More on the trip

Oct. 1

The flight to Denver was uneventful, and smooth. We flew low enough to see the great state of Nebraska. The color of the once green land has begun to turn brown.

Once we reached Denver, Chris and I located our next gate. We also spotted other people wearing the same nametags as us! More JMFR’s! We were gathering from all over the United States and sharing our early morning departures and experiences. It hit me, that this was really happening!

For some reason, they placed all of us at the rear of the plane! The flight to San Francisco was wonderful, and this is where I began to get acquainted with my new friends. Everyone in this group is extremely generous and willing to share. It will be a great learning experience outside my little world of Lincoln, NE.

Once we arrived in California, we departed the plane, located our bags, and checked in with people wearing special badges. These are the people we have been receiving numerous emails from this past year! They are real people, not just email names.

The amount of coordination required for such a trip is huge! Teachers following directions can sometimes be challenging.

We boarded several buses to our hotel, and checked in. My roommate, Lisa Mayo from Tennessee, was fabulous… Especially her wonderful southern accent!

After afternoon orientations, opportunity to meet our small group of Tsukubans, and an evening banquet, we were finally ready to call it a day. It was 11:30 Nebraska time, and time for bed. This is the last time, I will think about the time change. My mind cannot wrap itself around what will happen tomorrow when we travel to Japan. Goodnight.