Writing workshop

On Facebook the other day I encountered someone who follows this blog, but didn't know that I write. I've written a few times about writing: here and here and here. But it is probably about time I wrote again about my writing.

Four weeks today I am flying to Hong Kong for a week-long writing workshop run by our mission (OMF International). Actually it is billed as a Book-Writing Workshop. I am not writing or about to start writing a book, but I've been assured that that is okay. That it will be a place to "polish my God-given gift". However, they're not letting me get away with bludging (um, Aussie for "not doing much"). We've been give a number of pre-workshop assignments and pages of reading to do.

When I received the week's schedule the other day I went into mild panic for a short while because on two days they are giving us six hours of straight writing time. No talking allowed. Food will be provided, but it is basically eat as you work. My panic was over what on earth was I going to do with that time as I don't have a project ready to write about. My concern didn't last long. I realised that I do have a number of things on the back burner - stories that I told and retold during our year in Australia that could be turned into magazine articles or meditations. My goal was to get to these eventually, but looks like I'll be doing it sooner rather than later.

The facilities look great. Not at all what I've previously seen of Hong Kong.

I'm really looking forward to this, as hard as it will be to go away only three days after school starts. We're hoping David doesn't have too many after-school things to attend to and that if he does, someone will be found who can fill-in the gap of keeping an eye on our boys.

My tickets are booked. I'm about to venture on my first overseas trip all on my own! On Tuesday we have to pick up our Alien Registration cards. Really - that is how the Japanese translate it. Basically ID cards that foreign residents have to carry with them everywhere outside the house. Once we have those then we have to go to the Immigration Office (about 1.5 hrs drive) to apply for a re-entry visa. If I leave the country without this, then I'll lose my visa and not be able to return! Before I left Australia I truly didn't appreciate the freedom that a resident has within their own country. There are definitely more rules for foreigners.

I've been asked by various people what I am planning to do in Japan aside from being a Mum and wife. My plans included three prongs.

1. Occupational Therapy consulting at CAJ 
2. Assisting with editing the magazine Japan Harvest 
3. Freelance writing. 

Seems like I'm being thrust into working on at least one of these roles even faster than I'd imagined would happen.