A tasty morsel

There was a lot of commotion today. Things going this way and that. Travel preparations and just last minute check-ups. But that’s pretty normal then, no ?
There was one final meeting and pre-departure seminar today. It was just that. A brief, concise and pat-on information deluge. The assigned JETs were gathered up. We were fed the facts about travel, transit, and tenure in our new destination country, Japan. And you know what, my eyes changed today. . Okay well, no, they didn’t change colour or anything but I began to see things in a different light. All this time up until preparation for departure I’d been so caught up and baffled. I couldn’t really think straight about it all. I’m coming, I’m going. Preparing, departing. Sure, these were my thoughts but I noticed something today. I’ve never done Japan like this.
The trip itself has been full of patient waiting -well, the preparation. And then today seeing all of these fantastic faces and hearing snapshot stories of Japan, I noticed something more. People that have gone on this program and done this before me -they all loved it so much. I mean, sure they probably had their share of shocking and awkward moments but that’s all part of it ! Now hang on, I don’t want you to think that I’m just realizing this all now -that things are going to be ‘this and that’. I mean hearing from real people, hey, I’d love to crawl inside your suitcase and go back to Japan, wow. This really is a great program and a great opportunity. The pinhole-prick of my understanding just grew a little today. I stepped back a bit and saw a bit more of the picture. Of JET and of Japan.
So I’ve really, now really-really finished up all my suitcase stuff. But you never really finish all that, do you ? No. Not until your standing there staring into the loving eyes of an airport check-in agent and you’re nervously watching the weight calculator of your check-in luggage like a slot machine reel finally landing on a winning digit below fifty pounds. You never really finish your packing until your on the plane. But, that’s just another part of it.
I’ve pulled the trekking pants near and I’ve allotted myself an assortment of hanky-things to blot, well, sweat (come on, I’m just talking about human water droplets. It’s nothing x-rated). Some ear plugs, the makings of an eye mask -well, no. A bandana. I told you about that already a few posts back -or, ahem, a short novel’s worth of words back. Done. All that and some chocolate-covered cherries for the plane. If a friendly, not-afraid-of-food-sharing person sits beside me in-flight tomorrow, they’ll be welcome to have some.

On and on we write. Well, this is just a spot post. Since I’ll be in the air tomorrow for the better part of the day and then in transit at the airport and experiencing all the amazing check-in/processing for JET that I’ve only seen in photos on the JET website. I might not be able to post so very soon. Some of you might be sighing a breath of relief. Don’t ! Please, I like it when you read what I write. Haw, haw.
Shortly after all that waiting and processing is. . TOKYO. 東京　←yes, that other one says Tokyo, too. Since that fabulous city has had my heart in-hold ever since I first set foot there, you can imagine I might be a little busy that evening. Running around town, sweating, eating food, and gawking at the towers and people. And, if you, yes, you happen to be in Tokyo tomorrow evening (is that including the time change ?), we could always share a simmering pot of boiled loach from a bang-on Tokyo eatery, Komagata Dozeu. But that would be entirely up to you.