Day 1: Tuesday January 11, 2011

I pop out of bed 3 hours later at 5 am. I quickly get ready and pack up the car. We drove to Gretna to meet Jenna for breakfast. (This is a really special day for her, she is closing on her 1st House with her husband tonight). After breakfast and a few tears shed, Mom, Dad and I head back to the Lincoln Airport. We say our goodbyes around 10 am. I have about a half hour before my plane boards. My first flight from Lincoln went very smoothly. I sat across from a nice, older lady from DC and even got the entire row (2 seats) to myself. I don’t waste any time getting to my next Gate in Minneapolis. Good thing, because as I am about 1 minute away, I hear “last boarding call to Toyko”. I became a little panicked at that time, but got on fine with nothing to worry about. This was my first time riding in an 747! Its huge-70 rows with 8 seats and an upstairs. I finally met up with Heidi, another girl from Evangel going. Then we sat there for about an hour doing who knows what, while some old hick from Montana rambles on about the mole on his back, and that he goes to Thailand every year. I don’t know if he isn’t updated on the creeper status, but he told us what Hotel he was stayigg at and we should come visit…definite creeper move, but he seemed harmless. As I walked on the plane it hit me, these next 4 months are going to be a compelte culture shock. I was surrounded by people who do strange things, talk funny, wear clothes I’ve never seen put together before. Kind of scary, but also exciting to see another culture. I sit next to a Japanese lady. She doesn’t speak English but is very sweet, she even offered me her shrimp from dinner. I come back from walking around and look at my seat and thought I saw a fingernail clipping but didn’t think it could be. Then I look over and see that she is clipping her nails…gross!! Dinner was served at 4, kind of early, but I didn’t have time to eat lunch because I walked to my gate at the last boarding call. Now I am trying to pass the time as I sit on my 13 hour plane ride from MN to Toyko. That’s all for now, check back in with you soon!