There's nothing that I can't do

Though I can’t post this just yet, I feel the need to type. As I sit here in front of Gate D-14, awaiting the departure of my 7:15 flight to Houston, I can’t help but notice my complete lack of emotion. I guess airports take it out of you…

I was through security in about 7 minutes, which makes me sad that I didn’t spend more time with my family. They didn’t make my take out my laptop or anything like they mentioned online. Everything was x-rayed and I just moved along. My suitcases, which I was SURE – after not being able to lift them with much ease – would be over the 50lbs limit, were only 39 and 44 pounds. I was quite sure I’d be paying the $50 overweight fee for both, but was so elated when I didn’t have to!! I was even able to bring some of the Japanese books I preferred, but I should’ve packed a hoodie or 2 since I’m ALWAYS cold. I think I’ll walk around the stores here and see if I can’t find one for a reasonable price. I was up all night packing. I didn’t sleep in hopes I catch a bit on the plane…not to mention the whole “I waited till the last 18 hours to pack.” Ugh, and now I’m hungry too. This sucks. I’ll pick this up again later. But for now I shall scout out some food and a potential American pride ‘MARYLAND’ hoodie…gaaaaaaay.

*edit* I’m now in my second hotel in Japan. Sooo many great things happened in such a short amount of time. This is going to be a very long post. The picture below is a pic of my 2 roommates in yukatas in our first hotel, Lily and Keishya!

After I arrived in Houston and had my passport verified at the desk for my flight, I parked my self somewhere between the housewives and a high school boy’s soccer team (in uniforms…drool). With a little over an hour to my layover, I decided to play my ds. While completely engrossed in a game of Tetris, a boy no older than 5 – ds in hand – runs over and plants himself down on lap in order to better see my game. After deciding that he simply MUST play it, he takes it from my hand, and replaces it with his own ds. Not knowing exactly how to react, I decided to just settle down with a nice game of…pokemon. I was actually pretty moved by the entire experience. For a small boy, so naïve about everything, to run up to a stranger like that…well, it was stupid, but it also made me feel like there is hope for this world yet. What astounded me more was the fact that the mom did nothing but smile. Maybe she sensed I had no intentions of harming her child, or more so that I was happy with his presence. But she made no move to retrieve her child until it was time to board the plane.

My next pleasant surprise, came after I boarded the plane. My neighbor, after getting settled, turned to me and said “hello, my name is Jae. And this is my daughter Christine. It’s very nice to meet you.” After introducing myself in Japanese, I was told they were Korean. Haha, and then I amazed them with ‘The most amazing ‘annyonghaseyo’ she’s ever heard from an American.’ Haha, I was pretty excited about that. The flight went well. I didn’t sleep much, but I didn’t study either, since I was so tired from packing without sleeping. When I arrived, I was greeted by friendly staff, and the program coordinator who looks about 20 years younger than I expected him to be. He’s a really funny guy!

After we got to our hotel near the airport, a group of us headed back to get some dinner. The group I was with was soo great. We cut up a lot and have a great time.

With the whole program finally here, it makes it hard to talk to everyone, and cliques are already forming. Seeing as I’m not one to be ‘cliquey’ with people I hardly know, it proves difficult for me. But I find that conversation still comes easy, so I suppose that’s good.

Orientation is a very long, very interesting and important process. I feel like no amount of information is really going to prepare me, but it’s getting me one step closer. Last night, after dinner with out Peer Assistants, we chilled in another student’s room, drank a bit and watched about half of Love Actually, until we were all ready to collapse. After I retuned to my room, I turned on the television to enjoy a couple more commercials that would inevitably give me nightmares, but received a pleasant surprise. What was on my tele?? A music show! Who was on said music show…MUCC! I even took pictures and video – yes, of my television – because I was SOOO excited to be watching my favorite band on tv, IN JAPAN!

I was also able to watch Yamapi’s new medical drama. It was horrible. Very pretty people, but I gotta say, if I was dying in a hospital, I’d pray to God that THEY weren’t the doctors working on me, haha!

Today, after a bit more orientation, we were able to walk around the town surrounding campus. It’s a beautiful place! It’s very…aged, haha, but still, it’s so pretty.

And we ate at great mom & pop restaurant! The students on campus are all very eager to meet all the JSP students, but probably just because they’ll have a chance to practice their English. But the ones I have met have spoken Japanese and repeated themselves in English if I looked puzzled. It seems, as of now, I was be joining a dance club. More info to come later, if that develops.

Tomorrow I meet my new family. I’m absolutely terrified, but I’m going to try my best! I hope everyone back home is doing well! I'll end with a bit more pictures. (You should be able to click on them for a larger image. If not, sorry)

My college!

