Penny Hero (dot) Net

I remember seeing land for the first time in 7 hours and 10 minutes and thinking “wow! It looks the same!” …and then wondering why I thought that with such force and profundity.

But it did. I mean, it looked the same. Did I expect Japan to have like, purple trees or something? Probably not. But it was just so amazing that looking down, I could not have guessed I was 1400 meters above a foreign country. I think I started crying. Maybe not. But my stomach became all bubbily inside.

Seven hours isn’t very long. China Airlines treats coach the way Delta treats first class. (Does anyone know what the heck you are really supposed to do with those little wet towels?) The plane actually felt comfortable… The seats were slightly worn, and cozy, and I though I smelled flowers instead of 409 disinfectant. Even the food was good.

I was entertained for all of the seven hours (minus the ones I spent sleeping) by the fact that all the in flight announcements and services were done in four languages! And I think I understood just as much Mandarin as I did Japanese. (Is this a sign that I’m studying the wrong second language? Or just evidence that Japanese is hard, and Chinese is… relatively not.)

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Before landing, I had been so afraid of getting lost inside Narita airport… but ha. Lost? never. Arrivals from non-Japan locations are of course completely isolated from the rest of the world and herded down hallways, corodors, onto shuttles and through gates until finally they emerge past customs and exit through one of two large sliding steel doors (I swear they were steel) into the Arrival Lobby. Once through those doors, I didn’t have to wait several hours or even 10 minutes. I didn’t have to wander around lugging two suitcases and a computer through the masses all alone. I barely had time to glance over the white ropes separating the arrivals from the rest of Japan when there was Tomo! All the scary tension and worry and what if? crap my brain likes to do disintegrated… and I kind of collapsed on a seat with him and we both just started giggling. And trying to talk. And giggling. (My Japanese sucks.)

I remember looking at the little snack bar across from me with it’s bilingual menu… dumbfounded. I kept looking around, searching for the unfamiliar… It still looked like an airport. I decided I had to go pee. (don’t laugh ok?) And when I saw those famous holes in the floor that you are supposed to just squat over, I knew I was really in there. (and I didn’ use it ok?! They had western toilets too ok?!) I came back and Tomo asked me “So how was your first pee in Japan?” I didn’t smack him. But I wanted to. :)

I discovered the train system is real too. I mean, it isn’t just something you see in anime, or read about in tourist guides or on the news. It really does exist. And I used it. But it was just like any train system. Odd how familiar it all felt… because of all the anime I watch. Even the sounds of it. Nostalgic. (Reminded me of some brain-frying scenes in Evangelion.)

Looking out the window, I could see bits of Japan passing all around… Rice fields, narrow streets, cars driving on the left. But I also saw powerlines, dogs, and even a few Volkswagens. All I kept thinking was “This is still the same!” maybe I kept waiting for some kind of slap-in-the-face-OBVIOUS thing that would make it all sink in. It didn’t come. It still hasn’t. I feel happy. I feel almost at home.

The food is normal. Living in Hawaii was good for my tummy. yummy yummy yummy. Except for natto. Dunno about that stuff. Tomo likes it… but I won’t kiss him after he eats it. *eeewww*

I guess the only thing I have left to worry about now is Tomo’s parents. His mom called yesterday, and after hanging up, Tomo told me he had said I was “staying at a friend’s house”. *sigh* Whatever. He told me “maybe I’ll tell them the truth soon” but I’ve given up arguing with him on that one. I’m still maintaining this hope that it is just a cultural thing.

Anyway… so I am alive. And I bought film yesterday… in Japanese. Ok, so Tomo was standing over my shoulder, and when I developed my pictures, he filled out the forms… but still! I’m here! I’m doing this! And I didn’t die in transit! And now I’m actually hungry at lunch time… Which is cool because it means my jet-lag is on it’s way out.

Tee hee hee.