Dancing in the rain: Konichiwa from Tokyo

Ater 11 hours on the plane the moment had finally come; I could see our destination. I looked down 10,000 feet to see what this new land beheld and....I swear we were back in Portland! It was cloudy and dreary, farmland covering the landscape. But, the flight attendant assured me that we were, indeed, in Japan.

So excited with anticipation, I gathered up my neck pillow, the delicious brownies I'd collected on the plane, and my books and set out for Tokyo!

By the time we had arrived at the hotel it was 2am in Oregon, but only dinner time here. So I fought the fatigue, and stepped out onto the street in search of some traditional ramen noodles.

After walking a short distance we (some of my classmates and I) stumbled upon a restaurant with a crowd of Japanese businessmen and woman waiting so be sat.

We decide to join the line. When we get to the front we can see a vending machine that we must order our meal from before being admitted into the restaurant. So I insert cash into the machine and press the button with the least auspicious looking picture of ramen. I enter the restaurant through the automatic sliding glass door and take a seat at a table.

Ramen!

The food arrives quickly and after taking a picture of my meal (like a total tourist), I grab for the utensils...AHHHH! Chopsticks!!! How the HELL do I use these things!?!? I should've taken some kind of training to learn how to use these little sticks because, oh man, it was a complete disaster. And probably quite humorous to watch. Needless to say, I was not feeling very interculturally adept. I manage to sufficiently fill my belly with the ramen, fish broth, bamboos shoots, seaweed and mystery meat and head back to the hotel for a VERY long awaited sleep.