This one's for you Mom

I felt very tired this morning, and I'm not sure why. I mean, I'm going to bed rather early (like 11pm) and I'm getting up at about 6:00-6:30. I guess that's too early for me. I must be getting over my jet-lag.

Well, anyway, I'm suppossed to clean up the guests room while they eat breakfast. Only problem...guests slept in! And guests made a mess! So, I hid out in various rooms, waiting for them to leave for breakfast. Finally they did, and I go in, and their stuff is everywhere! So I vaccum a little and unmake their beds. I go eat breakfast, and then go to my room and chat with Dad and Dave a little. Yeah, that was nice.

I go restock the bathroom toliet paper and wait because Anan-san wanted me outside for stuff. I thought I was mowing and chopping firewood, but instead I was picking weeds. That's why this is for you, Mom. Because as soon as I started, I somehow felt a little closer to my Mom. I know that sounds cheesy and weird, but it's true. I kept thinking how nice it would be to weed with Ma. How odd!

Anyway, both Oka-san and Anan-san leave without telling me anything. So, I weed for a little bit more but it starts to get hot outside, so I go inside and clean around a bit. Then, it's break time. Or so I thought. Oka-san comes back and I get some lunch. She then tells me that work time is from 9am-4pm. Basically, what I thought was a break, was indeed not a break.

So, I clean my stuff, go clean the bathroom a little, and then go back outside and start weeding. At this point I'm tearing up because I want them both to like me. I want to do a good job. So tomorrow, I'm going to work from 9-4, just like they said. I won't stop working until they tell me too. And I know that garden is going to take FOREVER.

So, I'm feeling bad about myself, and then I come to realize that they don't really have to like me. I mean, would they kick me out? Maybe. But they wouldn't just throw me out on the streets in the morning. Bosses don't have to like their workers. I'll do my best, and now that I know the "rules" I can follow them more closely.

After a little while (and it was getting HOT), Anan-san calls me over to help this man and him out. Turns out this man is Tanaka-san...and he's a hoot! Oh my gosh, I was laughing. He knows very little english, but he knew about alligators, and the Florida Marlins (I know, I laughed too), and San Diego, and Cuba. Oh, and Miami Beach. I helped him make "fukuri" I think it's called. We boiled it in this outside pan and then peeled it. I'm not quite sure what it is, but you do eat it.

I also chopped firewood. Anan-san and Tanaka-san showed me. I sucked...really bad. But! I did get one done. Tanaka-san was very patient; I could see him being a good teacher. He's short, funny, and has only two teeth up top. I taught Anan-san and Tanaka-san how to say "cheers" because they both had beers. Tanaka-san asked me if I wanted any. I just laughed.

After he left, Anan-san had me boil potatos. Oh! They're delicious! Tomato, the dog, also loves them, so we got along great for a little while.

Oh, the funniest thing about today was getting Anan-san to say "grilled." Because the Japanese don't have "l's" it's more like "grirred" and it sounds hi-freakin-larious. Seriously, I was in hysterics. I then said "like gorrila" (hey, it's close). And he started laughing because he was making a joke that Americans have gorilla yakatori. It was funny.

So, now my work time is over, and I'm just waiting for dinner. I can't see all that well because of the smoke in my eyes, but I feel better. I'm going to wake up tomorrow, eat breakfast, and then go outside and start weeding. And whatever they want, I'll do. From 9-4.

So, if I'm not on, which I shouldn't be, you know why. I think that's the time everyone is awake, so that's a shame. But -shrug- it happens.

Two things that  I used most today:
1. Mom's weeding skills
2. Sarah's "lets-burn-everything-in-sight" skills. hahaha. Fun times.

