Japan: Macy Lor (An Impactful Moment)

Program: AIP Internship in Tokyo, Summer

The most challenging moment on the program that happened to me was when I had to go to Miura for an Airbnb checkup as part of my internship. Miura is about a 2-hour train ride from where I live, which is Taito City. I assumed the train ride was going to be easy since there were only two transfers. It was already difficult for me in the beginning because it would be my first time commuting to work outside of Tokyo and learning how to navigate different train stations. Everything was going well for the first hour of the train ride until I had to transfer to a different train line. I was able to find the correct train line and platform number. At this point in time, I did not know which train I was supposed to get on. I just assumed that every train that stopped by at the track would be the exact train I needed to take. I boarded the wrong train, which took me further away from the location I was supposed to go to. Once I got off the train, I re-routed on Google Maps to find another train back to Miura and luckily, I was able to get on the right train.

I had to communicate with my supervisor and let him know that I was going to be late. Luckily, he understood and did not get upset that I was going to be late for work. My supervisor told me that I had to check if I was getting on the correct trains because there can be different types. For example, there are local, rapid, special rapid, and express trains. Although they may stop at the same platform in some locations, they do not all stop at the same stations. I learned that I couldn’t assume every train arriving at my platform was the one I needed to take. Since I was outside of Tokyo, the exit signs were all in Japanese, so I had to trust what Google Maps was telling me where to go. Thankfully, there were monitors on the platforms that told me when the next train would arrive and what type of train it would be. I had to see if the train on the monitor was the same as mine. I double-checked the train’s destination and train type on the monitor display and compared it with the route before boarding. This has helped me a lot with making sure I boarded the correct train. I have also decided to leave earlier when commuting to work because I learned that trains can have delays or issues on the train tracks. It’s important to be early in case something happens. Although commuting was one of the biggest challenges at the beginning of my internship, I have taught myself to be more independent, patient, and adaptable. I no longer felt anxious about commuting to different cities outside of Tokyo, and it had become a part of my daily routine. Navigating one of the world’s busiest transportation systems gave me the confidence that I could adapt to a new environment.