Arrival
I arrived at Tokyo's Haneda airport on May 26th. However, I confused the date I would be in Japan due to the time zone difference. Due to this I ended up paying an extra day because I had booked a room for the 25th... Or so I thought....
While exiting the airport arrival area on my way to the exit the wifi was still being sketch. I was freaking out because it was the only way I could read the directions to my home stay. Luckily the wifi started working and I grabbed the directions off the web before the connection failed me again.
I looked on the map to find the Sotestu Line because my final destination was on that line. However, it was nowhere to be found on that map. I was freaking out so I had to take a seat and calm down. I then walked over to the information desk and in a panic I asked how to get to the Sotetsu line in English lol. Luckily the lady I was speaking to spoke English lol.
She told me I needed to go to Yokohama station and from there I could get on the Sotestu line. I managed to arrive at Yokohama and of course I get lost lol. I'm pretty much walking in circles but I eventually figure it out. But it was funny right when I figured it out a sweet old lady came up to me and asked me if I was lost and if I needed help. I thanked her and told her I had figured it out.
It kind of shocked me that she walked up to me because I've been told that Japanese people are afraid to talk to foreigners and her is the cute old lady trying to help me even though I looked like some giant, scary foreigner going through the struggle lol.
Any way when I finally arrived at my stop I breathed a sigh of relief until I read the directions lol. I couldn't quite understand what my host family had wrote in English. The English was great but I couldn't tell whether she wanted me to railway crossing or cross a street from how it was worded.
I eventually figured it out and started making my way to the house. As I was walking with all my luggage I realized I had to walk up a steep ass hill... I had already died walking up and down all the stairs at the station with my luggage so I didn't have much energy left but I managed to drag myself up the hill.
On the directions the host said their house had gray walls... Unfortunately it was pitch black by the time I arrived and I couldn't tell what color the house was lol. I wandered around lost and luckily my host family heard me and came out. I had finally made it.
They were very sweet and helped me carry my luggage and and showed me around the house. Mio could speak English well. However, her husband didn't speak any English at all. Thankfully I spoke both so I could communicate with them easily. I definitely need more practice with speaking Japanese. My tongue has grown unfamiliar to some words and I kept stuttering and making basic mistakes but it is what it is. I'll try to be better during the rest of my trip.
I enjoy speaking with Wataru and Mio. They are great. They even refunded me money for the day I was unable to make it. It was really sweet of them because it was my mistake. But Mio said that they didn't start their Airbnb for the money and that they just wanted to help out travelers. I thought that was beautiful and was really touched. They put my refund in an envelope and placed it on my desk. Thanks to them I now had a little bit of spending money before being able to hit up an ATM. I love this family and I love this room!!
While exiting the airport arrival area on my way to the exit the wifi was still being sketch. I was freaking out because it was the only way I could read the directions to my home stay. Luckily the wifi started working and I grabbed the directions off the web before the connection failed me again.
I looked on the map to find the Sotestu Line because my final destination was on that line. However, it was nowhere to be found on that map. I was freaking out so I had to take a seat and calm down. I then walked over to the information desk and in a panic I asked how to get to the Sotetsu line in English lol. Luckily the lady I was speaking to spoke English lol.
She told me I needed to go to Yokohama station and from there I could get on the Sotestu line. I managed to arrive at Yokohama and of course I get lost lol. I'm pretty much walking in circles but I eventually figure it out. But it was funny right when I figured it out a sweet old lady came up to me and asked me if I was lost and if I needed help. I thanked her and told her I had figured it out.
It kind of shocked me that she walked up to me because I've been told that Japanese people are afraid to talk to foreigners and her is the cute old lady trying to help me even though I looked like some giant, scary foreigner going through the struggle lol.
Any way when I finally arrived at my stop I breathed a sigh of relief until I read the directions lol. I couldn't quite understand what my host family had wrote in English. The English was great but I couldn't tell whether she wanted me to railway crossing or cross a street from how it was worded.
I eventually figured it out and started making my way to the house. As I was walking with all my luggage I realized I had to walk up a steep ass hill... I had already died walking up and down all the stairs at the station with my luggage so I didn't have much energy left but I managed to drag myself up the hill.
On the directions the host said their house had gray walls... Unfortunately it was pitch black by the time I arrived and I couldn't tell what color the house was lol. I wandered around lost and luckily my host family heard me and came out. I had finally made it.
They were very sweet and helped me carry my luggage and and showed me around the house. Mio could speak English well. However, her husband didn't speak any English at all. Thankfully I spoke both so I could communicate with them easily. I definitely need more practice with speaking Japanese. My tongue has grown unfamiliar to some words and I kept stuttering and making basic mistakes but it is what it is. I'll try to be better during the rest of my trip.
I enjoy speaking with Wataru and Mio. They are great. They even refunded me money for the day I was unable to make it. It was really sweet of them because it was my mistake. But Mio said that they didn't start their Airbnb for the money and that they just wanted to help out travelers. I thought that was beautiful and was really touched. They put my refund in an envelope and placed it on my desk. Thanks to them I now had a little bit of spending money before being able to hit up an ATM. I love this family and I love this room!!
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