I'm Going Home!

From around July 20th until August 20th, my Idaho-born, Washington-raised, Oregon-tempered and Japanese-seasoned self will be crossing the Pacific Ocean and going home.

Back to the spacious skies, amber fields of grain, the purple mountains majesties, the fruited plain...the other 599 people that make up Cove, Oregon's Pop. 600.

And I'll be back for a whole MONTH!

(I haven't spent an entire month back in the U.S. since the June 15th-July 15th, 2000 stretch before I came over here to work. I don't know if I'll be able to handle it.)

Unfortunately, the majority of that month will not be spent in either Oregon or California.

I'm going to San Diego. Starfish High's second-year students will take a school trip to Ontario, California in mid-July. Some of those students will stay in the U.S. and study in an intensive language program in San Diego.

I will be their chaperone. This means that the school will pay for me to fly round-trip to the U.S.

The principal said I could go back a little early and spend some time at home.

Let the mad dash of visiting friends and relatives begin!