections

Month eight's review will be a little different from other "Month in Review" posts as most of August was spent back home in the United States. Toyota grants us a two-week home leave each year - and we decided to schedule our leave just before the week-long Japanese holiday of Obon. So, that gave us just about three weeks in the United States. Three weeks may sound like a long time - but I can tell you that it FLEW by and we didn't even manage to see all of the people we had hoped to!

I was curious to see what - if anything - felt different when we returned home. In March, most things felt normal - but I had only been gone about eight weeks at the time. And there's a big difference between eight weeks and eight months. 

I thought I would write a little bit about what our home leave entailed and then reflect a bit on my observations. 

So, here's Month Eight! 

The Happenings of our Home Visit

San Antonio, Texas

The first few days of home leave were spent in San Antonio, Texas visiting Kaz's mom and Bill. They moved to San Antonio about two months ago for Bill's job - and are in the process of closing on a house. We spent some time exploring the city and even visited Mission San Jose and the Alamo. We also enjoyed our fill of Mexican food - as that's one cuisine they don't really have in Japan. And I miss it! 

Kaz stayed in San Antonio and I began my journey to Camp Shout Out!! I flew to Cleveland - spent the day with my friend, Scott, and his family...which included meeting little Karis, a trip to the fair, a drive-in movie, and pizza! Another food I have missed! The next morning, we began our drive to camp.Camp Shout Out

Camp Shout Out is a camp for individuals who stutter and is held in Muskegon, Michigan for a week every August. This was actually my sixth summer at Camp Shout Out and it was as amazing and magical as always! I always have such a hard time describing camp to those who haven't been there - because it is so much something you just feel and experience!

Cincinnati/NKY

After camp, Kaz and I headed to Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky for a few days. On our drive back, our rental car's engine gave out about thirty minutes south of Bowling Green and we spent some time sitting on the side of the road waiting for Hertz to come. To make a super long story short, we ended up riding in a tow truck to the Dayton airport, picking up a new rental car there, and then driving the rest of the way to Cincinnati. Miraculously - this whole ordeal only added two hours on to our trip.  

Once we arrived in Cincinnati, we filled our days with doctor's appointments (hopefully lessening the need to see a doctor while in Japan), errands (to fill the empty suitcase we had brought home with us), and of course time with friends (wish the visits had been longer)! 

Michigan 

The last part of our trip was spent in Michigan visiting my family. And, pulling off a very successful surprise retirement party for my dad...who despite our suspicions had NO idea about the party! 

Reflections

-I can communicate! It was definitely nice to be back in a place in which I could communicate (and read) without thinking twice about it. I will say that when the TSA agent spoke to me in English at the Detroit airport - I gave her a blank stare for about 30 seconds before I realized that I could answer her back in English...and didn't need to take a ton of time to formulate my response. Other than this experience, and a few moments throughout the trip when I was reminded of how nice small talk can be during quick interactions with strangers, it felt natural to speak English again and I didn't really give it much thought. I will say, though, that there were some moments in which I had the urge to say "excuse me," "please," or "sorry" in Japanese. 

-Chores take less time (but things are a bit harder to get to). I have to say that I really did enjoy my washer and dryer when I was home. I couldn't believe how quickly I could get laundry done. I also enjoyed knowing what cleaning supplies to use for what - and also where to go when I needed to buy things. Aside from the washer and dryer, things were made easier just because I knew where to go. And, I recognize that this comes only with living in a place for long enough to establish your routine. I am sure that by the end of my time in Japan, I will have my places there too. Truthfully, I am already starting to. I did miss being able to walk to my errands like in Japan. In MI, OH, and KY...I had to drive everywhere!

-Two ends of the spectrum. One thing that I come to expect in Japan is consistency. No matter the store you go to - you are greeted in a similar way; the servers at various restaurants follow the same scripts; and, you know that the product or service you are going to get will be good. Japan's culture really centers around consistently doing things well. Hotels are clean (even if they are old and look quite run down); food is good (even at a 'fast-food' restaurant); and people are respectful (even if they may not be the most friendly). Sure, there are some differences - some amazing restaurants, some super friendly people - for sure...but you begin to expect 'at least' a certain level of service. 

When I was home, I realized that America seemed to fall more toward the two ends of the spectrum. People were either really friendly or really rude; food was either really awesome or really not. And, when we were calling to try and get a rental car - one person told Kaz there was no way he could help and when we called back another person told us that they could help for sure. Neither is good or bad...just a difference I've noticed...and one that doesn't surprise me, I guess, when I think about individualistic nature of America and the collective nature of Japan. Each with their own pros and cons. 

-Home. For me, our visit back to the US was filled with so many moments in which I just felt home. Yes, there were definitely moments in which I thought to myself - Things are different. I am different. My family and friends are different. I have missed so much. We met three new babies in this trip home! But, there were more moments in which I just felt home. Visiting family and friends reminded me of how nice it is to be around my people - and just how normal things can be even though you haven't been around someone in a long time. Being at camp - surrounded me with an intense feeling of home as well. At camp, I was reunited with many close friends and in a place that I have come to know well. And, being back in my professional element reminded me of my passion for working with people who stutter.

