Red Velvet Curtains to Desert Oasis

Transportation in Amman can be quite exhilarating. I spend my days hailing honking cabs, hoping that I know enough Arabic and the cab driver knows enough English so that I get where I need to go, and praying that he doesn't try to rip me off in the process. Just the other night I had a dream that a cab driver drove me all over the city and wouldn't let me out just to keep the meter running. I ended up dramatically jumping out of the moving vehicle. The impact woke me up, it wasn't pleasant. Now, I'm not afraid of this happening in reality, but apparently my sub-conscious finds this to be a real concern.

So far, I have stuck with taxis as my main mode of transportation. Before arriving I had this grand idea that I would use the bus system almost exclusively and save a ton of money. But that idea has proved to be rather unrealistic. Buses don't really have routes or timetables and a certain level of Arabic language skill is required that I just don't have. My solution: I adjusted my budget to allow for taxi transportation! This works great for getting to places within Amman, but to travel to neighboring cities taxi fares can be quite spendy. So, I tried my hand at bus riding this week and it was an adventure indeed!

My desired destination was King's Academy, a private boarding school located near the town of Madaba, west of Amman. I had an appointment for 10:30am and not having a clue how long it would take me to get there, I set out from my apartment just before 9:00am. There are a few large bus terminals around the city so I hailed a cab and told him I wanted to go to the South Bus Station. I had spoken with a girl who had successfully taken a bus from this station to Madaba in the past so that seemed promising. The taxi driver asked me which city I was going to and tried to convince me that he could take me all the way there, but I stood firm. "No, I will take the bus."

I made it to what I think is the South Bus Station... I can't be sure because as it turned out there weren't any buses to Madaba... I had about three people gesturing to the street and giving me directions on where I could catch an appropriate bus. I think they sensed my confusion and incompetence so a nice taxi driver took me down the road a ways (at no charge!) to a chaotic intersection and said I could catch a bus from there. Sure enough, a big bus pulls up and stops for just enough time for me to run up and ask if it was going to Madaba. It wasn't... but they assured me they could take me to ANOTHER bus that would, in fact, get me to Madaba. At this point, I'm not even stressed, just highly amused. I recalled all the seamless train transfers I had experienced in Japan and just smiled. Life in Amman is a bit different.

So, after two taxis and a bus, I made it to bus that was headed toward Madaba. Whew! Now, this wasn't your typical public bus. It's a cross between a bus and gigantic van, complete with red velvet ceiling coverings and matching tasseled curtains on all the windows. Luxurious or tacky, whatever way you want to think about it. Most buses, I believe, have a driver and a person I will call a "bus conductor". This person collects the money and rearranges people if necessary. A woman is never expected to sit next to a man on a bus, so it the bus conductor's job to make people move around so that women sit next to women and men sit next to men. This is cultural norm I really appreciate.

We got on our way when the bus was nearly full, but the bus conductor remained hanging out of the open doorway yelling "Madaba" to people on the streets. We picked up a few more passengers this way as we approach the outskirts of Amman. I sat contentedly taking it all in. However, my next task was to figure out where to get off the bus. I was told to look for a sign for King's Academy on the highway and get off on the side road that led to the school. In no time at all I spotted the sign! I jumped out of my seat and motioned to the driver and the bus conductor that I wanted to get off. And no problem at all, they let me off on the side of the highway and drove away leaving me in a cloud of dust.

As I walked toward the King's Academy gate, I spotted a nice little herd of sheep on the move. I didn't see any lush pasture around so I have no idea where they were headed, but it seemed somewhat fitting that I bump into these guys after my transportation adventure.

And believe it or not, I arrived at King's Academy RIGHT ON TIME! Upon arrival, I soon realized I had stumbled on a true desert oasis. I got connected with King's Academy through a Harvey Mudd professor and it was such a privilege to visit the campus. The purpose of my visit was just to meet people and learn a bit about the school. I received an incredibly warm welcome from everyone I talked to and I even came away with a few contacts to further my project here in Jordan. It was an amazing day!!

King's Academy was founded by King Abdullah II of Jordan in 2007. Like I said, it is an elite boarding school based off of Deerfield Academy in Massachusetts (where the King received his high school education). As a graduate of good ol' Oregon City High School, this is world I know very little about, but find quite interesting. King Abdullah II had a vision to bring the unique New England boarding school experience to Jordan and so a desert oasis was born.

