Yesterday after an emotional trip to the airport with my fiance (yes I am engaged to Hope...more on that in a later blog, but she is amazing and perfect for me and we're getting married August 14, 2010) I flew from South Bend to Detroit. Detroit to Tokyo. Tokyo to Osaka.
There my Assistant GM/player personnel/translator/anything else, Moto picked me up. Yes folks his name is Moto, get your laughs out now, but he is a wonderful person and incredibly helpful. He serves people very, very well. So Moto got my bags took them to a place to send them to my apartment and we hopped on the train. The train was very nice. The seats were similar to that of a charter bus with each person having their own. Not exactly the South Shore Train that JP would take home every weekend from Notre Dame. Then we got off the train in Kyoto (the old capital about 15 minutes from where I am at) and rode into Otsu City.
So I am in Japan. I live in an apartment in Otsu City in the Shiga prefecture. I am in a small town it seems. We walked from the train station to my apartment and at 11 on a Friday night we ran into a total of 1 person. I didn't know there were places smaller than Washington or Montgomery, but I would compare the level of activity on my first night here to that of Cornettsville. Anyone who is reading this and seen Cornettsville knows what I am talking about and didn't blink on their way by.
Today there is a lot more action and I actually live a block away from the third largest lake in the world(so I am told). It is a nice lake, but not like touristy lakes at home. It is no Lake James. There were a lot of people fishing at it yesterday. I have a bicycle with a basket on it and every time I ride it two images pop into my head - the bike from the Wizard of Oz and my mom's bike that is at grandpa's farm in Iowa. Dang, I hope he didn't sell that with the house, the duct taped tires always get such good traction.
As I write there are vans driving around the town yelling and screaming the names of people. There is an election tomorrow and the candidates drive around all day with loudspeakers saying the candidates names. I only know that is what it is because someone told me. I have not picked up Japanese...yet. I did by an immersion program. I fell for the marketing ploy hook, line and sinker. It said it was a cheaper version of Rosetta Stone because they don't advertise so much. We'll see what happens.
It is 2:45 in the afternoon and I am absolutely exhausted, but since I have done some overseas travel I know the trick is to stay up all day your first full day there. I don't think I'm going to make it, but I'm trying. My bags were supposed to get to the room at 2 and they aren't here yet. I am excited to get my stuff and get settled in. It will be nice to make it feel like home because it is going to be home for the next 9 months.
Well, lots more to write, but for now I am going to try to figure out my DVD player and TV (the screen is smaller than my laptop screen...no one said overseas basketball is luxurious). It is a little difficult as the Japanese characters are tougher to read than a woman. Ok, maybe not that tough, but heading that direction.
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