Postings

Due to a lack of energy and time, I won't be posting much on my trip. Sorry, guys. I will, however, be posting some more photos soon. Know that I am loving Japan and don't want to leave!

Hang tight.

Alex

Japan - Day 2

And we're back! Wow! What a trip this has been thus far!

The flight was 11.5 hours long but we got to our terminal rather quickly (within 5 mins of landing) and we were at the carousel 10 minutes afterward.

Flying over Mount McKinley, Alaska

At the airport I met the rest of the crew I will be working with. They seem like cool, smart people. I, of course, am the only Latino (reminds me of calc class). There's a total of 10 of us -- all living in the same quarters.. a la "Real World".

Our place is pretty amazing. It is 2 stories high and has a slew of amenities: 5 bedrooms, 5 bathrooms, an awesome kitchen and sweet modern decorations.

The view from outside my window

After a few drinks and getting to know each other a bit better we went out to dinner (Japs don't rest much.. They take you to dinner after a 12 hour flight!) at a restaurant called Nihonbashi-Yukari (website here) where we had a traditional Japanese dinner (they keep stressing the importance of experiencing Japanese culture). If you asked me what I had, I could not tell you -- but damn it was good!

After eating we walked around the city.

Back to bed; more later :)

Japan - Day One

As I wait for my flight to leave, I cannot help myself but notice the people coming up to check in to the same flight that I am in (Singapore Airlines, Flight SQ 11). This is not the normal crowd I am used to traveling with. Could this be the first of Japan's culture shock? I will put some thought into this during the flight.

Update soon to come. I am guessing in the next 15 to 17 hours (flight is eleven and a half hours plus a few hours to accommodate, meet & greet, etc).

Until then...

Japan - Day Zero

Today marks the beginning of an amazing journey. It is on this day that I am granted the opportunity to travel abroad. Though I am physically traveling to Japan tomorrow, today is significant because all my travel arrangements, along with a series of events that have led me to this point, culminate within the prologue of my story. This is my turning point, this is my chance to either let it get away or to savor every last bit of knowledge I am about to dive into. Either I am in or I am out. "Blue Pill or Red Pill" time. It is at this moment that my introduction climaxes -- and my decisions and thoughts now will set the tone for the rest of my experience.

The question that begs to be asked is a simple one: What now? This question, as simple as it might be, is also very broad and all-encompassing, hence the difficulty in answering it. Hopefully, by the end of my adventure I will have a better understanding of its implications on my life and on my persona.

Stay Tuned...