The campus is absolutely beautiful. I think it was the first time I had seen grass in Jordan. And the grounds are complete with two helipads for when the King comes to visit. The architecture reminded me a bit of Pomona college, or perhaps it was just the clock tower...

I found myself thinking about what it would have been like to leave home as a 9th grader and attend boarding school. While I'm certain I would have enjoyed the routine, the challenging academics, and the college prep help, there is a certain family bonding that occurs during high school that would be lost. Regardless of how well I would have liked boarding school or not, I found King's Academy to be a really unique place that is providing an opportunity for girls and boys to learn alongside each other. In addition, almost half of the students are on financial aid which creates a unique socio-economic diversity uncommon in most private schools in the region. These are the kids that have the potential to be leaders in the region and in the world. In midst of a region where countless non-profit organizations and NGOs work hard to make a small bit of difference in education or quality of life, King's Academy is educating students in a rigorous and innovative environment that is sure to produce big results. Again, it was an extreme privilege to get a glimpse into the King's Academy world and I look forward to following their growth and achievement in the years to come. 

My First Apartment

I know this may not seem like a big deal to most people, but after living in the dorms for four years, moving into my first apartment is a big deal to me. Not to mention the fact that my first apartment is located in Amman, Jordan! How crazy is that!?

If I were to be pedantic though, I did already sign my first lease for the guesthouse in Japan. That was certainly monumental despite the fact that it was almost entirely in Japanese, but when my room at the guesthouse was smaller than an Atwood bathroom I do not consider it my first real apartment. I'm kinda picturing my kids asking me one day, "Mom, where was your first apartment?" Kids, it was a small one bedroom place tucked in the hills of Amman. hehe

Not only do I have an apartment... I have a roommate too!! Here's how it happened. When I checked into the hostel I chatted with the hostel owner about whether or not they often have people stay long term, if there were any discounts, or if there were apartments for rent in the city. Listening in to this conversation, Kristi was sitting nearby looking at apartment listings! She approached me and when I learned she was hoping to stay in Amman long term as well, I think we both blurted out at the same time, "Wanna be roommates!?" And less than a week later we'd moved into our new home! God continually provides for me in truly amazing ways.

I love the yellow cupboards. So cheery!

The only English channel we get is Al Jazeera English.
At least I'll stay well informed!

As we went apartment shopping, I had my first taste of taxi riding in Amman. I'll say it again, I'm NOT in Tokyo anymore. Among other things, instead of taxi rides starting at about $7 like in Japan, the meter starts at about $0.35 in Amman. That is if the driver starts the meter... The first taxi we rode, the driver was out on the sidewalk and motioned us towards his car. After moving aside a giant bag of fresh pita bread spilling onto the seat, we got in and then waited patiently for the driver's shoes to finish being polished. When finished, the shoe polisher rushed across the busy street to deposit the shoes and we were on our way. I was amused. And thankfully he was a very kind and fair driver. Our next driver however was a different story! He tried to charge us 5 times the honest amount! Yeah right. I might look like an inexperienced foreigner, but don't mess with me. Fortunately, he didn't put up too much of a fight when we refused to pay the extravagant amount. At the end of the day only 1 out of 4 drivers tried to rip us off. Not bad!

Anyway, Kristi and I have been getting along really well and are quite content in our new place. We are thankful that the creepy buildings across the street, that we thought were abandoned, are actually a school. So if I don't wake up to the morning prayer call from the neighborhood mosque, I wake up to the sound of school children outside. Also, we were pretty stoked to learn there was a Safeway a 15 minute walk away. It was only after two large grocery trips that we realized the "Spinney's" only 5 minutes away is actually a much nicer and more organized supermarket. Sorry Safeway, Spinney's is nicer than most grocery stores I go to in the U.S.

