OK. The title is definitely misleading; JET Program pre-departure orientation at the Japanese Embassy Old Residence Mansion was not a camp Swarthmore style icebreakers marathon. Fact: there was only one icebreaker, and I don’t think I learned anyone’s name while doing it. Also, as if to train us for the long day of travel that lay ahead of us, the JET staff decided to pack us into small, uncomfortable chairs that prevented any range of movement that didn’t require invading someone else’s personal space. Thanks a lot, JET. As if 13+ hours in a 747's coach class was not enough.
Besides a near endless Q&A session about omiyage お土産（souvenirs) and how to give them to your new coworkers, we (and by we I mean the other JETs, not me) badgered the poor travel agents in charge of our flights to Japan about luggage policy and other travel procedures for what felt like an hour. Everyone was perfectly calm during the talks on cultural exchange, social and other etiquette related faux pas, and culture shock, but once the conversation turned to the details of our trip and the possible futures of our precious baggage, the excitement level in the room went up as if [insert good metaphor here].
Day 2 of going away party: Battling traffic in Georgetown and the beltway, I picked up rising sophomore SCFer Steve Hwang (younger brother of rising senior Dan Hwang, in case any of you know him) in Rockville before traveling all the way to little old Lincoln, VA to the Osowski household for a good-ol-fashioned backyard BBQ. Cecelia's younger sister Anna made burgers so good that I almost cried, though I'm sure the taste was enhanced because I had only eaten a bowl of cereal that day. A perfect last-dinner-in-America. Also in attendance were Omari Faakye and Colin Schimmelfing (now coworkers at some 'intelligence' business outside of DC called Detica), and Katie Becker, who I'm convinced lives at Cecelia's house. Good food, friends, and conversation were just what I needed. I probably could have been even more poetic and cheesy in describing the whole affair, but why expend the effort... I'm sure you don't read this blog for the cheese or poetic language anyway.
I think I'll need to have a post where you can do a mad-libs with metaphors. Please, someone remind me to do that.
I think I'll need to have a post where you can do a mad-libs with metaphors. Please, someone remind me to do that.
Um. I don't know where you got that impression about us not reading this blog for cheesy or poetic language. I demand elegant metaphors, daily haikus, bi-weekly prose reflections on the sky, and detailed explanations of all of your doings.
ReplyDeleteFor example, you left out the part in which you swallowed deviled eggs whole. Come on, Erik! Where's the trustworthy reporting here?
Also, I take back what I told you before you left on Friday. I think I'll manage to make fun of you.
Also also, very glad to hear that you're finished your long flight and out exploring with new people.
Hey! I have a lot to write about in some of these posts, so sometimes I won't get all the details. Give me a break. I can always go back and edit some of them when I have more free time, but now I'm still in the middle of orientation and have very little of it.
ReplyDeleteErik, despite the hard time I give you at many points, rest assured that I will read anything that you write, regardless of its length, quality, or level of description. I appreciate that I get to read about what you're doing at all.
ReplyDelete