1 post from 2007

Sarah's Story(妻:サラのストーリー)
Gaku and I first met on January 10th, 2007, through an online dating website.  We soon began chatting online with each other every day, and saw each other by using our webcameras.  We had talked about meeting each other in person many times, so in April, I purchased a plane ticket for May 30th, and I would leave Japan on June 14th.  I thought that I would be nervous flying alone, over the ocean, and to a different country, but surprisingly I was very relaxed!  When I met Gaku at the Narita Airport, it felt like a dream. 
From the airport we went to the hotel room in Asao-ku, Kanagawa prefecture.  The hotel room was less than a 10 minute walk from Gaku's apartment.  He took some days off from work, so we had a busy schedule! (By Sarah)

Gaku's Story(夫:Gakuのストーリー)
2007年1月10日に、私たちは、海外の某出会系サイトであいました。
ファーストコンタクトは、サラからの簡単なメッセージだったと思います。
（あんまりよく覚えていません。(^_^; ） この手のサイトは、いたずらメッセージが、多いので、あまり、真剣に捉えていませんでしたが、サラのプロフィールをみると、トトロと一緒に写っている写真でしたので、日本のアニメに興味がある子なのかなぁーぐらいの印象でした。そのあと、メッセンジャーを通してほぼ毎日、やりとりをしました。その後、大きく関係が展開したのは、6月下旬にサラが日本に一人で2週間の旅程で、私に会いにやって来たときでした。正直、その度胸に驚き、自分が初めて、一人で海外へ1ケ月ほどネパールに旅行したときの気持ちと重なり、自分にとって大きな存在になりつつありました。(By Gaku)

June 1st

Sarah's Story(サラのストーリー)
We went to Inokashira Park and the Shizen Bunka Park in Mitaka.  And afterwards we went to Ghibli's Museum. 
That afternoon we visited Asakusa.(By Sarah)

Gaku's Story(ガクのストーリー)
サラが、ジブリ美術館は行きたいとのことだったので行きました。これは、サラは楽しんだ様子でしたが、一方、
外国人向け観光地の定番の浅草はイマイチの様子でした。(By Gaku)

 

June 2nd
Sarah's Story(サラのストーリー)
In the morning we went to Ikuta Rose Garden in Tama, Kawasaki. 
Later in the afternoon we went to the Sunshine 60 Observatory and the Sunshine City Aquarium. 
That evening we went back to the observatory to see the city at night-time.(By Sarah)

Gaku's Story(ガクのストーリー)
最寄の駅から一駅の生田バラ園に行ってきました。
その後、池袋のサンシャイン60で、プラネタリューム、水族館、夜景と、普通にデートしました。(By Gaku)

June 3rd
Sarah's Story(サラのストーリー)
We traveled to Kamakura and visited the Hase-Dera Temple and the Great Buddha of Kamakura (Daibutsu).(by Sarah)

Gaku's Story(ガクのストーリー)
私の母校があることもあり、鎌倉に行きましたが、サラには、イマイチで、ただ疲れただけの様子。。。(^_^; (by Gaku)

June 7th
Sarah's Story(サラのストーリー)
We traveled to Urayasu, Chiba and spent the day at the Tokyo Disney Resort.(By Sarah)

Gaku's Story(ガクのストーリー)
まー定番ですよね。。。東京ディズニーランド行ってきました。こともあろーに。会社をズル休みをして。。。(By Gaku)

 

 

 

June 9th
Sarah's Story(サラのストーリー)
We spent the day in Yokohama.  We rode on the Cosmo Clock 21 Ferris Wheel in the afternoon, and then we went on the Marine Rouge Cruise. 
Later we went back to the ferris wheel to ride again at night, and we finished the day by going on the Starlight Cocktail Cruise.(By Sarah)

Gaku's Story(ガクのストーリー)
自分が横浜出身ってこともあって、とりあえず、横浜行ってきました。２週間の日本滞在で、サラいわく、一番よかったのが、横浜のクルージングとのことでした。(By Gaku)

 

 

 

 

 

 

June 10th
Sarah's Story(サラのストーリー)
We visited his parents and his sister in Kanazawa-ku, Kanagawa for lunch.  It was nervous meeting them, and of course I couldn't talk with them much, but they were really nice. 
After spending a couple of hours at his parents' house, we went to Yokohama Hakkeijima Sea Paradise.
Late that night we went to the Torikoe Jinjya Night Festival.

Gaku's Story(ガクのストーリー)
サラが自分の両親＆姉とご対面。お互い驚いてました。そのあと、シーパラ行って、鳥越神社の夜祭行ってきました。祭りは、サラには不評の様子でした。(By Gaku)

June 13th
We browsed through some of the stores on Takeshita Street in Harajuku, and then we went to the Tokyo Tower.
That evening in Kanagawa, Gaku asked if I wanted to come back to Japan again in the fall and stay longer.
And if everything worked out well between us, we decided that we would get married.

 

June 14th
It was difficult to leave Gaku in Japan, but I knew that fall would come soon.
1 week after arriving back in Pennsylvania, I already bought the next ticket back to Japan for November 16th.

During the 5 month period, Gaku and I continued to chat and we discussed our future plans.
In September, Gaku moved to a bigger apartment in Chiba.
And before I knew it, it was already November and I started packing my suitcases again. 

November 17th
I arrived at the Narita Airport once more, and Gaku was waiting with a big smile.
We were excited to see each other again.
We were already certain that we wanted to marry each other, and we had decided that December 12th would be a good day.

November 23rd - 25th
We decided to travel to Kyoto over the weekend.  We went to a few temples.  Tofuku-ji Temple, Fushimi Inari Taisha, Ryouan-ji Temple, and Kinkaku-ji Temple.
We stayed at The Westin Hotel in Osaka.  So at night we spent some time in Osaka.  We went to the Umeda Sky Building and the HEP FIVE Ferris Wheel.
On November 24th we went on the Hozugawa Kudari River-boat ride. 
And on November 25th we went to the Kyoto Tower.(By Sarah)

映画の「SAYURI」の舞台になった伏見稲荷大社に行ってきました。これは、サラのリクエストだったので、是非、行きたかったところです。その他は、紅葉の季節のだったので、どこも混みすぎ。。。(By Gaku)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

December 1st - 2nd
December 1st was my 20th Birthday, so Gaku wanted to visit Yokohama again over the weekend.
We looked around Yokohama Chinatown and we rode on the Cosmo Clock 21 Ferris Wheel again.
We took our baggage to our hotel room at the Yokohama Royal Park Hotel.
Later that evening Gaku took me on the Royal Wing Cruise, and he surprised me with the private dining room!
After the cruise I assumed that we would go back to the hotel, but Gaku surprised me again when he said that we were going on a helicopter cruise!
It certainly was an exciting birthday!

 

 

 

December 12th
We went to the city government building to sign the marriage papers.  It took awhile for everything to be finished.  Maybe things were complicated with a foreign marriage.

December 16th
On December 15th, Gaku called a chapel in Shinjuku to set up a date for our wedding ceremony.  And here they had an opening on the 16th and said that we could go.
It was really spur of the moment!
So on December 16th, at "Chapel Bless Us All", we had our wedding with just the two of us, and it turned out really nice.

December 19th
We went to the Immigrations Building in Tokyo to apply for the Spouse Visa.  We handed in all of the paperwork, and they said it might take 1 - 2 months before it is ready.
Surprisingly on December 28th it was already finished!  We were shocked that it only took 10 days.
So now we just have to go back to the Immigrations building to pick it up.