As with any apartment, there are a few quirks... like maybe we failed to notice the giant construction site down the street when we checked it out the first time. Our floors might vibrate a bit from the jackhammering during the day, but it's a "nice, quiet residential neighborhood". Oh and laundry has been quite an adventure. Basic steps: Manually fill the washer by turning a lever near the floor, wash for the desired length of time, drain the water (making sure the drain hose is pointed into the shower), switch the filling hose from the wash container to the rinse container, transfer clothes to rinse container, select spin cycle, and hold the unit firmly in place while spinning. Then hang the still soaking wet clothes to dry. Spin cycle is a bit ineffective, unfortunately. But hey! At least each load doesn't cost me 200yen! :)

Kristi and I at our favorite coffee shop.

Is that Jordan?!

I've been in Jordan for one week! I can't believe it! How am I doing and what do I think of Amman, you ask? Well, I'll start at the beginning.

So, I'm on the last leg of my long day/night of travel, a flight from Dubai to Amman. I was anxious, nervous, excited, and extremely exhausted all at the same time. There were quite a few European families traveling with their young kids on this flight. Can't say Amman was ever on my family's list of vacations when I was growing up... Anyway, as we started the descent into Amman and dipped just below the clouds, one of the kids in front of me exclaimed, "Wow, look at that desert!! Is that Jordan!?" The expanse of desert out the window was indeed breathtaking and this kid blurted out my thoughts exactly. I had no idea what to expect upon landing in Jordan, I smiled quietly and thought "Oh boy, what have I gotten myself into."

The hostel I booked offered an airport pickup service. It was expensive, but as I planned for this trip I didn't think I would be ready to conquer a taxi or bus ride within the first hour of my arrival in the Middle East. I will admit though that even this took a lot of trust. I spent a good portion of the flight praying about logistics and safety that would get me to the hostel. I was so grateful to see an older gentlemen and his young teenage son holding up a "Jordan Tower Hotel Hannah" sign as I exited the airport, but was still praying that I would indeed be delivered safely to the hostel. They took me out to their older minivan and my introduction to driving in Jordan began. After offering me a cigarette, which I politely declined, my driver made his way to the line of honking cars waiting to leave the parking lot. Rather than waiting in the line though, my driver weaved around the lot and cut to the front of the line, honking his way onto the main street. Two minutes into the drive I recognized that driving in Amman is a giant free for all. With no lines on the roads, drivers smoke cigarettes, talk on the phone, honk their horns, and weave through traffic at the same time. Wide-eyed, I thought "Toto, I have a feeling we're not in Tokyo anymore."

The driver didn't speak much English, but he spoke enough to say, "Hannah is Arabic name! Your parents, they are Arabic?" I shook my head and said no. He nodded and said, "Hannah is good Arabic name." Quick side note: I am continually thanking my parents for my awesome name. It was a perfect name in Japan too! Hannah means flower in Japanese and is actually a popular name there. So even though many western names are difficult, it was really easy for people in Japan to remember my name. Thanks Mom and Dad for picking a name that would be easy for people to pronounce and remember as I travel the world 22 years later!

Ok, back to the ride from the airport to the hostel. The scenery out the window was amazing. I couldn't peel my eyes away from the expanse of desert that gave way to nondescript, white stone buildings dotting the hillsides. We passed a small herd of camels and some sheep and goats too. There was so much to take in visually in addition to the chaotic driving, smell of cigarette smoke, and ubiquitous sound of honking.

At one point the driver pulled over and got out of the van. Now, I had seen pictures of the outside of the hostel and as I looked around I didn't see it. With a small bubble of panic in my chest, I notice the driver lifting the hood of the van. Apparently, the awful smell I had noticed, but attributed to the other old cars on the road, was actually our van. He made some adjustments, came back with a burnt finger nail, and proceeded down the road. "Everything ok?" I asked. "Oh yes, everything ok." I was only slightly reassured.

Before arriving at the hostel we had a minor incident with a HUGE bug, which the driver and his son casually shooed out the window. And then soon enough, we made it to the hostel in the heart of downtown Amman. As I walked up the steps with my bags in hand I had a sinking feeling that the hostel wouldn't accept credit cards. I had exchanged all my Japanese yen for Jordanian dinars at the airport, but I knew it wasn't enough to pay for my whole stay. Sure enough, I needed to pay cash... And given my trauma with ATMs in Japan, I was not thrilled about this... When I asked where to find an ATM, the nice guy at the hostel pointed me in the general direction. "Oh no problem, you go out and follow the main road to the first traffic light. Turn right and it's down the road." Nice vague directions that involved an exhausted, young, foreign girl crossing a busy street with the cigarette smoking, cell phone talking, horn honking drivers. Perfect! Well, with my senses on high alert, I made it to the ATM and back amidst the trinket shops, shawarma stands, clothing stores with oddly lifelike mannequins, and the ever present cat calls from men on the street. Whew!

