tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31974936208737761972024-03-05T23:04:19.619-08:00My year in NagoyaUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger41125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3197493620873776197.post-87770216262906186362011-08-15T12:38:00.001-07:002011-08-15T12:40:41.293-07:00Farewell, Sayonara, Goodbye<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLqr7z7Ivxw3EmDPnvF9qw0T4H0Uut5geKgXrAIV8lHcCSAezgV9CcIxjPM2HraWoBa8f3vVfaWmeeoRBpUy6zuSCuQDvIuVNfvegnIsLXN3ovc6aA7LA34fUzV_fIYzGdijnM7cYRhOM/s1600/SAM_1257.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLqr7z7Ivxw3EmDPnvF9qw0T4H0Uut5geKgXrAIV8lHcCSAezgV9CcIxjPM2HraWoBa8f3vVfaWmeeoRBpUy6zuSCuQDvIuVNfvegnIsLXN3ovc6aA7LA34fUzV_fIYzGdijnM7cYRhOM/s320/SAM_1257.JPG" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;">It has been four weeks since I left Japan.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Those four weeks have been some of the busiest of my life! Not only did I have to move back home, unpack and mentally wrap up my past year in Japan but I’ve also had to prepare for and transition into moving down to Virginia to begin seminary.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As soon as I unpacked my suitcases I had to fill them back up again!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Today begins my second week of orientation at Virginia Theological Seminary and I can already tell that it is going to be a wonderful experience.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, it is only now that I am settling down and beginning a routine that I am noticing how strange it is to be back home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I still sometimes find myself on the wrong side of the hallway or stairwell. I have more difficulty understanding professors who speak fast than I would have last year and the other day I was shocked to discover that I don’t have the worship service completely memorized in English anymore!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I know that these things will pass and soon I’ll lose the awkwardness of becoming reacquainted with a culture that I haven’t been around for a year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The past year was such a learning and growing experience for me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I know that I’ll always remember how my YASC year gave me so many opportunities that I never could have imagined last year before I left.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even now in seminary, I have to stop myself from talking about Japan constantly!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On my desk in my dorm room is a picture of some of the kids I taught English to every Friday of last year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I love to look at it and remember the place I was living last month and the people that I got to know well over the course of last year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even if I return to Japan to visit, I’ll never again have an identical experience to my YASC year in Nagoya.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For me, that year only lives in my memories, pictures and stories.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, that experience is now a part of my experiences and is therefore a part of who I am.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As I begin new adventures and new studies, I am better prepared because I carry with me the experience of my year in Nagoya.</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3197493620873776197.post-35405015180577870092011-07-29T13:42:00.000-07:002011-07-29T13:43:10.059-07:00Leaving on a jet plane...<br />
Goodbyes are hard. To say goodbye to people you love is never easy. Last summer I said goodbye to my friends and family and got on a plane to Japan. It was difficult knowing that I wouldn't see them for a year, but I knew that in one year I'd be returning with memories, stories and pictures I'd be excited to share. <br />
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Today, that time has come and as I sit here on an airplane somewhere between Nagoya, Japan and Detroit, USA, I know now that when I left last year, I didn't realize how hard it would be to say goodbye to Japan. It's been an emotionally draining week as I finished up each portion of my work here. While I'm just as excited to see my friends and family as I thought I'd be, it's an excitement that tempered with a sadness at leaving a city, community and people that I've come to love. I do hope to come back to visit one day, but even so, it was difficult to say goodbye to people and places that I may not see again. <br />
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I've had a wonderful year. It wasn't always easy and some days I really had to work hard to remind myself of my purpose and reasons for coming to Japan. However, the positive and the amazing far outweigh the difficult moments and as I look back over the past year, I find it hard to believe some of the experiences that I've had. <br />
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I'm sure my fellow YASCers will understand how I'm feeling. I'm sure that this year has changed me but I don't yet know how or in what way. I think that I will be finding that out as I settle down in Virginia and begin my seminary career. I am truly blessed to have had the opportunity to go for a year abroad. I am grateful for everyone who has supported me and helped me to get to Japan. Thank You!<br />
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This morning as we drove to the airport, a typhoon came and caused the cancellations of all flights except, miraculously, Delta flights. We were delayed for about 6 hours but we managed to take off and if all goes well with my connecting flight, I should get to Boston by midnight tonight. <br />
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I've only been gone six hours but I'm already beginning to miss Japan. While I am anxious and excited to start seminary at VTS in a few weeks, I think that a part of me will remain in Nagoya for a while. <br />
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During a teary goodbye at the airport today, one of my friends here put it best. "This is NOT Sayonara. There will be Konnichiwa again".<br />
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Peace,<br />
ChristenUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3197493620873776197.post-31847259866622421482011-07-29T13:17:00.000-07:002011-07-29T13:22:15.714-07:00Catch-up<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSo4lNakJ0pcorCTlHmz3HK9p2RTSnPFUwroc-6wU4_W6IN13AhvjS9EGEqY7fBjVtt1qNwJmwtRpuFdQnO9GkL6N5sbGJNktiQoX_ysw76tbYqVa2Q0Dzxugdbu_lVv5ZmpLiMhfIZ7o/s1600/SAM_0739.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSo4lNakJ0pcorCTlHmz3HK9p2RTSnPFUwroc-6wU4_W6IN13AhvjS9EGEqY7fBjVtt1qNwJmwtRpuFdQnO9GkL6N5sbGJNktiQoX_ysw76tbYqVa2Q0Dzxugdbu_lVv5ZmpLiMhfIZ7o/s320/SAM_0739.JPG" t$="true" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Children Memorial in Hiroshima</td></tr>
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The past two weeks have been all about playing catch-up. I returned to the US on July 19th and since then I've been catching up with family and friends, catching up with meetings and requirements for the ordination process, catching up on the Harry Potter movies and now, finally, catching up on my blog. I have three more posts planned and after that I will be laying this blog to rest. It was an excellent way to communicate my experiences with family and friends around the world and will serve as a wonderful memory of my year in Japan. So, without further ado...</div>
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Travel:<br />
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Over the past year in Japan I have had some amazing travel opportunities, all of which I've documented on this blog. I've be so blessed that I was able to do and see so much during my time in Japan. During my last month in Japan I was able to go on two more trips. First, a good friend from my hometown came to visit for two weeks. While she was here I showed her around Nagoya and took her to my work for the first week of her trip. During her second week here we were able to take a train to Kyoto and from there we jumped on a seven hour bus to Hiroshima. Then, pretty much as soon as Carrie left, I took off for Matsumoto, Japan and Kamikotchi Park with St. Stephan's church, my "home parish" in Japan. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Watch stopped at 8:15am-the time the A-bomb was dropped</td></tr>
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These trips were both important for different reasons. Since the beginning of my time in Japan I have wanted to visit Hiroshima. I felt that it was important for me as a missionary to Japan and as an American to visit the city and see the museum and monuments. I am glad that I had the opportunity to go. My second trip, the "St. Stephan's Tour" was important because it was a last minute chance for me to spend time with the people who have been my friends and co-workers for the past year before I left for America. </div>
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Now that I'm home it feels like these trips were years ago-not just a few weeks! However, these two trips are proving to be two of my most important memories from my past year.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">3-D movie about Nagoya!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Homeless volunteers meeting. DELICIOUS tempura lunch.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Okonomiyaki-my favorite food in Japan (on the right)</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kinkakuji- the Golden Temple in Kyoto</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhku2TqwCs46jPPa9oB-lRJLj0QhPF3aCfx4wBBcrRWn0a7phY4B_F9RE7xI1OH0qivwjMUY9fIEnIk9iGKUfSP3bP8gQ44pGrUriK2z1SQ_sQz9PxpUg2-dhzdsILs3JLUO9I4i1Su2qw/s1600/SAM_0718.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhku2TqwCs46jPPa9oB-lRJLj0QhPF3aCfx4wBBcrRWn0a7phY4B_F9RE7xI1OH0qivwjMUY9fIEnIk9iGKUfSP3bP8gQ44pGrUriK2z1SQ_sQz9PxpUg2-dhzdsILs3JLUO9I4i1Su2qw/s320/SAM_0718.JPG" t$="true" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The A-Bomb dome. </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Origami Cranes from Hiroshima</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">River at Kamikochi National Park</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I was super excited to see a reference to Walden Pond in Japan!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kamikochi</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMhKJsythq2uwWeoQjr09xKSq8MDMNXjZCzZ2x6wkwfOEi0NqvHcAvkd_ZzRM-t0YrHGWQy4FwgsLTfkyPxT0-7iBcl3ii9hvAwDup2C9onNla9WWVlXtSlGZFACDBS6agkNDSh0OrDlQ/s1600/SAM_1019.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMhKJsythq2uwWeoQjr09xKSq8MDMNXjZCzZ2x6wkwfOEi0NqvHcAvkd_ZzRM-t0YrHGWQy4FwgsLTfkyPxT0-7iBcl3ii9hvAwDup2C9onNla9WWVlXtSlGZFACDBS6agkNDSh0OrDlQ/s320/SAM_1019.JPG" t$="true" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We were in the Japanese Alps. It was so beautiful there.</td></tr>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3197493620873776197.post-66099444499844854332011-06-15T05:07:00.000-07:002011-06-15T05:07:42.162-07:00Sister Sister time!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Two weeks ago my sister came to Japan! It was so wonderful to see her and introduce her to everyone I work with here. We had a great time and got to travel to Kyoto and Tokyo for a few days. It was really great to have a travel buddy and we had a fun time exploring and eating in Japan. I missed her so much and I am so glad that she was able to visit this year!</div><br />
