at long last

I received the call from my Mom and Dad yesterday, which informed me that The Papers are on their way. For the past month, we have been waiting for banking information to arrive from Japan, and it finally disembarked the slow boat to California. With no further ado, I may officially submit my application for a Japanese visa.

Japanese banks are a thing which would send any red-blooded American screaming for the hills. Additionally, every fee and inconvenience an American bank levies upon its customers (which are ridiculous by all standards) pales in comparison to the rigamaroll and hoops which must be jumped through in the Land of the Rising Sun. However, despite their bizarre hours and bizarre-er fees (all ATM transactions garner a fee; weekend ATM usage costs more!), the quaintness and the respectful business style of a Japanese bank is still preferable to dealing with the riff-raff at your average American bank.

On his last visit home to Japan, my father set in motion the process of retrieving copies of bank statements for my visa application. To begin with, he called his Japanese bank and requested an appointment. A few days later, at his scheduled time, he went to said bank, took a number, and sat down. All of this may seem archaic in a country where we pop by the ATM a few times a week, or use our cards a few times a day; however, Japan is still a cash-based economy, and most people go to their bank closer to once a month. When it was his turn, my dad was given the undivided attention of an actual banker, who sat with him, discussed his needs, and the best way to accomplish them.

It will take some getting used to when I arrive in the country, but Japan's banking style reminds me sweetly of my maternal grandfather, who worked for the now defunct Bank Cal: he took the bus to work each day in a suit and tie, and he took his duties very seriously. It hearkens back to a bygone era when banking was a real business, not the flim-flam it is today, entirely set-up with the goal of bilking its customers. Once I move to Japan, I have great plans for getting dressed up at the beginning of each month, taking the train to my new bank, and doing my business in town like the good old days.

Out of my imagination and back into the land of reality, my dad settled his business in Japan, came home to the Americas, and waited. When the Japanese bank finished the requisite paperwork and fulfilled his requests, the information was sent to his family home in Japan. When it arrived, it was put into a new envelope and forwarded to the U.S., just over one month later.

That is where we are now.

I'm taking this moment to update the blog because—despite the stress of knowing I must send in my visa application and about 12 more pounds of paperwork—filling all this stuff out and comprehending how long it will take if anything is forgotten or mistaken is even more stressful. So, I suppose I am procrastinating. Then again, I haven't made a blog post in a while, so let us not say Scout is shirking her duties, but simply getting to them in a more roundabout sort of way.

In the mean time, I await my envelope from California. When that arrives in a few days, I will attach the banking info to Jarrett's and my visa applications, send it to Japan, and await the decision with baited breath.