First thoughts

7 April 2009

Well, I have been in Japan for just over 36 hours. What a pain in the ass the trip was! My flight out of JFK to Tokyo was delayed, which in turn made me miss my connecting flight to Nagoya. The service at the airport was incredible, though. There was an announcement on the plane telling me to see an agent when I disembarked. She was waiting for me just inside the airport, and she gave me a new itenerary. I went through immigration and customs just fine, and then at Nirita airport in Tokyo figured out how to buy a phone card and make a call to Nagoya U. and tell them I was going to be late. Later a very nice young woman from San Diego, in town visiting family, helped me figure out how to make an international call so I could let Dave know I was OK--I hope he spread the word, because I don’t have phone or internet yet.

So--that’s when the fun started. I didn’t know I was supposed to pick up my luggage at Nirita and then go thru customs again with it. The agent ran around a bit and talked to some people on the phone, and got my luggage onto the flight with me. I figured I wouldn’t be seeing it that night. The flight from Tokyo to Nagoya was a JAL flight, not an American Airlines flight. The flight boarded on time, but then taxied around on the runway for 45 minutes! I fell asleep, and every time I woke up, I thought we were in the air. I would look out the window and see that we were not, and it got later and later. We finally took off at around 6:45, and we landed in Nagoya an hour later. I was one of the last people off the plane, then had to get through customs again, and claim my baggage. Finally I got out into the airport, a little before 9 p.m.....and no Nagoya student.

I walked around a little bit with my luggage, and then decided to ask an information person. (insert stuff about how cute their uniforms are, and all the other ways they helped) She paged the airport, and then I heard another announcement telling me to go to an information station. The student had left a message with the phone number of Ikido-sensei, who said for me to stay there, the student had given up. The student got off the train, got on the airport bound one again, got me, and we dragged my luggage onto the train and the subway, and then the short walk from the subway to the school. She and her friend Amy insisted on carrying the huge bag (50 lbs.) the last block and into the building--it took two of them to do it. It was so funny--two little Asian women struggling with the bag! I felt bad, but I had been carrying it a long way and was pretty tired. They insisted.

This morning I unpacked and went to the campus to check in with the International Students Center. They were very relieved to see me. Although it wasn’t my fault, I felt bad about worrying them. On my way back to the dorm I stopped at a Lawson’s and got some sushi and a really yummy little cup of pudding, my first meal in Japan. Then I slept the rest of the day--really weird, kind of fitful sleep, though.

This evening the international students and Japanese students from ACE met downstairs and all trooped down to a cafe for dinner. There were about 40 of us. It was nice--there are more Americans than I thought there would be, and a couple of Aussies. Also represented are Uzbakistan, Indonesia, Germany, Thailand, Taiwan, Korea and Canada. Now I’m writing this. The room is indeed 12m2--not 12x12, as advertised. That must have been a typo, because this room is BITTY. it’s a long rectangle, probably 6x2 meters, with a very tiny bathroom (about the size of yours, Amanda). But it is very clean and cozy, with a nice little balcony. (see pictures). I want the closet set in my own room! There is so much storage, in such a little area. (Dave, when you are here you should take measurements and try to copy this. it’s really something!)

I am wishing I could call my family and friends tonight--soon I will have internet access and will be able to do that from the dorm room at night.