Day 5: Secretto Cigaretto

I woke up early because I was gasping for air! My air con is really shit (I think it's broken) and so I had completely dried out over night in the 30 degree heat :( I decided I had to speak to the accom. office and let them know it needed to be fixed/replaced. The only problem was that the staff don't speak a word of English. Anyway, I headed to the case conference in the doctor's room and met up with Dr Takeda again, who translated everything for me. The cases were all really interesting and it was cool to get to go see the patients being talked about afterwards. It was a totally different team that I was working with today so I had to introduce myself again to them. A little bit embarrassing but even in one day my Japanese was a lot better.

At the handover I was put into a team with a couple other doctors so I would shadow them all day. They spoke better english than the doctors I had been with the day prior and if they didn't know how to say it in english they would go look it up on their phones or in their Japanese dictionary. One of the doctors was suffering from hayfever and needed an injection of anti-histamine so he asked me to do it for him! I was a bit unsure but they egged me on (in Japanese, or at least I assumed they were egging me on). After that they asked me if I could take blood and I said I had done loads in the past! They got me to do it using Japanese equipment which was pretty different but I managed it no problem! I got to learn the names for the equipment in Japanese which was very useful! I just spent the day learning lots more Japanese phrases and words from all the doctors until lunch time when again I was asked what I wanted! This time we were having Sushi! I didn't really know what I was ordering this time either but I just went for it.

When it arrived we sat on the sofas and watched a Japanese game show. It involved celebrities guessing the identity of another guest. They did this by being presented with people who look like them. The first person supposedly looked 5% like the guest. Then the next person looked 20% and so on until the next person looked 95% like them! The celebrities had to whisper in the presenter's ear if they thought they knew! It was so bizarre aha. My food was also absolutely delicious! One of the doctors was surprised I liked it so much! After lunch, one of the doctors had offered to come help me tell the accom. office about my air con problem! Very nice of her and they went along and concluded that my air con was in fact not working! So they were going to fix it later in the week. I was so glad.

After lunch we went back to work and saw lots of more patients! All the doctors were very impressed with how much my Japanese was improving. I read out a sentence from the notes and the consultant almost fell off his seat he was so impressed. One of the younger doctors asked me if I smoked and I said sometimes, usually when i'm drinking. He said he was the same but he really wanted to go for one. He said he knew a secret place and we went there for a cheeky cigarette! He also bought me a drink from Starbucks aha! He asked me if I had a girlfriend and I told him that I was gay. Japan can be quite conservative when it comes to that kind of thing so I was very pleased to hear he had gay friends and "he doesn't discriminate against people". He said his girlfriend is always going to gay clubs to dance which was funny to hear. I told him all about Scotland was going to legalise same-sex marriage and he was really impressed.

We went back to the hospital and finished off the rest of the day! I couldn't believe how much my feet were hurting I thought I was going to faint! I guess it was good practice for the rest of my career aha. Before the end of the day 2 of my colleagues invited me out for dinner on thursday night! My first night out with my colleagues! So exciting! After work I went home and got changed, before heading out to Shibuya to go for dinner! On the way home I got on the wrong train and ended up miles away, so annoying. I think my jet lag was finally gone though so there's a plus.

Day 4: First Day @ Jikei

I was due at the hospital for 8am which was early even by British standards! I managed to get up with plenty of time to spare and made the 30 second walk to the hospital. When I arrived at the Emergency Department a doctor was waiting for me, Dr Takeda (Takeda-sensei). He took me to the case conference which was essentially a handover meeting between night and day shift. There was literally like 12 doctors in the room and they were all wearing scrubs apart from the Professor at the back and me (I was wearing my shirt and tie with a white coat). I felt like a right arsehole. The doctors presented each case (all in Japanese) but thankfully Dr Takeda translated it all for me which was pretty useful. I did however manage to recognise a few words. When everyone had presented Dr Takeda asked me to stand up and introduce myself in Japanese LOL. It wasn't too bad but the problem is when Japanese people laugh at you speaking Japanese you don't know if it's because you are saying it wrong or right and they just find foreigners speaking their language funny.

