Logan International Airport: the last place in my beloved Boston that I will see for quite some time.

The adventure has begun!!! Err, well, it actually began 4 weeks ago... hope you've been keeping up with the staff blogs. My journey to the mountainous countryside of Japan to teach English in the public schools is the event of a lifetime and I'm happy to share the details of what I've been experiencing in this strange, new anime-reality. I've had my camera at my side nearly every moment since my arrival, and now that I have internet-access in my home, I can finally share some photos of what I've seen so far.

The Northwest Airlines plane that will bring me to my connection in Detroit.

The jumbo-jet that I will be calling "home" for the next 12 hours as I make my way to Narita International Airport outside Tokyo, Japan.

It's so strange traveling Westward. Essentially, you just stay in the same place in the air above the clouds as the Earth moves under you. It was 3pm for 12 hours... now I know why they make you close the window-shades; all that constant bright sunlight is taxing on your sleepcycle. I was preparing to stay awake the whole ride (I love flying), but after a while, I started to nod off. When I was awake, I played with my NintentoDS, listened to my iPod (crammed with anime tunes and j-pop, of course), and watched the on-flight movies (Kung-Fu Panda, which was pretty cool, and some movie about a 1960's diamond robbery... meh, coulda been better, but it held my interest for the time it was on). I didn't find out that the kid sitting next to me was working for the same company until I saw him at the rendezvous point inside Narita Airport. D'oh!

Inside the NWA hub-terminal at Detroit-Wayne County International Airport. It's so big that it has its own tram system.

The Narita View Hotel is where I spent my first week in Japan.

Inside the hotel lobby, the women employees wear cute teal-colored uniforms.

ABOVE: A Japanese exit sign. LEFT: The Kirin Beer vending machine outside my hotel room.

For those who haven't been keeping up with the blog, a quick summary of my training week in Narita City... I was training with 169 other English-speaking foreigners. The hotel was pretty nice, although the room I was assigned was in the old-building... affectionately nicknamed by my roommate and me as "the ghetto wing." I met many friendly people and enjoyed all the activites provided by the company representatives. I didn't get out as much as I had hoped; I was especially hoping to see the local shrine that is dedicated to a Shinto fire god. I only made it out twice all week, and one of those trips was to a Thai restaurant... I don't like Thai food, but I was outvoted, haha.

LEFT: The nightlife in Narita City, Chiba Prefecture BELOW: One of a jillion konbini (convenience stores) in Japan. You can find almost anything at one of these places, and perform other services like pay utility bills or buy concert tickets.

Taxis waiting for fares outside the subway station in central Narita City.

That mascot made me laugh. He doesn't seem to be having a happy life.

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