It took a long time, there were bumps along the way, but I’ve finally left Japan.
I’m now in Hawaii, and on to the next chapter of my life. I’m sitting at my Airbnb, a nice little view looking out over Honolulu. The weather is warmer and more humid than I’ve felt for a while. Like many of the feelings related to leaving Japan, it’s interesting to suddenly be feeling such a different a different vibe.
I’ve only just landed, less than 24 hours in Hawaii, so there’s not a lot that I can offer that is very concrete. Without being dramatic or hyperbolic, I do see this as the beginning of the next chapter of my life.
There is so much to attend to, both for myself and relating to family.
I wanted to have more to say in this little update. But as is often the case, when I actually sit down to write, I find myself drawing a bit of a blank.
Today when Nami asked me where I would like to live in Hawaii, I described a place that is small, but not too remote. In addition to being able to do our jobs, I would also like to be in a place that I can be more engaged with the local community, especially on environmental infrastructure related projects. I know that might sound a bit random, but I think in addition to the core work I’m doing, I think it’s a good way to stay connected with nature and the local environment. As much as we are living more and more of life in a digital world, our local environment and infrastructure are key to the quality of life we experience, such as the air we breath, the water we drink and have access to, and the type of recreational nature that we have around us.
I don’t know if moving to Hawaii makes sense. There certainly at least seem to be some upsides. Of course, it also comes with some challenges. Anyway, for the time being, I will need to return home and spend time with family, thinking about what comes next. Could it be Hawaii?