It's hard to believe another year has passed, and even more amazing is how much one year can really change everything. As you may recall, or if you speak to me on a semi-regular basis, year one was rough. I was missing my friends, my career, and the comforts of the states.

Then, something just...happened. Suddenly everything didn't seem so bad. In fact, everything seemed amazing. Here I am, young, able-bodied, actually living in a foreign country, and what I am doing about it? Nothing. Starting last August, I decided to make this year count. To see everything, truly see it, and allow myself to get lost in my surroundings.

Explore.

And explore I did. I found likeminded people, as willing and eager to travel as I was. At the end of August, I traveled to Bali with a good friend. We had a blast taking in the local culture, petting the monkeys in the Monkey Forest, and day drinking at the beach. 

When we returned, Mark and I spent a lot of time on the water. When your house isn't air conditioned, you might as well just be outside.

And as the summer cooled off, and fall started, my parents arrived. We got to show them a bit of our world as the leaves slowly started to change color and reveal the most beautiful season in Japan. 

After they left, the festival season was pretty much over. Though I did get to face my fears and catch a salmon with my bare hands at the Rokkasho Salmon Festival. 

Since Mark was gone for Thanksgiving, I spent it with friends.

To celebrate his return, we spent Christmas in Tokyo. It was our first official visit, and our virgin Robot Cafe venture.

Since winter was in full swing by that point, we spent pretty much every weekend on the slopes.

Before Mark left on deployment, we had one last hoorah in Thailand, the coolest country I never even thought I would want to visit. 

And pretty soon spring came in hot and heavy, with more flower festivals than you can even count.

In May, my baby brother came to visit, so I met him in Tokyo.

After spending a few days in the city, I took him up North and used it as an opportunity to go all the places I hadn't been yet. 

Just when things seemed like they were about to slow down, I traveled to Cambodia.

And on a whim, we added Vietnam to the trip.

Thankfully, I got back to Japan for 4th of July. We celebrated with chu his, fireworks, and camping in Fukaura.

And before I knew it, year two was over, with my heart and my passport more full than the previous year. Cheers to year two, bigger and better than year one. Here's to hoping year three, the final year, can keep up!