Made it.

Warning: This is long.

So yeah….I finally made it to Japan. Only took me about 18 hours! Ha. This was my plane ride experience: first, I flew out of LAX on Malaysian Airlines to Taipei. It was a red eye so I left at 1:40 am. It was kind of swanky, the stewardesses wore kimono type dresses and the stewards wore tuxedos. LUCKILY it was kind of empty, so I had a lot of room to myself. I ended up ordering a Bloody Mary with my meal (whatever international flight drinks are free after all) and passed out for about 8 hours. Woke up and kind of freaked out because my knees hurt (I was in an awkward position) and thought my blood was clotting. Haha. I had heard and read about that happening on long flights, so cue the paranoia. I had a connecting flight from Taipei to Fukuoka and already knew I only had an hour and a half layover, which isn’t very much time in an international, foreign airport, so I started worrying when I saw my flight was scheduled to land later than expected, giving me only about an hour to make my second flight. Since I had no idea where to go, I spent the remainder of the flight deeply concentrating on it. I had a “I am definitely not in the US anymore” moment when they made an announcement that if you are transporting illegal narcotics, you will get the death penalty.

So we landed, I grabbed my heavy carry ons and booked it. Asked the first person I saw where to go, luckily she gave me legitimate directions, and I took a shuttle to the terminal that my flight was at and then went through security AGAIN. However, this was like the never ending airport. I shouldn’t have worried about my blood clotting so much considering I got plenty of circulation during my “workout.” Every time there would be a sign with my gate number on it and an arrow, I would turn the corner and see the longest hallway ever. Speed walk down that, turn the corner, longest hallway ever (repeat about 7 times NOT EXAGERATING) and FINALLY I made it to my gate. However, I already knew I had to get my boarding pass there (couldn’t get one when I checked in at LAX) and was already pushing time (they were announcing people on my flight to head to the gate for boarding) and looked around and realized there was no desk to give me a boarding pass. Immediately I FREAKED out because I was exhausted, sweaty, and remembered before going through security there had been a “connecting flight” desk for my airline but for different gates, and was like PLEASE TELL ME I WASN’T SUPPOSED TO GET A PASS BACK THERE! (all those hallways away + security). Then I looked around the corner and realized my gate was 2 storied and downstairs was the desk. Got my boarding pass and just made it on.

Now about this flight-I was already incredibly stressed out because of what I described above and when I walked on the stewardess said “I’m sorry ma’am but your luggage is too heavy and it is not safe, I will need to store it in cargo.” Except with her accent I thought she said something about Chicago so I freaked and then when she clarified I still freaked because I was afraid it would get lost and that I would have to pay a fee and literally almost burst into tears at this point. But she assured me it would be fine and not cost me anything so I calmed down a bit and realized the bright side-I wouldn’t have to lug it around the airport before baggage claim! It was only about an hour and a half long. I did not get an aisle seat and was inbetween two businessmen. I was the only foreigner on the plane. Yes, it really hit me then that I am now a foreigner, and have in the few hours I have been here developed a paranoia of offending people. The flight was hilarious as it was completely Hello Kitty themed. They even played this Disneylandish music with Hello Kitty cartoon creatures dancing on the screens during take off and landing. I spent the entire time feeling like a disgusting barbarian as I was sweaty and gross and figured I was offending the businessmen next to me. I also have a slight cough and was trying not to as I did not have a mask like everyone else who was sick. I had to keep borrowing one of the businessmen’s pens to fill out my foreigner form, and felt like I was bothering him. It was interesting. Needless to say, it felt amazing getting off that plane and realizing I was finally in Japan! Waited in a long long long line for immigration. Some Japanese women kept smiling at me, so I smiled back. They smiled more. I smiled more. It got a little awkward and I began wondering what they were smiling about. Then one leaned in and said “You are so beautiful!” and I said “Thank you!” (thinking uhhhhh I have never felt more disgusting in my life) and then as the line moved on I recalled a Japanese culture “lesson” I reviewed from a flyer my company sent me monthly about how in their culture they do not usually accept compliments as a means of humbling oneself. So I began to wonder if I offended her by thanking her for her compliment? By then my brain was frazzled.

Made it though immigration. Made it through baggage claim. Made it through customs. Was picked up immediately by my trainer. Had my excess baggage shipped to my school, took the subway to the hotel. Took the longest shower EVER. It is nice I get my own room. Small but nice. Might I add my toilet seat has a heater?? Haha! Met up with one of my co-trainees from Australia who will be working only about 15 min from me so that works out nicely. He worked for JET for 3 years before so his Japanese is much better than mine (nonexistent basically) so it was helpful having him there as we explored the city and got food, etc. And now I am taking a nap. I know this was long. Hopefully I can tone down the details for later entries so you all don’t get too bored with me =).