FIRST PERSON
We spent the afternoon in our air-conditioned hotel room, drinking approximately three gallons of water and feasting on chilled onigiri( rice balls stuffed with tuna, avocado and other fillings) and sushi, with cooling, fruit-studded jellies for dessert. We’ d try again tomorrow.
The endless Tokyo skyline.
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Over decades of hard work, integrity and unmatched customer care, Deslandes Construction has built a reputation for quality. Family owned and operated, we pride ourselves on building collaborative relationships and maintaining uncompromising standards for excellence in materials and workmanship.
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SEPTEMBER 20
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NOVEMBER 8 LUCKY MF’ R TOUR
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AS OUR TRIP DREW TO A CLOSE, I HAD an epiphany.
For ten days, Alex wove their way through Tokyo and Kyoto like a native, consulting maps and reading Japanese to guide us through the cities. They found an amazing, super-fresh food market in Kyoto and a soup dumpling restaurant tucked inside the third floor of a department store. I often let them lead the way, because the kanji characters they knew so well looked like hieroglyphics to me.
If they could make their way through the Tokyo Metro— which has twelve lines and 6.5 million passengers A DAY— they could surely handle the quaintness of Boston’ s four subway lines.
They were ready to make their way in the world— I just needed to let go and trust that my baby bird would do just fine outside the nest.
THAT WAS TWO YEARS AGO. ALEX IS now entering their junior year. They have a great group of friends at school. They’ ve made the Dean’ s List each semester. And they’ re thinking about studying abroad this spring. They’ re not sure where, but they’ re leaning toward Hong Kong.( I’ m hyperventilating about this but keeping a brave face. The nervous momma instinct never really goes away, does it?)
Wherever Alex lands, they’ ll be just fine. And I’ ll have their back every step of the way, even if it’ s from halfway across the world. 🆁
38 RHODE ISLAND MONTHLY I AUGUST 2025