I'm Here!

This is my first official post in Japan! I left Honolulu at 10am HST, and arrived at 1:30pm Japan time...Me and this other guy Mike (who also flew in from HNL) were the first ones to arrive, so we just wandered around Kansai Airport for 3 hours. Everyone else starting arriving and we left for Okayama around 5pm Japan time (10pm HST). I am the only Hawaii person in my training group. There are 16 of us, and everyone else is from all over the US and Canada. Everyone seems to get along great. I guess because we're all in the same boat-leaving everything behind, starting a new life in a foreign place, and all of us without a clue of what we wanted to do post-graduation.

My roommate for this week is Toni. She is from Ohio and this is her first time to Japan. She was in a anime/manga club back in college so she was into the culture before she came. Her Japanese is also pretty good! We get along great. The other trainees and I are going to the "Beer Garden" tonight and then hopefully some karaoke or bowling after, so I'm pretty excited for that!

Seattle's Best Coffee is our new best friend! We are all here first thing in the morning and before we eat dinner in the afternoon...it's kind of funny.

Yesterday we did A LOT of walking!!! We walked from our dorms to Koraku-en Gardens and Okayama Castle, but it was well worth the walk and swealtering heat! Koraku-en Gardens is one of three most beautiful gardens in Japan. I wish I could post my pictures but I forgot the cable in Honolulu :(

All the Japanese people think that I am a local. They look at me weird when I don't respond to them. I think they think I must be snobby. I just want to take a sharpie and write A-M-E-R-I-C-A-N across my forehead hehe. Other than that people in Okayama are known for their hospitality and everyone waves hi to us just as we're walking on the sidewalk...it's rather strange.

Japan is super cool thus far...You walk the street and you pass curry house, starbucks, mcdonalds, gap....almost makes you feel at home :P

I miss everyone at home so much! I love you guys....I'll probably post again in a few days. Till then...Andie