All Japan Filers

[Uncle Wally 2]

Not to change the subject, but I just wanted to sign in here and thank everyone who's offered me their advice on this thread over the past year.

This week, my wife passed her interview and subsequently got her visa-containing passport back in the mail, so we are finely golden.

She's gonna chill for a minute to say her goodbyes and pack up the rest of her sh!t, then she'll shoot here for the 2nd week in February.

Serious, thanks- you folks are ace.

-The Wallinator

[Uncle Wally 2]

Yo Justin,

There are some schools in your area that have exchanges with Japanese schools, so there are definitely Japanese folks about. I used to live in Akita (northern Honshu, Japan), and everybody and their sister who did any kind of study abroad from up there went to the Minneapolis area. The Akita International University has some sort of arrangement with a couple schools there, and the University of Minnesota had, until recently, a campus in Akita. I don't know how old you and your wife are, maybe she wouldn't want to chill with a bunch of 21 year olds, but I'm sure there's grad students and academics, too. I swear I've heard of Japanese companies with branches in Minneapolis (from Japanese people who went there to do a stint), which means salarymens' wives probably sitting around itching for some other Japanese friends.

The way I'd suggest getting in touch with any Japanese folk in your neck of the woods would be to have your wife join up on Mixi (Japanese equivalent to Facebook, Myspace) and put the feelers out. My wife found all sorts of Japanese people who live around here by doing just that.

I think you need an invite to join Mixi, but your wife is sure to have a friend or a cousin back home who's on it, and if not, just PM me her email address and I'll have my old lady send her an invite.

Good luck.

[IgnatiusJ.Reilly 0]

Not to change the subject, but I just wanted to sign in here and thank everyone who's offered me their advice on this thread over the past year.

This week, my wife passed her interview and subsequently got her visa-containing passport back in the mail, so we are finely golden.

She's gonna chill for a minute to say her goodbyes and pack up the rest of her sh!t, then she'll shoot here for the 2nd week in February.

Serious, thanks- you folks are ace.

-The Wallinator

Congratulations to you and your Wife UW! After reading several of your posts I must say you are a personal hero of mine. Make sure and stick around.

[Justin and Masako 0]

Yo Justin,

There are some schools in your area that have exchanges with Japanese schools, so there are definitely Japanese folks about. I used to live in Akita (northern Honshu, Japan), and everybody and their sister who did any kind of study abroad from up there went to the Minneapolis area. The Akita International University has some sort of arrangement with a couple schools there, and the University of Minnesota had, until recently, a campus in Akita. I don't know how old you and your wife are, maybe she wouldn't want to chill with a bunch of 21 year olds, but I'm sure there's grad students and academics, too. I swear I've heard of Japanese companies with branches in Minneapolis (from Japanese people who went there to do a stint), which means salarymens' wives probably sitting around itching for some other Japanese friends.

The way I'd suggest getting in touch with any Japanese folk in your neck of the woods would be to have your wife join up on Mixi (Japanese equivalent to Facebook, Myspace) and put the feelers out. My wife found all sorts of Japanese people who live around here by doing just that.

I think you need an invite to join Mixi, but your wife is sure to have a friend or a cousin back home who's on it, and if not, just PM me her email address and I'll have my old lady send her an invite.

Good luck.

Thanks Uncle Wally,

I think my wife already has a Mixi account. I know she has found some people but not many near us. I'm sure there are more in the Twin Cities but at the moment we are a ways from there. Still might be a good way to find people to get together with. Thanks again for the info!

Oh, and おめでとございます on the VISA!

[Ev&Saya 0]

Big congratz Uncle Walley!!!!

[Uncle Wally 2]

Thank you, folks.

[Justin and Masako 0]

Hi all,

If my wife went back home for 6 months would that cause any issues with our removal of conditions later?

Thanks,

[Uncle Wally 2]

Hi all,

If my wife went back home for 6 months would that cause any issues with our removal of conditions later?

Thanks,

Hey man,

I don't really know the answer to this, but you should probably try asking this question in one of the more mainstream forums on VJ. The answer is probably common to all countries, so you're certain to get a better response. Only Japan folks really come in here, I think.

Forgive me for making assumptions, but if this is related to your recent post of your wife having some winter blues and craving some Japanese companionship lately, you might want to have her look into the psychology of culture shock. Culture shock is a well-researched psychological phenomenon with several distinct phases, and to be able to read about and relate to some of that stuff might help her realize what she's going through and understand that her current state won't last forever. Going home might be therapeutic, but she might find herself right where she left off in terms of culture shock when she gets back to the US.

[Justin and Masako 0]

Hey man,

I don't really know the answer to this, but you should probably try asking this question in one of the more mainstream forums on VJ. The answer is probably common to all countries, so you're certain to get a better response. Only Japan folks really come in here, I think.

Forgive me for making assumptions, but if this is related to your recent post of your wife having some winter blues and craving some Japanese companionship lately, you might want to have her look into the psychology of culture shock. Culture shock is a well-researched psychological phenomenon with several distinct phases, and to be able to read about and relate to some of that stuff might help her realize what she's going through and understand that her current state won't last forever. Going home might be therapeutic, but she might find herself right where she left off in terms of culture shock when she gets back to the US.

Thanks for the post Uncle Wally. I think you are right about the culture shock. I think I will read up on it a bit.

Thanks for your advice!

[Moto-zutto 0]

What happens if you miss you biometrics appt.? We received a letter saying we missed the appointment and that our case was abandoned. Does this mean she needs to leave the country? help!

[Steve_JP 0]

I'm new to the forum. I have lived in Japan over a year and my wife is Japanese. I'm starting to fill out some paperwork today. This thread is great! Some of my questions have already been answered. Thanks to everybody for their input.

[Melrose Plant 1]

Not to change the subject, but I just wanted to sign in here and thank everyone who's offered me their advice on this thread over the past year.

This week, my wife passed her interview and subsequently got her visa-containing passport back in the mail, so we are finely golden.

She's gonna chill for a minute to say her goodbyes and pack up the rest of her sh!t, then she'll shoot here for the 2nd week in February.

Serious, thanks- you folks are ace.

-The Wallinator

Congratulations to you and your wife, Uncle Wally. Sorry for the late reply. I usually only peek in the Japan thread every once in a while.

[Uncle Wally 2]

Congratulations to you and your wife, Uncle Wally. Sorry for the late reply. I usually only peek in the Japan thread every once in a while.

Cheers! She gets here Wednesday. I'm so stoked!

[Justin and Masako 0]

Cheers! She gets here Wednesday. I'm so stoked!

おめでとございます、Uncle Wally!

What are you going to do to celebrate when she gets here?

[Uncle Wally 2]

Cheers! She gets here Wednesday. I'm so stoked!

おめでとございます、Uncle Wally!

What are you going to do to celebrate when she gets here?

どうも、どうも！

I've got some good old mushy romantic stuff planned. Horse-drawn sleigh ride for two in the hills of southern Vermont next week, and I'm gonna rent a little Cessna and fly us out along the coast, maybe to Block Island, RI for lunch or something when the weather is good. Haven't flown a plane a few months, don't wanna pull a JFK Jr. in those same waters...

Just kicking text messages back and forth with her now, her family drove her to Narita. They got there early, so they're gonna hit up an onsen before her flight in about 5 hours.

I'm f*cking amped, brother!