On the Way

I think it’s quite possible that I have the best friends in the world. I cried when I listened to everyone wishing me luck and love on my journey. I couldn’t have asked for a better going-away gift. I still don’t think that the truth about this trip has hit me. I am nervous and can’t eat…mostly I really want to get there and meet the other people in the program. Right now we’re flying over a very frozen North Dakota. There are a lot of ridges and gully-like areas. I think I may have seen some crop circles too. : ) Every body of water I can see is very, very frozen.

We were delayed for a few hours in Chicago, but we got to taxi over a highway, which is kind of cool. I have always been fascinated by driving under trains or over other cars. On the way to Chicago I sat next to a nice older man. I was slightly disappointed with the company, but he was nice enough. I just love it when you get to meet really interesting people on the airplane. On the way to KIX (Kansai International Airport) I have been sitting next to a nice Japanese boy. We have had conversation difficulty, but he’s been very sweet. It looks like we’re flying up into Canada, which will be interesting. It’s -74oF outside right now, but with the sun reflecting off of the ice, you’d never guess. It is so white outside it looks unlivable. I may have to reconsider whether or not I want to go to school in the Northwest, or the Northern part of the middle states. It will be interesting to see what this all looks like in the summer on the way back.

There seem to be very few houses, but where there are houses, they are surrounded by trees. But mostly it is very, very flat land with a lot of trees planted in rows. Wow. I just saw my first town out here. Talk about a huge difference in population density. Whereas most of the state has houses very far away from each other, the city is a huge blob of activity, iron, and people down below. I can’t really see the people, but I am sure they are there. The cloud cover seems to be coming back…so perhaps I should nap while there’s nothing to look at.

Later, November 29, 2005 and into the 30th as we crossed the date line

Alaska was beautiful—mountain upon mountain covered with snow. Everything was so pristine. I am honestly not sure if I saw people living there or not. I was so fascinated by the landscape, so snowy, it looked as continuous as the ocean, extending out of view in every direction. I also saw a lot of craters. I was very fascinated by them. I wonder if they are extinct volcanoes or places where meteor rocks have fallen. I know those are probably both far fetched answers, but they were my first two guesses. As we headed out over ht Pacific, we flew over an ice field. Although the coast was unfrozen, a little ways out were huge sheets of ice. I could see where large pieces had cracked apart and where smaller sheets had smacked together, creating a ridge. It was almost as if I were looking at the continents and tectonic plates. The rest of the flight consisted over bad movies, me missing Bryan, and being uncomfortable. It got exciting again as we began our descent to Osaka. The mountains looked like black velvet patches scattered along the ground in the twilight, and the towns glowed down in the valleys between mountains. I had imagined it being just like that. Yet Osaka to Kyoto was a very different trip. My first impression: lights. All of the street signs we backlit and all of the billboard ads were neon. Flashing neon was everywhere. The city must thrive off of it. I was also startled by the overwhelming majority of Toyotas and new cars. I was maybe two cars made before 1990 all night. Also, they all had halogen bulbs. Strange, since everyone’s were the same, it wasn’t as blinding. Also, the highways reminded me of the dirt track in Mario Cart, without the dirt. There were huge tall barricades and everything was lit with yellowing lighting from above and sometimes yellow and purple lighting on the sides. The only people here tonight in the dorm with me are a couple. They seem very nice, although it’s a slightly awkward dynamic. It makes me miss Bryan ridiculously. I know I can’t let that hold me back. First step, however, is sleep. More tomorrow, I’m sure.