At this point we are all absolutely exhausted. The schedule in Tokyo was grueling, and looking back now, I don’t remember too much about that whole weekend it was such a whirlwind. It’s kind of like teacher training: they can try to prepare you and fill your head with skills and ideas before you begin, but that all flies out the door and your REAL learning begins on that first day of school when the students begin streaming through the door and your heart is hammering in your chest. Well anyway I was exhausted and I had probably lost 5 lbs of water weight due to sweating in my suit in the humidity. So I’m exhausted and dropped off at my house. “FINALLY,” I think, “I’ll be able to take a breath, shower, and can unpack my bags!” “Do you drink beer?” Kamata-san asks. “Uhh, yes.” “Ok, I’ll come pick you up in an hour and we’ll have dinner and beer. Bye!” Hmm… when in Rome, you know? Dinner was a great introduction to the various options in the local cuisine, and my supervisor and his boss were pleasantly surprised that after 4 beers, a few sakès and some shōchu (traditional grain alcohol around here) that I didn’t show any signs of inebriation. See, I had been training for this before I left, and, to be fair the meal was huge and lasted hours so I honestly wasn’t feeling more than a slight buzz- which was the goal of my hosts anyway! So it was a win-win for all. I went home, showered and was out like a light. (pic of bed)