We did many things:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtCMUIH873ASYkWJTZCoEZQWJM1iLdzs-m3askk3wyif9ioopZlNvj5QG__RXHPPVdeMayGa8ioGEBumaqsOrbtHlBJDwGZgeXKqUl4cS0H4SEd5mAuQoShW9NTVguoi18vpJBOHjWNrw/s320/SAM_0024.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" t8="true" width="240" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We became experts on the Kyoto bus system</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV7tz4MtJZPSSnXP20S0MTffrKE8kNx85IBup5t9z9Ct0awOPQb0_nfqVgjACmaaV_oPghC92FNa8303XrF2WlpB68Tyo1Csyoj3YwYqDq36o3SeIUJkq6DHsoE4kzHtMQYhUEDrRN5QQ/s1600/SAM_0037.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV7tz4MtJZPSSnXP20S0MTffrKE8kNx85IBup5t9z9Ct0awOPQb0_nfqVgjACmaaV_oPghC92FNa8303XrF2WlpB68Tyo1Csyoj3YwYqDq36o3SeIUJkq6DHsoE4kzHtMQYhUEDrRN5QQ/s320/SAM_0037.JPG" t8="true" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We met a woman who sold Leonardo Dicaprio an ice pop</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn4LNnBxPF9-wuCNc2tYdkwNsl4lJ5K13f5G1_YtuowZDn98bpvULtHa2N8TStUrGMWe_di3FYW3mDtNAseWPygw_xknbfxWzTQzQzvyna8kB3nn2ddrPNvEgGQAhqBMQEYoPYLaP2mbI/s1600/SAM_0060.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn4LNnBxPF9-wuCNc2tYdkwNsl4lJ5K13f5G1_YtuowZDn98bpvULtHa2N8TStUrGMWe_di3FYW3mDtNAseWPygw_xknbfxWzTQzQzvyna8kB3nn2ddrPNvEgGQAhqBMQEYoPYLaP2mbI/s320/SAM_0060.JPG" t8="true" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We went to Ginkakuji Temple in Kyoto</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE4uTPo0-FKnPQUaUEyOH2LjOQ9iZ6OOR4ZlKen94YkjevL6viWaZ1eJMzWqoBC0UYQDvrHGSY_s6DxZ59gVHJdHIUqCB1qsAq5BLiyIZ0jimd3D_i-jXQ1VTD2nTyQu95LtFn4eMrmAE/s1600/SAM_0097.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE4uTPo0-FKnPQUaUEyOH2LjOQ9iZ6OOR4ZlKen94YkjevL6viWaZ1eJMzWqoBC0UYQDvrHGSY_s6DxZ59gVHJdHIUqCB1qsAq5BLiyIZ0jimd3D_i-jXQ1VTD2nTyQu95LtFn4eMrmAE/s320/SAM_0097.JPG" t8="true" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We explored a rainy Tokyo</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJHATsWE7yAYMc2ZaG1bXv9a3CKzf-0ZuM8SftS5-6qf6rtK4u9jwRHSNLlDE7a6-i6d9Ehb1vrtzmDPK690b-vJt7lOobqpf-i4bnEvWf-TmfSjiRO3JB7JlBlGv4BgqLOr_SGwypUIs/s1600/SAM_0171.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJHATsWE7yAYMc2ZaG1bXv9a3CKzf-0ZuM8SftS5-6qf6rtK4u9jwRHSNLlDE7a6-i6d9Ehb1vrtzmDPK690b-vJt7lOobqpf-i4bnEvWf-TmfSjiRO3JB7JlBlGv4BgqLOr_SGwypUIs/s320/SAM_0171.JPG" t8="true" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We helped at a children's program at St. Lukes</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqqHAINPDqsilHYuHB1xbE9kYhOny2NIAv8fq9hZ-6YbqgFFK1568UAmmHlCfk1d-dQ1hEcJ8Fea53G_Lg_ArFi2qYbHBO2D_IUShALR5iQpRZejBWjVguqqk8trs-1WHj3vov4TBS4c4/s1600/SAM_0178.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqqHAINPDqsilHYuHB1xbE9kYhOny2NIAv8fq9hZ-6YbqgFFK1568UAmmHlCfk1d-dQ1hEcJ8Fea53G_Lg_ArFi2qYbHBO2D_IUShALR5iQpRZejBWjVguqqk8trs-1WHj3vov4TBS4c4/s320/SAM_0178.JPG" t8="true" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We taught little kids how to make crepes</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisD0ndJFzRaRkUCUc2OHoeZ_rq18SDZOlYmvog1T1PuV6yBZuDpICPvw5dyLz68nqWRdPkCsi6KE0_y0JDpOpnVCL-zwx9PA8hg_0ZJFGP30sQxuBnDYL8fYeomB3sFbwNGPdOal-o3Vs/s1600/SAM_3012.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisD0ndJFzRaRkUCUc2OHoeZ_rq18SDZOlYmvog1T1PuV6yBZuDpICPvw5dyLz68nqWRdPkCsi6KE0_y0JDpOpnVCL-zwx9PA8hg_0ZJFGP30sQxuBnDYL8fYeomB3sFbwNGPdOal-o3Vs/s320/SAM_3012.JPG" t8="true" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Emily learned all about Anpanman</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmuj1HD7WvE5bcP8qomt1ERLUcFOHOqQtWe18lVXcJXYyUwnOhQ4lypPUn_tazs6UbQUpoYBZw3iT9ZEskMe8D3hbgsKnfUnZdSuMhocxjF_-5PmUqxE6hOHxKXDF1G75ftGkK50e2jAU/s1600/SAM_3097.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmuj1HD7WvE5bcP8qomt1ERLUcFOHOqQtWe18lVXcJXYyUwnOhQ4lypPUn_tazs6UbQUpoYBZw3iT9ZEskMe8D3hbgsKnfUnZdSuMhocxjF_-5PmUqxE6hOHxKXDF1G75ftGkK50e2jAU/s320/SAM_3097.JPG" t8="true" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We sat on a golden fish in Nagoya Castle</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLbEUZeuw6p9OOUncdZIlBfPjJPuizdR-xlYoKSO08BjoBWe6nlU7XC3L0HlaCS-bMbNoJyxSzDVCDDl4HgKZLVIVAXMY6-rZYgvDuUrIsJmnEOLQI4oRaYSY7eSYMGABlhnok0MKZhwI/s1600/SAM_3235.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLbEUZeuw6p9OOUncdZIlBfPjJPuizdR-xlYoKSO08BjoBWe6nlU7XC3L0HlaCS-bMbNoJyxSzDVCDDl4HgKZLVIVAXMY6-rZYgvDuUrIsJmnEOLQI4oRaYSY7eSYMGABlhnok0MKZhwI/s320/SAM_3235.JPG" t8="true" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We volunteered at a day center for the homeless</td></tr>
</tbody></table> <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjta08Xf2sSL9e6WXbs4Q0eiDAIG8-YuEamFzmbg8I0lvH3jzU2yvApQdnPxKJDD8OPggocOchoaFoYkAMkXtCtiXkMutww45rS-QPrjk3XtyG2xfZlbjmBR1DSYS_jvYmrqoFXOzd0-ec/s1600/SAM_3119.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjta08Xf2sSL9e6WXbs4Q0eiDAIG8-YuEamFzmbg8I0lvH3jzU2yvApQdnPxKJDD8OPggocOchoaFoYkAMkXtCtiXkMutww45rS-QPrjk3XtyG2xfZlbjmBR1DSYS_jvYmrqoFXOzd0-ec/s320/SAM_3119.JPG" t8="true" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And most importantly, Emily bought Crocs. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>Peace, <br />
ChristenUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3197493620873776197.post-88066628981044422522011-06-15T04:25:00.000-07:002011-06-15T04:25:56.999-07:00What's in a name...I have never been a person who has had many nicknames. When I was little I was called Sissy by my family and Chrissy by everyone else and I have one college nickname that’s stuck but for the majority of my life I have always been just Christen. In Japan however, I have more nicknames than I ever have before! Most often I get called Christen-san and I always introduce myself as Christen. My last name is a little difficult to pronounce in Japanese so I usually just stick to my first name. <br />
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<br />
In church I am often called Kuri-chan which comes from the first two syllables of my name when it’s transliterated into Japanese characters (Ku-ri-su-ten). Kuri also means chestnut in Japanese. <br />
<br />
In the office at the youth center I am often called Ten-chan. Ten comes from the last syllable of my name and means “heaven” or “dot”. A few of the women I work with sometimes call me Ten-ten. <br />
<br />
At work I am usually Christen-Sensei although in one English class I go by the English version “Teacher Christen”. The 2 year olds in Mitsuba just call me sensei but the 4 year olds in the kinder class can’t pronounce my name or remember to call me sensei so my name usually comes out as “tisten” or “sisssin“!<br />
<br />
I also learned recently that my name when translated phonetically into Kanji means either:<br />
<br />
"chestnut-vinegar-heaven” or “chestnut-bird’s nest-dot” I love that my name has a meaning in Japanese even though the meaning cracks me up!<br />
<br />
Peace,<br />
<br />
ChristenUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3197493620873776197.post-43088152319186644852011-05-19T05:25:00.000-07:002011-05-19T05:27:02.504-07:00Cardboard City!!I know it has been far to long since my last post! This one will be mostly pictures but I'm working on a more substantial post to go up sometime this weekend. <br />
<br />
Last Saturday we had a children's event at the youth center. We filled up an entire room full of cardboard and let the kids make whatever they wanted. It was so much fun and the forts and things that the kids made were so creative! This event was part of a program called the children's channel. Six times a year the center runs events for children where they can come and do different events. Each one has been fun! It's also a good way to build community because many of the children and leaders come again and again. This year we've made Udon noodles, played soccer and tag, and made Christmas crafts in addition to last weekends cardboard extravaganza! Because space is limited in Nagoya, children don't often get a chance to play outside with other kids outside of school. The purpose of these events is to give them the space to do that. It's also wonderful because children of all ages come to play together with leaders who are mostly in their late teens and early twenties.<br />
I hope you enjoy the pictures! It was exactly as chaotic and fun as the pictures make it look!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioJNzXGaXknCeP2v-EHXXpknbmmfiW6zLscvRBnLj472yO19zqyyQTvtk_dUK0E5BPDABVRdY6TWI4e2s-lJSsJ3WkWer3cGwtSpA-GHo7k5l9DDowSElIG2PmfiX85R72ZK5fHvN0sQQ/s1600/SAM_2926.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioJNzXGaXknCeP2v-EHXXpknbmmfiW6zLscvRBnLj472yO19zqyyQTvtk_dUK0E5BPDABVRdY6TWI4e2s-lJSsJ3WkWer3cGwtSpA-GHo7k5l9DDowSElIG2PmfiX85R72ZK5fHvN0sQQ/s320/SAM_2926.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The night before...</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl9IOcxCFDm5X2TS1cuJ4qMdBwYYMdi8wcfcOuS5vj1eI8jZjECh3qEK1KkjEVcx_Ao7jvMWoTkhjTOnb84OaOCgaizuPxahqT8H_XMiXAuWRbwS3ZJ9u4WOsvyRh0BG69IYWL2vhlFQo/s1600/SAM_2935.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl9IOcxCFDm5X2TS1cuJ4qMdBwYYMdi8wcfcOuS5vj1eI8jZjECh3qEK1KkjEVcx_Ao7jvMWoTkhjTOnb84OaOCgaizuPxahqT8H_XMiXAuWRbwS3ZJ9u4WOsvyRh0BG69IYWL2vhlFQo/s320/SAM_2935.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This one was build around the playground slide!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4cAPiHqMuhwpYkgsNxsmKR6kuLQA57rsN6BV0dMBWrgR0TLmmOi2fNVz6KmOzle41EcZpyHrft9h5wEe2icBquCIdns8vp34KISwkp0eErL24sHluzP_wfK66DCIhDyJm_GQWzkduF-8/s1600/SAM_2934.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4cAPiHqMuhwpYkgsNxsmKR6kuLQA57rsN6BV0dMBWrgR0TLmmOi2fNVz6KmOzle41EcZpyHrft9h5wEe2icBquCIdns8vp34KISwkp0eErL24sHluzP_wfK66DCIhDyJm_GQWzkduF-8/s320/SAM_2934.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is the kitchen in a cafe</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNDUVUzXq2HO3kNrNhiooj9KpIL67KaQMeXMahJsIc76J9hteZHF0Zh1CwXRCdl550dzZ37W2UCqAjyhP2dDZoCPS2JlCUb8vy9UGVo-oZSj4TSlgS_8v9Z2EJ-qOesQK5_8XEAYO6l6Y/s1600/SAM_2938.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNDUVUzXq2HO3kNrNhiooj9KpIL67KaQMeXMahJsIc76J9hteZHF0Zh1CwXRCdl550dzZ37W2UCqAjyhP2dDZoCPS2JlCUb8vy9UGVo-oZSj4TSlgS_8v9Z2EJ-qOesQK5_8XEAYO6l6Y/s320/SAM_2938.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In case you were wondering, yes, this is a cardboard toilet.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSTG-IA3ySZ_oNo2c4tSTR-Km4eRHxTLV-kP4PsTFvgeJ8TEzGYwYpexDbdGrvO8WdY1Xxe7Ao9kDhs8Eor9ANTsi6OAmS3-SAQlca56ZDGEPicowlBaWbxbnLR4U1qw2Cmjanbh2hQ1U/s1600/SAM_2949.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSTG-IA3ySZ_oNo2c4tSTR-Km4eRHxTLV-kP4PsTFvgeJ8TEzGYwYpexDbdGrvO8WdY1Xxe7Ao9kDhs8Eor9ANTsi6OAmS3-SAQlca56ZDGEPicowlBaWbxbnLR4U1qw2Cmjanbh2hQ1U/s320/SAM_2949.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The aftermath</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"> </div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3197493620873776197.post-60292564840994750002011-04-28T04:36:00.000-07:002011-04-28T04:36:29.967-07:00"Whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother." Mark 3:35Occasionally I am asked to write articles for various newsletters that the center publishes. Here is one I wrote last month about how I communicate with the children in the Mitsuba classes that I help with. Mitsuba is a Christian nursery school that's run through the center. The children are all 2 or 3 years old. The children are so cute and I love being able to help out either two or three mornings a week.<br />
