大変と長い飛行
6,310 miles and 13 hours and 7 minutes later, I finally made it to Japan! And I’m beyond exhausted! It still doesn’t feel real that I’m actually in a different country, but I’m sure once I finally sleep, the excitement will settle in. After all, today was a very emotional day. Saying good bye to my mother, friends, and all my family was extremely difficult. I cried all the way through TSA, and on my connecting flight to Detroit. While I don’t regret my decision to study abroad and I’m very excited for the upcoming opportunities, I truly wish I could have shared them side-by-side with my family. I wanted to put them in my suitcases and take them with me haha. During the flight, I was able to utilize Delta’s free internet to text my mom and best friend throughout, which made me feel better and less anxious. And everyone at the airport loved the purple aesthetic I had matching my outfit with my suitcases.
While the flight was long, it didn’t feel long? I downloaded all these shows and movies and didn’t even watch them. What was strange to me at first was that the flight served dinner early around 3 PM (EST). I realized though, they were going off of Japan’s time zone to try to help us adjust and not feel as jet lagged. At 8 PM (9 AM JST) they served coffee and breakfast, and I literally was not in the mood. I just wanted to sleep, but because I was so uncomfortable in my seat, I maybe took a cat nap at best. My neck still hurt T^T but it probably would’ve been worse if my friend Alaina didn’t gift me with the comfy neck pillow.
日本で初めての時
My first impression of Japan after being here for 6 or 7 hours, it doesn’t feel that much different from Los Angeles except that most people don’t speak English. Tokyo to me gives off semi-chill vibe, but this could also be due to the fact that I arrived in the late afternoon. By the time I got to my hotel, it was dark out and the city had quieted down. I’m just excited to be here lol. I look like such a tourist gawking at everything. I owe a lot of thanks to Mr. Yamada, a friend of one of my sorority sisters. If he hadn’t picked me up from the airport and helped me get on the bus to my hotel, I’d still be at the airport probably crying.
The one thing that’s thrown me off so far (other than the language) are the bathroom toilets. Why do they have so many freaking buttons?? Food is also surprisingly cheap. I had ramen (I know cliche) and a melon soda (which was amazing) for dinner, and it only came out to 880¥ or about $5.60. My brain most definitely was not working though, so when the waitress asked me how I wanted my noodles, I just pointed to what I saw on the menu.
The time difference is also getting to me. I’m so used to calling and texting my mom whenever, but now, there is a 13 hour time difference. They day is over for me, but it’s just starting for her back at home. It will take some time getting used to, but it won’t stop me from spamming her phone until she sees it when she can.
I know this won’t be the first culture shock to me, so be prepared to hear about more things that I learn over my time in Japan! On April 9th I move into the dorms at Tsuda, and I look forward to meeting my Big Sisters and making new friends!
Gakusei Travels 
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