Tokyo: Anecdotes and Musings

Ah, Tokyo.

More than two weeks ago, I flew to this city as I was selected by my university to do an exchange program with Bunka Gakuen University and an internship with a Japanese fashion company. Of course, I was excited when they informed me that I was among the 8 people selected for the program!

In true Jana fashion, anecdotal mishaps are always expected. I rarely get a smooth sailing trip. Something funny, stupid or annoying happens, which creates good memories and great stories, I will admit. And sometimes, just when I thought, "Yeah, I think we're okay," something happens the next second, right on cue. Hahaha! Nothing horrifying or traumatic though, thank God! I intend to keep it that way. Universe, do you hear me? Let's keep it that way, okay?

First up in my anecdote: train ride from Narita airport to Shinjuku
So I bought a ticket for the NEX train. I ran to the platform when I noticed I only had a minute to get on it. I dashed inside the first carriage door I spotted. As I rolled my luggage inside and spotted a vacant space to place it, I overheard a lady behind me talking about seat numbers. I didn't know that I should be aware of seat numbers! I looked at my ticket. Yes, there is a date and some extra numbers. I Google Translated it to check which numbers are which. The other one is the seat number. I looked for that seat and sat on it. The other number is the carriage number. Oh, shit. I could be in the wrong carriage. But how will I know which carriage am I? I opened up Google and double-checked how to read the ticket, in case Google Translate is wrong (yeah, right) or I (oh, for sure!) read it wrongly. Eventually, I realised the carriage number is flashed on the TV screen onboard. Good to know that I was actually in the right carriage as per my ticket! Okay, I can relax now. I'm good. When we got to Tokyo station, we had to stop for a few minutes because the train was to separate. I tried to analyse the photo flashed on the screen. I panicked because as I understood it, the carriage I was in will stay behind at the station. Oh, hell no! But no one seems to be moving in the carriage that I was in so I convinced myself that I'm really overthinking this train situation. Then, the carriage moved, alleluia. I put my headphones on and sat peacefully in the train.

Anecdote 2: My battery died
I got off at Shinjuku station. I was supposed to meet one of the professors from Bunka and he will bring me to my accommodation. I texted him via Whatsapp when I got out of the station. I was about to send him a photo of where I was standing BUT MY BATTERY DIED. OH, HELL NO SHIT SHIT SHIT WTF. Okay, hold up. I know what you're thinking. Fact: No, I am not the type of person who carries a powerbank. Don't judge me. I am old school. I carry an actual charger. Which, unfortunately for me, was inside my luggage at that time. No, I did not and will not open my luggage in the middle of Shinjuku station. I would rather cry. Hahaha! I tried to ask around where the nearest payphone is. I saw one at the airport train station so I figured every station has it. However, no one could understand me. One pointed me to a location I did not get at all. I was almost in tears when I realised I have my iPad with me. Lightbulb moment: I could email him instead! And hope that he will see my email straight away. Which he did, about 15 minutes after I sent it. Okay, progress. I waited for 15 more minutes and called my brother via Messenger (who was already asleep because I completely forgot I was in a different timezone. Haha!). Before I could even relay to him what happened and what I needed him to do (which was to contact this professor for me through his Whatsapp), the professor came up to me. It was our first time meeting and I almost hugged him out of sheer relief and joy. I felt so embarrassed putting him through a stressful night that I kept apologising. It was an intense night for both of us.

Anecdote 3: Completely forgot to take off my shoes!
When we got to the dormitory, the professor and the manager showed me where my room is. I pushed my luggage into the room and I completely forgot to take off my shoes. Geez, Louise! I took one step beyond the area where we should leave the shoes and they called me out (in a very nice way since they are Japanese and they are very nice). I'm Asian, I should know that! And I know, it was embarrassing! Then they toured me around the dormitory and showed me where the nearest bus stop is going to uni and at my internship place.

It was pretty late when we bid goodbye to each other. I only had an hour to spare before my curfew (Yes, I had a curfew because it's a dormitory and I am a college kid. Haha!) to grab dinner. Luckily, Lawson is literally beside the dormitory. Yassssss! I have abused the convenience stores during my stay in Tokyo. I think I am more of a Lawson loyalist (Haha!), not just out of convenience because of its proximity, but I find they have better food, too.

Anecdote 4 (and 5, 6, 7... 40! HAHAHA!): Got lost
Need to say more??? Wrong turns on the road or at the station, wrong train, wrong stop, wrong bus. Name it, I did it.

