Both of my roommates had to leave much earlier than I so I was woken up quite early. Ended up packing all my things together and promptly forgetting the shampoo and conditioner I bought in the shower. I went down to breakfast in a different room than usual since everything was split up into smaller rooms this morning. I sat with a Nashville friend, and as breakfast went on, we managed to gather a whole table full. It was nice to see them all one last time before we were separated. After breakfast, I took my things downstairs and called my family with the lobby wifi. I wasn’t sure when I would have wifi again.

I met up with the rest of the Gunma group as we awaited our departure time. Once our bus had arrived, I followed the line out into the heat. The cicadas were quite active. I could still load my large bag under the bus, yay! I sat next to K, the other ALT going to my town. I stared out the window for most of the ride despite the haziness. Apparently the humidity here is so strong, it distorts your view. We stopped at a rest stop in Saitama. I bought a milk tea that had Fairy Tail on it, ha. Sadly I then had to carry the empty bottle around with me. Japan has no public trashcans. Your best bet is outside convenience stores or vending machines. You also have to remember to sort your trash. Take the bottle lid off and remove the plastic labeling because those go in a different bin than the bottle itself.

During the drive, all the SHS ALTs practiced our Japanese intro speeches for tomorrow. Ick! We arrived in Maebashi at the Kencho building (the prefectural government office) after about a 2 hour drive. The expressway is not so express-like. There was a lot of traffic and the speed limits are really low. We unloaded all our luggage and locked it up in a room. Then we went across the street to the main building, the tallest building in Maebashi so you can spot it easily. There was an adorable statue of Gunma-chan, our prefectural mascot, outside. It won first place in the mascot competition this past year. It’s a gender-less, 7 year old pony. On the basement floor of the kencho was a Gunma-chan shop. You could buy so many things with Gunma-chan on them.

We went to have lunch in the cafeteria there. Very overwhelming. Everything in Japanese only. I couldn’t even do the point and say kudasai (please) trick, because there were different stations that served many different things. Lots of side dishes as well. I wanted to have udon, but then I was asked questions in Japanese and wham the language barrier really hit me for the first time. I tried to express myself, but I had to ask the other ALTs around me to find one who spoke Japanese. Frustrating for the servers as well as me, I’m sure. I managed to get my food and an eggplant tempura. Check out was interesting, because they weigh your tray and that determines the cost. Free water and tea, yay, like every restaurant I have been to in Japan.

After lunch we had a bit of free time, so I wandered around with two other JETs. We stopped by a restroom where two toilets were bidets as per usual, but the other two stalls had the squat toilets! Last time I saw those was in France at a rest station. I’ll stick with the toilets, thanks. We went to the top floor to get a view of Maebashi. Very impressive. Japanese cities are quite large and clustered. Maebashi has a population of 2 million people, I think. The neighboring city, Takasaki, is actually larger at 3 million. We also stopped on another floor that had a diorama of Gunma. You could see where the cities were located and how relatively tall the mountains were. Luckily I had memorized my city’s kanji so I could identify where it was.

We went back to the building across the street for our ceremony. Suit jackets back on and the sweating begins. Air con is almost non-existent. The temperature indoors is usually around 30 C. We all sat in our chairs, suffocating, as a bunch of Gunma officials were introduced. My name was actually the first to be called, ha. I walked up to the front with my squeaky shoes (too much sweat!) and shook hands and bowed to my JTE, Iowa-sensei, from my school. We went through all thirty of the new JETs in this manner. As soon as it was over, jackets came off. I grabbed my luggage and headed with Iowa-sensei to his car, saying goodbye to some of my new friends along the way.

The car garage was an automatic one! The attendants had to call your car and it would be delivered from the depths of the garage. It was crazy. I’ve only seen one of these once before in Europe. Soon we were off in his Prius. It took about an hour to drive to Tomioka. We made some good polite conversation. I’m never much of a talker especially in cars, but hopefully I made a decent first impression. He drove me to my school first. The building is a decent size for a high school. The hallways are all outside with sliding doors leading to classrooms. The building looks relatively new, especially compared with some of ones I’ve seen.

