Arrival in the USA! Training! new place!

On Sunday, September 1st, I headed to Narita. That itself was a struggle….two freaking HUGE suitcases, one with the wheel broken, each weighing 55 pounds, a super heavy back pack, and laptop bag. I felt like Megumi Fujii trying to carry Bob Sapp. Or an ant. If you want a boring analogy. XD

I got to the airport, and the check in lady said, “Your bags are over weight. This one is only a pound, so I can let it slide, but this one is 5 lbs over.”
“Okay, I’ll pay extra,” I said, expecting that. Maybe it’d be like $20 bucks, right?
“That will be $150…..”
“WHAT? PLUS $150?!?”
“Well, 100 for the extra bag because United only allows one, and then $150 for it being over weight, so that’s a total of $250….”

Roxy nearly had an aneurism. I had no more space in my bag! or so I thought. I ended up taking the HUGE jug of protein powder and a few bottles of vitamins out of my suitcase and putting them in my UFC back pack….MAN that thing will carry my whole house plus the kitchen sink! I had no idea it fit so much stuff!

It worked! So I got on my plane, using my ticket I bought with MILES! (FINALLY, after ten years of flying back and forth using different airlines, I finally cashed in on miles)

I was going to say a special goodbye to Japan as I was taking off, but I was SO exhausted that I sat down and fell asleep instantly. As Brittany knows I can.

When I woke up, I was already in the air. 🙁 Man!
Despite no TVs, the flight wasn’t too bad because I had my laptop so I watched FightClub on it! I’ve been in the mood for that movie. 🙂

Once landing, my dad’s school friend’s wife picked me up and brought me to my temporary apartment.
It’s dark and old….but clean and cute, and twice as big as my apartment in Japan.

hah!
I’m like “walking between rooms?! What a concept!”

She was very nice, and also took me shopping at Walmart for everything I might ever need for my first week! 😀 look! I spent $121!!

I got SO much! XD XD haha I spent the rest of the day unpacking.

On Monday, I wasn’t going to train yet, plus it was a holiday, but Colleen said that Drysdale’s was still having pro practice, so I thought, ‘Why not?’ It was so cool to train with her! 😀 She’s soooooo strong! I was like, daaaamn, I gotta hulk up! She’s in my weight division! @_@;; My back hurt, so I couldn’t escape once I got on my back, but I still had fun rolling and doing technique! 😀 Robert is so nice. And stern at the same time. It’s great. 😀 Nice group of guys and gals! I met Kristel and had lunch with her afterwards! 😀 😀 😀

After training, she drove me home (thank you!) and I went to the Dollar shop, where I bought like $17 worth of things, like kitchen utensils, trash baskets, plastic holders, etc. 😀 And DAIRY QUEEN! XD omfg This Georgia Mud Fudge Blizzard…best. THING. EVERRRR. ;__;

I had a dream that night that a monster was attacking in Dairy Queen and Colleen and I had to fight it off together. mwahahaha XD

Tuesday, I went to morning Thai boxing class with Mr. James McSweeney!
HOLY HELL, it was super hard and so painful and I wanted to cry like ten times, but I forced myself to smile and keep going. Some of the stuff he showed was just so technically above my level, I was like, “Dude, I can’t even do this ABC block, not to mention catching this strike, spinning around and doing a back elbow.” @_@ But it was kind of cool in thinking that if I go to training, maybe some day I would be able to do it. Thanks for being patient with me, Colleen.

In the recent years, training hasn’t been as fun because I have high expectations of myself in training. I’m a pro and I “should” be able to do it. Then I get super down on myself if I’m slow, or I can’t. I’m trying to NOT think like that, but when everyone else gets it and I’m the only one, I feel guilty for holding people up. 🙁 Well, striking is NOT my forte. *sigh*

James demonstrated this kick on me and I thought my leg was going to fall off. LOL No joke, omg. But he’s so cool *_* I want to be able to do what he says, but my puny little grappler’s brain was a-struggling. I brought in my Isami karate shin guards, and everyone was like, “You SPAR in those?” I thought, “Um yeah? we all did in Japan…”

omfg! < I could feel EVERY strike as if I had no shin guards on. I wanted to barf every time I got kicked. lol ;_; I can't wait to go back! With better shin guards. >< But my nice ones are in the mail...noooooo. After that, I walked limped to the Bank of America. OH, on the way, I found this Japanese store! 😀 I FOUND RICE BALLS AND I HAD ONE! HAHAHA Sweet! And I spoke in Japanese to the owners! The man is from Kamata, kind of near AACC! 😀 Sweet! I can get lots of food I love there! But it’s triple the price, so I gotta only treat myself.

I opened a checking account, and got a new ATM card. The process took like two hours, and I had to wait. I fell asleep in the chair for 15 minutes. 😀 BUT I GOT IT. And the bank employee was super nice. 😀

I made it home (man I’m starting to hate the bus ;_; It hardly ever comes!) and then soon left to get a chiropractic appointment with the guy Colleen introduced me too! It went late, and she drove me home. THANK YOU! Omg I feel so much better! I could probably practice today anyway, but I gotta get a cell phone and should probably rest somewhat. I’m still suffering from jetlag. Despite going to bed at 11:30 PM, I woke up at 2, and then dozed a bit, and then woke up at 4. *sigh*

But it’s been a good week so far, and I feel SO MUCH MORE POSITIVE after Jake worked on my back! 😀 😀 😀 And Colleen is cool.

I was planning to visit other gyms before I decide on one, so I have to figure out how to get there with no car.

Tonight is the Premier of The Ultimate Fighter Season 18! I’m on it, but I don’t get the channel and so now I have to figure out where to go to see it! ;_;…