I got to meet all the day shift staff and everyone was so nice to me. People definitely took an interest in my presence. Dr Takeda bought me a drink from Starbucks (there is one in the hospital- wasted on me I'm afraid) and then took me into the doctor's room to talk about my schedule. He advised me I should leave 2 weeks at the end to go travelling around Japan as he thinks it's important for my career to see the culture in Japan. WELL OKAY THEN IF YOU SAY SO SENSEI. He saw I was sweating a fucking beast so he told me to just wear scrubs. I was so thankful, plus it meant I was dressed like everyone else. When I was walking around, I noticed some doctors/nurses wear a mask and some don't so I guessed that it was a thing of preference.  The Emergency Department itself receives over 40-50 ambulance calls per day and several more people who present to the hospital themselves so it's always busy. It is a big range of people and tbh most are accidents like road traffic accidents and falls.

Lots of patients on my first day I noticed were very old. 80s and even 90s and apart from their injuries they were ridiculously healthy. I got to spend a lot of time taking patients for X-rays and CTs. It seems like they give them both to anyone. But that's because the patients pay for 30% and the government pays for 70% of the bill. It seems like a good idea because people are still paying therefore they appreciate the service more and don't make trivial complaints. There are other things that are quite different too. Mostly equipment but also sites of taking blood and cannulas are different to the UK too. I learned about the medical education system and it's not that different from the UK really, which was good to hear.

When it got near lunch time the junior doctors summoned me to the base and asked me what I wanted for lunch from the menu. I literally had no idea what I was ordering but it looked nice enough. It turns out every day they order in from a nearby restaurant! I found that so odd, but I wasn't complaining. Dr Takeda took me to see the ICU suite at the other part of the hospital and it was really nice and brand new! I then had to go get a picture taken for my badge, I wish it had been when I didn't look an absolute state but meh what are you gonna do? By the time I got back to the ER it was time for lunch! We all went to the doctors room and tucked in. Turns out I ordered a hamburger on rice with vegetables and a poached egg to crack on top of the hamburger. An odd choice but when in Rome... I gobbled it all up and when I was done I asked how much mine was. The other doctors looked at me as if I was mad. They informed me that it was normal for the senior consultants to buy the lunch for everyone on shift! EVERY day. I couldn't believe it! That would never happen in Scotland! You maybe get the odd coffee but never lunch every day! I was beginning to like this place even more!

I spent the rest of the afternoon just learning more Japanese from the staff and seeing all the patients that came in! Such a variety of things! I got to see inside a Japanese Ambulance as well haha. I was in until 7 which was a looooong first day! I stayed all the way to the handover! I made lots of friends on my first day and everyone was really nice. I may not have understood a lot of what was going on but Medicine is pretty much the same wherever you go, I have found!

I spent the rest of the evening just relaxing at home! Uploading photos and getting my internet sorted out in my flat :D Early to bed for another day in the hospital!

Day 3: Reunited with Yuka

I woke up extremely excited for the day! I was going to be reunited with Yuka! 2 years ago when I arrived in Tokyo, I had a challenge to get a photo with a Harajuku girl (Gwen Stefani style). On my first day I saw 3 asian girls dressed in Harajuku clothes and I went upto them and in very shit Japanese asked if I could take a photo with them. One of the girls said "I'm from London, I speak English, mate". That was WENDY, who is actually Chinese! The other two girls were Yuka and her sister Moe, both Japanese. Yuka spoke very good English and after we took photos they invited me to go shopping in Shinjuku. We became good friends and I met up with Yuka lots more times before I went home so we got real close! We kept in touch over the 2 years since I left so we had planned our first meeting again for a long time!

We arranged to meet at Tokyo Sky Tree! One of the tallest buildings in the world now! Beneath is a massive shopping centre filled with something fucking ridiculous like 400 shops and restaurants. I went early to explore and take some photos. Yuka told me to go wait by the Moomin cafe! I was stood blissfully unaware she was running towards me and she almost tackled me to the ground she was so excited to see me! I couldn't believe we'd been reunited! I was so happy to see her! We decided to go eat at the "Tearoom", though I'm sure any of the hundreds of restaurants would have been nice. I ordered my own food in Japanese which was awesome! I've definitely gained a lot more confidence since my last trip and Yuka said my Japanese has improved lots. We spent most of lunch catching up and then we talked about how I can get internet in Japan! Yuka explained pocket wifi to me which is basically like a portable wireless internet router that you can put in your bag and use on the go! Even in the underground! I don't know why we don't have it in the UK! It would certainly stop me using my 3G and having a huge bill.

