TOMORROW: JAPAN!

How exciting!! I have heard from Semester At Sea Alum that Japan is the most fun out of all of the countries. I am not sure that I really believe that, but I will get back to you on that one. Tomorrow (the 14th) we arrive in Kobe, Japan. Although the trek from Shanghai to Kobe has not been the smooth easy ride that we know of traveling through the Asian countries.
        In fact, last night I probably woke up about four or five times from the waves being that choppy. I don’t think that I have experienced these waves since we came into Cape Town and left Cape Town.  Today I was reading in the dining hall to get away from my room, and my water bottle completely slid off onto the ground and rolled away.
 I also noticed that people went from one side of the hall to another while losing their balance. I think that we got used to not having the seas or oceans being very rough. Now we are all flipping out because it is ridiculous! It does kind of stink being having a room in the front of the boat where it is the rockiest. I heard that leaving Japan and our hike to Hawaii is also a great time! You are probably wondering why I am still mentioning the boat rocking, because apparently I am supposed to be used to it. But, when you are on land so often you get used to being stable!

        Yes, so tomorrow I am going to be in Japan. Apparently there is a huge process this time for disembarking the ship. There are two different “phases.” The first phase is that each passenger is required to have his or her temperature taken before 8a.m. and 9a.m. on the day of arrival. Japan has a huge fear about the spread of Avian Flu, as a result, the immigration is much more strict. The night before we arrived in Hong Kong, we needed our temperature taken as well, because if we had a high temperature they figured we had Bird Flu.
        Phase two is that each passenger on the ship is required to meet face to face with immigration officials, and then for FINGER PRINTING! This is something new and exciting! It is just like when I had to have my finger printed for Disney! No I am just kidding, it is more important this time =)
We have been told that this process takes forever. Probably from 7:30-1:00 P.M. I don’t really care though because we will be in Japan! I think I remember someone telling me that we have the same process for Japanese tourists coming into the United States

Today was my first Global Environmental Policy class in which Kurt was not there. A few of us students went up to the front of the class and said what a pleasure it was to work and talk to Kurt during group projects. My professor also read us a poem that was very heartfelt and meaningful to all of us. The mood on the ship is pretty much the same, but it has been especially hard because we realize that it could have been any of us.

        On a lighter note, I will be writing more about Japan soon because I will be staying on the ship between Kobe and Yokohama. Tomorrow I hope to hang about Kobe for a while and then maybe go to Hiroshima. I may not get there, but we will see how the day unfolds. I am seriously practically already in Japan? It was definitely just yesterday that I was in Brazil, right?  Actually, Brazil seems like forever ago, but it is just because I have experienced so much in the past two and a half months.
Tomorrow is my day to register for class at John Carroll Spring 2009! 2009? Seriously? Okay I am done freaking myself out! Almost time for dinner anyways. See you all real soon.
Stay Well,
 
Kristen
X0X0