Hey folks,
Here is my first YPMB post. I am still in New Haven and will soon be rotating between NH an West Haven for my carbon footprint fellowship at UNH. I'll end this post with some advice on good life choices.
Living in Madison CT = lame.
Hanging out briefly in Madison then bringing friends to the roof of my New Haven appartment and inbibing poetry = Awesome!

Mi Scusi

So I might not post frequently here, except for pictures.

If you care about me, European shenanigans will happen at:
bcontinent.blogspot.com

and

Introspection and lengthy stuff:
amhinitalia.blogspot.com

Two weeks, then I'm off to the land of pizza, gelato, and hand gestures.

I'm in Japan, mothafuckahz!

I arrived in Tokyo what seemed like a couple hours ahead of schedule, and much to my chagrin, the Hot Dog wrapped in an American flag and rubbing himself with condiments was not there to greet me this time. Originally I wasn't supposed to be in till five, but I had cleared customs (I improved my track record by not getting quarantined) retrieved my bags, planned the train route, and boarded the Limited Super Express by 4:45.

These trains and airports, though, are where I take pride in being the only American traveling by himself. I see other people in family or social groups, most often sightseeing and without much language background. But my rarity again sticks out: even when I'm asking (in Japanese) which ticket to put through the turnstile (sometimes its two, sometimes its three, sometimes the machine returns a different number than what you put in) I most often get the response back in English. I walked up and down the 自 由席 cars of the train looking for an open spot to sit, realizing of course I was the only non-Asian. Yes, I'm pretty tall, and yes I'm blonde. We've been there before, can we get over that already?

I had toyed with the idea of dying my hair darker before this trip to Japan, just to shortcut the numerous interactions of “OMG LOOK AT THAT TALL BLONDE FOREIGN DUDE” but decided against it. A) It would take a lot more than that to make me look inconspicuous, and B) For this one case, at least, Japan is going to have to adjust itself to my differences, and not the other way around. So suck it my dick that is most likely longer than yours.

The first sign that told I had truly returned to Japan: HEATED TOILET SEATS. We are so uncivilized in the states.

But, I did avert the major crises of traveling. After remembering how much I screwed up losing my baggage on the train last time, I ran back just in time to my unattended crew duffel. And then swapping trains at Tokyo's Shinagawa station, I didn't realize that bullet trains only stopped for about 10 seconds before moving on. I barely made it on as I walked along the outside to my designated car then panicked when the gut-wrenching train sounds started happening all around me.

On the train though, I managed to strike up my first conversation with a real live Nihonjin since arriving, a cute girl about my age. She had been dozing and apologized if she had slept with her head on my shoulder; I was so full of the jet-lag madness that I hadn't noticed if she had. We were both kinda tired and my brain wasn't (isn't) yet functional so the conversation didn't get much past simple “where you from” “where you going” type questions, but as she departed at 名古屋 she smiled, leaned in close, and said to me “思い出たくさん作ってください”. ("Please make a lot of memories") D'awww. Maybe a cheesy way to start the trip, but I like it.

"But wait!" I hear you saying. "You haven't even included a single nonsensical picture! And linking to one from last time doesn't count!" Well then. I give you Wicked, on its Japan-wide tour.

Best part is, you can't even tell the actress playing Elphaba is Asian. Because she's GREEN! *(gong)*

Tokyo tomorrow

What's good?

I am getting super psyched all of a sudden. However, I definitely forgot all the Japanese I knew. It will all come back quickly I am sure, and at least this time I know what I am doing with customs.

I will only post cool stuff on this blog. General Blog is once again: greenoinjapan.blogspot.com

chillin on the couch doin jack shit

wa ap. ima call this the b-blog alternatingly with ypmblog. television is so awesome.

over and out
Swag

Light Fellowship in Japan: Take Two.

Light Fellowship: Take Two.


This time I'm headed to Osaka. Barely recovered from spring semester and deadweek and graduation and the rollercoaster of emotions that entails, and I'm flying straight from New Haven to Japan.

Only issue: the CET program didn't really give me enough arrival details to get a flight that would arrive early enough. They told me just to get a flight arriving on the 28th, so that's what I got. 1:10 pm out of JFK, 5 pm (the next day) in Tokyo. Three hours of bullet trains from there to Osaka. Best case scenario I arrive by 10 pm, most likely much later. This is of course past the time when CET is doing all the orientation and providing me a means of getting into the apartment in which I'll be living. Won't yet have a phone so won't be able to contact my roommate either.

So... unknown city late at night + jet lag + carrying luggage + not knowing my address + no one to meet me there = adventure... right? Bring it on.

Will write more interesting things and add pictures as I'm in Japan. I really got a kick out of blogging last summer, and (maybe it's just me being a total narcissist) but when I had something good to write about I think I managed to convey some pretty cool experiences and insights. Plane tomorrow, finish getting my life together now.