We don’t have good luck. We don’t have bad luck. What we have is chaotic luck — luck that could swing either way, but, no matter what, it’ll be worth a story.

I’ve never gone out of the country — not even to Canada. So, to say my recent trip to Japan was a bit of a culture shock is such a huge understatement.

It’s one thing to go to another country like the United Kingdom, where the common language is English. It’s another thing to go to a country where signs, menus, language, and nearly everything are in a foreign language with unique characters.

I studied Japanese for about a year previously during my time at Central Michigan University. Still, most of my knowledge has washed away since I started diving headfirst into a pool of documents as a reporter for The News.

News Photo by Mike Gonzalez Gabe Gonzalez, left, and Mike Gonzalez pose in front of Ako Castle in Ako, Japan on Dec. 30.

When I arrived in Japan with my brother on Dec. 24, I had about as much knowledge of the Japanese language as anyone who’s reading this.

The reason I went there was to see my brother, Gabe, who has been living there for the past three years as an assistant English teacher. I’m thankful he’s been there for so long, because I think, if I had gone there by myself without anybody to communicate things to locals, I might have become a homeless foreigner for a week.

It was an amazing time being there with him. He guided me to some of his favorite spots for sushi, took me to secondhand shops with retro video games, and we got some great burgers in Shibuya.

Some of my favorite memories would have to be going to the many arcades that flooded Japan. Just about every mall or store plaza had one, and some of my favorite memories were playing racing, rhythm, and fighting arcade games with my brother, with whom I spent so much time competing in our childhood.

Near the end of the trip, while we headed back home after a wonderful New Year’s Day festival, the train we rode on stopped with a chirp of an alarm. An earthquake was about to start a few hours north of us, and shocks were coming our way.

News Photo by Mike Gonzalez A highway exit is seen in Mito, Japan on Dec. 25.

I know many were wondering what it felt like, but there’s not a lot to write home about. I was already on a train, so, when we felt rumbles, it was about as rough as how shaky the train was while moving.

Even though I was not as impacted by the natural disaster, I give all of my love and support to those affected by it. I truly hope that the year improves for the survivors.

I only had two days in Japan after the earthquake, but, in some ways, it felt like most of my trip got completely overshadowed by those last 48 hours. It was like a culmination of everything I had learned in the past week in Japan all sorted out into a stressful pop quiz.

I dodged another disaster, because, as I sat down on my flight back to O’Hare International Airport in Chicago, a Japan Airlines passenger plane crashed into a Japan Coast Guard plane, with five crew casualties on the Coast Guard aircraft.

Naturally, my flight got delayed to the next day, but the cancellation only created more hectic memories, as my airline gave nothing — not even a meal voucher — to any passengers, including those who were in transit from other countries.

News Photo by Mike Gonzalez The interior of a Japanese train is seen on Dec. 27.

That night, I attempted to help a woman who visited Bangkok, Thailand and had a layover in Japan — until our flight got canceled.

She was from Ohio and visited Japan once before, but she never expected to stay in the country for more than a few hours and did not have any cell plan for Japan.

Because of that, she didn’t even know if she got put on the next plane to O’Hare or if she was genuinely stranded. All she had on her was a few suitcases with pictures of dogs on them and a phone that could connect to the airport’s Wi-Fi.

I tried to help her out while my family and I tried to find a hotel for myself, and, after half an hour, I found a place for the night. I knew how difficult it was just to find a room because so many people flooded the reservation Web page after flight cancellations, so I didn’t tell my family that I was helping that lady out, as it might cause more trouble for everyone.

When I got off the phone with my family, knowing I needed to leave her without giving her the help she needed, I remember feeling a sense of betrayal I had committed toward my fellow passenger. I mean, I was leaving that scared person for my own self-benefit.

News Photo by Mike Gonzalez A subdivision is seen in Mito, Japan on Dec. 25.

I told her that my family succeeded in finding a hotel room, and I wasn’t sure what else I could do, so I extended an invitation to come along with me and see if we could get another room for her.

She declined, and, by the time I was starting to leave, I only had one hour to make it through a country I hardly knew before all trains stopped moving at midnight.

After a few failed attempts at navigating the train systems and some down-to-the-second train rides, I made it to my room to sleep for six hours.

The next day, I came back to the airport and looked around for my friend, unable to find her. I went through checking and helped other passengers who were struggling in the long lines.

Some told me that they didn’t know what to do last night — much like my friend — and slept in the airport until morning. Airport security gave those lying on the floor cheap blankets and bottled water.

News Photo by Mike Gonzalez Hundreds of people walk down the Shibuya crosswalk in Tokyo, Japan on Dec. 27.

I realized that, more than likely, my friend was one of the many who laid on the hard, cold floor the previous night. In some ways, it gave me comfort to know others like her could help her out after I left and I had a feeling of security that she was able to find a way back to O’Hare.

After half-mile-long lines and a pretty tame security check, I had 20 minutes left to sit down and breathe until we could board the new flight.

After I collapsed into my seat and sighed, I looked over my shoulder to find behind me a familiar face and a suitcase with a bunch of pictures of dogs. I called out her name and she looked my way with so much joy to see someone she knew.

It turns out, she was able to get help from those in the same predicament as her and found out she was on the next flight out of Japan.

She and I laughed, knowing the stress of a vacation was over, and exchanged friend requests on Facebook before boarding our plane.

Though we knew that was probably the only time that we’d ever see each other, we wanted to check in on each other.

To Midnatt, my friend from Haneda Airport, I hope we never have to go through that again, but, if we did, I’d only want to be paired up with you again.

To my family — Mom, Dad, Gabe — you helped me out when I needed you most, despite some difficult time zone differences. Gabe, you gave me one of the best trips anybody could ask for and I would have been lost in Tokyo if you didn’t help guide my way to the last-minute hotel.

In some ways, I wish that I could give more insight into the experience of visiting somewhere completely foreign, but it’s such an intangible feeling.

Everything is foreign and I could go on about the thousand small differences, but, by then, I’d be writing a traveler’s guide and not about my fantastic and chaotic trip to Japan.

News Photo by Mike Gonzalez The front of a storefront in Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan is seen on Dec. 28. A Gacha capsule toy jungle was in front of the store.

News Photo by Mike Gonzalez The arches leading to a shrine at Ako Castle are seen in Ako, Japan on Dec. 30.

News Photo by Mike Gonzalez A full dish of traditional Japanese food and a lemon sour on the side in Tokyo on Dec. 29.

News Photo by Mike Gonzalez A traditional Japanese tea room is seen on the grounds of Ako Castle in Ako, Japan on Dec. 30.

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