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<em>3/10/11</em><br />
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<em>One of the things that I was most anxious about when I first came to Japan last August was how I was going to be able to communicate without knowing any Japanese. I didn’t know how I would be able to interact with the children in Mitsuba without being able to talk to them! </em><br />
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<em><br />
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<em>It turns out that I didn’t have to be nervous. From the start the children in Mitsuba were incredibly welcoming to me. Even without being able to talk in Japanese, I was able to play with the children and communicate in ways without language. Throughout the fall as I learned more and more Japanese each week, I was able to talk to the children and it was wonderful being able to begin to have conversations with them. </em><br />
<em><br />
</em><br />
<em>The children understand that I don’t speak Japanese and when I don’t understand what they are saying they have been great at finding creative ways of communicating with me. I’ve had children point to what they are talking about, take my hand and bring me to what they wanted to tell me about or use different Japanese words that they know I understand to get their point across. </em><br />
<em><br />
</em><br />
<em>Over the past few weeks the Mitsuba teachers and I have given the children a few mini “English lessons” where we learned a song with the numbers 1-7 and introduced them to several animal names in English. I love being able to teach the children English because it introduces them to the English language and it helps them to understand that not only do I not speak Japanese, I speak an entirely different language! </em><br />
<em><br />
</em><br />
<em>It has been such a great experience to help out with Mitsuba group. The children are such a joy to spend time with in the mornings. Even though we speak two different languages, we’ve been able to communicate well with each other. I’ve enjoyed getting to know the children and I hope that by being a part of their class that they will not be nervous to try to communicate with other foreigners as they grow up- even if they don’t know the language!</em><br />
<em><br />
</em>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3197493620873776197.post-12632349038671544162011-04-24T05:05:00.000-07:002011-04-24T05:08:35.724-07:00"So they set out from the mountain of the LORD and traveled for three days." -Numbers 10:33Earlier this month Rev. David Copley, the Mission Personnel Officer for the Episcopal Church, came to Japan. I met up with him in Tokyo and we spent a whirlwind three days traveling around Japan, visiting placements and meeting different people. We went sightseeing in Tokyo and met with someone at the Provincial Office for the Nippon Sei Ko Kai. Then we traveled to Tochigi Prefecture to visit ARI (Asian Rural Institute) and spend the night there. After ARI we took a train to KEEP (Kiosato Educational Experiment Farm), a dairy farm, hotel and community complex that was founded by American Missionary Paul Rusch just after World War II. Then we traveled south to Nagoya where David met with my supervisor and got to sit in on an English class that I was helping to teach! It was a very busy but very fun trip. I got to meet some incredible people and see some very beautiful places. I even saw Mt. Fuji!! Here are some pictures from the trip:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhef7bTEKIoD4tHSRhcXZAW2yB4QaGQc-HtugbXGdyP4be4L6UcQt4WV_b30268KICt4WFECQSDFmZD8nJ92mp-UFCQGjgxarYDJF4TFj4bEtBi34TNTinO8fh3JN1kUZT6oZdRX9LPie8/s1600/SAM_2707.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" i8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhef7bTEKIoD4tHSRhcXZAW2yB4QaGQc-HtugbXGdyP4be4L6UcQt4WV_b30268KICt4WFECQSDFmZD8nJ92mp-UFCQGjgxarYDJF4TFj4bEtBi34TNTinO8fh3JN1kUZT6oZdRX9LPie8/s320/SAM_2707.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sakura! Cherry Blossoms</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBDu3ls7ZnSyQ0HvEC4T0Wnso4vTrYqcLD5GS6O4EroJymcI6m_1ICXligOfMS6-xXnioJY638l3QX4080XW0995zwU4pbGv-8hEwVSTUvN82hyphenhyphenvcdTX1MCRi42W-0uvNVQOc0TIlllS4/s1600/SAM_2715.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" i8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBDu3ls7ZnSyQ0HvEC4T0Wnso4vTrYqcLD5GS6O4EroJymcI6m_1ICXligOfMS6-xXnioJY638l3QX4080XW0995zwU4pbGv-8hEwVSTUvN82hyphenhyphenvcdTX1MCRi42W-0uvNVQOc0TIlllS4/s320/SAM_2715.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Really Frozen Fish. They cut them with giant power saws.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpHwBYjIgWhmms5-OgzEVXRN0c7x3jUk0w-RgpG43WaVSqxWjYw8jS_kzjoECUbqm9DriJcuX5nXtSBISKFgsjvBgbtqrA5ck-b0lqxA-Bn9o76yHrkM7NwoFiJgHS1mtGcGvSapsaq8I/s1600/SAM_2720.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" i8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpHwBYjIgWhmms5-OgzEVXRN0c7x3jUk0w-RgpG43WaVSqxWjYw8jS_kzjoECUbqm9DriJcuX5nXtSBISKFgsjvBgbtqrA5ck-b0lqxA-Bn9o76yHrkM7NwoFiJgHS1mtGcGvSapsaq8I/s320/SAM_2720.JPG" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Save Power and Carry On"</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3SU8uo_bdN4OkhrMQSnUy5ugkLh7PcHr990WCrBr9-qmU3qaqIS5A279ZfPeBnZZLnEurwIbDXt3NNN-uHruonMQPGCTiQuynKy7IWo64uE0sJnb3Fuu1QBTsNgZzVeKTE8HqLFVXyJA/s1600/SAM_2722.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" i8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3SU8uo_bdN4OkhrMQSnUy5ugkLh7PcHr990WCrBr9-qmU3qaqIS5A279ZfPeBnZZLnEurwIbDXt3NNN-uHruonMQPGCTiQuynKy7IWo64uE0sJnb3Fuu1QBTsNgZzVeKTE8HqLFVXyJA/s320/SAM_2722.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Anglican Church in Japan Provincial Offices in Tokyo</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5irBSmWZp9ea3-rNQWZ2hMvEgokuegbCNIvm9eDPPMl35osYgoRCdqOFbuP02-inXO4oEnfZbnvE_H0YH3N-P__79p3wlFS3Ij5WoqI4OhD2dZ_RvUWNfJnNqJpN5MfuFII5uRKtqmfU/s1600/SAM_2725.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" i8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5irBSmWZp9ea3-rNQWZ2hMvEgokuegbCNIvm9eDPPMl35osYgoRCdqOFbuP02-inXO4oEnfZbnvE_H0YH3N-P__79p3wlFS3Ij5WoqI4OhD2dZ_RvUWNfJnNqJpN5MfuFII5uRKtqmfU/s320/SAM_2725.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pigs! At ARI!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXaNIfd74-rTkzqMeeoT5bFTZULaNJ05In1izVamFp8A6QlzUKad93GSK9lSUAoCi0UVUl_SwYUHhDwBdrxf7vgnT9T3qoM-vaEUwhG961jWU3_WUV0R0GHSXZNu49ZdgjW-qQD_GCr6w/s1600/SAM_2730.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" i8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXaNIfd74-rTkzqMeeoT5bFTZULaNJ05In1izVamFp8A6QlzUKad93GSK9lSUAoCi0UVUl_SwYUHhDwBdrxf7vgnT9T3qoM-vaEUwhG961jWU3_WUV0R0GHSXZNu49ZdgjW-qQD_GCr6w/s320/SAM_2730.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fixing the roof after the earthquake.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiZB-GPcRwf1lVFRn4JFXkr0ck_mmhZfmaHg_UCq0AeKP-SEyIs3H8kNssdr9lsfsp6WQbzhyfWgaUMlfMD-yA_j1g3aP5Fvcvud3MsfRZogckQTXbMHBro2k6bZkwQMMgCevS-oIT3uk/s1600/SAM_2731.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" i8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiZB-GPcRwf1lVFRn4JFXkr0ck_mmhZfmaHg_UCq0AeKP-SEyIs3H8kNssdr9lsfsp6WQbzhyfWgaUMlfMD-yA_j1g3aP5Fvcvud3MsfRZogckQTXbMHBro2k6bZkwQMMgCevS-oIT3uk/s320/SAM_2731.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Earthquake damage</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzoUOyOttZlQun4ia2FCkkTBfVDe3-1llj7Z2f2Ss-o5fMXbIQw7IlSPeQtwvwXLQFfH3RK8kYe7NSn_ihRZFU-EsUFPBs4s1KgTAB_luDA3bWe_7-sedYnNDgdyLABkuSXj8gVXu0Cf8/s1600/SAM_2735.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" i8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzoUOyOttZlQun4ia2FCkkTBfVDe3-1llj7Z2f2Ss-o5fMXbIQw7IlSPeQtwvwXLQFfH3RK8kYe7NSn_ihRZFU-EsUFPBs4s1KgTAB_luDA3bWe_7-sedYnNDgdyLABkuSXj8gVXu0Cf8/s320/SAM_2735.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">ARI is in a very beautiful part of Japan</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhww997eumEJ0Z4FQhYwAE_V-F2Ocp3xxNW0dyGB8Bm9iWxP4RkHngKEpcCY9CemmH7XJ-m7z5J-Y5TSrR_IoSlzrwt6PNyRANXxmvzxGNwA7oChGsqJBQhQMVI24c1Ut-kZ_RVHyH0IHQ/s1600/SAM_2744.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" i8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhww997eumEJ0Z4FQhYwAE_V-F2Ocp3xxNW0dyGB8Bm9iWxP4RkHngKEpcCY9CemmH7XJ-m7z5J-Y5TSrR_IoSlzrwt6PNyRANXxmvzxGNwA7oChGsqJBQhQMVI24c1Ut-kZ_RVHyH0IHQ/s320/SAM_2744.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mountains around KEEP</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1a36v0a1SMEIDMgWWNJTEA13zg4Un4TqOHvQn5d5PvhpGmwHJWUEPJ-QrwkCwqOwX3xbJvAaDDRooxACHVhDe_JArod7xmV_-c1OJYK9BRfqMl863HjEfgtnpCAnTbSad5GOHkAF_Xvk/s1600/SAM_2750.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" i8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1a36v0a1SMEIDMgWWNJTEA13zg4Un4TqOHvQn5d5PvhpGmwHJWUEPJ-QrwkCwqOwX3xbJvAaDDRooxACHVhDe_JArod7xmV_-c1OJYK9BRfqMl863HjEfgtnpCAnTbSad5GOHkAF_Xvk/s320/SAM_2750.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">MT. Fuji in the distance!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1S63wObZUEiIG6FZnA0l71hx2ZBZ_IqsgzzqGAHSHlpvcITsWe36-084RkFBpXT7Nuhji1Y1l0kEAY4v4g4RvEP_reA14BTjxlyH27E5LEfx8Zdr1M6ODEBXgFOInM55IDQ2wOIE5JdA/s1600/SAM_2755.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" i8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1S63wObZUEiIG6FZnA0l71hx2ZBZ_IqsgzzqGAHSHlpvcITsWe36-084RkFBpXT7Nuhji1Y1l0kEAY4v4g4RvEP_reA14BTjxlyH27E5LEfx8Zdr1M6ODEBXgFOInM55IDQ2wOIE5JdA/s320/SAM_2755.JPG" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Music Box from France</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNIVMVQOr8f_lItzfR3Cku6RcwdVNtJfhi8s-d1iyPQ9hWiV5lLRJlOxRpBGX3HxQZRT8DcOpbI8BfSxnrr5zarF0MAcQaPGkRxjjjq02lZGBoU81FQvxF8MBDgkrRwPb8YjN6RnpyXDk/s1600/SAM_2770.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" i8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNIVMVQOr8f_lItzfR3Cku6RcwdVNtJfhi8s-d1iyPQ9hWiV5lLRJlOxRpBGX3HxQZRT8DcOpbI8BfSxnrr5zarF0MAcQaPGkRxjjjq02lZGBoU81FQvxF8MBDgkrRwPb8YjN6RnpyXDk/s320/SAM_2770.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At KEEP</td></tr>