It's funny because people asked me - What do you HAVE to do when back in America? What are the things you are looking forward to doing, eating, etc.? I really thought that I would have those lists - those things I had to do when I returned home...and I was surprised to say that I really didn't. Sure, pizza and Mexican food were delicious AND I could have done without them. For me, all that I wanted when it came to being home was to spend time with those people who make me feel home. 

Of course, I have many more reflections - but these were the major ones! I'm sure I'll have more on future visits home too. Now that I am back in Japan, I have been thinking more about my time at home - and also thinking more about the ways I want to continue to challenge myself and grow while in Japan. Refreshing my growth mindset, I suppose. 

I thought it would be fitting to close this post with the following quote - since it seems to so perfectly sum up our experiences at home.

“Home is people. Not a place. If you go back there after the people are gone, then all you can see is what is not there any more.” - Robin Hobb, Fool's Fate

Sun, clouds, and lots of love!

~Jaime 

Climbing Mt. Fuji (富士山）

One of the activities on the top of our "To Do" list while in Japan was climbing Mt. Fuji (better known as Fuji-san in Japan). The climbing season for Mt. Fuji is actually quite short and usually spans from the first week of July until the first week of September. The goal for most climbers, other than reaching the summit, is to enjoy the sunrise from atop the mountain. 

Initially, Kaz and I had considered saving our Fuji hike until next year - since our July was full of visitors and August was spent in the US. However, we've come to realize that Fuji-san can be a bit temperamental when it comes to weather...so just in case the weather didn't love us on this trip - we decided to give ourselves next year to catch the sunrise if this year didn't work out. Spoiler alert...we almost had to schedule attempt #2...however, in the end, we lucked out! ;)

Mt. Fuji is Japan's tallest mountain - at 3,776 meters (12,389 feet for those of us who don't use metrics). Fuji is known for its almost perfect shape and is considered one of Japan's "Three Holy Mountains." In 2013, it was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site and it's estimated that close to 400,000 people climb Fuji-san every year! Mt. Fuji is actually an active volcano. The last time it erupted was in 1708 - and if you talk to anyone in Japan - they will tell you that it's long overdue for an eruption (which is terrifying given that Tokyo is really, really close to Fuji). 

The buses had "pull-down" middle seats!

Our journey to Mt. Fuji began on Friday evening. After Kaz got off work, we drove about three hours to the "Fuji Area" and stayed at a small hotel about 45 minutes from the mountain. Because the busiest part of climbing season was deemed over as of August 31st, we were told that we would be able to drive to the 5th station of the mountain (where we would begin our climb). On Saturday morning, we began our drive to the 5th station. Upon reaching the entrance to the mountain road - we were told that it was at least a five-hour wait to get a parking spot. So, we abandoned that plan and took the bus up to the 5th station.  

As we drove, the clouds became thicker and visibility was rather low once we arrived. The 5th Station was like a little mountain village - it had some stores (to stock up on last-minute supplies); some restaurants (of course, it IS Japan); and even a sacred shrine (which we visited to ask for a safe journey up the mountain). Spending some time at the 5th station also gave our bodies a bit of time to acclimate to the altitude before beginning the climb. I also purchased my "hiking stick," which became one of our motivators as we climbed - along the hike, you could stop and get various stamps on your hiking stick...which makes for an awesome souvenir! 

Our "tickets" to climb! 

Clouds!

As we hiked from the 5th to the 7th station, the sky turned bright blue and we were able to watch the fluffy white clouds pass around us at all angles. I couldn't believe how fast the clouds were moving! The toughest part about this aspect of the hike was allowing my body to adjust to the altitude. I found myself out of breath easily - but as we hiked - my heart rate slowed and I was able to breathe much easier. Phew! There was a clear path to follow - with a steady flow of people. Although I knew Mt. Fuji was a volcano - I don't think I was expecting the trail to be as rocky as it was! And, I had also forgotten about switchbacks. Those little trails that zig-zag up a mountain to lessen the steepness as you hike. They are super misleading too! So much of the climb - you could see your next destination...and it looks oh SO much closer than it actually is!

See those "switchbacks" on the left side?!

From the 7th to the 8th station (8.5th, really) - the trail became extremely rocky. I could barely take in the beauty surrounding me because I had to spend so much time focusing on determining exactly where I was going to put my foot! I ended up using my hands - almost as though I was climbing on all fours - so that I wouldn't fall. I hadn't even considered that hiking with a backpack could throw your center of gravity off quite as much as it did! 

Getting a stamp!

We reached our "hut" for the night - at about the 8.5th station - after close to four hours of hiking (with food, water, and stamp breaks - of course). When researching our climb, we read over and over that climbing Mt. Fuji all in one day was not recommended. Most sites suggested that hikers stay in a hut around the 8th station and wake up early to hike the rest of the way to the summit for sunrise. We decided this was our best option - plus, I've never stayed in a hiker's hut before - so I was quite interested in the experience. 

