Ben the Japanese American

Not only arrived, but unpacked, slept, woke up, and sent Maki off to work.

Well, yesterday was a LONG day. I

• Was picked up by Sean (thanks Sean!) at 7am to get to the airport.
• Took my flight at 12:40pm
• Flew 12 hours in the center seat (2 people on either side), never getting up :'(
• Arrived at the airport. Took 3.5 hours to
• Go through immigration
  • Gather my bags from baggage claim
  • Go through customs
  • Use the airport shipping service to send my bike box to our apartment here
  • Get a train ticket
  • Take the train!!
  • Transfer trains
  • Get off the train and
  • LUG MY DAMN HEAVY STUFF BACK HERE :(

I stayed here about 2 hours (unpacked, showered, and ate). Then I got BACK on the subway (10 minute walk + 35 minute subway ride) in order to go pick up Maki from work. Then we travelled back on the subway back here. :|

[end whining]

My bike box arrived this afternoon while I was in the shower. I had to wrap myself in a towel and answer the door. Fortunately the bike box was already soaked from the rain outside. So when I grabbed it and dripped all my shower-water on it, it made no difference.

Today Maki and I "slept in." Actually I got up at 9am to buy shampoo and some other things, but :| apparently Japanese stores open at 10am? Even the bakery was closed :(

So, everything is great. Of course, I am happy to see Maki. I missed her. It's great to be able to relax to be here. Things will be different this time--we will have to get used to treating each day as another day our our lives, rather than one of only a precious few days that we'll see each other. It's a nice thought--things should be more 'natural', but it's to stay home and work on what I need to do, while she walks to the subway for work alone.

There will be adjustment periods for everything. Adjusting to being in Japan. Adjusting to being with Maki. Adjusting to studying Japanese, and making time for other studies.

Well, that's enough for now. No jet lag, apartment is clean, and I'm all unpacked. I'll be building my bike, then I'll be researching some things online. I must say, it feels nice to have concrete daily goals. Well, I have them. Wish me luck!

I'll post a new photo soon--I gotta find the camera battery charger. Take care all!

Many, many, many thoughts. It's 5:17am, I just woke up 25 minutes ago. MANY thoughts.

NONE of which were "being hungry." Although... now that I am up and packing (5:30am now), ... :$ (silence...)

Well... I guess there's no time for much thought. I'm going to be busy packing the last details, emailing the last couple of people about technical details, and then talking with Maki. I should be prepared for her when she gets home (5:30am PST=10:30pm JST; she arrives home @ 11pm JST).

I will do my best to keep a Japanese-text blog. That is hard work, but I think it fits perfectly with my goals. I'll either post both version here, or I'll open a new Japanese version blog.

So, I will leave you for now with the thought that I woke up with, and which has stuck with me this morning.

Asakusa	Odaiba	Daibutsu (Kamakura)
This is our beginning, middle, and ... latest. I like the thought to know where you came from, where you were, and where you're going. I have added a photo to the side. I will keep it updated with two photos--"my" latest photo (things I find interesting), and "our" latest photo--the last picture of us (well, at least, the last picture of us that was "allowed" to be posted)

9:40pm PST... got home. Fun dinner. Thank you all... (refusing to list names; avoiding discussion of "who came first." What a group :| )

Speaking in sentence fragments. Too tired to complete. Roll over onto floor. Just a few minutes...

SeanOC is coming to pick me up early tomorrow morning. All I need to do is pack the very minimum remaining items. Everything is taken care of. I can move to my new life whole-heartedly. I can give everything I have. I am hopeful.

Here is a picture of Maki and I. It is probably my favorite. This was taken on my first visit to Tokyo. November 2002.