Tuesday, August 10, 2010

"To what should I compare the kingdom of God"





Group A's team flag! Our group name was "Lightning 11"


I have officially been in Japan for a week! It’s been an amazing yet crazy week of getting settled and oriented into what will be my new life for the next 12 months. After the St. Steven’s camp I had one day off then we started a camp at St. Luke’s. It was exhausting but so much fun! The kids were great and really enthusiastic about every single activity. Some highlights from the trip were spending the day at a river splashing about and making sushi with the kids the next day. The kids came from the local community and had a great three days playing, singing songs and making crafts…just normal camp stuff.
The next few weeks are during the “in-between” time where there are no camps and school is not in session. Next week there is a Children’s Peace Forum that I am really looking forward to as well as preparing for a study tour of Okinawa where I’ll be learning about the history of the fighting there and the situation today. I am excited about that trip because it is something that I unfortunately do not know a lot about. Then, after that trip I start up my English classes and helping out at the Mitzuba (preschool aged kids) classes!

Some “firsts” that have happened over the past few days:
-I took the Subway in Japan for myself for the first time.
-I killed my first cockroach ever.
-I joined a gym for the first time.
-I registered as an alien.
-I ordered food by myself for the first time (A delicious strawberry Crepe by the way) which didn’t go so well language-wise but I managed to get the point across!
-Saw my first crazy toilet that makes flushing sounds with a push of a button. I’ve read about these and really wanted to take a picture…but I felt that would be too weird!
-Ran into someone I knew while I was at the mall for the first time. It was really great to be able to say, “I’ll see you tomorrow” just when I was pondering how out of place I must look!
We made sushi with the kids. It was so yummy!
On the last day we made cardboard box houses...total chaos!

3 comments:

  1. Love the pictures! And yes, I am jealous of the sushi.. it looks so good!

    I can't wait to hear more! And who did you run into at the mall?

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  2. Awesome posts thus far! Keeping you in my prayers friend.

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  3. Oh man, so jealous of the sushi-making! Sounds like an awesome first week! Good luck as you learn the language!

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