All journeys have secret destinations of which the traveler is unaware – Martin Buber Being stationed in Japan is wonderful! Not only do we have the luxury to experience a new culture, but we also have access to an amazing transportation system. Japan’s railway system gives us easy access to much of Honshu, meaning we …
8 Tips to Rock Your Military Move
Packing is always a nightmare – Stefanie Powers A new year means a new PCS (Permanent Change of Station) season is fast approaching! Spring of 2018 was my first PCS and my first truly big move. Going from the States to an overseas duty station was daunting. Until then, I had only relocated within a …
Osaka Amazing Pass – Is it Worth it?
A penny saved is a penny earned – Benjamin Franklin Travel is an exciting perk of an overseas duty station. The country is yours to explore, and you may be in closer proximity to other cities and countries than ever before. But trip expenses add up quickly. It can be hard to research and find …
Our Favorite Places to Eat (and Drink) in Kyoto
Pull up a chair. Take a taste. Come join us. Life is so endlessly delicious. – Ruth Reichl One of the perks of travel is the chance to discover new food and drink. As much as we can, we aim to find local places to support and enjoy. For those of you that know us …
A Weekend in Kyoto: 5 Things to Do
Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all. – Helen Keller Sometimes duty calls, making it hard to get away on leave for a large block of time. Thankfully, the military calendar contains a few four-day weekends. Even if you only have a small window of time to travel, don’t sweat it! There’s …
Day 1 of 1,095 – How We Met
Falling in love with you was easy / You were always meant to have my heart / I was broken all to pieces / You were there to be the missing part. – JJ Heller, “Until You Came Along” It’s our third wedding anniversary. It feels both like we’ve just met, and like we’ve been …
What I Learned This Winter
It is only by reflecting on the past that one can create a better future. – Rithy Panh I’ve been following Emily Freeman’s What We Learned blog posts for years now (You can find some of her old entries here). While she used to compile them more often, a while ago she moved them …
6 Must-See Spots in Yokohama
The traveler sees what he sees. The tourist sees what he has come to see. – G.K. Chesterton It’s no secret that Husband and I do our best to get out of the house as often as we can. When we first moved here, we were told “In three years, you can go out every …
The Dutch Renaissance Visits Japan
Vermeer found a life’s work in the corner of a room. – Irwin Greenberg Art enables us to find ourselves and lose ourselves at the same time. – Thomas Merton Back in October, Husband took me on a very special day date. We went out on a whim, not quite sure how the adventure …
My 2019 Word of the Year
Times of transition are strenuous, but I love them. They are an opportunity to purge, rethink priorities, and be intentional about new habits. We can make our new normal any way we want – Kristin Armstrong Here we are, already a few days into 2019. How are you feeling? For me, the start of …










