What now?

Okay, if you have been reading my ramblings thus far, then you should be more or less at the same point I am now.

Hopefully you have received your passport on time, and I mean with enough time. I'm not referring to the kind of "on time" that has you stopping by the post office on your way to the airport demanding they give you your mail.

Anyways, assuming all is going according to plan and there have been no major delays, then right now you are just waiting for your departure date to arrive. AND, what should you be doing while you wait? That's right, you should be doing something productive with your time.

My recommendation is that you get your affairs and things ready for your departure. Depending on how long you will be abroad, you might need to make plans for some minors things, such as paying bills, so that you don't have any problems from home while you are away. Now, I am not referring to paying rent or anything like that, but things like the cellphone bill, cable, internet, credit cards, computers, and whatever other things you have to pay on a regular basis.

Now, how you go about this is solely up to you. But, it is better to get them in order before you go and not while you are over there. Give yourself a peace of mind so that you can focus on what you are doing abroad. No sense adding more worries to whatever other worries you already have.

There are also other things you can do while you wait. One thing I found helpful was taking the time to decide what I want to take to Japan, aside from important documents and such. Things such as cloths and small items that will remind me of home were at the top of my list. I am sure that even though I might not admit it now, at one point or another I will find myself feeling homesick. Might as well plan ahead, right?

So, okay, that is pretty much what I have at this point. I am a little more of a week away from my departure date. I am almost 100% certain when I say that I am ready to go.

Congratulations folks, and to myself, you and I have caught up to the current point in time where all this is taking place. Does this count as time travel?