When I Grow Up
I recently just spent a whole bunch of time talking to Alysse and looking at the AEON website. Although I don't think either of us are anything but acquiantances (as I don't think we've ever just hung out by ourselves...), I was really grateful to her.
I have ALWAYS wanted to go to Japan at some point and not when I already have a family being built. I want a family, don't get me wrong, but I know that if I do this it should be before I start having kids so their won't be some much anxiety about leaving my kids and worrying too much about them etc etc.
SO this is my plan. Around the 1.5yr mark out west here I'll apply to AEON. They say you should do it 2-6 months before you'd actually want to go. I could plan things out with my folks so that my insurance gets paid, plus I'll probably have to move everything back home since I don't want to be paying double rent... I'll discuss this with them at Christmas since there's plenty of time. Though I may wait until after the two years. Really, a lot depends on how the job out here is going, where Joe and I are in our relationship, and what I can reasonably afford. :)
However this goes, I know that I want to do this. After helping Eura out two summers ago, I really came to want it. And now that I know I can reasonably live by myself pretty well, I feel more confident in the idea of leaving for an even stranger culture than the north west. XD