So here we are again. The bags are unpacked, the laundry is halfway done, and the dust of daily life has already settled back in. Our trip — a much-needed escape from the rhythm of everyday life — feels like it was a long time ago. The last days we’re slowly easing back into our usual routines and it seems funny how quickly it all resets. Sometimes it feels like we never left, until you look around the house and see the glorious mess we brought back with us. That chaos? Definitely earned.
It was great to be back in the homeland and I think I can safely say I have two homes now — one here in Japan, and one across the globe. I don’t get to visit the second one nearly as often as I’d like, but when I do, it hits deep. It’s intense and warm and I slip right back into it, as if no time has passed. Even though the journey there is long, exhausting, and increasingly expensive, it’s always worth it.
And honestly? None of us really wanted to come back here again. Sure, living in Japan sounds dreamy to many — and yes, there are moments that feel like magic. But day-to-day life here is of course just another routine: bills, work and responsibilities. I still have to hustle to make a living and to survive. Living somewhere or traveling through it are two completely different things, and that distinction becomes clearer the longer you stay.
Now that we’re back, it’s time to look ahead. That big decision we’ve been circling for a while — about how long we’ll stay here — is starting to feel more real. “Forever” is on the table, but it would mean letting go of a lot that still ties me to my original home. And leaving from here would mean leaving behind a life that, truthfully, feels pretty solid and safe. The distance and cost make spontaneous trips harder and harder. So wherever we end up, taking breaks like this will definitely become more complicated.
For now though, we’re still in the end of summer. The heat was relentless and is just now leaving us and autumn seems finally to be dragging its feet. Most people are counting down to cooler days — and I’m right there with them. It’s hard to focus when the air itself feels so heavy like this year. Thankfully, work hasn’t ramped up to full speed yet, so I still have the chance to breathe and think of a few new ideas. I could definitely use some right now.
Let’s see what the end of September has in store for us. I’m open to whatever comes — but if we are honest, we are already heading into the final stretch of the year. Hard to believe, but even the turn of the years is somehow peeking around the corner. I’d love to ignore for as long as I can, but it is coming. Faster than I am....
