I am covered in bug bites. I have eaten a multitude of questionable substances moonlighting as “food” and I have gotten lost so many times that it has passed the point of being funny. So, to sum up my experience in Japan so far, I couldn’t be any happier!

Admittedly, to some, what I have described above sounds like a ring of hell straight out of the likes of Dante’s Inferno. To me, it describes everything I’ve dreamed of and more. In only 12 days, Tokyo has expanded my horizons in every cliché way possible. The bug bites I have received have been well worth it because they were contracted while walking through a thousand year old shrine in Narita, and while sitting in Yoyogi Park listening to a Japanese comedy troupe perform while eating yakitori fresh from a street stand grill, and while hiking a river ravine in the mountain escape of Nikko. The aforementioned “questionable substances” were takoyaki, little deep friend balls of octopus that taste like they fell straight from fast food heaven, and dried crickets right off of a vendors stall. The times of complete confusion when being lost in the labyrinth ironically referred to as the Tokyo subway system are irreplaceable to me because it brought me so much closer to the people I have met on my program (because nothing makes you friends faster than being lost in the underbelly of a city in Asia together). These are all wonderful experiences that I could never have dreamed of before coming to study abroad, and could never have achieved had I decided to spend my summer on my couch binge watching Netflix (although I still greatly respect the practice).

Not only have I been experiencing so much, I have been learning so much of the Japanese language. I came twelve days ago knowing nothing. Like legit nothing, nada, as I somehow failed to notice that we needed to come knowing how to read and write hiragana and katakana, two of the three Japanese alphabets. So, I came completely and utterly clueless, and in only twelve days, I know both of those alphabets, a ton of vocabulary and have actually held basic conversations with locals (mostly revolving around how, “Yes, I am an American”, and, “No, I don’t know how to speak Japanese,”) but hey it still counts in my book! I am honestly astonished at how quickly my class is moving, but am even more astonished at how much I am retaining. Being able to learn in a class setting, then immediately get to utilize that knowledge while I am out and about traveling in Japan has reinforced it so much more than I could have imagined. It is so incredibly cool to speak even a little Japanese. It has given me confidence as a student that I can take on insurmountable challenges like learning a new language from scratch and as an traveler who can learn how to navigate a foreign country without knowing the language.

So far Japan has taught me to: not ask questions when it comes to trying food, make sure to always have bug spray handy, and to have at least one friend who can speak Japanese with you at all times (in case of an emergency). Most importantly however, Japan has taught me so far to never say no to any offer of an adventure, because you never know when that spur of the moment decision can lead to one of the best experiences of your life.

As for now that’s all, look for my next post my trip on my trips to Kyoto and Nikko.

P.S. If you ever get the chance to try rice from a vending machine, do it, I promise you won’t be disappointed!

Here are some of my early pictures:

I don’t think that I believed that I was going to be living in Japan until I actually got here. So, amidst pre-landing freak out, I managed to snap my first picture of my host country!

Naritasan Shinshoji Temple: One of the most picturesque places I have ever been, where the cost of admission was my seemingly infinite number of mosquito bites.

Here is your average Tokyo train/subway. Some fun facts about this form of Japanese public transportation:

1. You aren’t supposed to eat or talk while in the train car,

2. Your cellphone is meant to be on silent/vibrate mode as to not disturb other passengers,

3. There are designated seats for the ill, pregnant, and elderly,

4. The average delay time for any train is only 30 seconds, making timeliness extremely important

The food in Japan has been AMAZING! I have yet to have a bad meal, and every time I eat, there is something new and exciting to try. One of my favorite dishes has to be Udon, pictured above. While we have it back home in America, it’s nothing like what Noodle Houses in Tokyo serve.

Shibuya, Japan: During my stay I will be in the Shibuya “neighborhood” of Tokyo. Shibuya has a vibrant center known for shopping, eating and entertainment. It’s usually portrayed by Shibuya Crossing, one of the busiest intersections in the world. Here is a picture of when I first began to explore!

Location: Narita, Japan