A trip to USS George Washington

This is bit late for a blog but I’m just so excited to tell about my experiences during my trip in one of the biggest US carrier ship deployed in Japan. We went there as a treat for Christmas for my family and friends. I am really amazed at the size in and out of the ship.

Chief Boatswain Mate Larry Seesholtz brought us to plenty of spots that allow visitors to roam. These places include the eating areas which are divided for Officers, Chiefs, and Rank and file or for common navy men. He also brought us to the place where the captain of the ship works for maneuvering the ship.

It is quite enticing to walk around as a visitor in the ship but probably working there is very challenging. I cannot imagine working in a ship where staircases are really narrow, the walls smell like paint thinner, the ceilings are standard but for the taller workers, they’d be bowing most of the time. Or maybe I am just really an office worker to begin with. Anyways, I salute our guide BMC Larry Seesholtz for working 20 years of his life in such scene. I mean it’s not really hazardous but for me it’s really a man job. I am surprised there are plenty of women serving in the navy.

The roof deck where the airplanes fly and land is really wide, like 2 soccer field. It was a great to be on top of the tall and long ship where you see the place where all the planes launching happen. I feel so lucky because some other people cannot just visit or come to the ship; a sponsor is needed to do that.

It only happens in Japan

It's 8:40 am of Wednesday, just a usual morning for me, too late from my usual time of waking up and going to the office which is only 15 minutes away from my pad by bicycle. Obviously, I was 10 minutes late and to my surprise, I was one of the few people who arrived at the office. I wondered why. I usually arrive the latest in my department well next to my boss who maybe drunk the other day, again. So I thought maybe people are just really scared of the second flu outbreak. Flu is really scary in Japan by the way; citizens always cram and anxious everytime they hear of outbreaks like the recent H1N1 virus. Merely because millions of people are on the streets attending to their busy lives (work, school, businesses) and a huge risk of getting the disease just anywhere is a threat to their usual routine, pretty scary since in Japan - Bawal ang magkasakit (Diseases not allowed). This is one of the places on earth that you cannot survive without money so people has to work.
Anyways, I just heard from another officemate who arrived 2 hours late after our usual time in. He said there was an accident in the Tozai Line, a cart bumped to another maintennance cart which rarely happen to Japan since they are very careful observers of safety.

That photo you see is forwarded by a friend to me, as you see a group of men united to push back a train after an accident occur at the start of day operation. The train is Tozai Line; a Tokyo Metro Train that runs from Nakano to Nishi-Funabashi and some trips to Toyo-Katsutadai (a change to Keisei train to go to Narita Airport). It runs to 15-20 train stops and this sudden stop in operation can cause delay not only to the Tokyo Metro Train but the entire train system of Kanto area, this may include the JR Line and other privately owned trains like Toei trains and Keisei trains like a domino effect causing millions of yen in losses.

I know Japan is concern about the loss and anger from people who maybe late from their appointments at their works or schools but what inspired me from this event, people still have the passion to help get through it peacefully. Which I think only happens in Japan where people are prone to bottling up their emotions just for the sake of unity, order and peace. They seek action and at these time words of blames and regrets do not help.
For me this is a rare accident in Japan after living here for almost 4 years now. But it made me appreciate more that I am here in this country where I can develop myself into a better person. I can't help but compare from my beloved homeland. I hope one day, in my country people stop blaming and just give a hand and just do it and say yes to improvement.