Challenge No 1. PACKING
We have not fisihed packing!!!! Books are still scattered, clothes we still wear, toys are still used, whereas those stufss should be sent away to Yokohama Port for shipping by March 21. We thought things could go simpler by sending stuffs through container but.... it turns out that we need to make lists of boxes, measure each and the weight should not exceed 30 kg. After that comes another list: the content of each box and the value. Pfff....
Second thing: omiyage--souvenir to bring home. Phew!!! It is really difficult to decide what and where to buy any at reasonable price (considering that we belong to non-income ones). There are always the questions: would the person like it and need it? What if the the souvenirs are written "made in china" or even worse "indonesia"? Are the receivers after the tag of 'made in japan' or 'bought in japan?'
Challenge No 3 : souvenirs for friends in Japan
They have been truly and execeptionally helpful. We have some stocks of little things from Indonesia but...how to wrap it like the japanese do (especially Japanese care about the wrapping more than the content)? What to be given? Which person should be given this --not that?
Challenge No 4 : things to be given away or to trash out
we have prepared the lists of things we are going to leave behind. For some electrical appliances, many Indonesian fellow need and want so that we need to decide who will get what. Then, for some other things no body seems to be interested, but to trash it out we need to pay to the garbage collector. But we could not decide as we are still hoping that some people would like to inherit them.
Challenge No 5 : setting up agenda
we will have to set up appointment to see;
- apato agent, to check the condition of our room (to ensure we do not need to pay for any damage)
- electricity, gas, water, internet company, to calculate the last bills
- friend to collect our tools for survival: fridge, stove, microwave and futton
the thing is the room should be clean and vacant which means things should be
taken out a day at the latest March 25.
Challenge No 6 : strategies for survival a day before departure
We are going to leave for the airport at 5.30 AM which means we will still need the futton to sleep and at least microwave to eat BUT we might not have the time to trash things out on that day. To stay in a hotel will be out of question, to eat out means we have to cut our legs and hands, to stay in someone's place with four of us means too much troubles for the host. *!?
Challenge No 7 : mental preparation to get back to Jakarta
It's not that we are not happy to be home--but things would be different in jakarta. Adjustment though unavoidable has never been easy. What kind of adjustment? Name it: life style (daily routines and schedules), the availability and convenience of public facilities such as transportation, shopping places with qualified items, free medical treatment for children. Not to mention the inexistence of things that Wisnu is familiar or accustomed to --Phew!!! He will have billions of questions and confusions over things back in Jakarta such as: Don't drink tap water now! Don't talk to strangers or accept any food! We can not find your favorite yogurt or buy nori or strawberry everyday now! Because it's Jakarta not Yokohama! (just get our finger crosssed and hope that Wisnu will not cry in frustration)
Hmm... things might not be that bad --maybe worse :)
Pictures:
http://www.seabox.com/
http://www9.ocn.ne.jp/
http://www.hasslefreeclipart.com/
