Natsukashii!

Much ink has been spilled regarding the repatriation process and how to make it a smooth and enjoyable one. I wouldn't say our process has been (or, I should say, is being) particularly smooth or enjoyable, but I have come up with my own little bit of advice about how to ease back in to American life: live in a place that makes you feel like you never left. "How," you ask, "could living in Edmond, Oklahoma possibly compare to living in Mito, Japan?" Well, I'll tell you, and I'll do it in handy list form.
HOW OUR CURRENT APARTMENT REMINDS US OF LIFE IN JAPAN:
1. Limited parking
2. Limited square footage
3. No central heat or air (but effective wall units)
4. A post office within walking distance
5. A 7-11 within walking distance
6. LOTS of Japanese people within walking distance
7. A public transportation route right outside our front door
8. A Korean restaurant nearby (okay, substitute "Korean restaurant" with "pizzeria")
9. A crazy Korean neighbor who likes to invite herself in while Mark is changing clothes--just kidding! I think you're only allowed to have one of those per lifetime, and we've already filled our quota

Thankfully, here we have a dishwasher, we haven't had trouble paying our utility bills, and we have yet to catch a neighbor snooping through our trash. These are all things that make us thankful to be living in the U.S. But we also spent an awesome two years in Japan, and I'm glad that we're reminded of that time on a daily basis--even if it is because our apartment is blazing hot when we get home.