Yesterday, I took a day trip to Sasebo and Nagasaki to visit an old friend who is here for work. When I heard that they would be in Japan, I expected them to be in Tokyo or Osaka. So, I was thrilled when I found out they were in southern Japan like me. Even though Sasebo is about a 3 hour train ride from my apartment, it didn't matter because I was excited to see a familiar face in this country.
In the morning as the sun was rising, I caught a train from Orio to Hakata Station. When I got to Hakata instead of transferring trains, I headed for the bus terminal to purchase a highway bus ticket. My main reason for taking the bus was that I had never done it on my own before. I thought it would be a good challenge for me. Also, it was a little cheaper. I spent the night before researching bus time tables and how to purchase tickets. Like many things in Japan, I found out that tickets could be purchased at many locations and purchased at kiosks that had an English option. So when I got to the bus terminal, I was able to purchase my one-way ticket without any problems.
Hakata Bus Terminal 3F, automated ticket kiosk --- English friendly.
The bus ride was really enjoyable. I had both seats to myself, plenty of leg room, and the announcements were made in both English and Japanese. I'll definitely use the highway bus system again.
View of Fukuoka from the highway bus.
View of Sasebo from the highway bus.
Once I arrived to Sasebo Bus Terminal, I walked across the street to Sasebo Station to meet up with everyone. I cannot tell you how funny it was for me to see someone I know in Japan. It didn't feel real.
After searching for a trash can --- people aren't kidding when they say they're hard to find in Japan --- we bought our tickets, some snacks and umbrellas, and headed for Nagasaki. It didn't really hit me until we were purchasing train tickets that I would have to be a semi-tour guide for the day. Up until then, I'd always been adventuring by myself, or being led around by my own tour-guide or group. This was the first time where I was the one who knew (or thought I knew) how things worked.
Our train ride from Sasebo to Nagaski was about an hour and a half. Once we got to Nagaski we walked about 15 minutes to the Nagasaki National Peace Memorial Hall for the Atomic Bomb Victims. The museum was definitely worth touring and it left an impression on all of us.
Here are some pictures ...
Nagasaki National Peace Memorial Hall for the Atomic Bomb Victims
Nagasaki National Peace Memorial Hall for the Atomic Bomb Victims
Nagasaki National Peace Memorial Hall for the Atomic Bomb Victims
Nagasaki National Peace Memorial Hall for the Atomic Bomb Victims
Nagasaki National Peace Memorial Hall for the Atomic Bomb Victims
After the museum, we headed back to Sasebo to have dinner at Skinny's. Our trip from Nagasaki to Sasebo was extremely long and I'm sure it tested their patience. [Insert story of my mishap as a tour guide.] But we made it, finally.
Skinny's is a well known restaurant among the foreign residents of Sasebo. Mr. Skinny makes some of the best fried chicken around --- seriously.
Sasebo, Japan
Tanabata Tree
I wrote a wish and hung it up.
Happy Hour - Grapefruit Chuhai
After our drinks at Shooter's, I headed to Sasebo Station to catch a train back to Orio. Since this was a long distance trip, I had to take a Limited Express train. It was so much nicer than riding on the commuter/local trains. For the first part of the trip, Sasebo to Hakata, there was hardly anyone on the train. It really felt like I had it all to myself. When I switched trains at Hakata though, my train was packed. I still had my own seat, I just had someone next to me. It was still a really nice ride and it reminded me of my Shinkansen ride to Tokyo.
Limited Express Train, Sasebo to Hakata
Limited Express Train, Sasebo to Hakata
Limited Express Train, Sasebo to Hakata
Picked up my favorite to-go Starbucks from Family Mart for the train ride home.
I'm really happy that I was able to take this trip. Getting to see a familiar face was something I never pictured happening while I'm here in Japan. It was such a great surprise and I'm so grateful for it.
However, I realized two things early on in the day.
1) Speaking English with native English speakers is a skill that I need to keep practicing. It was actually difficult for me to say what I wanted to say sometimes. I found myself a little tongue tied. I've become too used to speaking text book English, or simple English with the people around me.
2) Being around people who were familiar to me, and being in places that had western culture or American decorations made me homesick.
This is the first I've actually been homesick and really felt like I was missing something. I always miss my family and friends, but it's different. I expect to miss them because even if I was living in the US I wouldn't necessarily see them everyday either. The homesickness that I'm feeling now is different. I'm missing cultural aspects and things that I once found familiar but are now foreign to me. I think I finally realized how much I've changed.
A lot has changed.
Right now, I'm homesick now for the US and a life that I could have been having. But one day, I'll be homesick for Japan and a lifestyle (teaching English as an expat) I used to have.
So like Gilmore Girls says, I'm going to wallow and acknowledge this feeling, but then move on. I still have about 8 months left in Japan and a laundry list of things I want to do. I know that time is going to continue to fly by and I'll be trying to keep up.
This trip was a trip I'll never forget. I'm really, really glad it happened.
XOXO,
M
