I can see all of your worried faces now and read your distressed thoughts and worries surrounding whether or not I made it safely to Japan, the land of sushi and anime. Well to put an end to all of your worries, I am here safe and sound in Ageo after much trial and tribulation thus far. I departed San Francisco on the eve of August 16th and flew via Philippine Airlines to Tokyo via Manila. Honestly, the safety video shown by that airline made me laugh hysterically.
Oh man. The sheer comedy of it all. So when I landed in Tokyo I was excited and nervous. People instantly showed off the kindness for which they are known. I showed an airport employee at the immigration line my passport and he saw my work visa and escorted me kindly to the "Priority and Business Line." Awesome. I felt SO V.I.P. After getting through the airport the next step was to get on a train up to Sendai in the north of Japan. Doing so with 5 bags was no easy task alone. And yet, with all of the automatic help offered by the Japanese, I felt so far from alone. At one point, I dropped my bag down an escalator and a man ran after it instinctually, then grabbed it and waited for me at the bottom where he handed it to me and bowed before continuing on his way.
Honestly, the kindness that the Japanese exhibited to me on that first day alone made me feel completely welcome. Everyone bowed at me non-stop, and apologized frequently for their poor English which also made me feel guilty for being the ignorant American who couldn't speak to them in their own language.
Much more to come of course...
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