After a day of orientation in San Francisco, we finally boarded our plane for Tokyo. We flew over 5,100 miles and 10 hours later landed in Japan.
What initially struck me about Tokyo is that it is nothing like the stereotypical images people have of a Japan that is filled with quaint temples, rice fields and people dressed in traditional clothing like kimonos. Instead, we were greeted by an ultra-modern city resembling the most impressive cities found in the United States, such as New York or Chicago. The only thing that shocked me was how clean and organized Tokyo was compared to our largest cities.
Tokyo is home to almost 13 million people. While much of the city has been modernized, during my first few hours, I was still able to find small traces of traditional Tokyo hidden away in the hustle and bustle of the city.
So far, the people of Japan have been very friendly, and I can't say enough about the generosity of the Japanese government, which is financing our trip. I could not have asked for more as far as accommodations. We are staying in a high-rise hotel with all of the latest amenities.
Tonight, I had a chance to practice some of my very basic Japanese phrases. A couple of people understood me, but most people looked at me like I had horns growing out of my head. That's O.K. because I always tell my ESOL students that the most important thing to do is to at least TRY to communicate.
Tomorrow, we will begin touring the city and will attend a performance of a traditional Japanese theater. I'll keep you updated.
SOUTHEAST HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT SUMMER MATH RIDDLE: We had 10 hours of flying time, but it took us 26 hours to get to Tokyo from San Francisco. There weren't any delays, and it was a direct flight. Why did it take so long? I'm looking forward to seeing your answers on the blog.
1 comment:
Isn't interesting how you think you know so much about a place (Turkey, Japan, etc.) and you study and prepare, and it is STILL so different from what you expect? To me, that is one of the COOLEST things about international travel and why more people should do it. We always let ourselves fall into that mindset of thinking we understand other cultures, but we always have SO MUCH to learn through experience. As for your language issue -- do you not have something growing out of your head?
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