I was given some indoor guest slippers that I promptly slid around in because I was wearing pantyhose and my feet were too big for them. Iowa-sensei introduced me to the office workers first, and then we went upstairs to the teacher’s room where I gave my brief self intro. Fooled them into thinking that I spoke Japanese, hehe. Then we went next door to Kocho-sensei’s office, the principal. He used to be an English teacher for 20 years so he speaks really well. We sat down on his sofa and chairs, and I was served green tea! Very strong and delicious. We talked a lot about Sabrina the movie, Audrey Hepburn, and Sabrina pants. And had a long discussion with Iowa-sensei about how to spell my last name in katakana with a non-negative sound.

He took me on a tour of the building. We popped into the room where several third years were studying even during the middle of summer break. Then he showed me the gym where students were doing their club sport. Clubs are very important and students practice every day even on weekends and vacation. We also stopped by the library where they had a small collection of English books. The art room had these huge sculptures. I hope I can join the art club. That at least requires no Japanese skill. He talked to me about the students and how well behaved this school was, about the handball team that went to Nationals last year. They even have one student who will be in the U-18 Japan team and is going to India.

After we returned to his office, Iowa-sensei met us there and took me downstairs to collect my heavy, huge suitcases. The zipper was broken off on one of the outer pockets, but otherwise they seemed in okay shape. I was glad they had already arrived, because I had heard that it could take longer and I didn’t have any extra clothes packed in my carry on. We then drove to my house where I unloaded myself. Iowa-sensei helped in lugging the suitcases along. I took off my shoes in the genkan as is only proper (especially since sensei was there watching!).

The apartment is quite nice! I have lots of space, a hallway, bedroom, bathroom, toilet, kitchen/dining room, and a living room that has a sliding door. Also a patio! All wood floors too. Much easier to clean than tatami. The air con unit is in the living room so that’ll probably become my bedroom, ha.

We then went on a drive. He drove me back and forth between school and my home so I would know the way for tomorrow. He pointed out the police station, a drug store, the post office, and drove by my closest grocery store. He then dropped me off at home and said that he was leaving on a trip, but K-sensei would take me around to places tomorrow and drive me to Maebashi with K (the other Tomioka SHS ALT) for the appointment ceremony.

First things, first, air con on! My pred had left an old futon out for me. I had no sheets though. I found the blanket for the kotatsu that had a lined side that felt less furry and hot. I draped that over the mattress and used another blanket as a pillow. She had also left a reading type pillow, a black cat, so I used that as well. I explored the house briefly, mostly checking all the cabinets in the kitchen and fridge to see what my pred had left behind. I ate a lychee flavored ice cream and unpacked my laptop. I managed to find a free 15 min wifi trial, thank goodness, and sent a message to my family to let them know I had arrived.

Then the tears came. Honestly, I was rather tired, felt a bit sick, and was massively overwhelmed by all the information that had been thrust my direction all day. Cue the panic, could I do this? In a place so far away and different, knowing no one nearby at all? After all trying to get food for lunch was such a disaster, did I have the skills to continue? So I had just finished my good cry when the doorbell rang. Oh no! Who would come back now? I tried to compose myself but I knew it was hopeless. Upon opening my door, who was it but my principal. *face palm* He said he had come by to ensure I was okay and had everything I needed, before he left on his vacation. He then promptly remarked on my teary face. I told him it was just a bit of homesickness and that I was fine, but he insisted on giving me his number at school and private one, as well as Ichigo-sensei, my supervisor. So kind, yet also a bit awkward to show your red-eyed face to your boss on the first day you met him.

After he left, I used a prepackaged container of rice and a can of tuna to “make” dinner. I didn’t feel like leaving the apartment or going to the convenience store around the corner. I ate two bites before I got really nauseous and decided it’d be a good idea to stop eating before I threw up. I think the water finally got to me. There’s always that adjustment period when you switch your usual habits. I laid down and ended up chewing a lot of tums as I tried not to vomit. At some point I must have drifted off to sleep.