Arrival!

After 28 hours, I finally made it back to Japan. I woke up at 3:50 am and headed to MSP to catch my 6:50 am flight to Chicago. I was in for the surprise of learning that my flight to Tokyo was to Narita Airport and the connecting one after that was at Tokyo Handea--across town :) All was pretty normal for travel until I boarded the super-jet to Tokyo Narita. That's the way to fly, tv's in every seat, reclining chairs with foot rests (within reason, there IS another seat in front of you). So for 12 hours I napped, watched Chicago (ah acting class) and a Japanese anime to help warm me up.

After the flight landed everyone had to go through customs which took a very, very long time to someone who needed to be across town in just a few hours. Although I did see something a little unusual, on the escalator a woman caught my eye in front of me because her eyes weren't dark, they were blue. I figured they were just contacts because it does look a little strange but then I saw her little daughter talking to her husband and she had the same blue eyes! That's the first time I've seen that! And all this time I thought Memoirs of a Geisha was just bluffing.

Sayanara Tokyo.

I made it in time for my express bus (30 bucks, boo) even though I tried to get on the 3:00 instead of the 3:10. Oops. Nervous. It was about an hour and ten minutes and thankfully my gate was the first drop off. I bolted inside and after a small panic because the machine wouldn't let me check in, an employee got me through the normal way. And surprisingly my chocolate raisins made it all the way from MN in my carry on... surprise. I had just enough time to laugh at the 7-button Japanese toilets again and buy bottled tea before I scurried onto the last 1:45 plane ride.

My hotel toilet, if you can see the array of magical buttons to press.

Just when I think I'm free my arranged Taxi driver tells me my city is two hours away. Naptime. Sanyo and Onoda must be extremely close and technically I am in Onoda right now. Last night I was greeted by the owner's wife who treate me to a very late dinner (9:30 pm). I will stay in a hotel until Wednesday but this room is pretty cute--it's like a fancy dorm room! Haha, so after two years of being a Community Adviser in a tiny room in a resident hall, I think I can absolutely manage.

My Japanese is a little rusty, but more seems to come back pretty quickly. I'll spend the rest of today observing the other teachers and meeting more staff. Hooray, now off to explore! Maybe not too long though, I did forget how humid Japan was. Tokyo's heat almost punched me in the lungs, I think I will develop gills from the humid air.

Jaa, mata!