Wednesday, March 31, 2004
I came across this pretty cool game/survey in my friend MG's LiveJournal. Basically, you choose a band/or artist (it doesn't have to be your favorite one) and answer only in song TITLES by that band/artist. But I chose my favorite band anyway, which, in case you don't know, are the Bealtes. Here goes:
Are you female or male: She's A Woman
Describe yourself: Tell Me What You See
How do some people feel about you: Everybody's Trying to Be My Baby
How do you feel about yourself: I'm a Loser
Describe your ex girlfriend/boyfriend: I Should Have Known Better
Describe your current girlfriend/boyfriend: It Won't Be Long
Describe where you want to be: Here, There, and Everywhere
Describe what you want to be: Something
Describe how you live: For No One
Describe how you love: Can't Buy Me Love
Share a few words of wisdom: Let It Be
Are you female or male: She's A Woman
Describe yourself: Tell Me What You See
How do some people feel about you: Everybody's Trying to Be My Baby
How do you feel about yourself: I'm a Loser
Describe your ex girlfriend/boyfriend: I Should Have Known Better
Describe your current girlfriend/boyfriend: It Won't Be Long
Describe where you want to be: Here, There, and Everywhere
Describe what you want to be: Something
Describe how you live: For No One
Describe how you love: Can't Buy Me Love
Share a few words of wisdom: Let It Be
Tuesday, March 30, 2004
"If Mohammed can't come to the mountain..."
Today I went to my dad's office because my former guarantor from Japan, along with two of my dad's colleagues, came to visit. We all had lunch at a local steak restaurant. As a gift, I gave him the rum cakes that I had bougth in Barbados and two letters I wrote for AT and Mrs. T. It was so strange to be seeing him in these parts after having seen him in Japan over a month ago. Add that to having K come to visit me and meeting the three Japanese teachers from Hokkaido this past Saturday. It's as if Japan itself has come to pay me a visit here in this place that is so far removed from the Japanese world, so I won't forget...but how could I?
Today I went to my dad's office because my former guarantor from Japan, along with two of my dad's colleagues, came to visit. We all had lunch at a local steak restaurant. As a gift, I gave him the rum cakes that I had bougth in Barbados and two letters I wrote for AT and Mrs. T. It was so strange to be seeing him in these parts after having seen him in Japan over a month ago. Add that to having K come to visit me and meeting the three Japanese teachers from Hokkaido this past Saturday. It's as if Japan itself has come to pay me a visit here in this place that is so far removed from the Japanese world, so I won't forget...but how could I?
Sunday, March 28, 2004
It's been an ok weekend. My sister is leaving tomorrow morning to go back to school and I will be driving her back. The Soka graduation was about two weeks ago, so I wrote an email to TK, KM, TH, and NY to congratulate them and wish them luck in the future. So far, I've gotten a response from both KM and TH. Apparently, KM already started the process of moving into his new apartment in Tochigi Prefecture. He will move in March 30th, and the next day, April 1st, he will start his new job at the Lotte snack company. TH will also be starting a new job around the same time, and NY has gone back to his hometown in Fukuoka and has already started a new job. I get kind of sad thinking about it because it makes me realize that even the world that I left behind in Japan is changing and even if I were to go back, things just wouldn't be the same. In other ways I am happy for them because they are now starting new independent lives, but it's also the beginning of the rut and responsibility of an adult life. I spent some really good times with them and they were often there for me...now we are all scattered in the wind.