The hut was just that....a hut. It had a main room - in which they served you dinner in shifts (curry rice - woo, woo!). There was a back room that had two sides divided by a narrow walkway. Each side had an upper and lower level (think bunk beds) that was filled with sleeping bags (placed so close together that rolling over or wiggling while sleeping was COMPLETELY out of the question). Luckily, we arrived early enough that we were given a corner spot - so I "rested" between Kaz and the wall - and he "rested" between me and some random stranger. The bathrooms were outside (and actually way better that I imagined - think park bathroom) and were 200 yen to use. You had to pay to use all bathrooms on the mountain since there is no running water and all water is brought up by truck. BUT - there were western toilets - so I was able to avoid the squatty!! WOO! 

We had the "5pm dinner slot" so after we ate - we nestled into our sleeping bags. The hut was super noisy (as other were still eating - and then chatting with each other) - so it was difficult to sleep. Plus, it was hours before we usually went to sleep. However, we both knew that the "1am wake up time" would come early...so we did our best to snooze. At 1am, we were woken up by a long announcement in Japanese (thank goodness Kaz could understand). Basically, they were telling us that it was raining and they felt it was too dangerous to attempt the summit. They told people to climb at their own risk - but the clear recommendation was to wait a few hours to see if the weather would break. There were a few groans - and then most people went back to sleep. My heart sunk, for sure. We had already come so far...and the thought of having to turn back and then attempt again next year...was VERY disappointing. Kaz was much calmer than me (as usual) and suggested we just wait it out. As he snoozed - I tried to make friends with Mother Nature. 

Here we go!

Around 3:30am - the weather lightened up and the radar showed a few-hour break in the weather...so we decided to take our chance (along with almost everyone else in our hut). We knew we wouldn't make it to the summit for sunrise; however, we had chosen to hike the trail that promises you can see the sunrise from anywhere on it as long as the weather cooperates. There are actually four trails to the summit of Mt. Fuji - but the one that we chose is the most popular - probably because it has huts, food stands, and toilets)! As we climbed - we could see that most of the clouds were below us...so we knew that if the weather stayed the same - sunrise was a strong possibility! Climbing in the dark was definitely an interesting experience. We had our headlamps - which definitely helped - and as you looked above and below you - you could see the lights of other climbers twinkling in the night. 

The sunrise is coming!

At about 5:15am, we found a little spot to stop and watch the sunrise. We probably could have hiked a bit higher - as my judgment of when the sun will actually rise - or set - based on the sky is usually at least 30 minutes off! On our honeymoon, we "watched" the sun set for close to two hours! There are really no words that can describe the beauty of watching the sunrise from what felt like the top of the world...so I'll let the pictures (and video) paint the picture for you. 

After the sunrise, we continued our climb to the summit. I couldn't believe how many people were on their way to the summit at the same time. We were actually in line climbing to the top...at times we were even standing still...which is something I hadn't imagined. As we climbed, the clouds blew in surrounding us in mist. Not even 10 minutes after we had enjoyed the sunrise - we were SO lucky!! 

The "LINE"

The top of Mt. Fuji was crazy - I couldn't believe that there was a little village up there. Some bathrooms, restaurants, souvenir shops, and even a post office (though we were never able to find it). As we reached the top - I was overwhelmed with emotion...pride (and relief) that we had reached the summit, appreciation for the fact that the weather had held off, and awe of the beauty that was surrounding me.

We spent about a hour on the top of the mountain - enjoying some hot instant noodles and peering into the crater of the volcano. The crater is huge...and as you peer into it...you are reminded that you an on a volcano and not just a mountain. Then, we began our descent down the mountain.

Other hikers had warned us that the hike down is often more difficult than the hike up - and I would have to agree. Your legs are tired, you have already "achieved" your goal, and you are walking steeply downhill for hours. Since the paths are rocky, you have to focus on where you are stepping while at the same time tightening your legs muscles enough to make sure you don't pick up speed and fall (think about a snowball picking up speed as it rolls down a mountain). Throughout our hike down, the weather continued to hold off...and the rain didn't start until we were about thirty minutes from the "finish line" (aka - the 5th station). By then, we were so tired and sweaty that we didn't even feel the rain! The first thing we did once we returned to the 5th station was enjoy a well-deserved ice cream cone...and then catch the bus back to our car (man, was the bus smelly - full of wet hikers who hadn't showered in 48 hours)

Climbing Mt. Fuji was definitely an adventure - and writing this post has made me smile, laugh, and grimace as I flashback to the moments. If you ever have a chance to climb Fuji-san, I would definitely recommend it - as it is truly a once in a lifetime opportunity (as neither Kaz or I really have the desire to climb it again!) 

Sunny Moments: Weather that held off; reaching the summit; BEAUTY!
Cloudy Moments: Rain; the bathroom smell that filled the hut during the night; sore knees on the descent.