We walked around the shopping centre for a bit! Everything looked so clean and expensive! We came across the "SECRET! Expo", which was basically a Korean K-pop band debuting in Japan! The teenage girls were going f'ing cray cray aha! We then had to goto Yuka's University to drop off a book! It didn't take too long but the heat was unbearable, like so bad! We then headed to Akihabara (famous for it's massive range of electrical goods) to get me some pocket wifi. We spoke to this cute shopworker who told us that I need to have a Visa credit card to make a contract with the company, which I unfortunately did not have. Yuka then said she can pay it on her credit card and I just pay her back, which was incredibly nice of her! Part of the deal was a 10,000 yen gift voucher (75 pounds ish) so I gave it to her to spend on whatever she liked to say thank you.

After we bought my pocket wifi (which worked straight away) we bought my cute little bear fan for my room ahah! It was only like 6 pounds! So cheap and so cute! It was then time to meet Yuka's two friends in Azabu Juban where there was a masssssiiiveee food festival! We arrived at the station and it was packed with people in traditional Japanese dress! The exit to the festival actually had a queue to get on the escalator, like 200 people long! It was crazy! We left via a different exit but as soon as we got to the festival it was almost impossible to move! So many food stalls with food i'd never even seen before! Everyone was having a great time and enjoying all the crazy food! We met Yuka's two friends right after watching a very weird ?street performer? Who I think may actually have just been someone who was severely mentally ill and then we tried to find somewhere to relax. We found a cute wee Japanese tea room not far from the festival and just relaxed with some tea and sweets!

After we had finished, Yuka's friends had to get the last train home! So we said our farewells and I headed to Shibuya to say hi to Shibuya Crossing, one of my favourite places in Tokyo, before heading home before my first day in the hospital! :)

Day 2: ただいま - I'm Home!

My flight landed in Tokyo Narita International Airport and I couldn’t believe I was back! I rushed off the plane when we finally reached the gate and heat was a massive shock. I screamed “GADS IN HELL” knowing no one would have a clue what I meant and ran to collect my bag. You know when you are waiting for your suitcase and you are convinced that they must have lost your bag, yeah that. It took about 20 minutes but it did come out and I was off to catch my train! I went to buy my ticket and this old Japanese man came over and asked if I needed help. I told I needed to get to Shimbashi station in Tokyo and needed the next train in the centre. After some confusion it was decided I would get the Tokyo Skyliner into Nippori station and get a 2^nd train to Shimbashi from there. He kept making jokes with me that I did NOT understand. Like he kept saying things I just didn’t get and it wasn’t til I was walking away he asked where I was from. When I said Scottish he said he thought I was Dutch!?!?! And that’s why I didn’t understand? Who knows.

I got on the next train to Tokyo, which took about 45 minutes (I know what a trek) and swapped trains to goto Shimbashi. When I got off I realised I had no idea which direction the hospital was, only which station to get off at. The heat was genuinely unbearable, it must have been about 35 degrees and I had two massive bags weighing me down. I don’t know why I did it but I did, I asked this old crazy looking Japanese man where it was and he took me the biggest wild goose chase which ultimately ended up with us at the OTHER side of the station speaking to the police asking for directions. They pointed me in the right direction and I set off in the blistering sun to find the hospital. I was sweating a proper beast like and after I eventually found the Medical School reception I thought I was going to faint. I managed to speak to the receptionist in good enough Japanese to tell her who I was and who I was here to meet… and also that I was dying of exhaustion/dehydration. She told me to sit down and wait for my woman there. I sat down and she brought me over a cold bottle of water, which I was very grateful for. You should have seen her face when I downed it like a fresher in front of her very eyes in a oner.

