We met up at pem arch at 8am this morning to drive to the airport, we rode in what I think was a black mercury crossover, it was comfortable. The car seated 7, and professor Schulz drove. It was a relatively quick ride, and we got to JFK airport in roughly 2.5 hours.
After arriving at the airport terminal 1, we waited for professors Francl and Schulz to return from dropping off the cars and checked in. The travel agent was also there to greet us and make sure we went in smoothly. I checked my bag in, even though amazingly it was under the 15 lbs carry-on limit. Before going through security, we took a group photo, of course for proper documentation.
While waiting tok go through security, there was an advertisement that kept playing over and over, it was for Korean food and bibimbap. Yummy. Unfortunately you could only eat that outside of the terminal, which took us on a hunt for real food once we passed through.
We went through security south about 2 hours to spare, and after adventuring around the terminal for food, we eventually settled down outside the terminal gate, while some of us talked, ate, and slept. Paoli and I got into an interesting conversation about possible culture shock and the excitement of being a foreign place. We also people watched for a good while. How interesting an airport terminal can be. I also walked in Mr. Kwok. What a small world!
We are flying China Airlines flight 0019 to Osaka. I fully underestimated how a flight this would be. Roughly 6 hours in, I started to feel my lower body start to ache and swell up, probably from all the sitting. Stretching a few times helped a bit, but didn't really do anything to ease the overall sensation. However, I think I've gone through well, as this is my first ver long flight in roughly 11 years. The movies help a lot, and the meal times also help adjust. Right now it would be 4:30 am in the morning in Philedelphia and Boston, and I am wide awake after having slept on and off for a very long time. We were about 27 minutes from our destination and as I write, beginning our decent. This is very exciting in deed and now I will have to turn this off, until next time!
6:30 pm (Japan time)
we went through customs, it was much easier than I expected. As we got off the plane, you could feel the bits of anxiety and excitement of being in a different place. The bathrooms seem like they are going to be an interesting experience throughout this trip. Not so much at the airport though.
We filled out the de-embarkation form and went through, the Japanese officials seem really friendly in comparison to US officials. They didn't even check our stuff. I'm just surprised as this is really new to me.
As we came out into the arrival area of the airport, past customs, we were greeted by a woman holding up a sign that read "Haverford College, Bryn Mawr College" it was pretty exciting. The only other time I remember being greeted with a sign was when I went to Costa Rica. We waited for a while as people exchanged money and professor Francl got the technology in order.
We then went to get some rice balls to fill our stomachs. Needless to say, I was very excited about that, because it is something I always see in kdramas, and they look so yummy, but you can't get them in the US. I opted for the vegetarian one, and got to eat two kinds. Both were equally delicious. The first was just rice mixed with seaweed. ( nori, I think it's called) the second was a rice ball filled with a savory sweet seaweed mix and as you unwrap it, there is seaweed to wrap around the rice ball, and they are packaged separately so that the seaweed stays crunchy.
We ate it on the bus that drove us to the hotel. The bus was tiny, really cute, but spacious. It had 7 rows and 2 seats on each side so each of us got a row to ourselves to we could stretch out a bit. Everything here is also opposite, they. Drive on the left side of the road, which took some getting use to, even as a passenger.
On the bus, we got the chance to text home to tell our families that we arrived safely. That was nice.
9:10 pm
The lodgings are pretty cool too. Nothing fancy but clean and simple. I'm not sure if this is a temple or not, but there is a zen garden right at the foot of the building we are staying in. The place is called Daishin Inn in Osaka/ Kyoto.
When we first entered, we gathered in a room with tea and snacks provided for us. It was like a short reception for us as we arrived. Te exciting part was that we saw a praying mantis. I was very excited and had my moment, haha. How awesome.
Here, I had my first experience in a public bath. Something I never thought I would have to experience, but did nonetheless. Not as bad as I thought it would be, but it is definitely something you have to get used to.
The rooms are one right next to another, on the floor were tatami mats, or straw mats. The beds looks like comforters, but thicker, there are three layers, a cushion, the comforter mattress, sand then the comforter itself with a pillow filled with some kind of grain, buckwheat I'm told. It's really soft. These mattresses are pulled out and stowed before and after sleeping. The room is of multi purpose. Just like kdramas. Except, I'm in Japan.
While sitting here, I am starting to feel the after effects of such a long flight. I feel like I'm wobbling as the plane was. What an odd feeling.
Tomorrow is another early morning, and we will be staying in a different place and then coming back here, but for now I'm going to bed.
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