While my first couple hours in Jordan were certainly overwhelming, it was also totally exhilarating. Instead of the emotions, tears, and anxiety that marked my first couple days in Japan, the culture shock I have experienced in Amman has been accompanied more by excitement than emotional instability. And now, with one week in the Middle East under my belt, I am an aggressive street crosser with an obsession for pita bread, hummus, and falafel. It's great!

A few more highlights of my first week:
1) Breakfast at the hostel was absolutely delicious. Endless bread with jam and hummus and the classic Arabic Platter. And black tea with mint leaves and sugar. So good!!

2) I made it to the Amman Citadel one day this week. This is the site of numerous ruins up on a huge hill in the center of downtown, with a 365 degree view of the expansive city all around it. Absolutely amazing.

Spot the Roman Amphitheater! (slightly the left of the center)

What remains of the Temple of Hercules. Built around 165AD.

3) I moved into an apartment! Stay tuned for the story and pictures. Coming soon!

So far, I am loving this beautiful city and I still find it so surreal that I am in the Middle East. It is utterly different from Japan in almost every way possible. I’ve exchanged the humidity for the desert, orderly and highly efficient trains for chaotic and aggressive driving, and plain green tea for highly sweetened tea. So far it’s been a refreshing (and delicious!) change. I’m enjoying adjusting at my own pace and am so excited to explore this unique part of the world for the next three months!

Facebook Posts from Japan

Since I try to limit the time I spend on facebook, I refrained from posting these gems during the last three months. So, here is three months of random tidbits from my time in Japan. Enjoy!

1. I mostly mastered my "cubicle voice" during my summer internships, but now I have to work on my "train voice." Everyone is so quiet on the train! And I have to make sure I refrain from whistling or singing...

2. The typical contents of my grocery basket at the supermarket in Japan: 8 slices of white bread (for only 75yen!), bananas (cheapest fruit), vegetable sticks (basically potato chips), and Hi-Chews (I'm addicted). 

3. Well I hope what I just bought is body soap... 

4. I made a new friend shortly after I arrived in Japan. She came to the house I was staying at and wanted to meet me after she HEARD me speaking English from NEXT DOOR.  My clinic team will appreciate this and the other clinic teams in our room... And possibly the teams in the next room too...

5. I am totally hooked on green tea. And guess what... I don't even put sugar in it!

6. Guava syrup on my pancakes from Eggs 'n Things was literally one of the most delicious things I have ever eaten. 

7. The Saikyo line is one of the most crowded trains lines ever. I try to avoid it at all costs, but sometimes it's necessary. At one point, I thought I was going to be the last one on the train, but at least 10 people got on after me! I literally could not move. No need to worry about hanging on I guess!

8. After living in the dorms for four years, I never really thought I would live in a smaller room. Then I came to Japan...

9. How many people does it take to buy laundry detergent? 5. Me and 4 employees... The last employee spoke English.

10. Not bad for cooking in Japan!

11. You know you're busy when you have an item on your to do list to update another to do list.

12. Perfect sentiment for the solo traveler. Also, the best carmel corn I've ever had.

13. Great comfort in a time of loneliness:

Psalm 139:1-5 You have searched me, LORD, and You know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; You perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; You are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue You, LORD, know it completely. You hem me in behind and before, and You lay Your hand upon me. 

14. Walking home from the train station at 11:30pm. Twenty something guy in a car drives past with the windows down blasting Kelly Clarkson. I thought I was in Japan?

15. Humidity and jeans do not mix well.

16. Green Tea KitKat!!! And Pumpkin KitKat!!! 

17. Squat toilets... I'm not a fan.

18. My transfer at Akihabara from the train to the subway: down the escalator, up another escalator, down yet another escalator, out the ticket gate, down two more escalators, pit stop at Auntie Anne's Pretzels (because you can't just walk past something that smells that good), through the subway ticket gate, and down a flight of stairs to the platform. Whew!

