I have arrived in Japan. The plane flights went well as usual. I still have yet to experience any of the horrible food, delays, sicknesses that many people talk about. That trans-pacific flight is really a magic one, though. As soon as the plane leaves American soil, everyone is on international terms. The flight attendants are multilingual, the food is a mix of Japanese and American cuisine, and the passengers are very diverse. However, even that transition flight did not prepare me for my arrival in Japan.
At first, everything seems very different in Japan. I guess that this is a fairly common feeling. I thought I would be well-prepared for any culture shock. Sure, I have been to Japan before. I have traveled to a number of places. However, I wasn't really ready for the change. Maybe it was the rush before leaving or not studying Japanese this summer, but I just felt a little shocked when I arrived.
People really do drive on the left side of the road here. Japanese people really speak Japanese. Tokyo really is crowded. I really am a foreigner here. Do I sound like a rookie traveler? Let's just say I have a lot to learn.
I wasn't totally alone in the beginning. A friend met me at the airport and helped me ship my bags to my host family's house. Then we took the subway to another friends house where we spent the night. Today we have been shopping a little and we ate at a Thai restaurant in Shibuya. Tonight we are off to Kyoto. I wonder what surprises await me there.