Illinois

Chicago

Well, we took a plane from Salt Lake City to Chicago. The security checks were like last time, just annoying. I always tried to read the recommendations regarding to the check-in behaviour really carefully but it seems to be impossible for me to satisfy the stuff. Like last time I placed all belonings into the boxes, I weared no shoes anymore and no belt as well. But I did one mistake: I didn't pull my laptop out of my bag....They moved my bag through the x-ray and then the show began. One of the security members (at the x-ray) looked at me and asked: "Is this your bag?", "yes", I replied and then first she shouted at me: "STEP BACK, STEP BACK", then a man in front of me shouted: "STEP BACK, STEP BACK"...Well, I guess you can imagine, that I was a little bit confused, anyway the woman brought my bag out of the security zone and she carried it in a way, if she would carry a dangerous item...by the way, while carrying a bomb, I guess the few centimeters will do no difference. Anyway, the man ordered me to follow her and to take all my stuff out of my bag...O.K., I followed her...without shoes, without belt and still confused and shocked because of the shouting...then I took everything out, once again x-ray and I was free...busy with packing my stuff back in my bag and calming down the next problem appeared: Nathanael bought in Japan a bottle of Sake as a present, but he didn't place it in his suitcase, he had it in his hand luggage, thus he had to go back and they filtered his stuff again....but he got the possibility to put the bottle in his backpack....after arriving in Chicago he checked his bag and we were really surprised, that the US security checked his bag too, without knowing...
One of Nathanael's item after the control.
Can you see the jets...
During the evening we arrived in Chicago and we had a lot of luck...in San Francisco we met two girls and one of them invited us spontaneous to Chicago, hence we met them again and I really enjoyed the time there. First, to have funny conversations concerning google, benefits of spooning and other stuff, second to have somebody, who showed us tourists the city and last but not least don't need to sleep on my mattress in a campground ;). At this point: Rachel and Jenn, once again "Thank you, Thank you and one more time Thank you".

The view out of Rachel's flat.
Next day we went to Rachel's University, the University of Illinois at Chicago...
Lets explore the city!
Rachel and me.
The "Millenium Park". Thats the "Crown Fountain".
The police officer on a strange vehicle, I thought its still in development.
The "Cloud Gate Sculpture", but a few people call it the "Bean" ;)
Can you find me???
Open-Air...
Before we took our car below back to the flat we ate at "Herold's Chicken", I ate a "Pizza Puff"...delicious ;)
Unfortunately, one day in Chicago was really too short to explore a city with such a great atmosphere...

Farewell Party (3)

ダニエルのお別れ会

和敬塾の和楽荘

On sunday, the 29th of july took my farewell party place. The Wakeijuku, especially Hamada様 (新たにありがとうございました), provided for me this nice evening. To be honest, I feel still very proudly to receive this privilege, because it was something special for me, then not everybody get something like that. In a really short time I became known with so many different people from all over the world, we had so much fun and so interesting conversations...great, that we could celebrate all together. Normally, a party like this takes place in the lunge of the 巽 Tatsumi-building, but because of my personal request for the 和楽荘 (Warakusou), we could celebtrate in this nice Japanese Style house.

The announcement

The party in the Japanese way: Sitting together, forming a circle, drinking and talking.

Too much alcohol, The guys fooled around, but Eric wore a nice shirt....SchlaaaaaaaandSchlllaaaaaaannndCristian, my Chilean MacGyver

Helmut and Sinan (Türkisch-German...like me ;))
Together with Jackie.
My dudes: Darish and Sinan
Most of "my" Wakeijuku-members.

We could use the 和楽荘 until 11pm only, thus we bought more alcohol in the conbini and accomplished the party at the 4th floor in the 巽 Tatsumi-building. Were we had to buy after a few hours again new stuff, PROST! We ended the farewell party around 6am in the morning.... The indestructible rest who had enough energy until 6am: Sinan, Cristian, Nathanael, me, DoriHey guys, thanks a lot for awesome 11 months!!! I really enjoyed the interesting conversations, fooling around, hanging around and clubbing! Sadly, that some of you arrived just recently, hence we couldn't do as much we wanted. Hopefully we will keep on the contact and I will see some of you in the future! I know without me, it will be not so funny anymore but have still fun in Japan, がんばって！

Farewell Party (1)

The Party Boat

This is friday, the 27th of july and I just finished my last exam at the 上智大学 Sophia University. To start our first vacation day, we chose the party boat in the south of Tokyo. The price was only 2500Yen for a nice 2 hours roundtrip seeing the Tokyo bay area with one of my most favourite places in Tokyo: Odaiba. Additionally, all drinks were for free during the 2 hours and Japanese people performed some dance acts and other nice shows.

The awesome view: Tokyo's skyline, but not only the skyline, we also passed Tokyo's airports and the "Rainbow Bridge".

Odaiba, a artificial island including amusementparks, shops and exhibition halls.The "Rainbow Bridge"According to the "Guiness Book of records", one of the highest Ferris wheels of the world.And now let the party start...

The ship had four different floors and in the middle one was a stage, were young professionals performed shows. I guess it might be really difficult to dance with a Yukata.

Guests...
Other guests (Nobue, me, Koarrin, Darish)
The jirls: Nobue, Koarrin, Loli and Sophie
Darish and LoliOch, is des scheen!!! Österreichisch-Deutsche Völkerverständigung.
German-Turkish-Connection, like in Berlin ;-) (Sinan and me)Partypeople: Sophie, Darish, Eric, Sinan, me, Koarrin, Nobi and Loli...

Sadly, but after two hours the ship came back to the harbour, hence we decided to eat something and went clubbing after getting satisfied...we ate Döner, like in Berlin ;-)

Me and Darish....
Die Koarrin...schauts a moal, wie se stroahlt

On the way to Roppongi, the "Tokyo Tower"Pictures inside the club are not allowed, but outside. To get power, energy from a conbini. During the night no subway or other public transportation systems are available, thus if you want to go clubbing, then the whole night!

Sleepy Japanese, part 1Sleepy Japanese, part 2

Thanks my friends for this nice friday and saturday, but the show must go on, therefore I will continue the rest of the weekend the next days.

Today is my last night in Japan and tomorrow I will leave the country to go to the US for exploring together with Nathaneal for nearly five weeks this "New World".

I thank all of you for the great time in Japan, the experience and the fun we had together!