19. Communion Japanese style! Green tea and rice crackers!

20. Best thing about having a cold in Japan: advertisers pass out free tissues in the street. One more thing I don't have to spend money on!

21. You're welcome Tokyo. Every time I actually carry around my umbrella it doesn't rain.

22. At Mudd, I suffered from sleep deprivation. As a solo traveler, I'm suffering from hug deprivation.

23. Sweet message from my mom:

I see the moon 

And the moon sees me

And the moon sees somebody I want to see!

24. I so would have eaten these during Stems if the coffee cart sold them.

25. Guesthouse manager's question for the American on October 2: What happened to your government?

26. My favorite Australian words/phrases: "Hey! How ya going!?", heaps (a lot), whinge (whine), and budgie (a type of bird). Thank you, my dear Australian friends, for this humorous education!

27. Taylor Swift songs are my go-to at karaoke.

It has been an amazing three months in Japan. So many new and interesting experiences. So many new friends. So much good food. And a wealth of information on how the country provides for people with disabilities. While I'm certain I could stay in Japan for months and not run out of things to do, I feel ready to move on. Ready for another round of culture shock and a whole new batch of challenges to face. Ready for new food and a new climate (I'm really not a fan of the humidity...). I'm excited to meet more great people and see what the next leg of my adventure has in store.

Stay tuned for my next update from JORDAN!! :)

Not a Student...Or an English Teacher

Here's how it normally goes...

Kind Japanese person inquires about the young foreign girl, "Are you a student? Where are you studying?" To which I respond that I actually graduated from college in May. They nod and say, "Oh, then you are teaching English here?" I again shake my head "no" in response. The Japanese people want to know, "What is your purpose in Japan?" So it is at this point that I launch into my spiel about my project, catered appropriately to the listener's English comprehension abilities.

I'm guessing there are 39 other people around the world who have their spiel down too. What is our purpose in these countries? I have found it is difficult to explain. It is difficult to explain that I am traveling alone for one year, that I am not associated with a specific university, and I don't have to write a long research paper when I am finished. It gets even more confusing when people ask what I studied in school. After hearing about my rather social welfare centered project, it comes as quite a surprise when they learn I have a degree in engineering. I'm a bit of a conundrum.

The next question after all this information starts to sink in is typically, "So, what do you do during the day?" I'll admit, it's a good question. I won't pretend like I have some sort of routine because that's certainly not the case, but nonetheless here's a look at some of the things I have done on a somewhat regular basis.

Remember those workshops I wrote about a while back? Yeah, the ones where people with disabilities work? I have visited LOTS of them! This is the number one thing people want to show me. Japanese people are very hard-working so it makes sense that they place a lot of importance in having a job. The workshops give people with special needs something to do after graduating from high school and keeps them stimulated.

One workshop washes, inspects, folds, and rolls towels for a couple local hospitals.

Really cool machine! Put the towel in...and it comes out in a nice roll!

There are a number of bakery workshops across the city as well. They make delicious cookies, breads, and pastries. It looks like they have a lot of fun too! These pictures were taken at the Medaka Family bakery, a workshop that started about 30 years ago. A passionate mother with a son with special needs started the bakery which has grown and flourished into a self-sustaining organization.

Another organization I visited, Palette, has a bakery as well as a group home and shared house. At the shared house, typical working individuals share the house with a couple people with special needs. It's a unique concept that works to create an inclusive community! In the following picture, the woman on the left is the founder of Palette. She is extremely hard-working and passionate about improving the situation for people with disabilities in Japan. It was a privilege to get to know her the past couple months.

The Palette bakery employees.

Palette also organizes fun activities for people with special needs. I regularly attended a hip hop class through the organization. It was awesome! Check out this video, my new friends are really good!

We have a lot of fun!

We went out to dinner after the last hip hop class.
From the left: Megume, Noboru, Naru, Me, and Shoko.

The other thing I have done on a regular basis is a Taiko class! Taiko refers to the traditional Japanese drums. Often there are really cool Taiko performances at festivals. This special group was also started by a very passionate mother of a child with Down Syndrome. She organized a place to practice, found a few willing teachers, and worked to purchase drums for the group. And they play so well! I feel so fortunate I got to join in!