One of the professors
Some pretty chill ladies. (All black people on this trip are mixed with SOMETHING. Here we have a black/white/indian, black/polack, and a black/jew...pretty sweet, huh??)
KATIE! Batman wants you to READ!
Press the buttons on the shelves to separate them. Excellent space saver.
HAHAHAHAHAHAHA! 'Nuff said!
Japan is a very convenient place. Here, you can purchase your groceries, and your beer and sake!
Japanese American Idol...I just liked his fro
It's actually night time in this picture. The whole sky was lit up by lightning. It's a scary, but also very pretty late at night.
A pretty house outside of my hotel room
This building on campus had marble floors! :)
On the left is another professor...on the right is the program coordinator. It's hard for me to take him seriously sometimes, not only because he's hilarious, but because he looks younger than me...
Obentou lunch...strange variety of food. I wonder if this is a common one??
View from the 5th floor of the building I'll be spending a lot of time in.
I was just trying to get a picture of the map behind the attractive man laying on the couch. To the top right of the attractive man lying on the couch, you can see Towson has been added! :)
I think these are probably the prettiest bathrooms you will ever see in a college
Strip mall. I played Taiko there tonight, and set a record for the highest score on the #1 most popular song in the game right now...and I had never played it before! hehe :) And we did purikura as well
My Aquarius is safely straped in and ready for the ride
Taken while on the bus on the way to the college
For the Bros back at home!
School sports uniforms (I only date baseball players...and I only see movies about cats)

Melon soda OWNS me

Couldn't wait to leave, but now I hate to go

Soo, yesterday I picked up the TIU student who is spending a year at Towson. We've been talking on facebook for a bit, and I'm glad we have been. I don't know how well I did, but I tried to get him settled in, make sure he knew where everything was, and meet some friends until other people get on campus.
Picked him up from BWI, took him to Towson to check in, but after realizing he had like NOTHING for his dorm yet, we had him stay at our place. After pizza, beer and video games, we passed out for some early shopping. Hit up Walmart for essentials, then off to the mall to walk around a bit, then walked around campus for a VERY QUICK tour of the camps. He says Towson is 10+ times bigger than TIU campus, so I hope he gets around well. I had him meet Bob and Sarah, and I think as long as both sides try, they could become really good friends. I know they'll take good care of him, like they did with me over the years. Though, I feel kinda bad, cuz I kinda forced both parties into the relationship...cuz I'm a horrible person. Haha, I worry too much. Sadly, after getting his phone set up and his room a bit organized (meaning, getting the bed set up so he can crash) I had to leave him. I'm really glad we met. He's a great person, and I hope he'll remember me when he returns to Japan so we can maybe meet up again sometime in the future. After all was said and done, I returned home to go shopping with mom for some other essentials. My trip is just 3 days away. Tomorrow, I head to Hershey Park with my mom, a friend of her's, her son, and SARAH. From there, it's a day of errands and packing, HOPEFULLY a hair cut...and without sleep, I'll head to the airport at 4am. After seeing Mitsuru handle America, I feel like I may be able to do this...maybe.

Mom, Sarah, Bob, Laura, Katie -- What am I going to do without you guys?!

sidenote...

Writing letters in Japanese...really, REALLY not my forte.

Losing all control

I have just under 6 days remaining in this country. I've finally begun packing, and it all became too real. I'm taking a break to watch some stupid movie with my brother, because well, it may be the last time in a LONG time we'll be able to do this. From here, I can see the gifts for my family, let's see what I got: Godiva hot chocolate mix, Tea bags (assorted: raspberry and cherry blossom etc) in a pretty little bag from Washington DC, glass coasters with cherry blossoms and 'washington dc' on it, Old bay crab cake kits, Old Bay seasoning, Seasonall, and saltwater taffy.

I still feel like there's SOOOO much to do, but it's really just a bunch of little things. Planning for a semester abroad seems easy, but planning for a year seems near impossible. I plan to have my parents send me stuff over the year, but whether they use my money or their own, I imagine it would get pretty pricey. But then again, winter clothes are so heavy and big, they take up too much space in the suitcase and weight too much. I'm thinking of just buying a coat and carrying it with me onto the plane...idunno, there's too much to think about. For now, I shall get to my dentist.

Promise I won't forgetcha!

Sooo, one thing I can tell you about the Visa process - when you return to pick up your Visa, do NOT forget the receipt they supplied you when you left. It IS possible to leave with your Visa if you don't have the receipt, but I promise you it is NOT worth the battle. And I know, because I forgot mine. I simply had to mail it in later, but they were none too nice about it.

So with my plane ticket and Visa in hand, my preparations for Japan are complete. All that's left, is packing. Everyday, something new comes to mind that I will need. I've said it many times, I don't think I'll ever be fully ready for this trip. I leave in just 2 weeks, and once I'm gone, there's really no turning back. I don't have much to say right now. My August is pretty busy. Last weekend was my going away party. Good food, fun with friends, hangout time with the family, tons of fun. This past weekend was Otkaon, that kind of speaks for itself. Posted a bunch of facebook picture of that. This weekend is Katie's going away party. I'm heading there early to help her cook and make sushi, then we're going to IBIZA for some dancing. Our final latenight fling, if you will. The following weekend, I'll be picking up a student who will be studying at Towson from the airport, and spending the day showing him around Towson and taking him shopping for some things he may need for his dorm. Then, just 3 days later, I'm off. *sigh* God, help me.Hey! It's me as Trucy Wright. 成歩堂 みぬき!,