The accommodation officer eventually arrived and took me to my apartment which thankfully was just 5 minutes away. 6^th floor up in the elevator and along a cute little corridor and we were there. It’s quite small though bigger than what I expecting to be getting. She explained to me how to use everything and I soon realised every appliance was all completely in Japanese. This was going to be fun… The first thing I asked her was how to put on the a/c because it was like a sauna. She turned it on to 21 degrees and as soon as she left I put it all the way down to 15 (to make it more like Scotland). It became obvious very quickly that the a/c wasn’t great and the room was still very stuffy and warm despite it blowing out cold air (maybe I’m doing it wrong?) I decided I needed a cold shower and it felt magnificent. The only problem is you come out and 5 minute after you’re dry you just feel all sticky again. I unpacked my suitcase and got ready to go meet Kouji (who I was dying to meet) and his boyfriend Carlos.

I left the apartment and was greeted by the unbelievable heat. I walked back to the station and had to buy a bottle of water. Or at least I thought it was water, turned out it was cherry flavoured water and it tasted like absolute gads. One thing I had forgotten was just how much people used to stare at me. It was like I had half a face or 3 arms because people just would not stop staring! I got into the station and purchased the Tokyo equivalent of an Oyster card (called a Suica) and got on my 30 minute train to Shinjuku. Shinjuku train station is one of the biggest in the world. I was happily surprised to see that I still knew where to go when I got off my train. Not falling for the same mistakes last time and ending up a mile in the wrong direction. I left the station and my face lit up! I had forgotten how amazing Shinjuku looks, bright lights and big screens. Next to the smoker’s area outside the station (you can’t smoke outside unless it’s a designated area) there was a man in a panda costume dancing around. It was so cool! Everyone had their cameras and phones out. I had arrived slightly early so I went looking for a Citibank (the only bank I can withdraw money from) and it had moved from it’s last location but the important thing was that I found it.

I headed back to Studio Alta to wait for Kouji and Carlos. People were walking past staring at me again, some of them cute boys. This is something I remembered from last time. If a cute boy is checking me out, how do I tell if he thinks I’m hot or thinks I look strange? L Carlos appeared out of nowhere and I gave him a big hug! He told me Kouji was along the road and had gotten tired walking. I walked over and saw him standing by the side of the pavement with his cute little cane! I forgot how short he was ahah! I gave him a massive hug and couldn’t believe we’d been reunited finally. I said we should go somewhere we can drink beer and eat delicious food! It just so happened there was a restaurant that suited us perfectly round the corner! We sat down and ordered lots of beer and food and just caught up completely! I told him about what I’d been doing since I last saw him in July 2010 and he told me the same. We talked about his recovery and I told him how proud and happy I was for him to get to this stage, considering where he began. It was so nice to get to see him and Carlos again. We decided to do one of my favourite things – PURIKURA! For those that have seen my old photos of Japan you will remember the crazy booth photos! It makes your eyes big and skin white! And you can write over the pictures and put all kinds of shit over yourself (moustaches, hats, accessories ahaha) It was so amazing to get to do it again and the photos look amazing!

Kouji had to go home and I had to go sleep so I said my farewells, telling him I would be in contact once I’d worked out how to get internet/a sim card and that I would see him soon. I got back on my train home, and ended up doing what all Japanese people do – fall asleep and then miraculously know when your stop is and get up and run off. I was clearly exhausted and needed mah bed. Lots of cute Japanese people tried to coerce me into their bars and restaurants on the walk home but I was having none of it. I got to my apartment and it was boiling again. There was no point in having a shower, so I just blasted the a/c on again and stripped down, got on top of the covers and fell asleep. I can’t believe I’m back in Tokyo, my first day was amazing (I’m just absolutely hating this heat). One more day free before I start working in the hospital!

Day 1: Full English and a Bloody Mary

Day 1 was spent travelling my ridiculous 27 hour journey from my house in Penicuik to my apartment in Tokyo. I stayed up the whole night to make sure I could sleep on the plane. I said my painful good byes to my 3 dogs then set off with mum and dad to meet my gran and grandad at the airport. It was 5am on a Friday morning but it was still heaving. I got all checked in, my mum standing in line with me just to make sure my luggage wasn’t too heavy and then we all got a picture upstairs just before security. How do you really say “see you in 9 weeks!” to your family? They all looked pretty worried about me! I told them I’d done this before and was going to be fine J. I set off down into departure lounge and bought a few last minute buys in duty free before getting on my flight to Gatwick. I had the pleasure of being stuck next to an annoying young cockney couple on the plane. They just wouldn’t stfu.

