2 Month Check-In

We landed in Tokyo 2 months ago today, so it seems like an appropriate time to reflect on how we are doing so far. Hard to believe we are 25% done with our trip (at least the pre-bar-mitzvah part), but also hard to believe that we get 6 more months of this!!!

The Good:

Food - we are doing much better on the food front than expected. Kids have become (most days) good eaters who rarely balk at a menu. I'm pretty sure they have each dropped a couple pounds (um, not me), but for the most part, they will eat most of what is put in front of them. We try to be reasonable about what they get, and they are rewarded with "American" food often, but this is one area where we are doing well.

Accommodations - we have been really fortunate here. So far, we have stayed in at least one of the following overnight: apartments, hotels, villas, trains, airplanes, youth hostels, guest houses, and a lodge. Our smallest place (Tokyo) was one room, and at most 225 square feet, while our largest (Lovina, Bali) was a 3bedroom/2bath villa with private infinity pool and 2 chefs. Just as an FYI - the one in Tokyo was only $15 cheaper/night.

Budget - we are incredibly budget conscious most of the time.  We decided on a budget before we left, and so far, have stuck to it well.  Clearly this is easier in most of Asia than it will be in most of Europe, but I'm proud of how all of us have worked together to make choices about food, activities, and accommodations that allow us to see and do what we want, without breaking the bank.  The one area that is more expensive than we expected is transportation between cities - we now understand why slow travel is cheaper than quick travel!

Learning/Conversations - I'm really proud of all of us in this category.  We talk a lot with the kids about how this is life for a year, not a vacation, which means that we visit more history museums, etc than we might do if we were just visiting for fun. They are starting to make connections and learn that history and the relationships between countries is complex. Through the way different events in history are discussed, they are seeing first-hand how each country views pivotal events in their own context (i.e. the Chinese museums use words such as "semi-colonized" in order not to lose face).  We also try to talk a lot about culture in each place - a little about current events (we aren't as good about that, but are improving) so the kids understand customs, etc in a more cultural context (i.e. they just - yesterday! - announced a change in the 1-child policy here in China). Brian and I have read more books so far on this trip than probably in the past year!

Independence - I'm a fan of the "Free Range Kids" movement and this trip has provided great opportunities to let the kids develop confidence and independence. They are now experts at pretty much every Asian subway system. The three of them wandered around both Tokyo and Beijing alone for about 30 minutes one day. Today, we let Jacob and Luke leave us on an island near Hong Kong and find their way back to our apartment by running the trail to the ferry ahead of us (ok, so we made the same ferry that they did, but we didn't talk to them or sit on the same level), walking to the MTR (subway), taking the subway, and then walking back to our apartment. They made it about 20 minutes before the three of us. I'm confident that I could drop them off in most cities in Asia, and they could find their way to where they are supposed to be. To me, that is huge.

The Medium:

Schoolwork -  this is a tough one. The kids are doing work, although obviously not nearly as much as they would do if they were home. They do a good amount of Math weekly, write in their journals daily, read daily, and have to do a blog post/week.  The boys also have to practice Hebrew for their upcoming bar mitzvah.  While I'd say we are improving (we try to dedicate a couple of hours most mornings to "school"), we have a ways to go.  There is still lots of grumbling about the work they do have to do, but I'm trying to remember it would be no different at home!  After reading some of their writing, however, grammar books are on their way...

Alone Time - We are not a quiet bunch. We are sharing very small spaces for extended periods of time. We are pretty much together 24/7. Brian and I have started leaving them in the apartment/hotel/etc to go out and grab some dinner and have a conversation that isn't interrupted with "what? what did you say?" but we aren't always that fortunate. We have had a couple nice date nights, though.

Travel Planning - this is harder to judge. We often don't know where we are staying in a few nights (believe me, you get used to it), and often don't even know what city we are headed to next, but we have chosen places well, and have adjusted to the joy of spontaneity. I loved that we could extend our stay in Beijing with no worries, and that we found a place in Shanghai about 18 hours before arrival.  But it also keeps me up at night...

The Really-Not-So-Impressive:

Our Patience - Here is what I have learned about my kids: they are both 10x more cool/impressive and 10x more annoying than I realized.  There is a reason kids and parents don't usually spent 24/7 together. We get way angrier than we should much more quickly than we should, but we are working on it. We have threatened to "end this trip" more times than I'd like to admit.  We have all thrown our share of tantrums.  But we make up, and each day starts on a positive note.  And not that he would have wanted to before, but any chance that Brian would want to be a full-time, stay-at-home-dad is gone!