It Seems Like I'm Posting Twice in a Row... But that other one was from earlier! WAY earlier!

Okay, team - the wait is over. The homestay family has been met. I have seen my room, my bed, and my classrooms. I have even taken my placement test (although I may not have done so well... We'll see!!!)

Most importantly - the homestay family. Yesterday, which was Sunday, May 31st, if you were wondering, I met them at approximately 11:40am. I have a father and a mother - I knew that. Right away, my mother told me that I should call her "Mom," my father "Dad." So there you go. Nice, right? Very familiar. This also means, though, that I don't know my father's actual name, because the paperwork I got only printed my mother's name...

So they took escorted me away from the hotel where we'd met, to the "Rifare Building," my school building, but also where they had parked their car. Now, Japanese cars, so far, are tiny. Like, Mini Cooper sized, AND smaller. Which is adorable to see next to all the HUGE passenger buses. (P.S. They drive on the wrong side of the road here, just like England. Don't worry, though, I never really think I'm in England... ) So I'm expecting to get to this tiny thing that barely fits my admittedly large suitcase. And then we walk up to this HUGE van. Like, huge. Even by U.S. standards, it's semi-gigantic. Can fit at least 8 people, I'd say.

And we get in. Okay. Not so exciting. But I was surprised.

So... Now I have to go visit the Ishikawa Prefectural Government. They're very good to my program - they give us free bus passes, which is awesome because they cost about $200 for two months. Mine is pink and pretty awesome. More later. Gotta pretty up for the government.

First JAPAN Post!

5-30-2009 8:21 JAPAN TIME

Hello friends! I am writing this post by hand, to be typed later... Why? Because I am currently on a JAPANESE AIRPLANE! And, as you may or may not know, Japanese airplanes are similar to American airplanes in that they don't have internet. This Japanese airplane is also similar to American airplanes in that it may have been made in the U.S. It is hard to tell, though.

So anyway. Here I am in Japan. So far, Japan is hot and humid, but also grey.Before it got dark, which it did early, it was cloudy. So so far, (mind you, I haven't left the airport yet...) Japan is grey. Greyer than Seattle!! However, I am determined to be delighted. So I am delighted. Plus, about 5,000 great things have already happened, so that helps.

Number One: Before I got off my boring, American airplane in Tokyo ("Narita"), about four men in full green hospital suits and surgical masks walked through our plane, talking to people, to ensure we were swine-flu-free.

Number Two: At one of 3 customs check points (the first of which was dedicated, yet again, to keeping that pesky swine stuff OUT), the guy asked for my passport, and I said "hai," which is Japanese for "yes." So of course he asks me a question in Japanese (yay!) which I can't understand (not so yay!), and then he had to repeat it for me in English.

Language-related failure count: 1
(But it's early...)

Number Three: Here's where it actually gets awesome. I go to the domestic terminal to re-check my bag, and the woman prints me this TINY ticket - like, half the size of an American plane ticket, AND she puts it in a cute case. Already, Japan is full of wonderful, tiny things. (Yes, see? That's an adorable Japanese ticket, RIGHT NEXT TO AN UGLY, LARGE AMERICAN VERSION!!!)

Number Four: I bought my first item ith yen! I love yen... I spent 150Y on a Royal Milk Tea (yes, the sugary kind of tea, that is totally acceptable here. I think. Anyway in airports it is...), paid with a 1000Y note, and got my change back ALL in COINS! And the 50Y coins have a hole in the middle. Don't worry, I'll bring some back to you as souvenirs.

Number Five: This is the best step yet, just you wait! So I'm looking through the in-flight magazine on my snazzy Japanese airplane, right? Which I can't read, really, because there's too many characters I don't know... But I'm bored, so I'm flipping through, and I get to the last page - it's pictures of all the size of planes that ANA (All Nippon Airlines) flies. Okay, good, good. I glance over it - I'm looking for the plane I'm on, even though I don't really know which one it is... And THEN I see it! In the bottom right-hand corner, where the smallest plane should be, there is instead a picture of a WHALE. Needless to say, I took the magazine.

Even more needless to say? I love Japan.

Here Goes...

Here I go, guys. Today I fly to Japan. Nevermind that I arrive tomorrow, I leave today. Headed into the forefront of time... I will do everything BEFORE YOU DO! It's Friday for you? Been there, done that. It's Saturday for me, suckers!!

Wow. I hope I never say or type that ever again. I'm so sorry. But hey, I'm sort of nervous too, so there you go... Wish me luck!

I know too much

I know too much about the Obama's love of chocolate. Barack loves milk chocolate. Michelle prefers dark. But both are big fans of Fran's Grey Sea Salt caramels.

I also know too much about Fran's. Because Fran is from Seattle, and I, personally, just like the Obamas, love her caramels. (But not with salt on top. Too salty.)

Anyway. Fran's. I know too much. Fran is a woman named Fran Bigelow. She makes chocolate. She is also a woman named Aunt Fran. I know this because I know her nephew, because he was in my class in high school. Once he almost asked me to prom, but then he didn't feel like buying me a corsage. So he didn't. Awkward. I hope he never reads this blog...

SO. Japanese people looove Obama, apparently. Especially the ones from the town of Obama, Japan. So when I get to Japan, and give my homestay family their presents, should I give them the box of milk and dark caramels and say, Barack prefers the milk, but Michelle prefers dark. Is that creepy? Or just informed? Everyone knows Ronald Reagan loved Jelly Beans. Or do they? I'm feeling a little creepy right now.

Inaugural Post

I have yet to leave for Japan. But I will. Hence the blog. This post will be short and sweet, I think, because really, I'm not doing much yet. I'm trying to figure out what to buy for my homestay parents as a gift (Obama's favorite caramels, which happen to be from Seattle, are definitely in.), I'm icing my foot, which was recently mildly injured, and I'm biding my time...

But soon this blog will be full of crazy words I'm learning and exciting things I'm seeing, hopefully in the form of photographs, for all of you, my loyal followers, to enjoy.

I hope you enjoy it.