Fare Thee Well

Like all things living abroad has it's advantages and disadvantages.
Although you get befriend people from all over the world you also, for the most part, have to part with them in a short time.
With that said I would like to bit farewell to:


Tao

Michelle

Wes
Take care and good luck in Shanghai!

In only a few weeks both Rebecca and I will be saying our final good-byes to many a friend and co-worker.
It's strange to think of life outside of this country.
At times it feels like I have always been here... and then again it feels like I'm still trying to find my way.

Either way I look forward to all that lies ahead...


Wonderful Brisbane

Good News Abounds

As my cousin Brian was quick to point out, "It's been a life-affirming weekend."
This of course came right after he informed me of his impending nuptials with long-time girlfriend Lucy.
There was also the addition of Grace Addison Markhardt to the family.
Congratulations to cousin Heather and husband Kyle!

Over here in J-Pan it was a weekend of good-byes as Rebecca and I were out in Osaka saying good-bye to Wes, Tao, and Michelle.
Yaki-niku (beefy table BBQ) and Karaoke were in order. It was a successful night (the rocks stayed in the garden and out of our eyes... I reckon the copious amounts of booze prevented any rocks, stones, and even pebbles from making their way into our sockets).
All three will however be missed. Good luck in Shanghai... hopefully we'll meet again soon.

I shall leave you with some fun pictures from my school's sports day (last Friday).
The first is of one of my favorite first year students. Second one is of a few of my fellow teachers. And the last is of my groups leader and another great student (one with the trophy).

Takahisa

Yuasa V. Suzuki

Champions

Over the next few months

I am leaving Japan.
I am leaving for good. Will I ever be back? Will I ever be allowed?
Who knows and, for right now, who cares.

My focus is on the future.
On August 11th I will be leaving this country for my homeland, the Heartland, Rockford, Illinois.
On September 6th I will be married to Rebecca Tarragano of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
We will be leaving the states on September 22nd for our honeymoon through Europe and Thailand.
It's gonna be mint.

So... as of late I have been wondering about how we are going to travel through Europe... train? Bus? Plane? it's not easy choosing which is cheapest...

So anyways, that's where my mind is as of late.
I know this is a bit boring... but I have to start somewhere.

Somethings never die

Dearest Blogger,
I'm sorry I ever left you.
I hope that in the next few months, possibly years, I can make it up to you.
I did stray. I was unkind. I tried to get into "xanga" and all the others... but in my heart I knew it was you I was meant to be with.
Let's start afresh from today.
Just you and me.
What do you say?

Love,
Danny

I don't understand why blogger has to be such a bitch about our breaking up...but for some reason it is just not wanting to cooperate. For that reason there will be so working link. Although I typed everything properly the first time...even when I tried to fix it I kept getting an "Error" message. Something about not excepting the request...why do we have to make computers talk like humans? Why? Why can't they just stick to simple number and letters that I don't understand. Why do they have to use words referring to rejection and my problems...because when it just throughs that stuff up in my face it makes it so much more personal.
You have no pity blogger...therefore I shall move on to greener pastures. A place where any size picture is published and displayed, without a twenty minute wait. Where my posts are not rejected...and where the interfaces aren't quite as nice, but they do.
The new digs are over at www.xanga.com/DannyBen. Stop by for a beer sometime.

So maybe I can give this thing another try...

There's just something that I don't like about the look of xanga...I really don't have much to say, but would rather just post a lot of different pictures. So here are the ones for this day...
Taken last weekend when my Friend Balic opened his new restaurant. He had a lovely Turkish dancer and plenty of wonderful food to go around!


and let's not forget about the man himself...


all in all it was a great party and I plan on going again in a few weeks for my Birthday...if you or your loved ones are in the area tell 'em to stop by.

Maybe someone will see this...

hit the road Jack...

For those of you who care,
I've given up on wandering ware...
hey, that ryhmes...
anyways, just trying to keep with the times.
So if you wanna keep in touch come over to my place at Xanga.
The address is www.xanga.com/DannyBen...it's easier to post pictures and what not...so yeah, look into it. Please and thank you.
Danny

For my sister and her desktop...

Sarah,
Things are going well. I don't have too much to say. Just wanted to know that I am thinking about you and all those around you. I miss home a lot. I have been thinking a lot about magic waters, food courts, cheap movies and sitting in a large couch wonderng why it is that we don't turn the air on until it is already too hot in the house. I am thinking about cool mornings and the hope that the rest of the day follows suit. Driving with windows down because the air conditioning in the car smells funny. Running around with friends in pursuit of where everyone is meeting up. The lists of chores to do while mom was at work. Day time down pours and lightning storms. Tornado sirens and the subsequent calls to the red apple to see if it was serious. Who needs a weather report when you have a mom to tell you it's alright, but really you need to stop calling me at work. Summer style and aloe vera lotion. Beach towels and secretly wanting to lay out in an attempt to change something about myself the easy way, let nature takes it course...I don't have to run around to get some color, even though it always ended up being a painful red. Cheese fries at the Riggins house and nights spent there...who knows who will show up and who knows what will happen. I miss Dad's grilling perfection and delicious potato salad and the endless tupperware containers of freshly cut fruit in the fridge...all of these things are running through my head as I sit 6,000 miles away in the wetness of Japan. I am happy over here and I would only change a few things if I had half a chance. The future is looking well lit. I don't know about anything for sure, but I am thinking that something good is going to come out of all this.
I look forward a lot. I look forward to the day when money doesn't impend my freedom. I look forward to the day when it won't be a matter of "can I come home?" but instead "I am coming home...". And in my heart I know that this time will come.
As much as it breaks my heart not to be there with all of you this summer, I can sayt that it was an amazing feeling when my whole family united in saying, "we understand". That's family 'eh?! Couldn't tell if you didn't want me or if you truly understood (I think that I'll take the optimists route).
I miss you all and I can't say how proud I am of how far we all have come. Crazy to think that something so screwy as "us" could straighten out this much. It's like driving in snow...and not going completely into the ditch.
I love you and I miss you and I will see you again soon enough.

Love your little brother...