First Few Days

So I've made it through my first few days...

Getting to and from - the subway system is great here - very clean and super quiet because no one talks and everyone is text messaging! On my first day to work Monica and I got a bit confused at the transfer station. We were running down the steps once we found the right train and both directions had trains ready to depart. Monica was yelling "pick one, pick one" mind you this is my first time on the subway not to mention first time going to the office. I went with my gut and luckily we boarded the right train! I think I've got it down now however I still feel like a salmon swimming up stream because you are supposed to walk on the left here.

Eating - I've had a variety of meal since I've been here. My first team dinner was a 7 course meal at some fancy restaurant (where we did not have to take off our shoes). The first course was (I swear) some kind of fried insect - I mean these things had antennas! The team tried to convince me otherwise - they swore it was fried fish. Fried whatever I was NOT having it! The remaining course weren't nearly as scary and I actually enjoyed most of them. Lunch on Thursday was at a Korean bar-b-que place where we did have to take off our shoes and sat Indian style on little cushions at the table. Food wasn't that bad but I did have to follow up with a diet coke (tastes similar to in the states but not as good) and some chocolate - thank goodness for staples! I did break down yesterday and talked Monica and Claire into Italian for lunch - wasn't that great but better than fish and rice :) There are a million restaurants here and all have plastic food out front so it is pretty easy to order.

Sleeping - The bed in my apartment is really comfortable (no it is not the futon in the pictures) however Japan does not observe day light savings so it gets light here at 4:30am! That fact combined with the jet lag has been killer. I just managed to get over my jet lag yesterday and now I'm off to Hawaii for our off-site meeting.

Other stuff...

The toilets here are really different! Well, I can only speak for the women's restrooms... first, the seats are heated (random) and there are options for sounds (like flushing and music) I guess so people don't here you?? And there is a hand dryer at the office restroom that you stick your hands in and the air is like a whirlwind to uber dry your hands - I'm probably not describing it well but it's weird, trust me!

One of the team members used to work at Louis Vitton and said he could get me a discount. After I began breathing again, I handed over my wishlist :) He also informed me that he had seen me on TV and asked if I was a cheerleader - are you kidding me?! I fly half way around the world and people still think I'm a cheerleader. He said he had watched college football and seen the cheerleaders. I guess I reminded him of them. Whatever!

I've attempted to purchase food at the convenience store (appropriately called am/pm - seriously) but I get scare when I don't understand the picture and of course can't read a freaking thing on the package so I've settle for buying bananas and water.