Day One: Arrival and Yokohama Port Festival

We started our journey at LAX on Sunday June 1, 2025. We all met in front of Terminal B and walked over to check in our bags and get our boarding passes. We were all excited, but a bit nervous as this was many of our first times being away from home for so long. We ended up getting to our gate 30 minutes before boarding, so Mrs. Tomokiyo and Dr. Stogdill told us we were free to use the bathrooms and visit the stores and restaurants that were nearby. Most of us just ended up getting Starbucks and using the bathroom. At around 10am, we boarded our flight, American Airlines 27, and soon, we were off and away. 

We were told that the flight to Japan was around 12 hours, while the flight back to LA was going to be only around 10. Because our PolyGlobal group only has 10 students, we all fit in 4 rows on the plane. Most of us napped, watched movies, and worked on our Japanese throughout the span of the flight. When we landed Tokyo, we quickly made our way out the plane, through customs, and to the train station. Five stops later, we reached Yokohama and walked the rest of the way to our hotel. 

After we briefly stopped to put our luggage in our rooms, we left the hotel to find dinner. We walked for a few blocks until coming across a small restaurant on the side of the road. We entered and ascended several flights of stairs before arriving in a small room with a few tables. Our dinner consisted of tempura, soba, and buckwheat tea. After we finished eating we took a train back to the area around the hotel and walked to the bay to see a festival at the Yokohama port.

As we made our way over to the festival, we chose to be seated on a small section of grass. Surrounded by Japanese families and students, we counted down the minutes until 7:30 when fireworks were scheduled to start. At around 7:35, bright lights and sparkling patterns filled the night sky, and we all began to take photos of the show. By 8:00, the fireworks had stopped, and we made our way back to the hotel, stopping briefly at a convenience store to purchase a few items for the next day. Once we reached the hotel, we all handed in our phones and went to get ready for bed.

Today set the precedent for what we hope will become a memorable and impactful trip. That is not to say that the trip thus far has not been without struggle. Many of us already feel a little homesick, and the 24-hour day has exhausted us all. However, we look forward to what the next few days will bring. Adios y arigato!