</tbody></table> <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimvjyY3zSIR7vz5FXN9U2VvTj0ELqGddedCzJbajDHVDCHQa1VBNUgjPMVlX6ccFtGiVGZtWUQuqvOy_3BUGMfmSbT0x_rCGKFDII0TU-MhtlaWJ0ugyFG4cpM6heuFsFAPu3K5CKp18w/s1600/SAM_2771.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" i8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimvjyY3zSIR7vz5FXN9U2VvTj0ELqGddedCzJbajDHVDCHQa1VBNUgjPMVlX6ccFtGiVGZtWUQuqvOy_3BUGMfmSbT0x_rCGKFDII0TU-MhtlaWJ0ugyFG4cpM6heuFsFAPu3K5CKp18w/s320/SAM_2771.JPG" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Paul Rusch. "Do your Best and It Must Be First Class"</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3197493620873776197.post-20145946012260468772011-04-01T07:58:00.000-07:002011-04-01T08:01:10.794-07:00Hong Kong!<span style="font-size: large;">I went to Hong Kong!</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwCQfwohyphenhyphen6xqBpftwoC5A8fTVFnPNxaiZEo5klgo379mvlT-0uOEX5GeihRIa7q4OJ9nG-eB0UMrkOwZQmyfnOR7f-Ql1Zqsao2YV7cG_AT4CocmAv2y5wb6SZF7auxeSuk7Tk2GCibd4/s1600/SAM_2555.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwCQfwohyphenhyphen6xqBpftwoC5A8fTVFnPNxaiZEo5klgo379mvlT-0uOEX5GeihRIa7q4OJ9nG-eB0UMrkOwZQmyfnOR7f-Ql1Zqsao2YV7cG_AT4CocmAv2y5wb6SZF7auxeSuk7Tk2GCibd4/s320/SAM_2555.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bird Market!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibO_MqQucflVQpyXDDKQbvS38rGacsn1jkLtl_4FcbDTN5awRRKZ4qWSiPk80bFG5Wu9gkc7shR8p_Oyu8VPcz_EYFLcr675T-PoDLSSgnUiwr8FbMo9aqYykrLFltYVDs336khJ5jrDg/s1600/SAM_2563.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibO_MqQucflVQpyXDDKQbvS38rGacsn1jkLtl_4FcbDTN5awRRKZ4qWSiPk80bFG5Wu9gkc7shR8p_Oyu8VPcz_EYFLcr675T-PoDLSSgnUiwr8FbMo9aqYykrLFltYVDs336khJ5jrDg/s320/SAM_2563.JPG" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Temple of the 10,000 Buddhas</td></tr>
</tbody></table> <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJhokQOi-25UKvrpYF_iWimsDxEyFGxKwTk_zx13hRbyr4Zo5R5d2iBLlAFKarJALPU6edN8Xwv3Ih0irnrQ4yqxanLzvVeQoAzZuZp4L4pH7QVYRpUIa2YexxqrJzbsgcL6wphkZwbWM/s1600/SAM_2616.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJhokQOi-25UKvrpYF_iWimsDxEyFGxKwTk_zx13hRbyr4Zo5R5d2iBLlAFKarJALPU6edN8Xwv3Ih0irnrQ4yqxanLzvVeQoAzZuZp4L4pH7QVYRpUIa2YexxqrJzbsgcL6wphkZwbWM/s320/SAM_2616.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Snoopy World!</td></tr>
</tbody></table> <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSwSYiVshri6D3qRzG9q9bgxMnU18cy8aykUchVayirmibeWwSuhBHRAQHoFssNSYKKlUziKyjuftIDvF7hjCn0F60uwlx01UakVZP4qRPGEeLOLrDuSbRQmtbYQLhAFMzFcCEbckASy0/s1600/SAM_2631.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSwSYiVshri6D3qRzG9q9bgxMnU18cy8aykUchVayirmibeWwSuhBHRAQHoFssNSYKKlUziKyjuftIDvF7hjCn0F60uwlx01UakVZP4qRPGEeLOLrDuSbRQmtbYQLhAFMzFcCEbckASy0/s320/SAM_2631.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hong Kong from the Peak</td></tr>
</tbody></table> <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhok_fgZQ_gZA6apXbF-Xze9HJRZY4_sAEMiUqV6_zUXZAFng4ptt4I8H7LVRDq8UFpdpfTZYNK7ztKyAmtcpWVAomlknzcLXCWBwK3ez9C5oB17LxVbANViftH82CeXOb_Gt8lgeiPKCM/s1600/SAM_2650.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhok_fgZQ_gZA6apXbF-Xze9HJRZY4_sAEMiUqV6_zUXZAFng4ptt4I8H7LVRDq8UFpdpfTZYNK7ztKyAmtcpWVAomlknzcLXCWBwK3ez9C5oB17LxVbANViftH82CeXOb_Gt8lgeiPKCM/s320/SAM_2650.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Spencer and Me at Cheung Chau Island</td></tr>
</tbody></table> <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJYqDRwifydJsSZIGwHmM2QHAVtUPDbdwHQlHWnWci5LenvDkyPSy5YSDwZRebxHx643OaJoArFM33qb4deaQxH0pt1nGQGAs3HBN5UBc758WDSZCK_q4kR_160k3S_sRHeHGGvM2lq_M/s1600/SAM_2679.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJYqDRwifydJsSZIGwHmM2QHAVtUPDbdwHQlHWnWci5LenvDkyPSy5YSDwZRebxHx643OaJoArFM33qb4deaQxH0pt1nGQGAs3HBN5UBc758WDSZCK_q4kR_160k3S_sRHeHGGvM2lq_M/s320/SAM_2679.JPG" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">There are beautiful flowers in Hong Kong</td></tr>
</tbody></table> <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfTsWxeD8sOOqQjGK6H1oKlg_lNW0lgXabbLv2nvS45A9hq06rdddA-5hLUB0ZfK7ig0l87J85q25t8XkESgJGPaGA1hH4QacVAchEyc4_Xe6mtUQ-GnZZ4yMyd9UbiF-d5VHK4coe41w/s1600/SAM_2693.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfTsWxeD8sOOqQjGK6H1oKlg_lNW0lgXabbLv2nvS45A9hq06rdddA-5hLUB0ZfK7ig0l87J85q25t8XkESgJGPaGA1hH4QacVAchEyc4_Xe6mtUQ-GnZZ4yMyd9UbiF-d5VHK4coe41w/s320/SAM_2693.JPG" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Spencer's new apartment</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-4hS6HTmiKdS7lvVM2JAPB5o_6oZi7Gm_WP9wymGW7KJPsXVrXpeyte0NNFps10_alYqUGHKRDLpOosSZ0mT3hmIiIDiengG5lQDGQglH0T59dnuysqp9D3nOmuAsE_nOpiargJiy7Bk/s1600/SAM_2697.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-4hS6HTmiKdS7lvVM2JAPB5o_6oZi7Gm_WP9wymGW7KJPsXVrXpeyte0NNFps10_alYqUGHKRDLpOosSZ0mT3hmIiIDiengG5lQDGQglH0T59dnuysqp9D3nOmuAsE_nOpiargJiy7Bk/s320/SAM_2697.JPG" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Look what I found in Hong Kong! </td></tr>
</tbody></table> Last weekend I flew to Hong Kong to visit my friend and fellow YASC-er Spencer. Spencer is doing an amazing job working with Filipino mmigrant workers in Hong Kong. Specifically she provides legal advice and support to women who are domestic workers and who are encountering difficulties with their previous or current employers. Here is her blog if you want to check it out! <a href="http://spencerinhongkong.tumblr.com/">Spencer's Blog</a><br />
<br />
I was only in Hong Kong for a short while, but during that time we did so much! We hit all the major Hong Kong sight-seeing spots, went shopping in the markets and ate huge amounts of seafood. Hong Kong is such a cool city and it was so great to see where Spencer lives and works. I wish I had had more time to explore the city but hopefully one day I'll be able to go back!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3197493620873776197.post-63220039367916163652011-03-21T06:49:00.000-07:002011-03-21T06:50:52.046-07:00Last Week-Part 2 <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8fuKKK1bAZQ6Yke8IxznipNPDkEvUDQdAqAJ9olasw4-Txm3E_g8N_BuEPt_1MdFNnyR9PcHAjiBbEWxqUEAkVtKlbzn-5OR4warXSYY-B428HMMyMT5Ez4z2UOPGnO4G7N3PGWbM6nQ/s1600/SAM_2490.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8fuKKK1bAZQ6Yke8IxznipNPDkEvUDQdAqAJ9olasw4-Txm3E_g8N_BuEPt_1MdFNnyR9PcHAjiBbEWxqUEAkVtKlbzn-5OR4warXSYY-B428HMMyMT5Ez4z2UOPGnO4G7N3PGWbM6nQ/s320/SAM_2490.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At Ise Jingu Shrine</td></tr>
</tbody></table> It has been a little over one week since the earthquake in Miyagi Prefecture. Things in Nagoya have settled down a little bit now. Since my last blog posting was little more than an assurance of my safety and update on what’s been going on here, I though that’s I’d post about what it’s been like to be in Japan over the past few days and share a few experiences I’ve had during that time. <br />
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After the earthquake on March 11th, people in Nagoya were worried and anxious for family, friends and everyone who was affected up north. This anxiety soon manifested itself into worry for a large earthquake that Nagoya is expecting and has been expecting for years now<br />
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On the Monday after the earthquake, while helping at the Mitsuba nursery school class, I’m fairly certain that I found two 3 year old boys “playing tsunami” in the sand box. People of all ages in Nagoya are trying to deal with the enormity of what has been happening up north. This is especially true for the children. They all know what is going on and are definitely picking up on the anxiety around them. Also on Monday, my friend and fellow missionary Steven Hart arrived in Nagoya. His placement was too close to the nuclear reactors and he came to Nagoya until he figured out what to do next. It was great to be able to hang out with him this past week and I really appreciated being able to process what was going on with him. His blog is here: <a href="http://sghart7.blogspot.com/">Steven's Blog</a><br />
On Tuesday, there was an earthquake in Nagoya. It was very small but enough to shake people up a bit. I was in a busy restaurant at the time and missed this one as well. The next day, all most people could talk about was the expected earthquake in Nagoya. <br />
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On Thursday I went to the Immigration Office to pick up a re-entry visa for my trip to Hong Kong this week. It was extremely busy there and I was told that the line was hours long because of the earthquake and nuclear problems. Some foreigners who can are trying to leave for a while. <br />
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On Friday I went to a department store to pick up some things that I needed. There has been a little panic buying here and the store was running low on flashlights, large bottles of water and some canned foods. The Youth Center where I work has updated and re-distributed their earthquake evacuation plan. <br />
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Things today seem calmer now. Nagoya is EXACTLY as safe a place to be as the day I first arrived and I keep telling myself that when I feel myself getting anxious. I don’t like to use this comparison, but it’s the closest one I have to put what’s going on in Nagoya in perspective: The atmosphere in Nagoya feels very similar to the atmosphere in Massachusetts after September 11th, 2001. While the events are completely different and not really comparable, the anxiety and fear of the unknown is remarkably similar. While life continues on in Nagoya, everyone is aware that it could have just as easily happened here and that Nagoya will get earthquakes in the future. These thoughts have shaken people up a bit and caused some anxiety. <br />
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Many people at home keep asking how they can help Japan in this situation. Right now all I can tell you is to keep Japan in your prayers, especially the relief and rebuilding efforts. Please pray for the children who are having a hard time processing what is going on and please pray that the nuclear problems will soon settle down and not cause any damage or widespread panic. If you want to do something tangible, please consider donating money. Yahoo news has put together a list of organizations that are collecting donations including the Red Cross. The list is here: <a href="http://news.yahoo.com/s/yblog_newsroom/20110311/wl_yblog_newsroom/japan-earthquake-and-tsunami-how-to-help">Yahoo News Donation List</a> Meanwhile, the Anglican Church in Nagoya has sent a group up north to see how they can best minister to the communities that were most effected. I will keep posting all the current information on my blog in case there is a need for anything more specific. <br />
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Also, Steven and I were interviewed by Episcopal New Service. Here is the link: <a href="http://www.episcopalchurch.org/79425_127531_ENG_HTM.htm">Episcopal News Service Article</a><br />
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Please don’t worry about me in Nagoya! I am safe, happy and healthy. I was anxious for a few days after the earthquake but now as things are calming down here I am much more calm and relaxed. Life has continued on as normal and now things are beginning to feel normal again as the atmosphere is less tense. I thank all my family, friends and communities back home for their prayers and continued support through the last week. Please continue to hold Japan in your prayers. It’s going to be a long road to recovery. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSmRnoTc11TQRoGqjnc0tqFw8Fft8zTkwOvdh0rrurayqxcBkTRdjf8YU9Kjn-wv2jMiKwtlE27vhK3a1SYW23iEdE7OHs1TsrjqvGRRbyLOwE6phtfHcCsDIyu7EscJwBBeRr-e3zDMc/s1600/SAM_2513.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSmRnoTc11TQRoGqjnc0tqFw8Fft8zTkwOvdh0rrurayqxcBkTRdjf8YU9Kjn-wv2jMiKwtlE27vhK3a1SYW23iEdE7OHs1TsrjqvGRRbyLOwE6phtfHcCsDIyu7EscJwBBeRr-e3zDMc/s320/SAM_2513.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At Ise Jingu Shrine</td></tr>
