First Few Days in Japan, and I Only Got Lost Once!

From my first few days here in Yokohama:

August 22:
The flight went well. Sorry about the typing. this keyboard is confusing. I`m having a really good time here. My host family is very nice and the boys are so cute. I am learning the most from them.

Yokohama is beautiful! The city is really really big and busy, but I am slowly starting to understand the train system. It feels like I have been here a lot longer than I have been. Tomorrow I am going to go to my Japanese class all by myself. I really hope I don`t get lost! The other exchange students are cool and funny, especially this kid from Brazil and the girl from Mexico.

Today I got tailored for my school uniform.. haha. They are custom making it, and it will be shipped to me next week. I also got shoes. My feet are so big here! Mie (my host mom) was like “ookii” (big) when she saw my shoes. Then the lady at the store`s eyes got all big when they were telling her my size. +D

I also went to the Rotary lunch and gave my little speech. One thing about the Rotarians here is that their cars are soo nice! I saw a few Mercedes, Porches and even a Rolls Royce! And they all seem so willing to help me. They said to just let them know if there was anything I wanted to do or see.

Hmmm.. oh, parking here! The parking place for us is in this really cool car elevator thing. It actually moves the cars down so you can drive in, then moves it back up. Cars are parked 2 or 3 cars high! I`ll take a pic at some point. My house here is really nice too. I love you all and I miss you all. I am having a lot of fun though. Don`t worry about me.

Love, Abbey--
USA ---> Yokohama, Japan
Rotary Youth Exchange
08-09



August 22:
So guess what? Today I am going to ride the trains all by myself. I really hope I don`t get lost. Today I will be going to my Japanese Class, then touring Yokohama with my friends there and some Rotex students.

Right now I am waiting for breakfast, which is going to be Udon noodles and rice I think. I tried to help, but Mie gave me the computer. I think I just get in the way... oh, well.

I miss you lots, but it is really awesome here. I have this train pass card, like a plastic credit card ish type card, and there is this scanner and you just put your wallet over the scanner and it detects the card and will charge you whatever the ride costs. Crazy! You dont have to atually get out the card. And the key to my house has an electric sensor in it too, so you don`t actually use the key part at the front door of the complex building. My whole complex, by the way, houses 6,000 people! and they have an eye scanner that you can use too, but Im not registered in it, obviously.



August 24:
Hey_Everyone!

Guess what? I really did get lost yesterday. haha.

Yeah, so I got to my bus okay. I got to the correct trains okay. After the trains is what turned out to be the tricky part. I had to find the Washington Hotel and then from there I would take a right, down that street to my japanese class. The Washington Hotel is just straight from the station, right? Well, these roads are not grid system, and I took the wrong road to go strait on. After a while, I started asking people for help....

Me: Sumimasen, Eigo ga wakarimasu ka? (Excuse me. Do you speak English?)

Them: iie (No)

Me: umm, Washington Hotel?

Them: Washintonu Hoteru? blah blah jdklj jklejwkafdskfjfj djifjkdsl.

Me: kinda blank stare.. this way? (pointing)

Them: hai. (Yes)

Me: Arigato Gozaimasu. (Thank you)

I was lead through a subway a little ways (not on a train) then back up, because it was too dangerous to go on the street. yeah, that was definatley not the way I went the day before. Finally I get to this building they are leading me to. It was a DIFFERENT Washington Hotel. At this point I am 30 min. late for my class and trying really hard not to cry. I go into this hotel and find a phone to call my host dad, who calls rotary and sends someone to pick me up at the front desk.

Everything worked out eventually. I was 40 min late and all the other kids had a good laugh, but Rotary took care of me. Today I got there all by myself with no mistakes. and home, too. That was my big adventure.

I love you all!!!


-Abbey

August 24:
Tonight i am going to go to one of those Sushi restaurants with the rotating belt things... mmm. I`ll tell you about that when I get back. I should get going now though. I will post pictures when I get my room set up.