Departure Day - Pt 2

Once we were allowed on the charter bus, our group made a mad dash for the back. We looked like a bunch of middle-schoolers who are permitted to sit with upperclassmen on the bus for the first time. Stupid, perhaps, but it made the trip to Kyoto that much better. :D

The Mt. Si group very graciously let us have our geeky little pleasures, as they nonchalantly seated themselves at the front of the bus.

I mentioned earlier that the Japan we saw was covered in rain clouds as we descended. When we landed , however, we found that it wasn't the case over most of Kansai. We ooh-ed and ah-ed as we crossed the long bridge from Kansai and looked onward to the glimmering sea of city that awaited us on the other side. We couldn't see it yet, but as soon as the highway rose over the city, we found that Osaka was no where near as organized as we previously assumed. Having come from Seattle, we were used to seeing the giant skyscrapers close to each other, competing for attention and awe. The skyscrapers in the outskirts of Osaka, however, were not grouped together at all. Instead, one gazes for endless miles across a flat, gray city with spiratic intrusions from daunting towers. The skyscrapers we did see were sporadically built, reminding me of intimidating guardians over the city. They popped up at random all over the place until we neared the core of Osaka--where there was so much 'busy' your eye balls felt like they might peel off your face from concentrating so hard. The center of Osaka, we decided, was reminiscent of Everett. Gray. Big. Smoggy. It was our first time seeing a place so foreign, yet we felt so at home. We looked down chaotic roads, gazed at towering domes, and quirked our heads at strangely shaped towers we found unfamiliar. There was a layer of pollution so thick and gray over the city that it felt like we were wandering into a metalic marshland. When the sun did manage to strain its way through the muck, the city felt like an entirely different place.











Now, I make it seem like we could see everything below us (that is, city) from the elevated highway. Please don't assume. There were vaguely translucent walls of plastic (or some material like it) that were just visible enough to see through, but were a PAIN when trying to take pictures. There would be eventual gaps of space between the inconviniently placed where one might snatch a decenet picture--if said individual were poised and had the reflexes to match the speed of sound. Alas! As far as I know, none of us were so skilled. the shots we did get were generally of things higher than the recycled, sound-proofing walls, or at a spot when the highway took rose above those blasted barriers for a brief moment.



Befittingly, we had dubbed Japan, "Land of Walls." this lead to a conversation on future host families, and our soon-to-be host parent's professions. Why? ....

On the information forms we received from our host families (filled out by our host sibling closest in age), there was a small slot for 'occupation', among a list of other things. We were all used to poor (yet noteably adorable) translations. For example, my host father was a "Bakery Orner." Despite the silly slip ups we encountered, however, nothing lost in translation beat out Leif's parent's 'occupations'. Ironically enough, his mother was "the Wall", and his father "the Traffic".
"Wrestling names, maybe?" Leif prodded as we all spurted out spurts of hysterical laughter.
One can only presume, by means of logical faulicies, that Leif's (host) mother controlled Japan--or at least reigned undefeated in Parental Death Match - Japan.

I can't say I remember all the things we talked about on our two hour journey to Kyoto -- our first stop. Around the second half of our trip, most (if not all) of us were gazing out the window to the alternating greens and grays around us.

Departure Day

2007, July 1 (US) - July 2(JP)
our last views of home

It was our last day of American lifestyle for a good two weeks.

We all met at five in the morning at Church Creek Campus. It was pretty cold, so we circled around each other for an extra hint of warmth. Everyone was giddy--we just wanted to get out of our small town! To back-track, most of us weren't exactly the best of friends; Leif and Sam were close, and I had known Ryan as an acquaintance since fifth grade. Though Sam and Leif were in my Japanese class, we never had a real chance to talk with them before our prepatory meetings. Michael and I had been working with exchange students from Meguro Gakuin (a highly acclaimed boys private school in Tokyo) during the previous summers, but we still weren't considered 'close'. Then there was Stephanie (aka Tephi/Stephi), our first year representative and the only other girl. We had met at trip meetings, as well, but business is seldom a good bonding experience. The same went for Earl, a boy from Sedro Wooley who accompanied us. It was a small group, but a good one. Fortunately for us, we had the perfect leaders. Cheryl and Dirk laid down the rules, but gave us so much 'rope'! We were free to wander around (within time limits, of course), talk, meet people--whatever. They were fun to talk with, themselves! (But those stories come later...)

So there we all stood, huddling together for warmth, and no longer the least bit tired. Once the two vans and my dad's Honda were packed with our luggage, we set out. Though dark at first, the clouds and stars eventually made way for a brilliant sunrise. Leif and Sam cracked jokes the whole way down to Seattle.

When we finally got to the airport, we weighed bags, said our goodbyes, and disappeared through the painstaking maze of the airport checking system. At one point I was checked because one security guard suspected my camera charger of being a lighter. (Because, you know, all people with wierd clothes must smoke. Sweet. I love stereotypes) And, as was to be expected, his tone suddenly consisted of a much kinder air once his inspection was proven faulty...


Finally through the check points, we all threw our luggage down in the boarding gate while we waited for our first flight to San Fransisco. We were soon met by the students from Mt. Sai, whom we had caught a glimpse of earlier. As was to be feared, there was a lot of awkward tension between as we tried our best to procede with meager introductions. It seems like there were victims of reluctance on both sides, though. ....some more voluntary than others (on either side).

Needless to say, it was a rough start for us together, as certain guys from our group and certain members from Mt. Sai split with predetermined mistrust. (Luckily the tension wasn't as bad when we finally got to Japan. Long flights really can do the trick, I guess. :) Just for the sake of humorous memories, however, all I'm going to say is: "I'm gonna get my burger on," and "Park it!")