</tbody></table> <br />
Peace in Christ,<br />
<br />
ChristenUnknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3197493620873776197.post-88198842532397088212011-03-16T08:51:00.000-07:002011-03-16T08:51:04.652-07:00"Though the mountains fall, Though the earth should shake, Though the seas should roar with all the heartache""Though the mountains fall,<br />
Though the earth should shake,<br />
Though the seas should roar with all the heartache<br />
Though our hearts should pound,<br />
Though our throats be dry,<br />
We will lift Your Name on high"<br />
<br />
-"To Every Generation" Bill Batstone<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoqx3c1BPNMXNnLdH-XQ1Qp2RhrtaEt5l6LL2LbLrYyh0N82-UdIYYyEsg4ATDqTUV72b0hAob05z-Y9wTM_SHKl1imqyTuANEGFymTkIG1l3KaqCwAWjUf0Fc2StafcATRruJ37MSgcc/s1600/SAM_2429.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoqx3c1BPNMXNnLdH-XQ1Qp2RhrtaEt5l6LL2LbLrYyh0N82-UdIYYyEsg4ATDqTUV72b0hAob05z-Y9wTM_SHKl1imqyTuANEGFymTkIG1l3KaqCwAWjUf0Fc2StafcATRruJ37MSgcc/s320/SAM_2429.JPG" width="213" /></a></div><br />
When I woke up on Friday morning, my only concern was making sure I got to work on time. Like the rest of the world I had no idea that the country that I've called home for the past 7 months would be in the midst of a natural disaster and devastating tragedy. <br />
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Nagoya, the city where I live is safe. Saturday afternoon the tsunami warning for Nagoya was lifted and there have been no problems with electricity, water or Internet. Internet was slow on Friday night and cell phone calls haven't always gone through the first try. <br />
<br />
We could feel the earthquake in Nagoya, but believe it or not, I completely missed it. I was walking to the train station after work and only found out about everything when a friend called to tell me about it. Of course at that point we had no idea how bad it was. <br />
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Once I got back to my apartment I turned on the news and then spent my evening watching the news and contacting my friends and family back home.<br />
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Please keep Japan in your prayers as events continue to unfold. I went for a walk on Saturday afternoon. There were far less people out and about than usual and the mood was a very quiet and somber one. It is clear that everyone is concerned for their family, friends and their country. <br />
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I will continue to post new information when I have it and about what it's been like here the past week as I continue to process everything.<br />
<br />
I've been praying with this psalm the last few days. It's been comforting to me while anxiety levels are high around my community here:<br />
<br />
Psalm 62 or Psalm 62:6-14 Page 669, BCP<br />
1 For God alone my soul in silence waits; *<br />
from him comes my salvation. <br />
2He alone is my rock and my salvation, *<br />
my stronghold, so that I shall not be greatly shaken. <br />
3How long will you assail me to crush me,<br />
all of you together, *<br />
as if you were a leaning fence, a toppling wall? <br />
4They seek only to bring me down from my place of honor;<br />
lies are their chief delight. <br />
5They bless with their lips, *<br />
but in their hearts they curse. <br />
6For God alone my soul in silence waits; *<br />
truly, my hope is in him. <br />
7He alone is my rock and my salvation, *<br />
my stronghold, so that I shall not be shaken. <br />
8In God is my safety and my honor; *<br />
God is my strong rock and my refuge. <br />
9Put your trust in him always, O people, *<br />
pour out your hearts before him, for God is our refuge. <br />
10Those of high degree are but a fleeting breath, *<br />
even those of low estate cannot be trusted. <br />
11On the scales they are lighter than a breath, *<br />
all of them together. <br />
12Put no trust in extortion;<br />
in robbery take no empty pride; *<br />
though wealth increase, set not your heart upon it. <br />
13God has spoken once, twice have I heard it, *<br />
that power belongs to God. <br />
14Steadfast love is yours, O Lord, *<br />
for you repay everyone according to his deeds. <br />
<br />
Peace,<br />
Christen<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV8-OnODyCmhx1EoBDLrjd5OuOw6ARgsb-0rg8Egh-aPBxP4sDeGfYZaipw9Ahu4R5KgJjEzu2WLG6oMwLMv_IPn8wWz4qnGtnZHrdfjK8ulQD1Lzk4fIoFM1M8NIqGqAX16Kk51e_vFc/s1600/SAM_2433.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV8-OnODyCmhx1EoBDLrjd5OuOw6ARgsb-0rg8Egh-aPBxP4sDeGfYZaipw9Ahu4R5KgJjEzu2WLG6oMwLMv_IPn8wWz4qnGtnZHrdfjK8ulQD1Lzk4fIoFM1M8NIqGqAX16Kk51e_vFc/s320/SAM_2433.JPG" width="213" /></a></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3197493620873776197.post-19933875387732155202011-03-04T06:01:00.000-08:002011-03-04T06:01:20.928-08:00"where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and at the end of them he was hungry". Luke 4:2Working with children is one of the most fun parts of my job here. In the Mitsuba pre-school classes I help with not only are the children adorable, it's so much fun to learn about Japanese culture along with the kids. Mitsuba is a Christian nursery school but along with teaching the kids songs and stories about God, they also teach them about important Japanese cultural events. Its great for me because I get to learn about and participate in so many different aspects of Japanese culture that I wouldn't get a chance to experience if I was only working with adults. <br />
<br />
In February for example, we celebrated Setsubun (part of the spring festival) on February 3rd by having our own Mitsuba Mamemaki (bean throwing) ritual! The premise behind this ritual is to get rid of the devil or bad spirits in your home and life and welcome in luck with the new spring. Literally, a member of the family (or teacher in your school) dresses up in a devil mask and you throw beans or peanuts at them which drives out the devil and brings you good luck and happiness. After, you eat one peanut for each year you've been alive.<br />
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In Mitsuba we read a story about Mamemaki and then each kid made a devil mask. At the end of class we took a picture of all the kids in their masks and then there was a surprise visitor! The devil came in the room and took pictures with the kids and then we all threw peanuts at him. It was chaotic but a lot of fun!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkvA4RnaftAHg_TAKIRpBHd-pbqObI6jpZUma7DN2om7sIaHASLAmx1FOIP76NnTuoLTcXqRvb8JBKmPi_rC23tW3LYK5ZTgbVmI5685iNEor2SrAKPMtT6jV6xxk1LzvFmJThCQJd7-Q/s1600/SAM_2360.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" l6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkvA4RnaftAHg_TAKIRpBHd-pbqObI6jpZUma7DN2om7sIaHASLAmx1FOIP76NnTuoLTcXqRvb8JBKmPi_rC23tW3LYK5ZTgbVmI5685iNEor2SrAKPMtT6jV6xxk1LzvFmJThCQJd7-Q/s320/SAM_2360.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I love the eyes on these two masks!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The kids did a great job!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Throwing peanuts at the world's cutest devil!</td></tr>
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One of the other great things about Mitsuba is that it's a great place to practice my Japanese! The week I learned how to say "sit down please", "don't do that" and "don't eat yet" in my Japanese class was the most useful one yet! I've also learned so many animal, vegetable and color names in Japanese as well as a ton of Japanese children's games and songs. <br />
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Everything I say to the kids is in Japanese and I can understand about 40-50% of what they say to me when they ask me a question or when they tell me about something that they are holding. I get totally lost however when they start babbling to me in 2-year old speak. I wish I could understand because I'm sure it's adorable! Some of the kids get the fact that I speak a different language but don't quite know what to do with that. One little boy doesn't speak to me at all because he doesn't think I can understand. He likes me though and will play with the trains with me almost every morning. But he communicates by pointing and taking my hand to drag me places. Even when I speak to him in Japanese he answers by nodding or using improvised sign language! Almost all of the kids can understand me when I speak but one little girl yesterday laughed and said "omoshiroi" (interesting) when she couldn't understand what I was saying. The best though is one of the youngest boys in the group, I think, has a lot of trouble understanding my accent and for a few months no matter what I asked him or said to him he would respond "ni sai" (I'm two)! It was so cute to ask him if he liked his snack and have him answer "I'm two years old!"Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3197493620873776197.post-17344049340248221072011-03-02T23:35:00.000-08:002011-03-02T23:36:01.214-08:00Fun Discovery<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4p2Is0QntZRBFVBPhlUtN69ZoVn-wgLN6C-xdue5xZZSVBqrQ5TjYT9YIjUhTrBawiFg0Nj_8inBXdpmCK1vVPLubpVKf0niV1dRJXr6vsWMj226CFsLdJ1wOSn69T3Anzd1AdQtu_hg/s1600/SAM_2402.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" l6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4p2Is0QntZRBFVBPhlUtN69ZoVn-wgLN6C-xdue5xZZSVBqrQ5TjYT9YIjUhTrBawiFg0Nj_8inBXdpmCK1vVPLubpVKf0niV1dRJXr6vsWMj226CFsLdJ1wOSn69T3Anzd1AdQtu_hg/s320/SAM_2402.JPG" width="213" /></a></div><br />
Nagoya's largest sitting Buddha is only a 15 minute walk from my apartment! How did I miss this for the past 6 months? When standing, my head hits half way on the green square on the base of the statue!<br />
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I realize it's been a while since I've updated. You can look forward to pictures of children in cute masks and the cutest devil you've ever seen in my next post!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3197493620873776197.post-28402568147703436072011-02-08T22:00:00.000-08:002011-02-08T22:02:13.160-08:00“This, then, is how you should pray:" -Matthew 6:9I've been taking Japanese classes for the past 5 months now and in addition to my homework I've been trying to study more on my own. I've begun memorizing simple Kanji and and am now trying to memorize parts of the Sunday service. While I can read the text for the service, I can't read fast enough yet to read out loud with everyone. My current project is the Lord's Prayer in Japanese. Hopefully I'll know it by this Sunday!<br />
<br />
Here is the Lord's Prayer in Hiragana:<br />
てんにおられるわたしたちのちちよ、<br />
みながせいとされますように。<br />
みくにがきますように。<br />
みこころがてんにおこなわれるとおりちにもおこなわれますように。<br />
わたしたちのひごとのかてをきようもおあたえください。<br />
わたしたちのつみをおゆるしください。 わたしたちもひとをゆるします。<br />
わたしたちをゆうわくにおちいらせず、<br />
あくからおすくいください。<br />
<br />
