We're here!!!

After 13 hours of flying, waiting for train passes and reservations, taking 2 more hours of trains, we finally arrived at our youth hostel. Here are some thoughts from a couple of J-trippers (this is time number two, as the blogging app i was using kept crashing). We'll see if a few more can blog tomorrow on our first shinkansen ride!

Our first day in Japan was amazing even though it wasn't much of a day. Our flight arrived around 4:50 and we didn't get to the youth hostel until around 9:30. In between we traveled on two different trains and did a little bit of walking in between. So far my experience of Japan has been limited to brief glimpses through train windows, the view from our room, and the chance to see people interacting within a vastly different culture than our own. This experience, although brief, has gotten me extremely excited for the rest of the trip. But it is late now and I have a long day ahead of me tomorrow. また あした!
-Gabe C.

Ever since we landed, I've noticed a tapestry of advertisements covering the walls. The trains and the people all have their own schedule. It was impressive to see the amounts of people that walked from corridor to corridor at Shinjuku station. As Stu pointed out, "there's so many different lifestyles within the culture and you can see them by the way people are dressed" it's amazing!!! The onigiri we had for dinner was delicious!!!
-Gustavo A.

The trip so far is amazing. I didn't really feel like I was in Japan until the group left the airport. It is awesome to see words, actually know some of the characters, and de-code words through prior knowledge. I can't wait to actually dive into the culture tomorrow!
-Andrew T.

It's incredible how much vocabulary you can learn while watching a man in a fish costume leap across a pool of foam on wooden logs. I caught myself glued to my screen on the excruciatingly long flight to Narita. Yes, the reality shows are bizarre. Yes, the international customs department has a cartoon dog for a mascot, but there is nothing like finally having the opportunity to interact with Japanese people in real life scenarios we've been rehearsing for three to four years. It felt so surreal to say my first "arigatou gozaimasu" in Japan. I can't wait to wake up and start my adventures in the land of the rising sun.
- Stu Sufrin, 11.11.11

At the airport before security

At the airport before departure

On the 13 hour flight (at the start)

On the train (that felt like a train)

おやすみなさい oyasuminasai (good night)