The Passion "redux"
I know that this is a bit overdue, but bear with me. On my previous blog, I wrote about how I had been looking forward to seeing The Passion of the Christ. I was especially impressed by the fact that it was to be spoken completely in Latin and Aramaic. Well, upon coming back to the US and hearing opinions about it, now I will wait until at least it comes out on DVD before I see it. One of the reasons for this is that from what I've heard, the movie is rather biased towards the Catholic view of Jesus' death. And especially because it's pretty violent and bloody. Now, have never liked excessive violence in movies, but apparently, the violence in the movie is over the top. I have read reviews in which they call the violence "fetishistic" and "almost pornographic." I am not going to spend 8 dollars to see a movie about someone getting beaten to death...even if it is about Jesus. It's kinda hypocritical how Christian groups denounce violence in movies, yet praise this particular one, whose violence is as graphic...or maybe even more graphich than any other movie out there. And I just don't want to give in to the hype that this movie has created. However, if I get a chance to see it once it comes out on DVD, I am not going to avoid it. As for the alleged quote by Pope John Paul II, "It is as it was", I think that it was a fabricated one, just to create publicity.
I know that this is a bit overdue, but bear with me. On my previous blog, I wrote about how I had been looking forward to seeing The Passion of the Christ. I was especially impressed by the fact that it was to be spoken completely in Latin and Aramaic. Well, upon coming back to the US and hearing opinions about it, now I will wait until at least it comes out on DVD before I see it. One of the reasons for this is that from what I've heard, the movie is rather biased towards the Catholic view of Jesus' death. And especially because it's pretty violent and bloody. Now, have never liked excessive violence in movies, but apparently, the violence in the movie is over the top. I have read reviews in which they call the violence "fetishistic" and "almost pornographic." I am not going to spend 8 dollars to see a movie about someone getting beaten to death...even if it is about Jesus. It's kinda hypocritical how Christian groups denounce violence in movies, yet praise this particular one, whose violence is as graphic...or maybe even more graphich than any other movie out there. And I just don't want to give in to the hype that this movie has created. However, if I get a chance to see it once it comes out on DVD, I am not going to avoid it. As for the alleged quote by Pope John Paul II, "It is as it was", I think that it was a fabricated one, just to create publicity.
Friday, March 26, 2004
Today is G's Junior-Senior banquet. In a few minutes, I have to go pick her up from school so she can start getting ready. Once my mom gets home, we're surely going to start fussing over her. It's for times like these that make me realize why I came back to the US.
I'm using my sister's Sony Vaio laptop and it's really nice. I am planning on getting a new computer soon and I think I will probably get a Sony. New computer, here I come!
I'm using my sister's Sony Vaio laptop and it's really nice. I am planning on getting a new computer soon and I think I will probably get a Sony. New computer, here I come!
From hitsuji to usagi...
When Keiji was here, he brought everyone in the family small gifts or omiyage. He gave me a keychain of the Nova usagi, the very commercialized mascot of an English school in Japan that competes with Berlitz. The wooden sheep cell phone strap that I used as a keychain had recently broken, and after all, it was a gift from Keiji, so as reluctant as I was to being a "perpetrator" by having "enemy" merchandise, I am now using the pink rabbit as a keychain. Forgive me o, former employers!
An aside...
I could never understand why they called it the Nova usagi instead of the Nova rabbit. Isn't it, an English school after all?
When Keiji was here, he brought everyone in the family small gifts or omiyage. He gave me a keychain of the Nova usagi, the very commercialized mascot of an English school in Japan that competes with Berlitz. The wooden sheep cell phone strap that I used as a keychain had recently broken, and after all, it was a gift from Keiji, so as reluctant as I was to being a "perpetrator" by having "enemy" merchandise, I am now using the pink rabbit as a keychain. Forgive me o, former employers!
An aside...
I could never understand why they called it the Nova usagi instead of the Nova rabbit. Isn't it, an English school after all?
Monday, March 15, 2004
Ack. Just what I need. My throat's burning up and now my right ear is clogged with some ear drops so now I can't hear from my right ear and the house is still a mess. Ugh...I should rest before he comes....
