Let's talk about it

Living as an expat is not for the faint of heart. It is downright difficult, with challenges around so many corners. Sometimes you just need someone to talk to about all the ups and downs. But where does one turn?

Hopefully there are friends and family in the wings to lend an ear, but that isn't always the case. In Japan (specifically Tokyo), I've learned about three counseling practices that specifically cater to the expat community.

• Tell Japan - telljp.com
• Tokyo Counseling Services - tokyocounseling.com
• Tokyo Mental Health - tokyomentalhealth.com

One of them, TELL, even has a Lifeline, where people can call for immediate support for free.

I was so encouraged and relieved to hear these resources are available, as it is a much needed service. But my positivity quickly soured upon learning that Japan's national health coverage does not cover mental health services. So anyone that needs their services have to pay around ¥22,000 ($200 USD) per appointment! That isn't very affordable for many people.

There is the Lifeline, but that isn't the same as getting regular help.

Japan, in my opinion, needs to remedy this! They need to care for those suffering from mental health issues - for both the citizens and residents. In fact, suicide is the leading cause of death in men between the ages of 20-44 and women between the ages of 15-34. And, yet, help is unaffordable to so much of the population. Maybe there are free or less expensive mental health services, but I haven't found them for non-Japanese speaking population.

Impressive parking

For some strange reason, I am obsessed with parking in Japan. I don't know why this peaks my interest as much as it does. Maybe it is because I have horrendous depth perception... Regardless of the reason why, the car parking situation can be incredibly impressive.

As I walked through a neighborhood the other day, I ran across this car. Hopefully the driver never gets behind the wheel exhausted because they could easily ruin their car by not having their car perfectly centered in the parking space! Why didn't they put a little bumper on the edge? It seems worth the investment. (And while you are checking out the parking space, also look how skinny this building is! It is a home that is one room wide. Fascinating!)

While garages are not typical in Japanese homes (if there is parking it is more likely to be a car port), I have been seeing more and more homes with them. But they are TINY! I've even seen some that I would not be able to stand up in! Even more impressive (or shocking) are the ones that the driveway is on a downhill slope. Sometimes I wonder how they don't scrape the top of their car.

With so little space, people are extremely creative when it comes to parking. But it isn't just creativity, it is also talent for getting their cars into the exact same tiny space each and every time they drive. Kudos to all those drivers. Me and my lame depth perception will be on public transportation.

***This isn't the first time I've written about this weird obsession. Check out these other photos of cars parked at their homes!***

A big bite of home

For the past couple of weeks, my ear has been bothering me. It aches day and night, with very little relief. I finally had it and asked my husband to help me find an English speaking doctor. Typically, he takes me, but Fridays are very busy workdays for him and I yearn for some independence. He found one that spoke English and accepted online appointments. The only down side was that it was a half hour bike ride from our home.

Luckily, today was sunny and warm, not like the rainy day we had yesterday. So, I didn't mind the ride.

As I biked through the familiar streets between Hikarigaoka and Ooizumi, I noticed a new restaurant offering hamburgers. My appointment was just before lunch, so I thought if I was hungry on the way home I would stop for a burger.

My appointment went quickly and ended with a quick diagnosis of an irritated ear canal but no infection. I was glad to hear it wasn't a big deal, but it was also a little irritating to hear it as well. When I left the doctors office, I realized I really was hungry. A burger sounded like the perfect solution.

I had high hopes for the little restaurant, called Tomo x Tomo. They offer crepes and hamburgers, which is an interesting combination, in my opinion.

I was the only customer there, which allowed me to secure the one table they had outside. I wanted to videochat with my girlfriends in the US while I ate, and outdoor seating is the only way I can do both at the same time.

After placing my order, I dialed into the call and started chatting away. Soon my lemonade and burger arrived and my chatting stopped immediately. All of a sudden, I wasn't just on the phone with my girlfriends, I was transported to a burger joint with them by my side.

So many times, the burgers here are "Japanified", just like Chinese food in the US! When I'm looking for a taste of home, I don't want something that isn't quite right. But this avocado bacon burger... I actually stopped talking and rolled my eyes in pleasure. The Tomo x Tomo burger was right on!

For the most part, I enjoy living in Japan. But sometimes a girl just needs a bit of a break. This was just the break I needed - something to refuel the tanks. I can't wait to bring my boys back here someday because I am sure they will have a similar transcendent experience.

Picky, picky!

When we lived in Seattle, we had a lovely yard with a decent sized garden. I tried to plant lots of edibles around the yard, which our son loved to nibble from regularly. He could often be found devouring strawberries, blueberries, plums, snap peas, tomatoes, and cucumbers. He'd also nibble kale, basil, and many other kinds of greens. Sometimes we had a hard time getting him to stop dining al fresco! We learned quickly that one cucumber plant would never be enough for our tenacious eater.

While I try to grow a few things in our little rock garden, I struggle with growing edibles in pots. The extreme weather of Japan doesn't help in my endeavor, with crazy rainy seasons and a very hot summer.

So, when we have the chance to go to a farm and let him harvest to his heart's desire, we jump at the chance. Our latest farm escapade took us to greenhouses filled with strawberries.

Strawberries are mainly grown in green houses in Japan, extending the season from December through April. When they are grown outdoors, they are ready between May and June. For those that don't sell their fruit commercially, many offer u-pick options for customers.

My parents took us berry picking every summer when I was a kid. We always loved going out into the fields and filling our buckets or boxes with as many berries as we could. Of course, we also filled our bellies as well. My dad would often joke to the owners "You should weigh the kids on the way in and out and charge me for all the berries that they eat. You'll make more money that way." He was onto something, and Japanese farmers listened to his recommendation.

Many Japanese farmers choose to sell their u-pick strawberries using an entrance fee method that allows customers to eat as much as they want for an allotted time of picking. We paid ¥2,000 ($18 USD) per person for 30 minutes of strawberry gluttony. We hadn't told our son where we were headed, so when he realized we were going to gorge ourselves on strawberries, his head practically exploded.

This greenhouse offered 5 different kinds of strawberries grown in pots at shoulder height. Upon entering, we washed our hands and were given little trays with a small amount of sweetened condensed milk to dip our strawberries into (a common way of eating strawberries here). Then we were encouraged to go forth and eat.

It was a bit hard to pace ourselves. The berries were so juicy and flavorful! We ate and ate, just like I did as a kid. The big difference being we weren't being pummeled by the summer sun and we didn't need to put any into buckets that we would haul home. Of course, that means no strawberry jam or strawberry shortcake, but we were just grateful for what we could enjoy.

Curious about pollination, we learned this farm utilizes worker bees that don't sting and do not make honey. They live in cardboard boxes strategically placed throughout the greenhouse.

After 30 minutes, it was time to roll ourselves out of the greenhouse. I don't think we could have fit another berry into our bellies, yet we all had smiles plastered onto our faces. The berries might not have been from our yard or garden, but the experience of getting to eat as many berries as our hearts desired was still a satisfying experience.