5/25: One by one we have to say good-bye

Our final day of touring began nice and early at 830am (I’m getting used to waking up at 0500 and crossing my fingers that I will get another hour minimum of sleep!) with a trip out to Tokyo University to talk to author, Satoko Norimatsu, author of Resistant Islands. With this trip the Map Masters got to experience a new train line…the Keio Line (represented by a purple box), this part of the subway started out inside and then went outside. You’re welcome for that little bit of information!

 

This session was incredibly interesting and we were mixed in with Japanese undergraduate students. At the end of the session we had the opportunity to talk to the students, one student was very well spoken with amazing English. We learned she had lived in New York for 4 years with her family. The other students were willing to try their English skills and talked about places to travel and school. One is taking a trip for a month in the US all on his own so he won’t talk Japanese with his friend. We got the opportunity to be shown around the campus with a student…the quietest student came right up to me and we took our tour. The first question, which I love, “are you on facebook?” and when I said yes, “can I add you?” Amazing how Facebook is now an almost universal language! Sakura wants to be a researcher and wants to make enough money someday to support children…I told her that I definitely didn’t think that way when I was in my undergrad and I barely think that as I am now 30 and single! By the time I had checked my Facebook I had a new friend in another country!

 

After our time at Tokyo University it was onto our debriefing and closing lunch. Honestly one of the longest restaurant I have ever walked through. It was like a complex of restaurants! We did our debriefing and had several courses…I’m getting good at this trying new foods thing! When it came to debriefing I talked about how comfortable I felt in Tokyo as overwhelming as it is…we mastered the subway map and had a blast going all over the place. Had I not been comfortable I don’t think I would have been able to be so engaged in the culture.

On our way back we finally did it, we lost one of our own in the underground! There is nothing like exiting the train to look back to make sure everyone got off the train and seeing one of your group being shut into the train as it takes off!! Luckily the teacher was on board and got her back…needless to say we had quite a few laughs about this throughout the evening.

The adventure continued with the last evening taking us to the Tokyo Dome for the baseball game. Tokyo Giants versus the Olix Giants. The moment we arrived it was time for t-shirts…we needed to fit in with the locals, ha! The attempt was made and appreciated by all J And the shirts were definitely cheaper than buying a shirt in the US at a ball field! Then it was time for hot dogs at the first hot dog stand in a ball park in Japan. This stand opened in 1949 and was serving Johnsonville hot dogs J taking part in a little piece of history and then enjoying my new favorite beer, Kirin.

Surprising to notice there wasn’t any playing of a national anthem and no formal start to the game. There was a performance by their cheerleaders but it’s pretty funny to see they are fairly well covered and the music they dance to is definitely 90’s rock….or even farther back to “The Witch Doctor”. Hilarious night! The favorite part is seeing the beer girls, they bow at the bottom of the stairs, wave and then work their way up the stairs while carrying a mini-keg on their backs. Honestly so much beer and chance to get beer and variety of brands. Definitely different from the states! Even a choice between Coke and Pepsi!

 

Even in the ball field it was clean! Between the innings people ran through with trash bags and everyone passed the garbage down. Honest to goodness, this city is cleaner than Disney World! When foul balls were hit into the stands the ushers would blow a whistle in the area and then immediately check on the spectators to make sure they’re ok and then report back to security that everything was ok.

It was so strange to be at a ball field and see everyone eating with chopsticks and they allow carry-ins! The favorite of our group was the gigantic loaf of bread in the ziplock bag that the lady two rows down kept pulling out of her backpack!

The Giants managed to pull out a win in the final inning coming from behind with a double…great way to end the night! And then it was time for the journey back to the hotel, with a stop on the 45^th floor in the hotel for a final drink overlooking the city and talking about what we want to be when we grow up. Still working on that one…both growing up and figuring out what I want to be when I do finally grow up.