I probably won't be writing for at least a week because K will be visiting me. But basically I have to leave for the Washington Dulles Airport to pick him up tomorrow afternoon. We plan on taking it easy on Wednesday and invite some family friends (one who actually speaks Japanese) for dinner. Then, on Thursday, K and I will head up to Newark to meet up with some people and to go to the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Then, K, M, and I will go to New York on Friday to spend the day and then return home on Saturday. Then we'll hopefully take it easy until Monday, when we go to Washington DC and from there, he'll leave Tuesday morning....Too little time >_<
This weekend, some of my friends from college and I got together at our friend AG' apartment in College Park. It went really well and I had a great time. On Friday evening, when most of us arrived, we went to a really nice diner and spent the rest of the evening at AG's apartment. On Saturday, we spent part of the day in Washington, D.C., where we had lunch at Union Station, a place I hadn't been to before. Then, we briefly stopped by the Museum of American History--that's all we really had time for since we had to meet MB at College Park for dinner. The day was a bit windy and chilly, but it was sunny. As we were riding the metro back to College Park, I thought of how simple the Washington metro system is compared to the one in Tokyo.
After we met Mike, we went to a really nice Indian restaurant, where I had a delicious Rogan Josh, which is a lamb dish. Afterwards we went for a liquor run--How I missed those when I was in Japan! I'm glad that tradition still hasn't changed among my friends. When we got back to AG's apartment, MB taught us a really fun drinking game. Then we watched "Dr. Strangelove", which ironically enough, AG hadn't seet yet. After the movie, everyone pretty much passed out--aack, we're getting old! We can't stay up at night like we used to!
On Sunday, we went to a really nice coffeehouse that used to be a private residence. It had a pool table and a dentist's chair to lay on--and that was just one of the rooms. We hung out there for a bit and finally we all went back to our respective homes.
There were eight of us in all, most which I haven't seen in over a year at least. It's strange because even though I saw a few of them last year, I only saw them briefly, so it feels like the last time I truly knew them was two years ago, after my pseudo-graduation. And now, it's as if I suddenly reappear on the face of the earth, or as if I am waking up from a long dream (think Rip Van Winkle). I got to do a lot of catching up on what's been going on with people these past two years...Has it been that long already?? I defenitely could sense a change in everyone and I'm sure they noticed a change in me. It seems like everyone has become more mature, yet everyone's basic nature has stayed the same and for the most part, as the cliche goes, we started right where we left off.
After we met Mike, we went to a really nice Indian restaurant, where I had a delicious Rogan Josh, which is a lamb dish. Afterwards we went for a liquor run--How I missed those when I was in Japan! I'm glad that tradition still hasn't changed among my friends. When we got back to AG's apartment, MB taught us a really fun drinking game. Then we watched "Dr. Strangelove", which ironically enough, AG hadn't seet yet. After the movie, everyone pretty much passed out--aack, we're getting old! We can't stay up at night like we used to!
On Sunday, we went to a really nice coffeehouse that used to be a private residence. It had a pool table and a dentist's chair to lay on--and that was just one of the rooms. We hung out there for a bit and finally we all went back to our respective homes.
There were eight of us in all, most which I haven't seen in over a year at least. It's strange because even though I saw a few of them last year, I only saw them briefly, so it feels like the last time I truly knew them was two years ago, after my pseudo-graduation. And now, it's as if I suddenly reappear on the face of the earth, or as if I am waking up from a long dream (think Rip Van Winkle). I got to do a lot of catching up on what's been going on with people these past two years...Has it been that long already?? I defenitely could sense a change in everyone and I'm sure they noticed a change in me. It seems like everyone has become more mature, yet everyone's basic nature has stayed the same and for the most part, as the cliche goes, we started right where we left off.
K just called me...he's going to be coming in two days! EEEEEE!! I feel so nervous for him though! His first time out of Japan EVER! However, I think I might be getting sick. Great! Exactly what I need!
Thursday, March 11, 2004
Tomorrow I'm going to College Park, MD to spend the weekend with my friends from college. Wish me luck!
