Interruption.

I interrupt this already-stalled posting of my journals from last summer's trip to Japan to announce the following:

Thanks to my wonderful friend of many many years, Kiwi, and a spontaneous writing prompt while I was stuck at work last week, I've finally figured out how to end my novel!

Now to write the rest of it so I can write this ending! At least I made detailed note of it, so I won't forget... thanks so much, Kiwi my dear. <3

Japan Journals: Parts 10 through 12 of 35.

6/3/2008
9:00 a.m. - why are we awake?

Sensei told us all this morning at breakfast that she knew we'd be up at 5am, even though we swore we'd sleep in. Now I'm exhausted again! Jet lag is intense.

We're getting ready to go to orientation, and then go shopping in Tenri. For breakfast we had rice with fish seasoning, pickled daikon, miso soup with mussels, and green tea. I'm... eating cookies and a bottle of water from Chicago now.



6/3/2008
12:05 p.m. - pickled plums

Had lunch of rice, yama-something (a veggie from the mountains), and Japanese tuna salad. Pickled plums are gross, and a Japanese guy called me cute.



6/3/2008
10:14 p.m. - on the floor again

It's just about bedtime--gotta get up at six for breakfast, and class starts at eight. Today was AMAZING. After orientation and lunch, we went to the Tenrikyo church sanctuary, which was huge and fantastic. After a long tour there, two great guys from Tenri University named Kosuke and Yuffy took us all around Tenri. Bookstores, the shopping arcade, real Japanese ramen, the whole shebang.

Yuffy loved One Piece and took me to a 7-11, where I got volume fifty. But the best part was when Myra, Dr. Hughes, some guy (Cameron?) and I went to a karaoke bar with Kosuke and Yuffy. I drank melon ramune and sang Yes, Summerdays and Don't Stop Believin' and I had a BLAST. But now it's curfew, so...

Japan Journals: Parts 6 through 9 of 35.

6/2/2008
no idea - the sky somewhere?

I honestly don't think this flight will ever end. I do realize that we have passed the international date line, and are currently near Siberia, but I feel as though Japan is still half a world away--although it is more or less five hours away. Perhaps an extended version of Lord of the Rings away?

We were given chocolate recently, so that took the edge off of the nerves and boredom for a while.

Emy's letter--and those from Seirith, Nihon, and Mauri--were so lovely. The thought and emotion put into them was absolutely touching.



-Then a page of doodles. One is of a border collie. One is of wings. One is of Sylvyrr. At the bottom of the page it says, "I like my guava melon pirate-flavored!" which was a terrible inside joke from the trip.-



6/2/2008
does anybody really know what time it is? - let love linger over Tokyo

Tokyo is out the window! No more big blue wet thing full of evil Final Fantasy monsters! My feet are swollen and I nearly puked--my valium wore off near Sapporo--but we've got less than an hour to go till we land in Osaka! I can't believe I actually FLEW to JAPAN. Me! Seriously!

I guess we'll go get our luggage and head through customs, change our money, use the last western toilets for weeks, and take a two hour bus ride to Tenri. I'll welcome a bus after this!

I listened to one Piece music a lot... "We Are" was a great way to celebrate being over Japan. And somewhere about halfway through, about seven of us stood in a nook on the plane for like... forty-five minutes.

Time to go!



6/2/2008
6:25 p.m. Japan time - Joy Full

Well, this place looks like a Denny's with menus in kanji. I think I managed to order tempura and rice with water! Everything is so JAPANESE here. We're going to Tenri after this... well, we're in Tenri city, but we're heading to the dorm soon. Oh, one plus five equals strawberries!



6/3/2008
5:24 a.m. Japan time - the floor

Jet lag is a weird thing. I'm still really tired after seven hours of sleep, but I can't sleep anymore. I had totally planned to get up at nine, and I woke up at five instead. I guess I'll go get breakfast down in the kitchen and then try to get a couple more hours.

Sleeping on a futon on the tatami floor isn't so bad, but I think tomorrow night, I'll put down two mats. Also, I need to buy a western pillow in town today, because I'm apparently allergic to these buckwheat ones.