Update:
I have something to look forward to each day now. I'm going to go for an almost two-hour walk everyday. It'll be nice. It's gorgeous here, and taking pictures or reading outside around town will be nice. I might even clean to road a bit (pick up garbage, etc.)
I ate squid tonight. Didn't know it was in what I was eating. It was good...until I found out there was squid in it.
Then oka-san started talking to me about something, and I'm not quite sure what. But she was nervous about it, and she called me backwards. Said I disliked too many things and was in my room too much...I think. The backwards part I definitely got because she showed it to me on her dictionary thing. So that made me feel great. I'm still not sure what's she nervous about. I think someone is coming on the 7th (or did she say 2nd) so I get the feeling Dave won't be allowed here if it's someone working. But maybe it's someone staying. Who knows.
I guess I just have to try harder.

Hyaku! Hyaku!

Quick update on yesterday.

I worked for a couple hours, and then my hosts told me that we were all going to an onsen. Well, I figured I might have to do one someday, but so soon?! I got my stuff ready and probably looked like an idiot shaking in my boots.

If you don't know, an onsen is a traditional Japanese bath house. Meaning, you get naked, you bathe with everyone, and then you rinse off and hop in a hot spring and soak. Ok, you bathe by yourself, but it's out in the open for everyone to see. And everyone just walks around naked. It is gender segregated.

So, we stop at a few markets along the way and I buy some stuff at the last one, including a gift for Ma, and then we go to the onsen. It's gorgeous. It's like a hotel spa/restuarant. It's really, really cool looking. We go...I bathe...it's a little weird, but no one stares at me so that's good.

We then have dinner which was delicious. My face is aka, red, from the onsen so I look like I've drunk more than my fair share. I couldn't even eat properly either because the pieces were so big.

Well, anyway, the place was gorgeous. I'm an idiot and didn't take pictures, so I hope we at least go up there to the markets again...maybe not the spa. But it was breathtaking.

And then, I went to bed, and now I have to get up and clean, but I'm not sure what to clean because the guests are still in their rooms. So I think I'm going to wait and bit until they get up maybe...Eek!

Oh, and by the way, Doctor Who was...amazing. I just am speechless. 

That's today

Yon-nichi
Souji suru (Cleaning)

So I wake up today and it feels like an empty house. I look in the kitchen, no one's there. Breakfast is usually between 7:00 and 8:00, so I just waited in my room, talking with people online. They eventually came and got me, and I had a delicious breakfast. I felt a little woosy afterwards, so I rested a bit (sitting, etc).

Then I found Anan-san to ask him what to do. I've been cleaning most of the day. I cleaned the bathroom and the guestrooms, and various other things. That's mainly what I'll be doing. That and somehow helping the restuarant. I'm not sure how I'll be helping the restaurant. Maybe serving? We'll see.

There's a group here BBQing for something. I don't think they're staying though. Only two people are. I learned how to say "pillow" in Japanese but I forgot. I know it starts with an m.

Doctor Who has done downloading, so I may watch that until they call for me again.

I feel bad having them call on me, but I don't know what they want me to do and I don't even know where they are sometimes. So I just wait, and when they call, I'm right there. I'm a little afraid to talk to them too, because my Japanese is so bad. I don't even think I can form sentences. I'll have a "grace period" and keep stuying, and hopefully it'll get better.

Let's do the sick time

San-nichi (Day Three)
Byoki (Sick)

So I wake up in the morning (I think there were guests running around at like 6 in the morning, goodness), and I try to eat some breakfast. I just had water and bread. I then went and lay back down. At some point, I woke up to try and go to the bathroom and got sick instead. Went back to lie down, slept. Didn't have lunch (my hosts didn't wake me up). Got up again and got sick again.

Then, a miracle happens.

Okasan somehow got medicine, and it was unlike any medicine I had ever taken. I poured these white powder things on my tongue (she laughed at me when I made a face) and then I drank a cup full of water. She then told me to lie down again. I did, and when I woke up, I felt better! It was amazing!

Anan-san then got me up for some dinner with some guests. He introduced me to this family (kind of) who asked me to join them. They asked me how I was feeling and that I really should eat something to regain my strength. The "daughter" (who was actually from Thailand studying in Japan) spoke fluent English and we chatted. The mother was adorable! She spoke English too, and she was asking me about Japan and telling me what she does. She was very nice.