An hour later I arrived in Gatwick and had to get checked into the next leg of my journey (to Incheon International Airport in Seoul). No problems there, through security and again I was in the departure lounge. I was planning on going to Yo! Sushi for breakfast but I stumbled across one of Jamie Oliver’s restaurants so went there instead. I got served by the nicest cockney lass ever and had a full English and bloody mary to get me started. I headed to my gate shortly after and realised I was like the only white person getting on this flight. The rest were Korean or Japanese. I got to my seat and realised the 2 seats next to me were empty. This was good because I could sleep across them all but bad because I was completely alone for the next 11 hours… I felt so bad for the Korean girl behind me, she was stuck with this old pervy Australian man. He kept asking her really weird questions aha, I should have helped her! The Korean flight attendants sure were a lot nicer than the Russian airline staff I flew with to Japan last time aha. No surprises there. They kept supplying me with Budweiser throughout the flight, which was a plus. I ended up watching 4 films and sleeping about 30 minutes.

I arrived in Incheon International Airport at 5am (Korean Time) and I was absolutely exhausted. I headed straight to the smoker’s lounge and spoke Korean for the first time in real life to ask for a lighter. I still had some lambert and butler left over, yaaay don’t know why I bought them in the first place. There was free wifi so I wapped my laptop out and went on Facebook to chat to some people and update more statuses. Eventually I found somewhere to go for “breakfast”. I decided to opt for what most would consider a dinner, and got Kimchi Jjigae. Essentially it was a spicy pork stew with rice and side dishes of kimchi etc. I was so confused because you order it at the cash desk and then sit down and one of three window will present you your order. It was kind of like Argos, where your order number comes up on a screen only you get food and not a Dyson hoover.

It came out and the pork stew was literally boiling hot. I almost dropped my tray I was so blinded by the steam coming off it. It didn’t cool down enough to eat for about 20 minutes so I just ate the kimchi aha. All the Korean people were looking at me as if to say “WHITE BOY EATING KOREAN FOOD? WTF?” I gobbled it all up and headed back to the smoker’s lounge for one last cigarette. I asked a nice man for a lighter and he happily obliged, asking me where I was from. When I said Scotland he looked very shocked! He replied his name was Yoji and he was from Tokyo, returning after a business trip! We chatted away and he ended up adding me on Facebook so we could keep in touch when I got to Japan. It turned out he was on my flight from Gatwick AND was on the same flight to Tokyo.

I caught my 3^rd and final flight to Tokyo! It was quite a short journey so I was starting to get relatively excited. I was so fucking tired at this point but I did manage to get 40 winks on this flight. I couldn’t believe I was finally going to be back in Tokyo after 2 years of waiting. It was going to feel like I never left…

Day 0: Elective no Hajimari 〜エレクティブの始まり〜

こんにちは、
ポールです。

So the time has finally come. I leave for Japan in 6 hours and excited is not the word. The aim of this blog is to document this life changing trip and to allow my loved ones to see what I am getting up to. I wrote a blog during my last Japan trip and it was a roaring success so I decided to make another one (back by popular demand you might say).

Just in case you don't know what an Elective is, it is something that every medical student completes (usually in their final year of study) and it involves going to work in a hospital in another country for a couple of months. Like I mentioned recently in a Facebook status, I decided to goto Tokyo 5 years ago before I'd even applied for Medicine. If you know me at all you will know I have an obsession with Japanese culture. I will be working in the A&E department of the Jikei University Hospital in central Tokyo. The picture above is of the area I will be living and working in.

There is also a lot waiting for me in Japan. During my last trip I made some unbelievable friends who displayed amazing acts of human kindness. One man in particular I am dying to see again is Kouji. He essentially became like a brother to me and we lovingly refer to each other as ベア (bear). Unfortunately, last October I received news that Kouji was in hospital and paralysed from the neck down. He has finally been discharged after months of rehabilitation and I can't believe I get to see him tomorrow.

It still doesn't feel real and I don't think it will until my plane lands. I am going to miss all my nearest and dearest a lot. I turn 22 in a few weeks and it will be weird to not have a cray cray party. Please keep reading my blog and let me know what you think! Get ready for LOTS of photos. Love you all long time, bitches!

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