Saturday, March 06, 2004
America's Weight Problem
Today I ran across an article on Yahoo news titled, "Americans Eating More Fat, Risking Health", which was about how Americans are eating more fat due to the "low carb" craze. All I could think was "Duh!". I used to think that the country's obession with losing weight was a matter of vanity, but being away from the US for a while made me see that obesity is a national problem. When I came home in August, my mother, my sister G, and I were on our way to to Newark to meet M when we stopped by a Wal-Mart. My sister and I stayed in the car while my mom went to get something. As we watched people walking by...I was struck at how many obese people there were...it seemed like I couldn't see anyone that was of normal weight. Now, let me clarify that I am NOT condoning the unrealistic weight standards and body images set by models and celebrities, that have put the health of many young women at risk. I am talking about morbidly obese people that you don't see in other countries. Now, in Japan, not everyone is skinny, and in fact, there are plenty of obese people, but in the United States, the obesity you see is obviously unhealthy...people that can barely walk due to their weight, people that can't place their arms on their sides. It is something that is not natural. It is man-made...a result of eating the unhealthy foods in excess. The thing that I still have not gotten over since coming back to Japan are the huge amounts of food that are sold in stores and the huge portions that are served in restaurants.
Having lived in another country, I think that the problem in the US is too much sugar, too much grease and carbs(more on that in a bit), and amounts that are too big. When I first came to Japan, I found the food rather bland. Also, I had a hard time getting used to drinking cold, unsweetened tea, which is as common as bottled water over there. Even children drink it. However, I soon got used to drinking unsweetened tea and I began to agree with my Japanese friends who said that American drinks are too sweet. In fact, I attribute losing weight in Japan partly to my dramatic decrease in sugar intake.
Being away, I also realized that the typical American diet has too many carbs. So upon coming back to the US, I was glad to find that low-carb craze had hit the nation. But then, I read an article in Details magazine about how this low-carb craze is getting out of hand and soon, I began to see what they meant. You can now see "low carb" labeled on practically everything...even ketchup! As the article in Details said, "If you gain weight, it's not from the ketchup...it's from the fries...who ever heard of someone getting fat because of eating too much ketchup?" I remember that several years ago, it was all about "no cholesterol" and "low fat". Now I hear that obesity is the second leading cause of death in the United States. We should all make eating right an issue...but let's do it sensibly.
Today I ran across an article on Yahoo news titled, "Americans Eating More Fat, Risking Health", which was about how Americans are eating more fat due to the "low carb" craze. All I could think was "Duh!". I used to think that the country's obession with losing weight was a matter of vanity, but being away from the US for a while made me see that obesity is a national problem. When I came home in August, my mother, my sister G, and I were on our way to to Newark to meet M when we stopped by a Wal-Mart. My sister and I stayed in the car while my mom went to get something. As we watched people walking by...I was struck at how many obese people there were...it seemed like I couldn't see anyone that was of normal weight. Now, let me clarify that I am NOT condoning the unrealistic weight standards and body images set by models and celebrities, that have put the health of many young women at risk. I am talking about morbidly obese people that you don't see in other countries. Now, in Japan, not everyone is skinny, and in fact, there are plenty of obese people, but in the United States, the obesity you see is obviously unhealthy...people that can barely walk due to their weight, people that can't place their arms on their sides. It is something that is not natural. It is man-made...a result of eating the unhealthy foods in excess. The thing that I still have not gotten over since coming back to Japan are the huge amounts of food that are sold in stores and the huge portions that are served in restaurants.
Having lived in another country, I think that the problem in the US is too much sugar, too much grease and carbs(more on that in a bit), and amounts that are too big. When I first came to Japan, I found the food rather bland. Also, I had a hard time getting used to drinking cold, unsweetened tea, which is as common as bottled water over there. Even children drink it. However, I soon got used to drinking unsweetened tea and I began to agree with my Japanese friends who said that American drinks are too sweet. In fact, I attribute losing weight in Japan partly to my dramatic decrease in sugar intake.