Then 4 Austrailian women came in to eat, and we all chatted together. It was very nice. Nice to speak English again with people who could understand. They called me very brave to be doing this and that it would be a great experience and I had to try my best.

I went to bed shortly after they left and got a good night's sleep.

Trains, planes, and automobiles

Ni-nichi (Day two)
Densha-tachi (Trains)


I set three alarms before I went to bed. One for 6, one for 6:05, and one for 6:15. I wake up with the 6:00 o'clock one and begin getting ready. I feel rested and alert, if not a little nervous. Then my Dad calls (I thought it was the alarm, so I didn't say anything when I answered the phone. Poor clerk probably got confused). It was nice to hear his voice again. I tell him I'm up and ready to go.

Check-out and have a surcharge on the room of $106 dollars. Oh, yeah. For overseas calls. Luckily, my Dad was super nice and gave me $100 more dollars before I left. So that paid for that. I then head to the train station on the bottom level. The airport is dead again, and my bags are really very heavy. I get my ticket and wait for the train. Only...I hope it's te right train. It's a "local" train, and while it says it's going to Sapporo, I'm nervous. I try to keep my stuff close to me and out of the way, but it's still cumbersome. I see lots of schoolkids. I mean, a bunch. And they look just like the manga. It was kind of amusing at 7:00 in the morning.
Well, I make it to Sapporo, and look for my connection. A train station clerk helps me to find the platform, and I make it over there. I don't get on the first one because it was a little packed, so I wait for the second one. It's pretty much empty, but I decide to not take a seat and kind of sit/stand on/with my stuff instead. It was nice. Read the newspaper. I'm absolutly starving by this point. I don't even know the last time I ate. I did get gatorade-water, but at the Otaru station, I lost my water bottle. Yeah, that sucked.


I get to the Otaru station and work up my nerves to call my hosts. My Japanese sucks, but I think they got the message. I did get surrounded by teenagers on the train, and that made me a little nervous. I was afraid they would start to bother me, but they didn't. When they all get off, I move to the next compartment, where it's practically empty. Met some Austrailian guys on the train as well. He came and told me that I shouldn't put my feet up on the bench. What an idiot I felt like.

Well, I get off, and head to the main station to pay my ticket, and there Anan-san is waiting for me. I think he looked like I expected him to look like. Then again, I think I've seen pictures of him. He helps me carry stuff to his car, and I stumble through "hello"s and "nice to meet you"s. We talk a little in the car, and I can see it's going to be a little rough, but we can communicate alright. This is where my patience knows no bounds.

I get settled, put my stuff down, and he shows me around. Basically explains what to do, but I'm still not quite sure about when to do it. We then go to lunch...This is my first meal in...way too long, and the smell of it doesn't make me feel too good. I try to eat some of it, but not a lot because I started gagging on the pork for some reason.

I go to rest for a little bit, and then Anan-san and I go to the mountain and pick warabi. I'm exhausted, hungry, and now really, really hot. I tell him I don't feel well, and after an hour or so, we leave.

I get back, rest some more, and then dinner time. Oh, that didn't go down well. I started gagging again, and everything felt like mush in my mouth. I try to get up to leave (right after they told me I could have a holiday tomorrow) and I throw up. Just water and a little cucumber thing, but yeah, right there in their sink. Oka-san ushered me to bed and I fell almost instantly asleep.

So I suppose it's that time

This is going to be extremely long. Because, frankly, I have been through a lot of stuff. It's been 4 days now that I've been in Japan, and that's a lot of stuff. I may split it up into different posts for each day.

Well, let's begin!

Iichi-nichi (Day one)
Kuukou-tachi (Airports)

Dad and I get up in the morning and all I can think to myself is "Oh my gosh, I'm going to Japan. Why am I going to Japan?" Over and over. We get to LAX (which is not 2 miles away from the hotel, like their ad said) and get to the counter. Everything is going great until my Dad asks for a gate pass so he can go with me. 

