Unabridged Interpretation of My Japanese Haiku

It's been over two and a half years now since I moved to Japan. Moving back home, I am a little worried about habits I've picked up like bowing obsessively at the McDonald's drive-thru lady, driving on the left side of the road and my constant cravings for green tea and rice. Christmas in Hawaii was a nice pre-return trip - it gave me a little taste of America with quite a few Japanese tourists added for comfort. From previous trips abroad I've been prepped well with plenty of "re-entry culture shock" info. I'm extremely excited to catch up with my old friends and family. It's been so long. But I'm apprehensive at the same time. I know the people close in my life that I haven't seen in some time have been living their own separate lives. When I come back they'll be different. I'll be different. But we'll be expecting to see the same person from years ago. We won't have the common histories from the past few years to draw back on or laugh at. That will just take time to re-establish. I know all this...and knowing does make the transition easier, but not necessarily easy. Ok. Don't worry, I don't let myself get depressing on here.

I'm leaving a great situation in Japan. Good job. Great students. Awesome friends all in the same place in life. A great place to save money. A one-of-a-kind church with inspiring Christians. A God who's blessed every part of my experience. A great takeoff point for crazy travel destinations. A country rich in culture and history. Celebrity status. iTunes. The beach. Growth. Growth. Growth.

But it's time for a change. Honestly, I don't know if I could handle being the only native English-speaker at my school all day for another full year. It's been absolutely amazing but exhausting. Since the decision to head back, I've had complete peace and haven't questioned myself once. This seems funny because I have no long-term plans for the future. No idea. I know God's got something in store just like he had Japan in store when I was at this crossroads three years ago. If God is preparing anything like Japan it's gonna be an exciting ride!

So my current plans are as follows: Visit some friends in the Philippines once the school year is over at the end of this month. Stopover in South Korea for some kimchi. Run really really fast into North Korea and sprint back. Fly home to Colorado. Hang out with my sister before she gets hitched at the end of April. Tentatively plan to get a mindless outside summer job in Colorado. Travel around for weddings and triathlons/marathons(?). Then the job search begins in OKC or a beach town like Rio de Jinero.

"So what do you want to do with your life from here," you ask? Good question. Fireman? Buy, remodel and sell houses? Math Teacher/Coach? English teacher in Italy? Write travel books? Actually use my engineering degree? Disney on Ice? (Gotta first learn the triple lutz in a Dopey costume.) Buy a Harley and ride to Sturgis with Viper and the gang?

I'm gonna steal my friend Mark's idea. This blog is now open for suggestions from you for what I should do. Please, serious or outrageous...I'm all ears.