I had the privilege of meeting so many interesting and passionate people the last three months. And I am so so grateful for the warm welcome I received throughout my time in Japan. Whether I'm cheering people on at their workshops, making use of my Zumba skills in a hip hop class, or trying to play along on the drums, I am always reminded what an amazing job I have this year.

A Cyclone of Sightseeing

I knew before coming to Japan that I had to make a trip to Kyoto. Everyone I talked to said visiting the old capital was a definite must. However, I got settled in Tokyo and my schedule started to really fill up. As I looked at my calendar a few weeks ago, I realized I had to get moving on this trip or it wasn't going to happen!

Pre-trip planning was entirely overwhelming. I almost just gave up because it was so much work to figure out all the logistics and to make sure I was doing everything as cheaply as possible. Perhaps I was a bit over-ambitious to do Kyoto, Osaka, and Hiroshima in about 4.5 days. And maybe I should have started planning for this over-ambitious trip across Japan more than one week before embarking... things to tuck away as lessons learned.

Anyway, I got everything (mostly) figured out before I left, but then things started to get interesting. I planned to take an overnight bus from Tokyo to Kyoto because it was super cheap. However, on the night I was supposed to leave, there were typhoon warnings all over the city. I heard rumors that trains might stop running because the typhoons mess with the electrical systems. I was legitimately worried that I would be stuck at the bus stop, with a canceled bus, and no trains running back to where I live. But I went forward as planned and headed to the bus stop with my little backpack and an umbrella.

The bus left as scheduled and it hadn't started to rain yet, but shortly after departure, I began to hear the sounds of a major storm outside. Now, since it was an overnight bus, the windows were completely covered with curtains so that everyone can sleep. I couldn't see anything, but I could sure hear the wind blowing and rain pounding. After a while, I realized the bus was stopping and the driver made some announcement, of which the only word I recognized was "typhoon". The lady next to me was able to explain we were at a rest stop for a bathroom break after she saw the confused (and probably concerned/worried) looks on my face. Sure enough though, I stepped out of the bus into horizontal rain and crazy wind. It was wild! Suffice it to say, I prayed pretty fervently that the bus driver would be alert and cautious and get us to Kyoto safely! Thankfully, the bus made it to Kyoto, 4 hours late, but safe and sound. And the weather was beautiful upon arrival, never once during the rest of my trip did I need my umbrella.

Those that know me well, know I can be a bit uptight at times. And when things don't go as planned, it can be pretty disappointing. (My parents are probably nodding wholeheartedly in agreement as they read this.) Well, this year of travel is teaching me A LOT about going with flow and making the best of every situation even if I don't know what to expect or things don't go as planned. So, because the weather was still unpredictable, nearly all the trains out of Kyoto station were canceled which made my original plans for the day impossible. But I went with the flow, rearranged my plans, and I had a marvelous day!

Day 1:
Went by bus to the Kiyomizudera Temple on the east side of Kyoto. It is up on a hill, so there were beautiful views of the city of Kyoto and the lush green hills around it.

Then went to Kinkakuji, also known as the Golden Pavilion. I had heard and read mixed reviews about this one, some saying it wasn't that great. I went anyway and it was spectacular.

Day 2:
The trains were up and running again! I traveled to the Fushimi Inari Shrine nearby. Inari is the god of rice in Japan. This shrine has a 4km loop around a mountain with hundreds of torii gates straddling the path. I ended up doing the whole loop and since I got there pretty early in the morning, there weren't too many people. It was definitely one of the most unique hikes I've ever done.

At the beginning of the path, so many gates!

Next, I went to Arashiyama, a quaint touristy town near Kyoto. It is famous for the Togetsukyo Bridge spanning the Hozu River, or the Katsura River, depending on what side of the bridge you're on. I was super excited to ride on the scenic railway they have along the river, but Arashiyama was hit hard by the typhoon and the city faced major flood damage. I was humbled. Here I was, Hannah the tourist, disappointed because the scenic railway wasn't operating and people along the streets were working on getting their very livelihoods back in order. I quickly checked my attitude and was just grateful again to be there safely and experience it all.

The river is not usually this color or this full...

