Hello. I’m in my uncle’s house in Washington, DC, after twenty-one hours of wearying international travel. Manila to Nagoya to Detroit, then a connecting flight to Reagan Airport.

I need some time. I’m in a state of extreme culture shock, and I’m still overwhelmed by the magnitude of the jump I’ve just taken. I keep saying I’ll hit the ground running, but now I realize I don’t even know how to walk. More soon.