The Life-changing Adventure Begins...

Day 1!

 The feeling of anxiety and excitement flourished me as I put my suitcases in the trunk of the uber that would take me to Honolulu Airport. I still could not believe I was actually on my way to the place I have been dreaming about my whole life. I was full of curiosities, a few worries, and ambitions for a life changing and experience. Little did I know that the next 12 days of adventure would make such a permanent imprint on me.

The Plane Ride

As all the participants and chaperones loaded the plane our seating assignments had been spaced out among the plane. Never have I been embarking on a trip to a country with a whole group of people that I did not know. For some people this may be overwhelming, however, nothing was more exciting. I remember constantly wondering about how the others on this trip were feeling right at this moment.

I knew the plane ride would be around a little over 8 hours, this did not bother me as much as the looping headache I had as soon as I got comfortable in my seat. Even still, sitting on this plane made me realize how long I have been hoping and dreaming of this moment ever since kindergarten when I entered my first Japanese class.

One thing I was happy about was the total of 5 hours of sleep I got on the plane considering the 2 hours of sleep I got the night before because of last minute packing and over excitement that made me restless. I woke up on the plane with 3 hours left feeling refreshed. The rest of the ride consisted of me still awaiting the adventure that lay before me.

When we landed at Narita Airport in Chiba Prefecture I  had to let it sink in that I was actually in Japan which was still a big deal for me. The group picked up our carry on luggage and put on our coats, boots, and winter accessories for we were leaving 80-degree weather into 35- 40-degree weather with light precipitation.

We met up with our program coordinator who greeted us to Japan with high spirits and a smiling face. She led us to our bus where we would be taken to our first hotel.

On the bus ride to Tokyo, I felt a sense of belonging, friendship, and family. I listened to my Japan playlist that I set months before the trip. I tried to take in the night views of Japan that I have only seen in magazines and google search images, it felt so surreal.

When we arrived at the Dai-Ichi Hotel Ryogoku I realized how Japan was everything I imagined and more. There was no place I'd rather be in that moment and it seemed like it lasted forever.

• We settled down and took our luggage to our rooms. When I walked in the room was pitch black. In japan to conserve energy for the lights to come on you must stick the key card in the slot next to the door.

On our way to dinner...

The weather was brisk yet refreshing, the time was around 7:30 pm, as the dark night sky became more apparent, rain drops and smoke coming from my mouth contrasted the humid, warm nights in Hawaii.

As we walked down the semi-lit alleys, faces of contentment of Japanese bike riders became more focused when they came closer as the rain droplets on my glasses slightly blurred my vision. The further we walked to our destination, the sound of J-POP and slot machines sounds became louder as we approached. Neon signs of popular anime characters filled my sight. The casinos (Pachinko) we passed were filled with Japanese businessmen with their eyes glued to the screen.

We walked into the restaurant and tobacco smoke, welcoming voices, and the aroma of Japanese food wrapped in my nose. The colors of red, white, with a light tan wood finish and friendly waiters and waitresses, made me excited for dinner.

As I entered the reserved seating area we were advised to remove our shoes and put them in cute lockers. We sat down with the food already prepared for us to eat. The food was good and colorful!

After dinner, Matt, Shawn, Paige, and I decided to go exploring. Tokyo at night was quieter than I expected.
 We found a small and cozy Italian restaurant after about an hour of trying to find our way around the city with lots of trial and error.
A sweet woman welcomed us into the restaurant and put up my umbrella.
I was the designated translator for the group that night and everything was perfect. We all relaxed to nostalgic 90's and early 2000s music in the background which was hilarious. We all laughed and had a great time.

We walked back...
 When I returned to my room I took a great shower in an awesome bathroom with heated toilets and temperature controlled shower!
Also, when the windows fog up, the mirrors have a function where one area serves and a vanity and does not fog. Our room came with comfy pajamas (a great touch).
And Minna  ( my roommate from China) made me a cup of green tea :).

End of Day One!