くにとちから とえいこうは えいえんにあなたのものです。 アーメン。Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3197493620873776197.post-81883018269327757382011-02-02T03:37:00.000-08:002011-02-02T03:37:10.498-08:00Happy Groundhog Day!!In addition to being one of America's wackier holidays, today also marks exactly 6 months since I arrived in Japan! I can't believe my time here is half over. Some days it still feels like I just got here! The past six months have been such a blessing. While my time here has not been without challenges, the Nagoya Youth Center has been such a perfect placement for me. Not only do I love the work that I'm doing and the people I'm working with, but I love being a part of so many different ministries in the Diocese of Chubu. Each day of the week I get to do something different! <br />
Also, somewhat unexpectedly, I LOVE learning Japanese! It's slow going because the grammar is so different from English, but now even I can notice my progress from week to week. My work here has always been fun and important to me, but as I am able to speak more and communicate with the children and the adults who don't speak English, my work has become even more meaningful to me. I knew going into this year that forming relationships and listening to people's stories would be in many ways as just as important as the teaching I'd be doing. I only now feel like I am doing just that- getting to know people in a real and authentic way. Communication has been and will be a big part of that. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7Yclo_uuwQFXNAYMtdbQn1pWZ6aZxbn8WSNCEUXJbMxINGrLrk1X7j7pTNhbCnDyE9rLDJosBCbqTE4F9QWaXN8LXc4UUnoLXqFOBgJyXJ2NDyH0nA9K-GdvomE_jUFmuxIFUUJhG9vs/s1600/SAM_2201.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" s5="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7Yclo_uuwQFXNAYMtdbQn1pWZ6aZxbn8WSNCEUXJbMxINGrLrk1X7j7pTNhbCnDyE9rLDJosBCbqTE4F9QWaXN8LXc4UUnoLXqFOBgJyXJ2NDyH0nA9K-GdvomE_jUFmuxIFUUJhG9vs/s320/SAM_2201.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Inuyama</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Japanese garden in Inuyama</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQvYx5Ye0FYPlpOgIPEy6dMaYgqVvHGur1xNfpOofAR8QabOh_32py5eh1FNhM9ml-o8c6qev53xovKf56uVWsKjcguTleOrZJLifwExnnMzsXfC0aR5ATDEARI4HGSjVoqbUBRQQP1jQ/s1600/SAM_2258.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" s5="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQvYx5Ye0FYPlpOgIPEy6dMaYgqVvHGur1xNfpOofAR8QabOh_32py5eh1FNhM9ml-o8c6qev53xovKf56uVWsKjcguTleOrZJLifwExnnMzsXfC0aR5ATDEARI4HGSjVoqbUBRQQP1jQ/s320/SAM_2258.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It was a cold day to be a monkey</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nagoya!</td></tr>
</tbody></table> The next 6 months hold a lot of exciting things for me. Soon after I finish up the second level Japanese class, I will be off to Hong Kong for 4 days to visit Spencer, a friend who is a YASC missionary there this year. Then Rev. David Copley will be coming to Japan to visit the YASC placements in Asia and I'll be meeting up with him for a few days. In June I have a friend visiting and once she leaves it will be time for me to say goodbye to Nagoya and begin the next phase of my journey. On that note, I'm happy to report that all my seminary applications are in! Now I am plugging away at financial aid and scholarship applications. I am anxious to find out what my choices for next year will be and hopefully I'll have some good news to share in the next month or two!<br />
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It's been an amazing 6 months so far and I can't wait to see what the next half of this year holds for me!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3197493620873776197.post-30505835329038587062011-01-28T05:50:00.000-08:002011-01-28T05:52:08.919-08:00Snow Day!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>With all the snow that Boston is getting now, I thought I'd post some pictures of my own snow day in Nagoya! We got a little less than 5 inches...but it was PERFECT snow man snow! By noon the next day it had all melted, but I did get some good pictures during Mitsuba. The kids were at first afraid of the snow but after a while they started to enjoy themselves!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View from my room</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View from my building</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNTdNOfAJvDayHVWq38jx7OurJ6H4MRvvmh9HQg0cRw2jqz0iC_QsS-xSSCVq9JeAUzI2aDeYkkvzKsV7JQLT1U6PHOcnn8lcKi3YAkQFLz3bp2LL9r1xnSi_cL5j9IqhfUq00xIgIstA/s1600/SAM_2304.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" s5="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNTdNOfAJvDayHVWq38jx7OurJ6H4MRvvmh9HQg0cRw2jqz0iC_QsS-xSSCVq9JeAUzI2aDeYkkvzKsV7JQLT1U6PHOcnn8lcKi3YAkQFLz3bp2LL9r1xnSi_cL5j9IqhfUq00xIgIstA/s320/SAM_2304.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View from the Nagoya Daigaku Library</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjteFHzwdrBZWuoc-uEQOv4xrtCIQY0_riZsFoCSZ6i-n9tZUAknpvJuvTCALlwtXU-tGrSogHMyev9H1UGu95Y1gSV5WTjkoayWMRNitBGC8kablzQrHoi5WAIpFmULjePc1JZXkj_pA0/s1600/SAM_2302.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" s5="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjteFHzwdrBZWuoc-uEQOv4xrtCIQY0_riZsFoCSZ6i-n9tZUAknpvJuvTCALlwtXU-tGrSogHMyev9H1UGu95Y1gSV5WTjkoayWMRNitBGC8kablzQrHoi5WAIpFmULjePc1JZXkj_pA0/s320/SAM_2302.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Road at Nagoya University (Daigaku)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO0YWKAuLgAHnnlYP84RU0FJmOllaAXveaiMZMDDLulJV2rHXRlo8W8SMBxOu4zPZhUaW47XH_BsWloCxwgqphF7HD6d875m1nFdt5s_1Pq4RA5zmpcmTOvZbaFyejURKQRLOBEmyxmYg/s1600/SAM_2324.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" s5="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO0YWKAuLgAHnnlYP84RU0FJmOllaAXveaiMZMDDLulJV2rHXRlo8W8SMBxOu4zPZhUaW47XH_BsWloCxwgqphF7HD6d875m1nFdt5s_1Pq4RA5zmpcmTOvZbaFyejURKQRLOBEmyxmYg/s320/SAM_2324.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">No one wanted to go in the fort!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1WDVeyk_wAngxN3iVtAjDTId_HyAltbAEuR_FKDY3Q0aU2sMIpdoN6I2x0R0ma8YJPj4lduNIDCV88mqTk1z23y1IH54qBYsJvKDthm3rqw9ZyRIg7b4jrvufXhovUMAkaGMV1uYC26Q/s1600/SAM_2326.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" s5="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1WDVeyk_wAngxN3iVtAjDTId_HyAltbAEuR_FKDY3Q0aU2sMIpdoN6I2x0R0ma8YJPj4lduNIDCV88mqTk1z23y1IH54qBYsJvKDthm3rqw9ZyRIg7b4jrvufXhovUMAkaGMV1uYC26Q/s320/SAM_2326.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This snowman was me because it had a big nose.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3197493620873776197.post-86120853111733298952011-01-14T21:00:00.000-08:002011-01-14T21:02:06.868-08:00Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow!Yesterday while I was walking to work I saw a snow flake and thought I was seeing things because it was too warm to snow. However it started flurrying right as I turned into the driveway of the church! I love snow and it was so magical to be able to watch it with all the kids from the door to St. Luke's. I didn't think I'd see snow this year. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to get a picture because it had stopped by the time we went out for P.E.<br />
<br />
<br />
<em>"It's a marshmallow world in the winter,</em><br />
<em>When the snow comes to cover the ground,</em><br />
<em>It's the time for play, it's a whipped cream day,</em><br />
<em>I wait for it all year round.</em><br />
<em><br />
</em><br />
<em>Those are marshmallow clouds being friendly,</em><br />
<em>In the arms of the evergreen trees,</em><br />
<em>And the sun is red like a pumpkin head,</em><br />
<em>It's shining so your nose won't freeze.</em><br />
<em><br />
</em><br />
<em>The world is your snowball, see how it grows,</em><br />
<em>That's how it goes, whenever it snows,</em><br />
<em>The world is your snowball just for a song,</em><br />
<em>Get out and roll it along.</em><br />
<br />
<em>It's a yum-yummy world made for sweethearts,</em><br />
<em>Take a walk with your favourite girl,</em><br />
<em>It's a sugar date, what if spring is late,</em><br />
<em>In winter, it's a marshmallow world."</em>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3197493620873776197.post-36736237004914600362011-01-04T06:30:00.000-08:002011-01-04T06:37:45.633-08:00"former things have passed away" Revelation 21:4 WELCOME 2011!!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi72NmXBYaScJDUoTn5LUEhbFxuNDoGKnIB5nFYbTqwC1Ct4Mx5JzoXyFMd6hA1_9o7hJYfLkPefvjyV1ZM3gNevCFejZ9H1usEYX9rE8kyOZeEzDfArcO9tDogmgsuv9_mb3fdVxzEiBQ/s1600/SAM_1943.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi72NmXBYaScJDUoTn5LUEhbFxuNDoGKnIB5nFYbTqwC1Ct4Mx5JzoXyFMd6hA1_9o7hJYfLkPefvjyV1ZM3gNevCFejZ9H1usEYX9rE8kyOZeEzDfArcO9tDogmgsuv9_mb3fdVxzEiBQ/s320/SAM_1943.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Happy New Year!</td></tr>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: black;">Last week after Christmas was over, I packed a bag and boarded a Shinkansen train for Tokyo to celebrate New Years! I met up with Andy, Steven and Spencer, fellow YASCers who are also serving the church in this part of Asia. Steven's friend Sophia also joined us for the weekend. It was so wonderful to be there with them. We talked for hours about our experiences, joys and challenges. We went sightseeing and saw much of the amazing city of Tokyo. We celebrated midnight on New Years Day with a few thousands of our closest friends in Shibuya square. We waited in line for 51 minutes to visit a Shinto shrine for the New Year. We cooked together and ate nabe together. We met interesting backpackers in our hostel and (almost) beat them at card games. We planned (boy did we plan!) exciting adventures around Tokyo. Most importantly, we relaxed and mentally prepared for the next part of our years of service. New Years, while not chronologically half way, has always in my mind been the turning point of my year. I have now been here 5 months and soon my time in Nagoya will be half over. I am so blessed to have had this time to celebrate with my friends all we've accomplished so far and look forward to the months ahead! </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Enjoy these pictures of Tokyo! And yes, I am aware that the time stamp is wrong on my camera. I've fixed the problem but these pictures are past repair. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Happy New Year!!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I took the 10:10 Nozomi 6 train</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Imperial Palace Garden and Moat</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Harajyuku</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Window Shopping in Shinjuku!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Just before midnight in Shibuya Square</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoM8eGPBLeQm95CL0-DuF49QCsxcibsG04OnqtXyg1QQEzTvKbLH1MLh_cz4RyX7ftQizyOQEQYOemhsFA0lv1OAMtoWIgf7pJ3qCklY2d_v7HRCUjqBoZr8ck7FDhZ1NZB9ud8rzfza4/s1600/SAM_2145.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoM8eGPBLeQm95CL0-DuF49QCsxcibsG04OnqtXyg1QQEzTvKbLH1MLh_cz4RyX7ftQizyOQEQYOemhsFA0lv1OAMtoWIgf7pJ3qCklY2d_v7HRCUjqBoZr8ck7FDhZ1NZB9ud8rzfza4/s320/SAM_2145.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">New Years Day at Meji Shrine</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">YASCers at Meji Shrine</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">at Tokyo Station </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pretty lanterns at Senso-ji Temple</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Crowded market place</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3197493620873776197.post-54822495387670125082011-01-03T06:36:00.000-08:002011-01-03T06:36:10.228-08:00"Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favors!" Luke 2:14<span style="font-size: x-large;">Merry Christmas from Nagoya!</span><br />