Being away, I also realized that the typical American diet has too many carbs. So upon coming back to the US, I was glad to find that low-carb craze had hit the nation. But then, I read an article in Details magazine about how this low-carb craze is getting out of hand and soon, I began to see what they meant. You can now see "low carb" labeled on practically everything...even ketchup! As the article in Details said, "If you gain weight, it's not from the ketchup...it's from the fries...who ever heard of someone getting fat because of eating too much ketchup?" I remember that several years ago, it was all about "no cholesterol" and "low fat". Now I hear that obesity is the second leading cause of death in the United States. We should all make eating right an issue...but let's do it sensibly.
Lost in Translation
While on the cruise, I finally got to see Lost in Translation in the ship's movie theater. I was afraid that after hearing all the hype, I would be dissapointed, but I was far from it. It was an absolutely wonderful movie! I know that maybe not everyone will appreciate and understand it, but I totally identified with it (except for the hookers and the strippers and the fact that I'm not married...hehe). Even the main female role's is in the same period in life as I am...just graduated from college, not knowing what to do with her life. Sofia Coppola, I think, perfectly captured the essence of being a foreigner in Japan. She must have spent a period of time there sometime in her life in order to have understood it. The trains, the sound of the elevators and crosswalks, Shibuya, the awkward language barrier situations...all transported me back to Tokyo. Needless to say, last week I bought the DVD...there was no doubt in my mind that I wanted to buy it. That movie is like my souvenir of my time in Japan! Whenever I miss Japan, I can just watch the DVD...
I thought it was so awesome that the movie was nominated for four Academy Awards, including Best Picture! I was kind of sad that it didn't get Best Picture, but then again...how can it compare to The Return of the King, which was a huge production? My sister tells me that perhaps the fact that Sofia Coppola's father is a very famous director had something to do with those nominations. And I think she might be on to something. While I personally think Lost in Translation is a great movie, and will probably become one of my favorites, it just didn't compare to the "big" movies it was running up against. But it was nice to see that among the highly commercialized movies that are usually nominated, for once, a simple, yet fresh and original movie was nominated.
While on the cruise, I finally got to see Lost in Translation in the ship's movie theater. I was afraid that after hearing all the hype, I would be dissapointed, but I was far from it. It was an absolutely wonderful movie! I know that maybe not everyone will appreciate and understand it, but I totally identified with it (except for the hookers and the strippers and the fact that I'm not married...hehe). Even the main female role's is in the same period in life as I am...just graduated from college, not knowing what to do with her life. Sofia Coppola, I think, perfectly captured the essence of being a foreigner in Japan. She must have spent a period of time there sometime in her life in order to have understood it. The trains, the sound of the elevators and crosswalks, Shibuya, the awkward language barrier situations...all transported me back to Tokyo. Needless to say, last week I bought the DVD...there was no doubt in my mind that I wanted to buy it. That movie is like my souvenir of my time in Japan! Whenever I miss Japan, I can just watch the DVD...
I thought it was so awesome that the movie was nominated for four Academy Awards, including Best Picture! I was kind of sad that it didn't get Best Picture, but then again...how can it compare to The Return of the King, which was a huge production? My sister tells me that perhaps the fact that Sofia Coppola's father is a very famous director had something to do with those nominations. And I think she might be on to something. While I personally think Lost in Translation is a great movie, and will probably become one of my favorites, it just didn't compare to the "big" movies it was running up against. But it was nice to see that among the highly commercialized movies that are usually nominated, for once, a simple, yet fresh and original movie was nominated.
Thursday, March 04, 2004
Back to reality...
