Random Thoughts on Life in Tokyo...So Far

So I'm pretty sure that the best part of my work day will be my lunch break. Without fail, my boss (and following his example) the other interns will sit down at the table i'm usually work at and proceed to engage (me included) in conversation for the next hour or so. The first time this happened I was extremely nervous considering my speaking ability isn't fantastic and understanding in real time is always problematic (not to mention that the Tokyo dialect of Japanese is super fast in terms of its pacing). However, each time it's been very fun and interesting simultaneously. Granted, the people in the conversation constantly change (though the only two permanent players so far are myself and my boss), which contributes to the engaging factor. Nonetheless, we always seem to have fun. It usually begins with my boss asking me some sorts of questions and from there we dive off into other topics. Today, it was me, my boss, and this other guy, and for a while we just talked about international relations (as the conversation started with why I had chosen that to be my major). It's funny. While I believe I have a small vocabulary and simple knowledge of Japanese grammar patterns, even when I'm at a loss for words to use to express myself, I somehow manage to say something akin to what I'm thinking in English. In practice I apparently know a lot more than I do in theory! We even had a minor discussion about Japanese-American relations and while I didn't contribute much on the topic, I did understand a lot of what was being said. And the topics aren't always serious. Yesterday, we spent a bit of time talking about Japanese anime and American cartoons, their differences, what we liked etc. Obviously, there are times when I don't understand. Usually though they explain using other words in Japanese, which I do understand, or they try and explain in what english they know, which I understand as well. All in all it's been awesome so far. However, I still don't know anyone's name and I'm nervous to ask considering that I have been here for a week now and I feel like it's impolite...Hopefully though on Friday when we all go out together after work I will be able to learn some names.

My morning commute is pretty low key. I get up, wash up, get ready, get my stuff together, eat a small breakfast, and depart for the subway station. My subway ride is a little bit crowded as I get on between 10:20 and 10:30. However, it is nothing compared to the ride coming back in the evening. If you haven't heard, there are stories about Tokyo's subways, where sometimes the cars are so packed during rush hour, that subway conductors have to come around and push people in so that the doors will close. Granted, I haven't been on one of those subways, but my commute home makes me feel like I've been packed into a can of sardines. Lucky for me I only have two stops before I can get off. But sometimes, the subway cars are so packed that I have to wait for the next train to come because there simply is no room left in the car. I have seen people sometimes holding themselves in the subway car by pushing back on the entry way until the doors close and we're all inside. So yes, Tokyo commutes are hazardous during rush hour.

Yesterday and the day before, while walking to my apartment, I got caught in a downpour, completely by surprise. People had informed me prior to my stay in Tokyo that the summer season in Japan was the rainy season. However, I never thought that the skies would open up and let loose torrential rains when only hours before it was hot, humid, and SUNNY. Both times I managed to get myself completely soaked as I was without my umbrella. Funny though it was still humid and temperate. Anyway, lesson learned: always carry an umbrella with you during summertime in Japan. You never know when mother nature's bipolar mood will strike and change the weather from sunshine to rainfall.

As it is the summer, Japan is starting to be flooded with tourists. This is a bit of a problem for me seeing as my days off are Thursday, Saturday and Sunday. I'm pretty sure the weekends will always be times when tourists are doing the regular tourist activities, so that leaves me with Thursdays. Thursdays are strictly sightseeing days and I must make full use of them. So my plan for this Thursday is to get up super early, go to city hall so I can register to my new address (change it from my Kyoto one), then go to Asakusa, the older part of Tokyo. Possibly from there I will spend time at Ueno as well, another JR station hub, but that's depending how late it is by the time I finish wandering Asakusa. But this leaves me with the predicament as to what can I do with my weekends that I can explore to my heart's desire while not being constantly bugged my massive tourists. I find I may just have to put up with them unfortunately so, but I'm trying to look for offbeat things to see and do and leave the more mainstream for Thursdays.

It's still weird to think I'm here in Tokyo for the summer. It never occurred to me that it could actually happen, yet here I am, working as an intern for an NGO, living on my own, struggling and learning a foreign language. Everyday I seem to have one of these moments where I go, "Holy Cow, I'm in Tokyo" and I get all happy.

And a shout out to my friend Austen. Today is her birthday (July 6th) and she's 21! Too bad she's in Nara being amazing at her internship. But she's coming to visit in a couple weeks and we're going to Tokyo Disneyland!!