The Airline refuses. They say because I'm 18, he can't go with me. So, here I am, scared out of my wits, and things are already going wrong. Well, he threw a fit and got a pass. And I'm grateful for it. I think I would've been even more terrified if I were by myself at the gate.

We say goodbye, and I get on, shaking the whole time. And my baggage fit in the compartments! That made me happy too, because I was worried it wouldn't. 

I sit down, get situated. And beside me is this guy, his name's Matt, that I saw on the elevator. So we chatted throughout the flight and what not.

The meals were INCREDIBLE. So good. And a lot of it! I'm doing alright by this point.

I watched a lot of stuff. Did some Japanese translating/studying. 4 movies, 2 tv shows, and some J-Pop music videos.

I don't sleep at all (this is important).

We land, and all I can do is squee, I am so happy. I mean, I'm in Japan! And before Dave is! That's all I keep thinking.

And then I keep thinking about all the connections I have to make and that I hope I get to Chitose airport.

So, I get through customs in about a half-hour, and get my ticket for the bus. I'm cutting it close, but I think I'm going to make it. Get on the bus, ladida. No problem.

Get to Haneda Airport, and here's where it starts getting bad. I go to one counter to get my ticket, and they say go to this other counter, that they're just baggage. I went to the other counter, and she said go to this other counter because she's just baggage. Finally make it to the counter feeling like an idiot. Get my ticket, I'm gunna make my flight.

I have not talked to my family at all since I landed, so I feel miserable. My phone refuses to work. (We find out later that is doesn't wokr in Japan!) I try to use some pay phones, but I can figure out what to do to make a call to America. I give up. By this time, I have never felt more alone in my life.

The plane starts boarding, and I follow everyone. I did check in my big hiking bag and I'm glad for it. I don't think it would've fit. I was a little worried that it might not make it, but I'm exhausted by this point, crying, and lonely. So it didn't really matter.

The flight's boring, we land. My luggage comes through fine, but I still can't figure out how the phones work. So, no calls to anyone yet.

I get my luggage, head out and look for the hotel which is in the airport...somewhere. This police then comes up to me and says he'd like to ask me some questions and will I cooperate. I try very hard not to start crying. I'm exhausted and alone. I answer his three questions and he lets me go. I try to find the hotel, the airport is dead empty. I go to a counter and she tells me (a little bit) where to go. I still can't find it. And then FINALLY, a sign for it. I stumble up. Get my key and collapse into my room. It's 10:00pm JST.

First thing I do is call my Dad. I prompetly start sobbing. (Gosh, I'm criying now just thinking about it). He calms me down, and he tells me he's going to call Ma. I take a shower and try to relax a little. It's a big room, so I felt good about that. Leave Ma a message...but I can't get on the internet. Call Dad again, and then go to sleep.

On to the next day! (above)

At the Airport Hotel

So I figured today would be the probably be the first time to post about my trip to Japan. I've left my Dad's house, all of my stuff I need...the trip has really begun!

I'm nervous. I'm nervous to speak to my hosts, because I'm going to have to call them if I don't make my flight, if I'm running late, or (if everything goes alright) to tell them I'm on my way and how nice it will be to see them shortly.

I'm working on phrases to translate on the plane tomorrow. I have a ton of stuff to do on the plane, at least...you know, learning Japanese and all that stuff.

I'm also nervous about fitting my hiking bag through the check in. I sure hope it fits! It has two weeks of clothes in it. heh. My Dad is coming with me to the gate, so that's very nice. I should've tried to do that with Dave.

Speaking of Dave, he's leaving France tomorrow. Just as he gets back in the States, I leave. How funny is that! But, I think I'll be seeing him soon in Japan, so that will be very nice.

I should try to go to sleep now. Need my sleep to feel alright (and not nervously-sick) for the trip tomorrow. If you read this, wish me luck!