To be honest, not much has happened since I got back from the cruise. While there are some changes in the pop culture and political scenes and some changes in my town and in my home (I came home to find that we got a new DVD player!), it seems that for the most part, things are just as they were when I left. In fact, sometimes it feels like I never left. But I still find myself having to get used to things. I walk around huge stores like Wal-Mart in a daze...it's so strange seeing the huge amounts of food. Not that I was starving in Japan...far from it. It's just that in Japan, food is sold in more...reasonable amounts (that's just my opinion). On the other hand, the food in Japan is more expensive. It's going to be really hard trying to stay at a reasonable weight now that I am exposed to so many more "temptations". I came home to find two plastic bags full of chocolate that my family had gotten for me at Christmas. It's funny...when you start living in another place...the former place, the former world starts to fade away and your life back there seems like a dream. I knew this would happen, so during my last days in Japan, I tried to take everything in and tried to engrave it in my mind....but already...those images are slipping away and are beginning to seem dream-like. However, Japan still hasn't totally faded from my mind. When I see or hear anything that reminds me of Japan...even when I hear American music that I first heard in Japan, I become very nostalgic...natsukashi...and for an instant, I am back at the Interent cafe or back in my apartment or back in my dorm at Soka... Most of my conversations begin with "when I was in Japan..." but how can they not? It's where I spent the last one and half years of my life? Anywayz, I'm back in my house...in my bedroom with my computer and all my other things...I picked up where I left off. It's funny because these things seemed so far away, so dreamlike when I was in Japan...
I got my parents' old bedroom set because they got a new one a few days ago. So I had to help with moving stuff around. My "new" bedroom set is really nice and it goes surprisingly well with my room.
Also...K is coming to visit March 16th! He will stay here for a week. I wish he would stay for two weeks so we won't be so rushed to do everything...but I guess it's better than nothing. I can't wait to show him around and introduce him to people...especially my UD Japanese professor and the two Soka exchange students at UD.
Speaking of UD, I went back there on Monday to drop my sister M off (she came to visit last weekend). I had lunch with my professor and we talked about my time in Japan. He was really nice and gave me 2 CDs with DVD recordings of a Japanese TV show...it'll be good for me to stay exposed to Japanese. We also talked about my future...basically I don't know where I'm going (but more on that on another posting). He pretty much told me what my father and M had told me...so I guess I'll have to take it from there. Also, I went to visit Mrs. BA, who coordinated my stay at Soka. She is such a wonderful lady. I enjoyed talking to her and catching up on what's been going on in the Study Abroad Program.
Walking around Main Street and the UD campus was another eerie experience for me. I felt like a ghost...or should I say, I could see ghosts walking amongst the students...the ghosts of my friends who had walked on the very same sidewalks. I could almost see KG waving over to me as we met for lunch during my junior year. Those moments in college seemed so long ago, yet all those old memories and emotions came back to me with a pang, and seemed suddenly clear...as if the remains had lingered right there in front of my sophomore year dorm. I looked at the current students and they seemed so carefree...for a moment I wished I was back in college...
To be honest, not much has happened since I got back from the cruise. While there are some changes in the pop culture and political scenes and some changes in my town and in my home (I came home to find that we got a new DVD player!), it seems that for the most part, things are just as they were when I left. In fact, sometimes it feels like I never left. But I still find myself having to get used to things. I walk around huge stores like Wal-Mart in a daze...it's so strange seeing the huge amounts of food. Not that I was starving in Japan...far from it. It's just that in Japan, food is sold in more...reasonable amounts (that's just my opinion). On the other hand, the food in Japan is more expensive. It's going to be really hard trying to stay at a reasonable weight now that I am exposed to so many more "temptations". I came home to find two plastic bags full of chocolate that my family had gotten for me at Christmas. It's funny...when you start living in another place...the former place, the former world starts to fade away and your life back there seems like a dream. I knew this would happen, so during my last days in Japan, I tried to take everything in and tried to engrave it in my mind....but already...those images are slipping away and are beginning to seem dream-like. However, Japan still hasn't totally faded from my mind. When I see or hear anything that reminds me of Japan...even when I hear American music that I first heard in Japan, I become very nostalgic...natsukashi...and for an instant, I am back at the Interent cafe or back in my apartment or back in my dorm at Soka... Most of my conversations begin with "when I was in Japan..." but how can they not? It's where I spent the last one and half years of my life? Anywayz, I'm back in my house...in my bedroom with my computer and all my other things...I picked up where I left off. It's funny because these things seemed so far away, so dreamlike when I was in Japan...
