Cara is an Enrolment Service Professional where she helps answer questions from prospective and current students, and alumni. Not only is Cara part of Student Support and Advising unit, but she also works with other units within Enrolment Services and other campus partners. She really enjoys working with all of her colleagues: “there is such a great sense of community in Enrolment Services – I like the variety that comes with working in ES and that every day is different!”
First off, where did your travels take you to?
We travelled to and stayed in Tokyo for about 2 weeks. We chose to do this as my husband had been to Japan previously and figured that Tokyo would have the most to offer us for our visit. Since Tokyo is made up of several districts, each somewhat distinct from the other, there was plenty to see, both old and new. And, maybe more importantly, there was much to eat!
Tell us about a couple of your unforgettable experiences?
We attended a Japanese Baseball game: the Tokyo Yakult Swallows vs. the Hanshin Tigers. We’re all mostly familiar with Major League Baseball, but Japanese professional baseball – or rather their fan base – is something else. Between the individual tailored songs (including choreography) for each individual player, and the umbrella dance/celebration when runs are scored, the experience was very memorable, and a stark contrast to the reserved spectator experience you’d expect in Canada.
One of the other must-sees is the famous Shibuya crossing, the busiest crosswalk in the world. Situated at the Hachiko entrance to the Shibuya train station, hundreds of people cross the intersection at one time; the crowd is an overwhelming sea of people.
Of all your food adventures in Tokyo, describe one of your favourites!
I would say our favourite meal would have to be Udon (sorry Ramen fans). We travelled to a shopping centre called, “Nakano Broadway” and in the basement there is an Udon/Soft Serve stand called, “Daily Chico”. The experience, like Tokyo itself, was very fast-paced; the Udon was cooked fresh, relatively inexpensive at around ¥350 (approximately $4 CDN), and you actually had to stand at the counter to eat it. People on their lunch breaks came-in, ate, and left in short-order.
After the noodles, we tried the 8-flavour soft-serve ice cream cone; flavours included: Chocolate, Coffee, Vanilla, Strawberry, Green Tea, Melon (cantaloupe), Soda (Ramune), and Grape. It was such a great experience, we actually went there twice!
To end, what is some advice for future Tokyo jet-setters?
Be prepared, but don’t over pack! Bring comfortable shoes and stay hydrated. We ended up doing a lot of walking when not on the trains; the weather was nice most of the time, but humid even on cloudy days. Luckily there are convenient vending machines everywhere to get a drink but there are very few garbage cans, so be prepared to carry your waste with you.
Also, sunscreen is a must on most days. We also ended up packing too many clothes; we had the fortunate situation to have access to a washing machine (but no dryer) so we were able to clean and re-wear clothes. This is particularly important when you’re trying to get to the airport on the train system while carrying multiple pieces of luggage (sometimes up flights of stairs as elevators do not always present themselves at the stations).
My last snack before the flight home!