The next day was my orientation day at Bunka and I was late because, you guessed it correctly, I got lost. So much for first impressions! Another embarrassing moment, yes. There's more, wait for it.

Anecdote 41: Japanese Mass
Even when I'm traveling, I always try to attend Mass on Sundays. Even if it means Masses in languages I do not speak or understand. :) The lovely grandma who sat beside me during the Mass wondered why I wasn't touching the songbook and singing my heart out to Jesus. So much so, being the cute grandma that she is, she grabbed the book, opened it and laid it out in front of me, thinking I would get the message. I got the message, grandma. Clearly. Hahaha! But I didn't do anything. Her next step was not subtle. She grabbed the book and tried to hand it to me and made a gesture suggesting that I should sing. I responded politely that I do not know how to speak or read Japanese, which I really hoped she understood. Ah, that grandma was really cute.

Okay, if you're easily grossed out by TMI and, I don't know, medical stuff (?), stop scrolling! Or scroll down to the end. 

Anecdote 42: Fainting and vomiting inside the plane
Scene-stealer in the house! HAHAHA!
Okay, this is the second fainting episode and third vomiting episode (happens consecutively, too. YAAAYYY.) during a flight. It happens during that split second of semi-awake/semi-asleep moment when you just want to change your position (Fortunately for me and my dignity, it happens when the plane lights are already off and almost everyone's already asleep). I'm guessing it could be orthostatic hypotension, plane food, plane temperature and/or cabin pressure. With this recent incident, I'm thinking maybe it was caused by dehydration and starvation? I was hungry when I boarded the plane and maybe I ate too fast when they served the food? Also, I had my period at that very moment, simultaneously. When they gave me oxygen and asked me to lie down on the empty seats in the middle section of the plane, I felt the cramps (HAHA! TMI! SORRY!). Great. Really? Now? Couldn't you wait until I got home? I waited for you last week and you didn't come, btw! So that's another reason, too. Fainting is kind of my thing. My family, some workmates and most especially, my friends (who I am usually with when it happens) have all witnessed my gracious downfall every now and then. Haha! The flight attendant asked me if I have motion sickness. I said, I didn't. I didn't think I have motion sickness because this didn't happen when I was on a cruise nor when I flew to the US and Europe, which were long haul flights. I also don't throw up or pass out on road trips. Anyway, my point is, I need to get myself checked. Maybe there are other reasons why I experience this. Then determine what precautionary steps I should take so that this will never happen again.

And that is it. The end of my funny and embarrassing stories! However, this trip did more than just provide me with funny stories to tell and new experiences. It was a trip I did not even realise I needed. A timeout. For myself. From the monotony. Ironically, I found the quiet and the need to just wander aimlessly in that busy city, in the midst of chaos at Shibuya Crossing, their overwhelming (but efficient!) transportation system and in between meals of amazing ramen, tonkatsu, sushi and more. It did not occur to me that I was burned out until my internship ended and I had to fly out the next day. I cried the moment I closed the door of the studio where I interned. I was crying as I walked to the station and while I was inside the train. I was able to somehow keep it together by not ugly crying in public but the tears just kept falling down. I cried in the middle of dinner with the other girls who were also in the program. When I got back to the dormitory, I just couldn't contain it any longer. I needed to let it all out. I sent a group message to four of my closest friends if I can talk to anyone of them and one of them responded and called me straight away. I picked up the call and just bawled my eyes out and let those feelings out (Shoutout to Lee! Thank you for painstakingly watching me ugly cry and for patiently listening and distracting me with stories in between). I did not want to go home at that time. I especially did not want to go back to work. Among the several trips I had done, it was my first time feeling that dread. Usually, I am just sad to leave but I was also looking forward to going back to my "reality." But that night? Man, I was just very sad. I thought, people were more than lovely and nice in Tokyo and I was doing what I want there so why the hell would I go back, right? On the other hand, I could have been just plainly hormonal, overwhelmed and tired. But that does not mean my feelings at that time were less valid. I will not deny that this trip did something to me, emotionally and mentally. It, as corny as this sounds, rejuvenated me. It enlightened me. It made me realise that I need to check in with myself from time to time and not just rely on my Netflix and my playlists to keep me sane. I need to go back to taking care of myself. I obviously neglected it as I was caught up with work, school, adult things that will never stop for anyone and more random things that life throws in between all of them.

That is the main goal for this new year (and for the rest of the coming years): Me being holistically healthy. My health above everything else.

You did that to me, Tokyo. Thank you.