By the time our flight to San Fran finally arrived, it began to sink in for all of us...this wasn't more preparation, more daydreaming, more wishing; we were actually going!!

The flight to Cali was a little over an hour, and we actually arrived earlier than expected. After we scrambled around trying to find our boarding gate, we began a search for food, followed by an intense game of "your team."

All I can say is, I so won.



Or not xD




The flight over was a dreadful eleven hours (but not even close to rivaling the nineteen it took to get to Cambodia). Most people fell asleep after six hours or so. Judging by how often the stewardess stopped by (I think her name was Kim or Kristin...Not too sure. She was really sweet though!), I take it I was one of the only people awake. At one point, when Ryan was still awake, she came by with refreshments. She stopped and tilted her head to the side, looking curiously at Ryan.
"Can I touch your hair?" she inquired. After having done so, she let out a muffled giggle. We very gladly invited her to join our skittles party, provided by Ryan.
Once all our companions were asleep, I tried entertaining myself with the movies on the flight. I'd like it to be known that 300 can only be watched so many times in a row. (It's pretty amusing in Chinese, just to throw that out there.)

Around hour nine or ten, people began to wake up again. The seats were set up with sets of two on either side, and four in the middle. On the far left sat Cheryl and Dirk, with Micheal, Stephany, Ryan and I in the middle. To my right was the cutest eight year old (Japanese) boy I think I've ever seen, who conversed with his mother switching randomly between English and Japanese. He was surprisingly fashionable, with his amazing fashion mullet and nice attire.

Three rows ahead were Sam, Leif, and Earl. The students from Mt. Sai sat a number of rows back. We didn't even see them until we went back to talk with them.


And then came hour nine point five. Jordan (a tall, friendly, red-headed boy from Mt. Sai) came up to the front and joined us in our skittle feast once everyone was awake again. We talked for a bit, then came to the back where everyone from the other school sat to reintroduce ourselves. Things were going much more smoothly between us overall (Stephi was still rather defensive, as were Leif and possibly Sam...), so I was really relieved.

Ryan illustrating the "sleep hour"

"The Giddy Hour," when everyone woke up and realized

how close we were :)

And AT LAST!! WE LANDED!!!
I wish I could say I turned my gaze to the window and was met with the striking mass of island and city that is Japan....but alas, the rain follows me even over seas. Due to the Monsoon Season and a soon-coming Typhoon, all we could see was a familiar-to-Washington wad of gray clouds, instead. (Isn't that ironic? It was sunny when we left Wa., but rainy when we got to Japan. Ahhhh home, double sweet home.)


Here's something that I found truly ironic. Every country has its own smell. Sometimes it's a faint difference, but usually it's bold and obvious. I expected Japan to smell a little 'closer to home', or perhaps like Taipei. Something sweet and inviting. Instead I found something...strange. There really aren't words for it, nor any substance I can compare it to. It was almost musty, yet wooden. Chemical, but freshening. Perhaps part of it was the intense humidity; I'm still not entirely sure--all I can say is I learned to love it. Whenever I get a whiff of it now, I feel at home again. But comfort is as fleeting as the scent, and I'm reminded that I'm stuck here for now.


So, off the plain. I truly regret wearing pants and a jacket, no matter how light it was. Hardly five minutes had passed and I felt like I was suffocating. Silly me!

Our first stop on our trek was a small monorail. I can't explain why I remember it so vividly, but the left side upon entrance opened up so you could see the entire Kansai Airport. The aiport, I believe, is entirely man made out of recycled goods, and rests a ways away from the industrial empire of Osaka. From the monorail, however, you would have never guessed it, as the view of Osaka was blocked by the head of the train.

We made it to checking. Everyone scrambled around, trying to fill out customs forms. Since I was dubbed the 'student translator', I was uselessly pushed to the front of the line to talk to the customs manager. Luckily, Cheryl and Dirk figured most of it out for us xD
I will say though, I'm glad I wore an excessive amount of clips. Mr. Customs-man was highly amused, and so, in turn, was I.

Freedom at last from the lines for customs!

You know, it's funny. There was hardly a Japanese soul on that airplane (it was completely boarded by a bunch of whiteys, aka Rice Crackers, like yours truly)....but they all just disappeared as soon as we hit the ground. It was kind of freaky, to be honest (haha)

I must say, it wouldn't have been as much fun if we saw a lot of other foreigners, though.

We met up again outside the customs terminal with the Mt. Sai group. Our tour guide, a small, speedy, adorable woman named Hatsumi, was waiting for us. We took a pee-break, grabbed some drinks from the neon vending machines (some with greater effort than others. Ryan would like it to be known that he spent a good deal of time trying to figure out which drink might possibly be decent, and then how to insert the change), then hauled luggage out the door to where our tour bus so graciously hurried to us. It was at this point that I again chastised myself for overpacking. (Thank God I know just what to bring next time so that I'll never do that again).

While we waited to get our luggage loaded, Leif had been commenting on the various "levels" of the security guards. At one point, he pulled out his camera and walked up to one. They were a ways away, but still close enough to understand what was going on. Leif tried to say something, but reverted to gestures instead. He pointed and his camera, then at the man. He then proceeded to strike a pose--but the security guard didn't seem to get the last part, so he did his 'police stance' instead. "No, no--" we heard Leif say. "You--" (points at man) "--This--" (strikes a pose again). The man's face lit up, and he nodded with vigor as he imitated the pose. Leif got his picture, and we got a laugh.

Not a flattering picture at all, but it deserves recognition.

Ryan and I had switched glasses and snapped a shot

while waiting for our bus to finish loading luggage.

Leif and his security gaurd :D