Another highlight of my afternoon in Arashiyama included a visit to the monkey park. You heard right, a monkey park! I'm not a big animal person, but the voice of my animal loving friends won out and I decided to give it a try. There are about 130 Japanese macaque in the park. Visitors walk about 20 min. up a mountain and then there is a place to see a bunch of monkeys and feed them. Truthfully, I am not afraid of much, but I was seriously afraid being attacked by a monkey. It's a bit pathetic, here I am traveling the world for a year and the one thing I'm afraid of is a monkey. I didn't have anything to worry about though, the monkey are quite tame and pretty cute!

This guy was taking in the view.

I finished off the visit with an ice cream cone and a walk through a bamboo grove. It was beautiful. My new favorite sound is the sound of bamboo trees swaying in the wind. The sound of the swishing leaves and the closely-packed bamboo trunks hitting each other is unlike anything I've heard before.

Day 3:
Traveled by train to Osaka. And I had a travel buddy! Gotta love hostels and the interesting people you meet! My new friend and I made it to the Osaka Castle. The huge moat around it was almost more impressive than the castle. Interestingly enough, even with two moats, the castle was invaded a number of times during its use.

And we ate Okonomiyaki! This is a savory pancake originated in Osaka. Thanks goes to my ultimate foodie friend, Kenny Huang, for telling me to eat this while I'm in Japan. It was absolutely delicious. You can get a bunch of different ingredients in it, but mine was pretty basic with cabbage, strips of pork, and a mouth-watering sauce on top.

After lunch we did a short hike to a small waterfall on the outskirts of the city. It was beautiful!

Day 4:
My day started by catching a bus at 6AM headed to Hiroshima. Of the next 24 hours, 14 of them were spent on a bus. For the 10 hours in the middle of two bus rides, I explored the beautiful city of Hiroshima. Again, I was tempted to just eliminate this part of the trip because it was a bit out of the way, but I am so glad I went. After arriving I went straight to the Peace Memorial Museum commemorating the atomic bombing of the city during WWII.

There is a lot I could say about the time I spent at the museum. But one thing hit me closer to home than I ever could have expected. The museum and the city of Hiroshima itself is a huge advocate for the abolition of nuclear weapons worldwide. As a part of this effort, since 1968 the mayor of the city has written protest letters to countries who conduct nuclear tests. I saw letters displayed from about 20 years ago so I asked one of the museum volunteers if the mayor is still writing these letters. He pointed me in the direction of the most recent ones, explaining that of the last 11 letters written, 10 have been to the United States (the 11th written to North Korea). Of these 10 letters, 6 of them were regarding testing done with the Z-machine at Sandia National Labs. During the very same time that some of these letters were written, I was working for Sandia National Labs on a Harvey Mudd clinic team, developing a cleaning device for the Z-machine. As a U.S. citizen and an engineer, I see the Z-machine as a incredible piece of technology used to promote national security. But to Hiroshima and perhaps the rest of the world, it is a signal that our country plans to "maintain our nuclear stockpile". This is incredibly thought-provoking.

As I left the museum I thought, "I could have gotten the facts and stories from the internet." However, it was really powerful to be in the actual place where the bomb dropped and to see the amazing restoration that has occurred in the city since. I'm glad I was able to visit. It was most definitely worth the effort.

The Atomic Bomb Dome. One of the only buildings recognizable after the bomb dropped.
Maintained to remember what happened on August 6, 1945.

In a somber and contemplative mood, I ended my day in Hiroshima by taking a ferry to Miyajima Island right at sunset. Perfection.

And finally, before catching another overnight bus back to Kyoto, I ate Okonomiyaki Hiroshima style. This variation has less pancake batter and features soba noodles and egg in the dish! I'm know I'm going to crave this when I get back to the U.S...

And yes, I was pretty sick of riding on buses at this point, but it was cheap so what can you do. However, I did splurge and rode the Shinkansen from Kyoto back to Tokyo. It was AWESOME! Talk about an incredibly convenient form of transportation. A trip that took me 11 hours on a bus (granted, that was during a typhoon) only took 2.5 hours on the Shinkansen. Amazing! We gotta get some bullet trains in the U.S.

And just like that, my whirlwind of a tourist trip was done. Looking back at how stressed I was planning this trip, I am so glad I went big and made it to all these places. It was a huge answer to prayer that everything went as smoothly as it did. I constantly see God's hand in my daily plans and this trip was no exception.