Last night I bathed in public for the first time. Well, a bunch of the girls on the trip--myself included--went and stood fully-clothed awkwardly in the undressing room while naked Japanese women laughed at us. I was the second gaijin (foreigner) to get the nerve to do it! I took my glasses off, so it was easier to pretend no one else could see well either.

Guess I'll go see about some rice and pickles for breakfast.

Japan Journals: Parts 2 through 5 of 35.

6/1/2008
8:55 a.m. CST - en route to California

This plane is huge! I've never been on one this big before. They gave us pillows and blankets, and there's even supposed to be a movie, but I don't know when. I'm so tense that my legs already ache, but I'm sitting beside a really nice woman from CA who says international flights are super comfortable. We'll see, if we make it to our next plane on time--we only have like half an hour. I dunno if we can make it but I guess we'll have to try! Eek! Don't want to get laid over in California...



6/1/2008
11:00 a.m. CST - above the Rockies

There's a TV in flight, and I just went past Discovery and saw Emy's beloved "the world is just awesome" ad... made me cry. It's just so beautiful and perfect.

I think I'llw atch The Spiderwick Chronicles and prepare to run from gate 85 to 93 in thirty minutes. But... we won't get there for another hour and forty-five... this flight is SO BORING!



6/1/2008
it's 5 o'clock somewhere - Cape Disappointment

Hey you guys!

Eye c da riva!

Actually it's the Pacific Ocean, but it is all blue, anyway! We really did just fly over a place called Cap Disappointment, according to the map in the TV in front of me.

But! As the song says, "I'm on my way, I've got a plan, I'm making my way any way that I can!"

P.S. They call this plane's kitchen a galley and its people its crew members.

So, for my meal, I got a meatloaf with mashed potatoes and corn... and green tea. Pretty awesome.



6/1/2008 - 6/2/2008
when am I? - International Date Line

I'm about to go into the future, whoo!! yeah, I'm also about to go insane with cabin fever, but I'm not complaining--this flight's going really smoothly. I haven't had to use my motion sick patches, which is a HUGE deal for me; I've had some more valium, but it's about to wear off and I don't think I'll need another. We'll be in Osaka in about five hours, i think... oh, happy birthday Lucci. Oh, Japanese Spiderwick dub. Hogsqueal says "ja" like Kaku.

Japan Journals: Part 1 of 35.

Been a while since posting here again, hasn't it? Well, what better place than to finally post my journal entries from my trip to Japan that ended, in fact, one year ago today? I have never shared these with the internet, or even typed them, until now. Here's hoping anybody reading this enjoys. :)

First, a short set-up so this will all make sense in context:
I was in Japan for five weeks from the first of June to July third last summer. I went as part of a study abroad trip; we spent time in Tenri, Tokyo, Nara, and Kyoto, as well as a week of homestay--mine was in little place called Sakurai. I have never had such an amazing experience in my life. Twenty-six students, three teachers, and me--mortally terrified of airplanes. What a trip. :)

Now, on to the journal entries!



First page: stickers given to me by my youngest host sister.
The opening says:
"Nihon ni ikimashou! (Let's go to Japan!)
My Japan Trip
June 1, 2008 ~ July 3, 2008"

6/1/2008
6:20 a.m. EST - the sky to Chicago

I can't believe I actually got on the plane. between my nerves and my mother worrying it was a pretty difficult step, but thankfully, Toki (note: my boyfriend's nickname) was there to see me on board. His flight to Rhode Island leaves later today. In my mind, this is just a bus and the turbulence is only potholes in the road. I am really scared, but I've got valium and gingerale, so maybe I'll be okay, yeah? I'm sitting next to Dr. Beahan, the history prof from MSU, and she's really calm, so it's helping.

We flew off into the sunrise when we left thi smorning. It was, as a guy in front of my pointed out, a perfect way to start a trip to the land of the rising sun.

This part of the flight is only about an hour, so I guess it's a good warm-up for what lies ahead. I've always wante to go to California, but I gotta say, these are frightening circumstances for doing so.

Wow, a half hour went by pretty quickly--maybe this flying thing isn't so bad? Or maybe valium's just really good!

Getting a little motion sick from all these "potholes," so tata for now~