Seven Years Later...

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It has been seven years since I was last in Japan, but I'm back!

When I last updated this blog, I had just turned 21 and was a junior in college; now, I'm 27. How time flies.

At this point, I've been in Tokyo for two weeks, out of a total of twelve. Having landed at about 3:00 p.m., I took an express train to Shinjuku, where I proceeded to search for the leasing office. This would have been much less difficult and stressful had I not been carrying seventy pounds of luggage. Then it started raining. The fun of the night was just beginning, though, first of all, because, as anyone who has traversed it knows, Shinjuku Station is a a crowded labyrinth. I spent several hours there, attempting to find my way to the right line. It was interesting, and I was having severely painful stomach cramps, presumably due to the cheese pizza I'd had on the plane, combined with the fact that I was severely lacking in sleep.

Once I finally arrived and Kinshicho Station, I attempted to use the map to find my apartment, to no avail, even after asking several random people on the street for hours -- in the rain. After eliciting the help of a very kind Japanese man, we were able to find it after about an hour of searching. What a relief. By then, it was after 11:00 p.m. -- 8 hours after my arrival -- and I was exhausted.

The next day was much less trying, even pleasant. The rain had dissipated, and I found my way to the location of my internship without too many problems. I walked around the area, in Chiyoda-ku, which is near, among other things, the Imperial Palace.

Since then, I've been wandering around Tokyo and loving every moment of the experience. Thus far, I've visited, Ginza, Akihabara (albeit briefly), Shibuya, and a few other places that I simply elected to explore. In fact, I enjoy taking leisurely walks around my own area, Kinshicho. I am struck by the cleanliness of the city. It is not difficult to see why: no one litters and there are multiple people working to keep everything clean.

I had nearly forgotten how delicious nearly all of the food is here. I look forward to every meal, as even the cheap dishes leave me quite happy until the next one. Ramen or udon, perhaps with gyoza, have been my primary dishes of choice for lunch: they're both cheap, and it's quite enjoyable to try different shops' variations. Even in my immediate vicinity, there are dozens of restaurants that specialize in ramen. I have a favorite near me.

I find that, when I'm in Japan, it's much easier for me to develop a normal sleeping schedule than it is when I'm in the US. Considering how much I walk during the day, this is hardly surprising.

The "real" reason I'm here is to do computer science research, and that experience has been a positive one thus far. One thing I love about doing science is the opportunity to interact with people from all over the world. I think that we all enrich each others' lives.

My first two weeks here have been exquisite. I'm loving every moment of my stay here.

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