Natsukashii

Finally! I`ve made it to Japan safe and sound and currently staying with my host parents from summer 2005 in Saitama prefecture. After twelve hours of sitting on a plane, I was on the next bus to Ota station which was were my host mother would pick me up. The bus ride to Ota was an additional three hours and costed me a hefty 4300 yen. Besides insanely running around the airport and trying to figure out exactly which Ota station to meet my host mother at, everything went smoothly. And despite hauling ass out of the house this morning, I have yet to discover something that I may have forgotten back in Dallas..

Being back in Japan seems completely surreal. I`m still in disbelief that I`m here again. My host parents are the nicest people and made me an incredible dinner that involved grilled salmon over white rice, miso soup, potato salad, salad, and strawberries. Most of the ingredients like the potatoes and strawberries came from the amazing garden they have out in front of their house. The strawberries were so good and freshly picked! (I went out and helped her pick off some strawberries).

My host brother Yuki called here today to talk to me. He`s living in Tokyo now and I will go join him starting Thursday. His English is pretty damn amazing now and simply puts my Japanese to shame. I realize I`ve lost a great deal of my conversational skills that I developed in Japan a few years back. Very sad indeed..

Anyhow, enjoy my first few pictures in Japan!

About to leave DFW for NRT!

Boarding the plane

Who doesn`t love plane food? I made sure not to touch that `sushi` in the top left

Wings for flight!

My stuff and my journal

Ticket bound for Ota Station. 4300 yen.

Waiting at Bus Station 10 for the bus headed for Ota

Bus

More scenic stuffz

Read up to page 24

Amazing room my host family had prepared for me!

Dont`t forget we drive on the left side here!

And this is me exhausted about to die into sleep until the next, Junjourney!