Our bags are packed...

I've been staring at this blank blog for about 5 minutes now and I'm starting to figure whatever I write will be the internet equivalent of a confrontingly loud microphone squeal. Then everyone will laugh, I'll clear my throat nervously and things will pick up from there.

Ahem!

Welcome to the new edition of Mike's Japan blog. I hope everyone who read it before is back and that I have a few new people reading too. We now have comments, please help yourself during the intermission. Tell me what you like and don't like, ask questions, make me work. I am here to please, entertain and hopefully keep in touch with everyone without having to send hundreds of emails.

Whenever I make reference to Japanese language or culture, I'll be trying to gear it somewhere in the middle so everyone can enjoy it. I'll try not to confuse anyone who's had no experience of Japan, but at the same time I don't want to send the old hands into a fit of ennui induced eye rolling at all the obvious things I'm pointing out. Please let me know if I'm getting it right or sounding like a year 8 Japanese textbook.

For those of you who came in late, Lisa and myself are (for dubious reasons) heading back to Japan from January to December. I'm on a teaching exchange and Lisa is my ironing lady for the year ever supportive better half looking for her true calling. We're all packed up and are heading off to Hong Kong tomorrow night for a brief stopover (Lisa has already looked up the restaurants at Hong Kong airport and lined up our meal, I think we may actually be related) on the way to Osaka.

We'll be living in Mikage as of Sunday afternoon. It's 4 stops on the train away from Sannomiya, which is the nightlife/shopping district of Kobe. Unlike my last house in Kobe, I don't have to go around a mountain to get to the city which is very pleasing. It also seems to be on a main train line, so Lisa won't be forced to catch the boneshaker trolley she used to have to use to get home. Our apartment, however, will be "not beautiful" according to the man sorting it out for us. I hope he doesn't mean "shipping container", but we shall see soon. I'll take lots of photos for you if my camera will fit through the door.

I think I'll be updating this once a week like the old one. I'm not sure which day it'll be, but I'll let you know soon.

Last but not least, my "official" blog is at hyogoexchange.blogspot.com. It's mainly for the benefit of Japanese teachers and students but if you are interested in a hospital-grade disinfectanty blog that goes into the language and culture in more detail you might want to have a look. Please don't mention this blog on there, they'll fire me (possibly into the sun).

It's lovely to see you all again and I hope to hear from you soon. I'll be a gibbering mess for most of tomorrow and once I get to Japan it'll take me a while to organise internet access, but I'll get back on the radar as quick as I can. For now, though, it's back to bloody packing. Thank you and goodnight!