My opinion only- you write a marketing plan/business plan/military strategy. All the components to moving are the same.

1) Analysis

2) Strategy

3) Plan

4) Tactics

5) Measure

All good plans are dependent upon a comprehensive analysis of the terrain, market conditions and of the indigenous inhabitants. Therefore, my research starts with maps, guide books, subway maps, internet searches and a list of all the likes and dislikes of offspring 1, offspring 2 and spouse. This phase is critical in order for navigation upon deployment. As an example, in Japan, an address looks like this:

1-12-3 Roppongi Hills

Minotu-ku, Tokyo, 005-0052 Japan

In the US, the 1-12-3 Roppongi Hills refers to a street address, the Minotu Ku the town, Tokyo the city, Japan the country. Here, however, this address gets you nowhere close to where this location might actually be…. The 1 refers to the ward within Tokyo in which this particular place is located. The 12 refers to the city block on which it is located and the 3 refers to the building number. None of these numbers are on a map nor are they on a building. This makes it virtually impossible to find anything by the address. Instead, all businesses, business cards etc have a map which identifies exactly where the establishment is located.

Strategy:  What is your strategy for what you want to accomplish? I have a short term strategy and a long term strategy. Short term: For me- brainwashing kids into loving Japan. Forget the US. Strategy is simple and straightforward- immersion in all things Japanese that are FUN. Elimination of all things that are cultural and educational. I’ll leave that for the school to handle. Long term: We actually have to get moved in to an apartment. Our long term lease starts Sept 7th. I have no strategy for that. I’ll wing it.

Plan: I’ve always fallen down on the plan part. It’s why I was a weak marketer and a strong sales guy. I went straight to the tactics. I always got a good bonus- so why should I bother with a plan here?

Tactics: Teach the kids how to ride the subway by themselves. Visit Yomuirland, Tokyo Disney, Indoor Snowboarding Park- Snovu, Eat at every hole in the wall noodle place we can find, teach the kids that every time we have success it’s a good day.

Measure: I must model patience and humor to the kids. I am illiterate in Japan. I can’t look up the words in a dictionary because I can’t read the characters. The words sound like one long sentence. Every task is daunting. Where is the grocery store and what is in it? The kids watch my every move to see how I react. I smile and laugh when I feel like crying so they know it’s ok, we are safe, we are a family, Japan is made of families, we will learn and we will settle in. Damn it. We will never be hungry again. Oh I got carried away sorry…