It was Sunday, and I started the day by taking the TOEIC test. Later, I went for a short walk. I love walking, especially early in the morning when there’s hardly anyone around. As I walked deeper into a residential area, I noticed many old, traditional houses with small doors and balconies. I found them fascinating and kept wondering what the inside might look like. Recently, when I mentioned this to a friend, she showed me pictures of the Fukagawa Edo Museum, a museum in Tokyo that recreates life in the Edo period, which I found really interesting.
That day, I also had an acupuncture appointment. I had never experienced acupuncture before. Yano-sensei introduced me to it. Although I had a rough idea of what it would be like, I wasn’t completely sure what to expect. At the clinic, we were first given a form to fill out. I filled it out in Japanese. I can write some kanji on my own, though for certain characters, I need to see them before I can write them.
The acupuncture session lasted about 20 minutes. I didn’t feel anything unusual during the session, but I was told that the effects might be noticeable after a few days.
Around 4 p.m., I went to meet my first ambassador. The company had arranged several “Secret Ambassadors (some of our students),” and a few of my dinners were planned with them as part of a cultural and professional exchange. Their identities were kept a surprise, so I didn’t know who would be taking me out, which made it exciting. I was supposed to spend the evening with them, have dinner, and enjoy some activities.
I kept teasing Yano-sensei for hints, trying to guess the name every time we were on the train or walking around. She didn’t reveal anything, but gave just enough hints to keep me guessing. It was so much fun!
I met three ambassadors during the trip, spent some good time with each one of them. We ate and hung out together. I’m really thankful to the company and to the ambassadors for making it such a good experience for me. I hope they all come to India someday so I can do the same for them.
The next article is about my experience of finding vegetarian food in Japan.