Have been chilling, interpreting, working on my PowerPoint, today I'm going to Rough (yay! I love that place!) and today Gerry's getting my ticket. You know it's a small company and it's not like a big company corporate trip where things are just paid for and approved just like that. I mean it's a big outlay to do this.
This is kind of our last chance to make a first impression. Otherwise this is going to die. Japanese and Americans are just not responding to the message board, etc. But in their defense it's a little difficult to use.

We just want to get people to make friends. Even if you can't or don't want to go to Japan, it would be nice to post a message on the message board. Post on any topic.

From the beginning this thing lacked focus and so now I want to go over there and really polish this up.

There are 5 of us going. I'm the only chick... :) which is fine! I grew up with only brothers, and now I have a husband and 2 boys- so being the only chick is comfortable for me. It's my whole life. Now Gerry and Michi have to match us up with host families. I'd prefer staying with Japanese people, not Americans. I want to practice Japanese. My only fear is food allergies (shellfish, etc.). I don't want to insult anyone by saying, "Um, I can't eat your oystery, clammy, mussely, squiddy, shrimpy, salty, oceany, briny food, even though I'd like to...just gimme plain fish...mizo soup...and lots of rice...and steak...and egg sushi. But not the fish sushi or the really salty stuff." Boy if Steve were going he'd eat the whole country into oblivion.