“Haaaaaaa! No Cheque Yet!”

Hmmmmmmm

Where do we start? Where I've been to an airport five times a year but never flown? When I started crying during take off? When the guy in front of me pushed his chair back and it was a struggle getting in an out of my seat? When I celebrated my seat-belt fitting? When I couldn’t get my carry on from the top because I was so short, on both planes? I haven’t even reached Japan and It was already hard? No need to see to the embarrassing parts
but let’s head into Haneda Japan! 


We walked out of customs, it still felt surreal! I thought to myself “where am? I am I in Japan? No wait..yes I am... you are! Someone wake me up because this is it even funny!”


Like I said grab some popcorn because it’s gonna be good! 


From this point on we have unlimited Wi-Fi (thanks to Ali Sensei). We had trained from Haneda airport to Shinjuku where We had morning tea. We then walked for four hours. “Jokes” actually 20 minutes but with our luggage we met a colleague of Mr Ali‘s. After resting for an hour or so we then walk to another train station, to train to Atsugi-Shi, where we had more lunch. Again for 640 yen. It couldn’t get better than this. The food was all cheap and tasty.  
It’s around 3pm now, so we head into our hotel and have showers and prepare before 4 pm. The time comes and we train to Aiko-Ishida meeting Ono Sensei on the other side of the gates. From here we take our (Jishukan High School) school bus to school. 
My palms weren’t sweating but yah-girls were ankles hurting, she was sweating and her stomach was full of butterflies. “I can’t believe I’m doing this. I’m going to meet my buddy, I’m in Japan, I will be going to sleep alone on a foreign country and not even Mr Ali will be there.”


We arrive at this beautiful massive school, up the elevator we go. We walk out, a few unfamiliar smiling faces are in the halls. I pull my suitcase around and  one by one, students pop out. I look around slowly to ensure I get the right buddy. Then I hear “Memory! Memory!” It’s Yuki. I can finally put a beautiful smile to a name. We hug tightly then the New Zealand students sit at the front of a room. For the first 20 minutes of meeting Yuki we couldn’t stop laughing and were very nervous. We are all greeted with warm greetings and speeches by teachers and Yasui Kouchou Sensei (the Principal). Next thing I know it...I’m hugging Mr Ali goodbye. 


I met my Okaasan (host mother), Eliopa’s host family and together we go to dinner. A beautiful Japanese style restaurant. Being Mormon there are certain things Me and Eliopa couldn’t eat, luckily our host family’s were accepting and understanding of this. 


Sorry Siiiis! But it doesn’t stop there!

After dinner we go our separate ways and head home. Me and Yuki take and exchange selfies then after 30 minutes, we arrive at her beautiful house. i walk up the path to my house. through the doors I meet my Otousan(host father). He’s very welcoming and speaks good if not perfect English. They show me to my beautiful room, my bathroom (the toilet and sink automatic) and around the house. Very different to New Zealand. They ask me to unpack and refreshen up if wanted. After bathing and settling in my room I head to bed.
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It’s around Midnight and I couldn’t sleep. I Think about everything thats happen and allow it to settle in then I lay there wondering “What is jet-lag?”


😁Arigatou & Meitaki Ma'ata😁
😊Thank You😊
​Memory