<br />
I had a wonderful Christmas this year. Before I left for Japan I had no idea what to expect during the upcoming holiday season. Here are some of my observations from Christmas in Nagoya.<br />
<br />
-In Japan less than 1% of the population is Christian. However, Christmas decorations, presents, trees, lights, advertisements, and holiday sales are visible everywhere you turn in Japan. It's not as over the top as in America, but Christmas is a very popular commercial holiday in Japan. <br />
-Christmas is not a big family holiday like it is in America. People don't get time of from work on Christmas so from what I've observed, Christians often celebrate Christmas with their churches. We had two Christmas services and parties all night on Christmas Eve and went caroling on Christmas Day night. I've heard that Christmas is a big "date-night" in Japan and that New Years Eve and Day is the holiday where families come together and celebrate.<br />
-We really did have fried chicken and cake on Christmas Eve!<br />
<br />
I loved the Christmas Eve celebrations at St. Stephan's on the 24th and I really enjoyed having a quiet Christmas morning to relax and skype with my family. My favorite part of the holiday, however, was Christmas Caroling on the night of the 25th. The priest at St. Stephan's is also the chaplain at the local prison so there are about 6-10 members of our parish who were baptized while serving life sentences or while on death row. On Christmas day at 9pm we went Christmas caroling outside around the prison. We would yell "Merry Christmas!" up at the windows after every song in hopes that everyone inside would hear us. It was a unique way to spend my Christmas night. Prison ministry has always been something I've thought about and in the spring I think I'll be able to go visit the members of St. Stephan's who are in prison. <br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaTV0CLhv92Qj4Ijlf3Mf856mb3hwY7Y0lmTLCTqlrIFC2B-2FFdjVLVxpgmqCGg9bNrBywf4I0C17_ifIJpYmqUPbz4JSSKwvrwQSxY38N_d8zoNvVlYjntmmUas0m1hszhCW-o7Q_VQ/s1600/SAM_1793.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaTV0CLhv92Qj4Ijlf3Mf856mb3hwY7Y0lmTLCTqlrIFC2B-2FFdjVLVxpgmqCGg9bNrBywf4I0C17_ifIJpYmqUPbz4JSSKwvrwQSxY38N_d8zoNvVlYjntmmUas0m1hszhCW-o7Q_VQ/s320/SAM_1793.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">St. Stephan's Church</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
I hope and pray that my friends and family in America and around the world had great holidays. I missed everyone last week but I felt so supported by the cards, gifts and emails that I received. Thank you all so much!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3197493620873776197.post-7606320081136534232010-12-22T20:03:00.000-08:002010-12-22T20:03:00.052-08:00"Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!: -2 Corinthians 9.15I was reading about Nagoya this morning and I found this wonderful description of the early history of this city. It's from a booklet called Welcome to CBD COP10, 2010 that was created by the city of Nagoya and the organizers of the COP 10 conference. <br />
<br />
<blockquote>"The name of "Aichi" derives from "Ayuchigata" in Man'yoshu (Anthology of Myriad Leaves), which was compiled in the 8th century. "Cranes flying toward Sakurada crying and spring-fed tide lands at low tide, cranes flying, crying". "Ayuchigata" is thought to be a cover near present day Atsuta-ward, Nagoya City. "Ayu" means "spring" and "spring wind", which allows for such interpretations as a land with rich springs and a land for which wind brings happiness from the sea. It also reminds us that this area was a rich natural environment."</blockquote><blockquote></blockquote><blockquote>"The Kasanagi-no-mitsurugi Sword was considered to be held by Yamato-takeru-nomikoto, who appears in Japanese mythology. In the 16th century, Oda Nobunaga of Owari appeared from among many warring lords who defended their own territories throughout Japan with the aim of unifying Japan. Toyotomi Hideyoshi succeeded Nobunaga and Tokygawa Ieyasu of Mikawa finally unified Japan and opened up Edo Bakufu. These three warriors are called the "Three Heroes" and are deeply intertwined with Aichi."</blockquote><blockquote>"Along with the activities of the "Three Heroes", many vassal warriors from Aichi began to govern every corner of Japan. This is why Aichi is called the "hometown of warriors". In the Edo Period, Owari was governed by the Owari Tokugawa Clan as an important area connecting Edo and Kyo. Nagoya Castle was built by large scale construction works, mobilizing lords from all over Japan which was called "Tenka Fushin"(Whole Country Construction). Many craftsmen gathered around Nagoya for the construction of large-scale projects. Thus, an industry and manufacturing culture flourished and a castle town was build in this way."</blockquote><br />
Thanks for letting me give you all a history lesson! More about Christmas in Nagoya during my next post!<br />
<br />
Peace,<br />
ChristenUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3197493620873776197.post-374285247827407882010-12-14T06:18:00.000-08:002010-12-14T06:18:52.732-08:00Oh Come All Ye Faithful<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcj2jZ6gWRf2EkAEUb3QnopcL9Ty2i-6GcsaqZLXrOm-JRNGwLD9BnmSVYR8gsBrzpf6Ts9xU8lt4HPhS6s6EulYqxLblHZDoTTNWhotC7vGTDmy8jGdOl2Ko-ny5tKDNkR9vVE6efazA/s1600/SAM_1769.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcj2jZ6gWRf2EkAEUb3QnopcL9Ty2i-6GcsaqZLXrOm-JRNGwLD9BnmSVYR8gsBrzpf6Ts9xU8lt4HPhS6s6EulYqxLblHZDoTTNWhotC7vGTDmy8jGdOl2Ko-ny5tKDNkR9vVE6efazA/s320/SAM_1769.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Have a blessed Advent!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Advent has always been my favorite times of year. I love counting down and lighting candles and the sense of anticipation that the Advent season brings.<br />
<br />
This year however, I am struck with the particular appropriatness of Advent. For the first time ever Christmas will be different for me. I won't have many of the traditions that my parents passed down to our family (driving around our old neighborhoods to look at the lights on Christmas Eve) or the weird traditions that my sister, brother and I made up (Stopping at McDonalds on these Christmas Eve drives?!) This advent I am not only anticipating the birth of Christ, but I'm also waiting for and anticipating a new kind of Christmas.<br />
<br />
One thing I'm thankful for is that many of the traditions I hold most dear I've gotten to participate it this year. In Mitsuba we decorated a tree and light Advent Candles every day. The kids each get a turn to light one candle and after we say prayers to put a candle out. I LOVE seeing the excitement on their faces when they realize that it's their turn! I also have Christmas parties to attend and a Christmas Eve service to go to. We are even going Christmas caroling! Even so, Christmas is going to be different this year. So far this Advent, as I've taken time to reflect daily, I've realized that while this Christmas won't look like the one's I'm used to, the reason and the meaning and the holiness of this season is EXACTLY the same. It's like two identical wrapped presents. The gift is the same even though the packaging might be wildly different. I am looking foward to experiencing all the Christmas traditions that the Christian community in Japan celebrates this year! I've been told that they include cake and Kentucky Fried Chicken!<br />
<br />
There is one change in my Christmas traditions that has been very welcome. After I graduated from college, I worked at Borders until last May. This winter I am incredibly grateful to be away from Retail Christmas. Yes, their are Christmas decorations in every store and Christmas sales going on, but it's not quite the retail explosion that it is in the U.S. I really did enjoy working at Borders, but not having to worry about coffee sales, Black Friday hours, setting up displays or requesting Christmas Eve off this year has been more of a relief than I thought I would be.<br />
<br />
I wish everyone a blessed Advent and I hope you get a chance to relax and to take a step back from Retail Christmas and focus on the true meaning of the season.<br />
<br />
A few weeks ago it became cold in Japan. That means...<br />
-Heated public toilet seats<br />
-Heated vending machines<br />
-Wool shorts and black tights being in style for girls<br />
-Everyone else in coats and me overheating in my sweatshirt!<br />
-REALLY CUTE winter accessories and Christmas decorations in all the stores<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjviRX4kgQsEFPOZLBh3JFvD7YOp1XP7kq0sawdB9ZyOxrpRNjUJleaGXv2iS8jpFWH0G6T-V6lcjuq0dD6IKHSB8JMapPzxI_HFZh4yzoHfN2y73qAYhKggtGcDSUYL4qocxuWlbEX8ug/s1600/SAM_1770.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjviRX4kgQsEFPOZLBh3JFvD7YOp1XP7kq0sawdB9ZyOxrpRNjUJleaGXv2iS8jpFWH0G6T-V6lcjuq0dD6IKHSB8JMapPzxI_HFZh4yzoHfN2y73qAYhKggtGcDSUYL4qocxuWlbEX8ug/s320/SAM_1770.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Winter Flowers</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3197493620873776197.post-3717777989600152632010-11-25T07:10:00.000-08:002010-11-25T07:10:39.126-08:00Happy Thanksgiving!This year I am thankful for:<br />
Shrek Marathons<br />
Care packages with cranberry sauce<br />
Care packages without cranberry sauce<br />
YWCA Japanese classes<br />
My family<br />
My friends in America<br />
My friends in Japan<br />
My friends everywhere else in the world<br />
A rice cooker that always works even when my stove doesn't<br />
Hanging out with 2 and 3 year olds three mornings a week<br />
Being almost done with my seminary applications!<br />
My Friday English classes and all the kids at ELCC<br />
Japanese/English conversations with the girls in the office<br />
Beautiful weather<br />
That my family is all together today<br />
Skype conversations with friends from home. <br />
Gilmore Girls on DVD<br />
My own washer machine <br />
An incredible support network back home<br />
New and exciting opportunities this year<br />
New Years Eve in TOKYO!<br />
The leaves finally turning red in Nagoya this week<br />
The most delicious clementines I've ever eaten<br />
That Kaki (Persimmons) are in season<br />
Answered prayers and that God always hears us, even when we can't voice our prayers<br />
Alice's Restaurant on YouTube<br />
<br />
Gobble Gobble Gobble!<br />
<3 ChristenUnknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3197493620873776197.post-83214852847027110822010-11-18T23:30:00.000-08:002010-11-18T23:30:34.536-08:00"On seeing them, Paul thanked God and took courage". Acts 28:15<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">A few weeks ago there was a national holiday in Japan and I spent the morning touring Atsuta Shrine with one of my friends. Atusa Shrine is a famous Shinto shrine in Nagoya and the morning we went was cool, sunny and beautiful. Sharing the beautiful grounds with us that day was a boy/girl scout bazaar, a class of adults learning about Shinto and hundreds of Parents and their children. In Japan it is customary for parents to bring their children to the shrine to be blessed when they are 3. 5 and 7 years old to pray and this was a specific day for that. There was such a sense of the Holy in that place. I know I will go back before I leave Japan. </div><br />