I got my parents' old bedroom set because they got a new one a few days ago. So I had to help with moving stuff around. My "new" bedroom set is really nice and it goes surprisingly well with my room.
Also...K is coming to visit March 16th! He will stay here for a week. I wish he would stay for two weeks so we won't be so rushed to do everything...but I guess it's better than nothing. I can't wait to show him around and introduce him to people...especially my UD Japanese professor and the two Soka exchange students at UD.
Speaking of UD, I went back there on Monday to drop my sister M off (she came to visit last weekend). I had lunch with my professor and we talked about my time in Japan. He was really nice and gave me 2 CDs with DVD recordings of a Japanese TV show...it'll be good for me to stay exposed to Japanese. We also talked about my future...basically I don't know where I'm going (but more on that on another posting). He pretty much told me what my father and M had told me...so I guess I'll have to take it from there. Also, I went to visit Mrs. BA, who coordinated my stay at Soka. She is such a wonderful lady. I enjoyed talking to her and catching up on what's been going on in the Study Abroad Program.
Walking around Main Street and the UD campus was another eerie experience for me. I felt like a ghost...or should I say, I could see ghosts walking amongst the students...the ghosts of my friends who had walked on the very same sidewalks. I could almost see KG waving over to me as we met for lunch during my junior year. Those moments in college seemed so long ago, yet all those old memories and emotions came back to me with a pang, and seemed suddenly clear...as if the remains had lingered right there in front of my sophomore year dorm. I looked at the current students and they seemed so carefree...for a moment I wished I was back in college...
Wednesday, March 03, 2004
My Caribbean Cruise, Part III
Back to Puerto Rico
Finally, on the morning of the 22nd, we were back in Puerto Rico. We disembarked and got a taxi to the airport, where my relatives had to catch a flight. Strangely enough, our taxi driver was the very same one that had taken us back to the hotel after we toured old San Juan the week before. He was really friendly, but told jokes that we couldn't quite understand. Anyways, my mother and I weren't supposed to leave San Juan until the next day, but we accompanied my relatives to the airport to say goodbye and to see if we could somehow change our plane tickets for a flight that left that day, but we couldn't because all the flights were full. Let me tell you, it was pandemonium at the airport, with everyone coming back from their respective cruises. When we said goodbye to my relatives, my mother and I had to find a hotel to stay in. To make a long story short: After much running around and waiting around, we finally found a nice hotel that was just a street's crossing away from the Isla Verde beach. We had thought about returning to old San Juan, but we were so tired that my mom and I took a long nap. Later on, we headed over to the beach. It was a beautiful beach with white sand and turquoise blue water. At that beach, my mind was at ease and I felt truly relaxed for the first time since starting the cruise. There were people windsurfing and my mom was curious to see how they did it, so we walked over to get a closer look. Later on, we had a cheap dinner at *surprise* Burger King and then headed over to Walgreens and 7-11. Going to the 7-11 was defenitely a reverse culture shock experience, especially after having gotten used to the Japanese 7-11s. I just stood there in disbelief, staring at the huge bags of Doritos and potato chips and the big bottles of Coke...even the very atmosphere seemed different...more menacing...I tried to picture the 7-11 convenience store near my apartment complex in Japan, not wanting that image to slip away...
The next day, our flight left at 2pm, but my mother insisted on going to the beach again. I did some packing while my mom went to the beach and by the time I went to catch up with her, she was already on her way to the hotel's pool, so I took a short stroll on the beach by myself. There, I saw a family that had taken the very same cruise as we had! I didn't approach them since I never really talked to them, but it was still a very nice coincidence. I had to push my mom to hurry so we could make it to the airport on time, and before we knew it...we left San Juan. Our flight flew from San Juan to Charlotte, NC. Talk about a rude awakening. Compared to the lush green island that was Puerto Rico, from above, Charlotte seemed dark, bleak, and depressing. In Charlotte, we took another plane to Washington Dulles. After getting our luggage at baggage claim, I lost my mother, so I tried looking for her at the bus stop. I couldn't find her but shortly afterwards, I was paged. NEVER in my childhood was I ever paged...it took 24 years for me to finally be paged by my mommy ;-) So we found each other and made our way back to the hotel we had stayed in a week before and got our car ready for our three hour drive home. I had expected to find blustery wintery weather, but the temperature was surprisingly mild. I was exhausted but got some rest in the car and drove the second half of the trip home. Yep. I was put to driving right away. I kept telling my Japanese students that here in the US, a car is essential for getting around...
