1. He prefers drinking mugi cha (cold barley tea) over water or milk.
2. When we go to a pizza buffet, he picks curry rice.
3. When we go to a "Western" restaurant, he picks curry rice.
4. He can say his colors in two languages, and he replies based on what language you use to ask him.
5. He doesn't question why Curious George speaks English on our computer but Japanese on tv.
6. When I tell him we're having friends over, he asks what language they speak.
7. He corrects his grandparents' Japanese pronunciation (both those in the US and those in Japan)!
8. He draws "maps," complete with local train tracks, express train tracks, our house, and America.
9. He is completely baffled by the fact that America doesn't have bullet trains.
10. Upon completing a puzzle of the USA, he asks where Japan is.
11. Upon completing a puzze of Japan, he asks where the US is.
12. He knows our train station and bus stop, but when we ask him where home is, all he says is "I don't know!"
We pray that his life is enriched by the experiences we have as a family here and by the unique joys of growing up overseas. We are thankful to see him thriving here and making friends. But just in case the challenges of belonging everywhere but nowhere at the same time get to be too much, maybe we should start saving for counseling...
Happy birthday, little buddy!