Plum Rain::梅雨

Tsuyu, the rainy season, has arrived in Nagoya. I am one of those rare birds that loves the rainy season. I truly do. It is such a peaceful time in Japan. It gives everyone a chance to rest before the unrelentingly oppressive summer grabs us and allows for no other conversation besides for "Atsui desu ne?" (hot, isn't it?).
With the rainy season comes my favorite flower of all, ajisai (hydrangea). Wet shoes and curly hair is surely a fair price to pay for such beauty. The literal translation of tsuyu is Plum Rain. How can you not be charmed by that?

Tsuyu love aside, I do wish that it didn't have to come so early this year. Tomorrow is the big day at immigration and because of the kindergarten schedule and the elementary school holding their sports day on Tuesday, I find that I will be taking three kids with me in the rain to plead my case. Three kids, in the rain, on the early Monday morning commuter trains. Three kids who after two solid days of rain are bursting at the seams.

The good thing is that regardless of the outcome tomorrow, I will be able to enjoy another Japanese tsuyu. Maybe after the appointment tomorrow, we'll go splash in some puddles and hunt snails.

Wish me luck!


xoxo

be here, be aware

Colette and I had Jason to ourselves Monday and Thursday as it is test week so the high school where he works didn't require his skills. Though I had intended to use all my spare minutes for sewing, I chose instead to go tramping around downtown Nagoya with my main squeeze.

Despite looking at this glass I was served as being half full, the impending deportation hearing has been weighing on me. I am trying to use this situation to readjust how I have framed our time here.
We feel settled, we feel a part of this beautiful section of the globe, but in reality we are just long-term guests.
Or at least from the perspective of the authorities.
To counter the feeling of helplessness, we are pushing ourselves to be more aware of where we are right now. To go out and find the Japan that we would miss.

In the grand scheme of things

In deportation news... Colette and I have an appointment with immigration May 30th. We don't know what this means but we were asked to bring our passports and alien registration cards and expect to stay for five hours.

So we'll know something soon.

If we stay, then we will learn Japanese for real this time and move to Arashiyama in Kyoto.

If we get the boot, then I am thinking about the Northwest coast. Specifically southern Alaska.

Either way, we will keep making and drawing and being together. So, either way, all is good.

xo