While in Japan I kept a journal of my trip every day. This started in a large notebook, which became cumbersome when I decided I had to journal at any chance I could get. Eventually my notes ended up on a little notepad I had purchased at a 100 Yen store for my friends daughter. This will probably take over a year to transcribe but I don’t want to forget anything or anyone from my trip.

Most of you who know me are comfortable with my personality. Keep in mind that at times I can be blunt and sarcastic. Some of my notes and thoughts are not always as eloquent as they maybe should be. Often this blunt, attitude is towards my fellow Americans. This shows up only because I worked so hard to understand and be respectful of Japanese culture. I felt that some of my American colleagues did not rise to the occasion when they should have.

Please don’t hesitate to ask questions and be critical of what I wrote. I welcome feedback whether positive or negative. Bottom line, I hope you learn something new and broaden your own horizons so that you might one day take such an amazing journey as I did. Enjoy!

I’m tired of sitting! All the psycho e-mailers weren’t too bad.* I’m still very guarded. All of the meetings were interesting. I did find out I have a roommate in the hotel. I’ll live.

*I received tons of emails through the listserv before the trip to Japan. I found many of these emails irritating since most of them were about things that you could find when reading the handbook, which was required reading. Being that I have a sarcastic demeanor I found some of the introductions of people a little like a teenager at a slumber party on helium. People giving their life story and how they hope to be “life long friends,” gave me the willies.

I like to meet new people but I’m much more cautious and reserved. I’m sure some people found me very “standoffish.” However, I will say the people that I did make friends with were truly wonderful. I still keep in contact with Yuko and Yoshinao (my host parents) and on occasion I email my colleagues from America. I have had a crazy school year, so I admit, I haven’t been as good as I could be about keeping in contact with some people. I hope they will forgive me.

I did not make any notes on this day, for it was spent losing a day and traveling ten plus hours on a very large plane! However, I did meet a very nice lady from Florida. Anna was from Miami, Florida and a favorite photograph of some of the men on <racersbored.com>. It was hard to do anything but veg, watch movies, and talk to Anna. It is very strange losing a day and I was very tired at the end of it.