A New Mom In A New Country: A Japan Survival Kit For Mom

Today marks only 20 days until my brave Mother makes her journey over seas to be with Justin and I when our little one is born. I give my Mom major props for coming considering I know how much anxiety she has about flying and being in new places. So, I have decided to give her some suggestions that may make her trip more enjoyable.

1. Wear comfortable clothes on your way over. She will have a very long travel day ahead of her. Here is her itinerary:
Minneapolis to Newark, New Jersey Airport- 2 hrs 40 min
Newark to Narita Airport outside of Tokyo- 14 hrs
Train from Narita to Tokyo Station- 1 hr
Train from Tokyo Station to Hachinohe- 3 Hours

Total travel time (including being at the airport the recommended 2 hrs ahead of time) = 22 Hours and 40 Minutes UFFDA!!

2. Travel light, travel right! Since she will be going straight from airplane to train, she won't want to bring too much luggage to carry around from train to train with.

3. Bring Slippers. Before stepping foot in the door of the birth center you must take off your shoes and put on slippers that they provide for you. However, since I will be staying there for about 4-7 days she may want to bring her own to cruise around the center in to feel more at home.

4. Chop Sticks. She may want to grab a pair from the local Japanese restaurant and start practicing up! Or at least keep a fork in her pocket when we go to eat out.

5. Earth Quakes. It seems that experiencing at least one while she is here may be a right of passage in Japan. No worries, the big kahuna has passed, and they don't predict anything like that to happen in our lifetime, so these are very small.

6. Be open minded. The food is very different, however very delicious as well. Don't be scared to try something unusual or out of your comfort zone.

7. Be respectful and bow. The ultimate form of respect in Japan. A way to say thank you or to greet some one.

8. Loud Noises. The Japanese are big fans of sensory stimulation. They love bright colors, bright lights, and lots of noise. This can be very overwhelming at first, but after awhile you don't even notice it.

9. Pedestrians don't always have the right-of-way. They will not stop for you to cross the road unless you are clearly in a crosswalk that is green, but even then most people run across to not to disturb the traffic. So, if you are to cross the street that doesn't have a crosswalk...LOOK OUT!