2008-09-24

We're Leaving on a Jet Plane!

We have just one more complete day left in the states.  We leave on Thursday and have sixteen hours of traveling plus the thirteen hour time difference.  That makes for more than a full day of our lives crammed into tiny little plane seats.

We'll probably be training in Nagoya, but we could find out on day two that we'll be rushed off to Osaka for our two weeks of training.  Apparently, our apartments in Nagaoka aren't going to be ready for us in a timely manner, so we'll be in our training city for an extra week. We're told we could be doing any number of odd office jobs or acting as substitutes for that week.  Then again, the literature we've received from Peppy Kids says that they could change all of our plans once we get there. Unless those changes include finding couple housing for us, we're hoping things go according to the original plan.

Everything is suddenly beginning to feel very real.  I think the first few days in Japan will be full of quiet moments as I haven't learned a whole lot of Japanese.  This last month, which was supposed to be full of intense study sessions, has slipped away from me and I find myself with very little knowledge of the Japanese language.  I'm putting my faith in my past experience that learning the language comes easy to me when I'm inundated with it all day long for many many many days on end.  I am going to attempt to exercise self-control around Dustin and practice Japanese with him whenever we're conversing (once I've gained the ability to converse that is). The fact that I'll be teaching English will make it hard to avoid my native tongue all the time.

Starting Thursday, you can text Dustin on his phone, but he won't be able to receive calls and I will be phoneless.  We don't really know when we'll have internet access, but once we're settled we'll try to keep Skype active whenever we're home, so we can receive "calls" that way.  Be mindful of the 14 hour time difference from Missouri and let us know if you'd like to coordinate a specific time to call, so we can free up our schedules and sit anxiously by the computer!

2008-09-19

How to use Skype

Click here to download Skype for free.

Install following the on-screen instructions.

Once Skype is opened add us by clicking "Add a Contact," which looks like +. Then search for one of us. When the name comes up click it, then click "Add contact."

To make a call just double click a name, or click the name then click the big green phone button.
To end a call click the big red phone button.
To start your video camera click the blue button with the video camera silhouette.