Ta-da! I am here in Gotō five airports and three plane rides later (in total from Seattle to Gotō). It is absolutely incredible how much has happened since I set foot in Japan and it is baffling to contemplate what the future will bring. Without care I will quickly descend into rambling, chattering meaninglessly about superfluous details. Let me see if I can compose myself and bring you all up to speed. Due to the sheer amount of events that transpired since my arrival, this post will focus exclusively on Tokyo.
I arrived at Narita International Airport last Sunday and was greeted and instructed on what to do immediately upon arrival. I believe there were as many JET volunteers and helpers as actual JETs! Customs was a breeze in large part because there were so many other JETs that the process was streamlined. I grabbed my luggage and boarded a bus to the Keio Plaza Hotel in Shinjuku, Tokyo. This would be 'home' for the next few days for orientation. It was a quality hotel too--the only thing missing was a red carpet!
I arrived at the hotel around 5:30pm. No events were planned that night thankfully. I wasn't tired though because I slept a bit on the plane. The journey was about 9.5 hours and I think I got around five hours sleep. I showered washing the journey off of me and met up with friends!
Sunday evening was a mini-AIU reunion! AIU or Akita International University was where I studied back in fall 2012 for a semester; it was my first time in Japan. While only a semester or perhaps BECAUSE it was a semester, I forged friendships four years ago that are important to who I am today. I posted this picture on Facebook a few days ago with the words "I waited four years for this moment" and it is by no means an exaggeration. My only regret is that this picture and Sunday's memories does not include more of my friends.
It was a late night filled with good company, delicious food, and cold beer. My meal consisted of kara age (deep fried chicken), takoyaki (fried octopus), and bird lung? I honestly don't remember the last one in part because my friend experienced difficulties translating it. It was good; the texture was curious (pictured below)! One thing that is cool about Japanese dining is that everyone typically eats communally. Depending on the group size, every person orders a dish and shares it with others. I theorize that contributes to the overall healthiness of the Japanese people: the portion sizes are smaller and more manageable as opposed to the American practice of ordering an oversized meal. I returned home around 11ish (oops) and figured I could descend into a lovely, blissful sleep. Fortune or misfortune dictated otherwise: JETs shared rooms with two other JETs and one of my new roommates is by far the loudest snorer I have ever heard. Needless to say it made for a restless night that had me up around 5am or 6am (I think I awoke even before that but just laid there in sadness). As breakfast wasn't served until 7am, I promptly woke up and hit the fitness center. It was a decent workout. I knew I would be in meetings all day so I had to do something for my restlessness. I never knew I had it in me to be an early riser.
I met up with my friend Brian for breakfast (also an AIU student); he will be teaching at SEVEN schools in Fukushima City, Fukushima Prefecture. He and I went to all the meetings and meals together, shared laughs, and made the most of orientation. It helped seeing a familiar face in a situation that felt like the first days of school!
After a day full of meetings, Monday evening was highlighted by a reception for all the JETs. I enjoyed it because I met some other JETs who will be teaching in Nagasaki, the city closest to me on the larger island of Kyushu. Nagasaki is the "big city" for me. I'm hoping to make it there at least once a month especially since I know some people living there. Sometime in August there is a Nagasaki JET prefectural orientation and there is also a party scheduled for October (the three absolutes of life: death, taxes, and orientation). No doubt I could use Airbnb while visiting Nagasaki for a weekend but I would prefer to bum off a friend.
Tuesday was another day of meetings but it felt easier than Monday. I respect CLAIR, the contracting organization responsible for settling JETs, for organizing such a thorough and efficient orientation. I certainly feel more prepared than when I left the U.S. I know what is expected of me, what I hope to accomplish, etc. I enjoyed listening to many of the presentations: they were well-prepared, encouraged questions, and spoke honestly and plainly. With all that being said orientation was tiring. I think the jet lag and time difference hit me harder than I anticipated. It's a dilemma: CLAIR can't shorten it because they have material that MUST be covered. Adding a third day could drive everyone crazy, make it harder for hotel staff, and increase CLAIR's operating expenses. [Shrug] I am thankful for the information I learned, but am grateful to no longer be living out of a suitcase!
Tuesday evening I again met up with some friends for dinner. I risked Tokyo's subways in an attempt to meet up with them in their neighborhood. While I did make it to the right district, it was predictably the wrong neighborhood. I know. I am hopeless. What did I do? I approached some Japanese salarymen who were done with work and asked for their help. My Japanese was terrible but I confidently made the effort; I am also grateful that the gentlemen were so helpful and accommodating. I expected them to give me simple instructions; instead they functioned as an escort! This is no isolated case for me either. The Japanese are incredibly kind and if you have some grasp of the language, they will try to meet you more than halfway. I wish I could buy those guys a beer.
So after being reunited with my friends Kasumi and Guillaume we ate okonomiyaki, which is easily my favorite Japanese dish. I call it Japanese pancakes: it's a mix of flour, water, eggs, and whatever you want. People tend to use cabbage, corn, and whatever meat you prefer topped with seaweed, fish flakes, mayonnaise, and okonomiyaki sauce (a sweeter steak sauce). We then went back to their place, had a few drinks, talked for awhile listening to lovely jazz music, and fell asleep. Kasumi was kind enough to escort me back to the hotel where I showered, ate breakfast, donned a suit once again, and set a course for Gotō!
The Nagasaki JETs and I rode a bus to Haneda Airport. From there we took a 1.5 hour flight to Nagasaki. Compared to my previous trips this was a breeze. I slept most of the way there. At Nagasaki Dan, my senpai and mentor, met me and a new Gotō ALT there. We grabbed a quick lunch from a convenient store and then boarded a plane to Gotō, which took only twenty minutes! We rose, flew for a bit, and then quickly descended. My window was next to the wheel so it was difficult to see the island approaching but I took a decent picture.
My next chapter will concern my arrival in Gotō and everything that has transpired since then! I am so behind but will get caught up shortly!
