[Nao]

Housetek - Thanks for the reply. It looks like doing that would cost me about the same as doing this, really. If I use the company I found, It's $35 for the first week and $2 for every day after that. Free incoming calls, $0.90/min outgoing to US on peak hours and $0.45/min outgoing to US on off-hours. Local rates for local calls. $10 to have the phone shipped to me, $10 to have it shipped back.

35 + (2*21) = $77 + $20 for shipping = $97

Total cost = $97 + Calls. I won't be making many if any calls, so it won't cost much more than that $97. Skype in might be a decent idea still though, so it doesn't cost my family & friends up the arse, even if we do have a VOIP service for our normal phone. If I were planning to go to Japan very frequently, I'd use your method most likely - but, I don't have the money to go frequently.

MMM - Thanks again.

The chances that I'd be called home by my family are incredibly slim. Knowing my mother, she'd probably only call me home if there was a death or serious injury in the family. She's pretty cool about most things - if I portrayed her as ridiculously overprotective that's my fault -- while she is protective, she understands and doesn't meddle with my having any fun. She's the kind of mother most people say "Man, I wish I had a mom like that" about. Not too liberal with things but liberal enough for the situation to be comfortable.

While I do want a vacation and to get out of here for a while, you're assuming it's on a more strained or extreme level than it is. I just want some R&R independently is all. Keeping contact with my family (not just my mother, mind you) does not encroach on that. I'm a little strange - I've never had the "oh my god my family is ruining my life" or "I hate you, you never let me do what I want to do" stage, and never will. I simply look at the situation and see what needs to be done - and in this case, with my family in the state that it is in, I need to be able to maintain contact with them. While I appreciate your comments concerning the situation, they are going just a tad bit far (which is fine, I don't mind). It's not as if I'm going to be receiving calls day in and day out, it's not as if they are going to last long per call, and it's not as if it's going to spoil my fun at all. I'm not the type of person that such a thing even bothers. It doesn't bother me in the slightest.

As for concerns that it'll hinder my ability to 'be alone' or 'fend for myself', not to worry. I know very well that no matter what form of contact I may or may not have with my family, I'm still very alone over there. I'll be managing myself, out of my own funds, at my own discretion. If I get myself into trouble, there's not going to be anyone to bail me out except for myself; and believe me, I don't want to get too personal with this as it's a touchy subject with some, but I'm familiar with the act of bailing myself out of trouble.

anrakushi - Thanks for the reply.

I'm not going to have an especially large amount of contact with my family either. Just a call every day or three, and them having the ability to reach me in case of emergency. Won't hinder me any.

As far as the insurance issue goes, thanks for your take on the subject. My feelings on it are relatively the same - I don't want to get stuck over there with a large bill if I have an injury or my baggage is stolen or whatnot.

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Anyhow thanks for the input folks. I'll be around here still for any further posts, so keep them coming if you can. If you're sick of me already, feel free to ignore the thread. ;D

-Nao