The trip was wonderful and I enjoyed it very much. My words aren't enough to describe how beautiful the Caribbean is, so I would like to share my pictures from the trip. I have uploaded them to my computer and am currently working on an online photo album. Once it's ready, I will post a link to it.
Back to Puerto Rico
Finally, on the morning of the 22nd, we were back in Puerto Rico. We disembarked and got a taxi to the airport, where my relatives had to catch a flight. Strangely enough, our taxi driver was the very same one that had taken us back to the hotel after we toured old San Juan the week before. He was really friendly, but told jokes that we couldn't quite understand. Anyways, my mother and I weren't supposed to leave San Juan until the next day, but we accompanied my relatives to the airport to say goodbye and to see if we could somehow change our plane tickets for a flight that left that day, but we couldn't because all the flights were full. Let me tell you, it was pandemonium at the airport, with everyone coming back from their respective cruises. When we said goodbye to my relatives, my mother and I had to find a hotel to stay in. To make a long story short: After much running around and waiting around, we finally found a nice hotel that was just a street's crossing away from the Isla Verde beach. We had thought about returning to old San Juan, but we were so tired that my mom and I took a long nap. Later on, we headed over to the beach. It was a beautiful beach with white sand and turquoise blue water. At that beach, my mind was at ease and I felt truly relaxed for the first time since starting the cruise. There were people windsurfing and my mom was curious to see how they did it, so we walked over to get a closer look. Later on, we had a cheap dinner at *surprise* Burger King and then headed over to Walgreens and 7-11. Going to the 7-11 was defenitely a reverse culture shock experience, especially after having gotten used to the Japanese 7-11s. I just stood there in disbelief, staring at the huge bags of Doritos and potato chips and the big bottles of Coke...even the very atmosphere seemed different...more menacing...I tried to picture the 7-11 convenience store near my apartment complex in Japan, not wanting that image to slip away...
The next day, our flight left at 2pm, but my mother insisted on going to the beach again. I did some packing while my mom went to the beach and by the time I went to catch up with her, she was already on her way to the hotel's pool, so I took a short stroll on the beach by myself. There, I saw a family that had taken the very same cruise as we had! I didn't approach them since I never really talked to them, but it was still a very nice coincidence. I had to push my mom to hurry so we could make it to the airport on time, and before we knew it...we left San Juan. Our flight flew from San Juan to Charlotte, NC. Talk about a rude awakening. Compared to the lush green island that was Puerto Rico, from above, Charlotte seemed dark, bleak, and depressing. In Charlotte, we took another plane to Washington Dulles. After getting our luggage at baggage claim, I lost my mother, so I tried looking for her at the bus stop. I couldn't find her but shortly afterwards, I was paged. NEVER in my childhood was I ever paged...it took 24 years for me to finally be paged by my mommy ;-) So we found each other and made our way back to the hotel we had stayed in a week before and got our car ready for our three hour drive home. I had expected to find blustery wintery weather, but the temperature was surprisingly mild. I was exhausted but got some rest in the car and drove the second half of the trip home. Yep. I was put to driving right away. I kept telling my Japanese students that here in the US, a car is essential for getting around...
The trip was wonderful and I enjoyed it very much. My words aren't enough to describe how beautiful the Caribbean is, so I would like to share my pictures from the trip. I have uploaded them to my computer and am currently working on an online photo album. Once it's ready, I will post a link to it.