<br />
<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEYXQOYnqrEz00bW5iqOKrQpBhy1kpbebJ8hV8_sfm364YzAVOnIg4RWmHV64AZDdhaA8Q-tcUx8fR8H9y2C4S1k0cKzwaSOJAWhBG2aqjz1s-7mpkQmtY_CgYOvtXBkNAYP8SI179LSo/s1600/SAM_1591.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEYXQOYnqrEz00bW5iqOKrQpBhy1kpbebJ8hV8_sfm364YzAVOnIg4RWmHV64AZDdhaA8Q-tcUx8fR8H9y2C4S1k0cKzwaSOJAWhBG2aqjz1s-7mpkQmtY_CgYOvtXBkNAYP8SI179LSo/s320/SAM_1591.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3197493620873776197.post-56426125936452153892010-11-12T06:21:00.000-08:002010-11-12T06:27:04.071-08:00"...You shall make them of choice wheat flour" -Exodus 29:2<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Happy November!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Last Saturday the youth center where I live and work hosted an udon making event for kids. I was so excited to be a part of it because I used to love going to these kinds of events through church or Girl Scouts when I was little. Also, I love udon! For those who don't know, udon is a thick chewy type of Japanese noodle that tastes great in soup. In the grocery store it's usually found partially cooked in frozen blocks. But trust me--it tastes so much better freshly made! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">For 3.5 hours last Saturday the kids came and made udon and had lunch where we ate the noodles we made. It was so much fun. We even had a contest for the worlds longest noodle cut from one piece of dough. On Friday night I got to help make noodles that the volunteers would eat for lunch and I'm proud to announce that I held the title of Nagoya Youth Center's "longest-noodle-maker" for 12 hours! Then the next day one of the kids almost doubled my record! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Enjoy the pictures. Yes, it was just as delicious as it looked. There was flour everywhere!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">After they made the dough from flour, salt and water the kids got to stomp on it for 20 min. I was told that the stomping method makes the most delicious udon.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Next each kid got to roll out their own dough and cut their own noodles.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It was difficult for some of the younger kids to cut the noodles, but this girl did an awesome job.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtUZqALmxMmySvYBYlFWZg2lYxdk7yfgoaem88y5XORHtlG4vpxV1SNXfkp6rtALycCLF6DhkSGNA2tn7XDKz8Hx0FsJQYPLINr8TlWGaWcVcgRue6n2X8i3vTTH3gxdH3hOQ4pCJrIdI/s1600/SAM_1607.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtUZqALmxMmySvYBYlFWZg2lYxdk7yfgoaem88y5XORHtlG4vpxV1SNXfkp6rtALycCLF6DhkSGNA2tn7XDKz8Hx0FsJQYPLINr8TlWGaWcVcgRue6n2X8i3vTTH3gxdH3hOQ4pCJrIdI/s320/SAM_1607.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In the running for the youth center's longest noodle!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Soup toppings. </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Once the noodles are cut they must be boiled until they are translucent.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The noodles my group made!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl63-I_vf5cUitekEiEFqA7C1ZzFVCY8R_CQNQEuWuiul4AYUDbnjYe6Awn3_XNRz6FiT13skjUJ4i-Wxt5JKw3uLzGRcUr4tcr0B9Z4ImL5f2BrEo4vFHUeIOmfKzToc7TNIRy1BJvF0/s1600/SAM_1613.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl63-I_vf5cUitekEiEFqA7C1ZzFVCY8R_CQNQEuWuiul4AYUDbnjYe6Awn3_XNRz6FiT13skjUJ4i-Wxt5JKw3uLzGRcUr4tcr0B9Z4ImL5f2BrEo4vFHUeIOmfKzToc7TNIRy1BJvF0/s320/SAM_1613.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My soup made with the noodles I made the night before. It was so delicious!</td></tr>
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<div align="left"></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3197493620873776197.post-88860640770482969182010-10-30T08:16:00.000-07:002010-11-18T23:36:08.772-08:00'"What does he mean by this 'a little while'? We do not know what he is talking about."'--John 16.18<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black;">HAPPY HALLOWEEN!</span><span style="color: black;"><br />
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<span style="color: black;">I have to admit it has been a little weird this week. Right now in Boston parties are being planned, costumes are being made and candy is being bought. Halloween is my favorite holiday and it is not celebrated in Japan. </span><br />
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<span style="color: black;">That being said, we did celebrate Halloween with the kids in the English classes as an American culture activity. We had a party last week at the Youth Center and today at St. Luke's. Both were very fun with the kids all dressed up in costumes and we played educational games and read stories about Halloween. I was in charge of Trick-or-treating. The kids loved it and while it wasn't even close to how awesome trick-or-treating is, it was a novel thing for them and they really had fun. </span><br />
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<span style="color: black;">For the past few weeks, Nagoya has been hosting an international conference called COP-10. COP-10 is the tenth meeting of the parties on Biodiversity and involved delegates and world leaders from around the planet. I was able to go this past Wednesday as a representative from the Nagoya Center for Philippine Concerns. On the day that I went we got to sit in at the opening of the High Level Session where we heard many very important people speak including the Prime Minister of Japan, the Prime Minister of Yeomen and the President of the World Bank. After we stopped by the cafeteria for lunch and walked around the booths and information fair, we sat and watched a working group session as they were approving of some documents to go to vote. It was amazing being in the room with people from around the world discussing how we can be better stewards of creation. The session was conducted in English but everyone received translating headphones so that language was less of a barrier than it could have been. I am so grateful that I had the chance to go to COP-10. </span><span style="color: black;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="color: black;">Here is a quotation from yesterday's press release from COP-10 that explains some of what was accomplished:</span><br />
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;">"Among the targets, it is important to note that Parties:</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;">- Agreed to at least halve and where feasible bring close to zero the rate of loss of natural habitats including forests;</span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;">- Established a target of 17 per cent of terrestrial and inland water areas and 10 per cent of marine and coastal areas,</span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;">- Through conservation and restoration, Governments will restore at least 15 percent of degraded areas; and</span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;">- </span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;">Will make special efforts to reduce the pressures faced by coral reefs.Parties also agreed to a substantial increase in the level of financial resources in support of implementation of the Convention."</span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: black;">It's fascinating stuff. I highly recommend reading the full article found here:</span><br />
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<span style="color: black;"><a href="http://www.cbd.int/doc/press/2010/pr-2010-10-29-cop-10-en.pdf">http://www.cbd.int/doc/press/2010/pr-2010-10-29-cop-10-en.pdf</a><br />
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</span><span style="color: black;">This upcoming week looks like it will be another great one. Sunday we have a baptism/confirmation at St. Stephans and Wednesday is a public holiday and I will be going sightseeing. This plus my normal work and YWCA class means that I will be busy, busy, busy. But I love the work and am so glad to do it!</span><br />
<span style="color: black;"></span><span style="color: black;"><br />
</span><span style="color: black;">Here are some pictures from the past few weeks. Enjoy! Happy Halloween!!</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I studied Yayoi Kusama's work in school and was so happy to see her sculptures all around the Aici Art Center and the Oasis 21 bus station! </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We went "hiking" in Mitsuba and the kids collected acorns in these cute boxes they made.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivuMOHuM5A26taA5XkP3QvPGGp4MLqEYJkloUq5NLiCoyjKZBZ4tPempOWhIfJLWqUis-miO_0Eca_w2Mbp2MV3A6FMzM09ccEJWNyp6cRwhYmFWlSMWzHo8lasC3gHF1Zdp2DIOXuiJs/s1600/SAM_1466.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" nx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivuMOHuM5A26taA5XkP3QvPGGp4MLqEYJkloUq5NLiCoyjKZBZ4tPempOWhIfJLWqUis-miO_0Eca_w2Mbp2MV3A6FMzM09ccEJWNyp6cRwhYmFWlSMWzHo8lasC3gHF1Zdp2DIOXuiJs/s320/SAM_1466.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Halloween at the Nagoya Student Center.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoNlnTmHjOfxqvFMbUhUeTe8vlSYqZTbUI0rR2gpRUqNCJsDIBLbhWhCm9NZ8ZRZQ5aHGUJVM5SiH-yBrH_p2JlpFbynm4L7V8J7MzI5rMJ9shRNANNLfl1e-qHXmcX2tBICW75-Ecq84/s1600/SAM_1476.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" nx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoNlnTmHjOfxqvFMbUhUeTe8vlSYqZTbUI0rR2gpRUqNCJsDIBLbhWhCm9NZ8ZRZQ5aHGUJVM5SiH-yBrH_p2JlpFbynm4L7V8J7MzI5rMJ9shRNANNLfl1e-qHXmcX2tBICW75-Ecq84/s320/SAM_1476.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My Trick-or-treat classroom!</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXwvFvIUgxyIbxgST4_ohq5EKjjPAFrli3GWbkom3mt49yDp3NlBaju7lI7FS8mrkH4RI1FftELtq1NfmoCh3fNIYkmsJtPQY2r58LhtGH02pxwZeDv3NjRP77MsGPBGa-hVoki03H2P8/s1600/SAM_1477.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" nx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXwvFvIUgxyIbxgST4_ohq5EKjjPAFrli3GWbkom3mt49yDp3NlBaju7lI7FS8mrkH4RI1FftELtq1NfmoCh3fNIYkmsJtPQY2r58LhtGH02pxwZeDv3NjRP77MsGPBGa-hVoki03H2P8/s320/SAM_1477.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My costume. I made it up but I think I was a spider queen!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmr969Vuofj0EGxfKJQEZ18uUmamXq1gxojCKKRXK98cMxRQhzAyfE5q1zFJJgwzvJWyghpsbYX7ByUMngiwVoOLHlQYBUxnRcRT_dfT6LOU-xiyQTl6Erd4yJoSvySlDyD8RJ1OEW-mQ/s1600/SAM_1486.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" nx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmr969Vuofj0EGxfKJQEZ18uUmamXq1gxojCKKRXK98cMxRQhzAyfE5q1zFJJgwzvJWyghpsbYX7ByUMngiwVoOLHlQYBUxnRcRT_dfT6LOU-xiyQTl6Erd4yJoSvySlDyD8RJ1OEW-mQ/s320/SAM_1486.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me as Jack Skellington. I had to be scary for the older kids.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7VHiqXoKN_SaV1ZwXWUCBXvqBABI4zRNUKICpoo-TBZUCtfhS9cu-fkodSFUVPBh54Xzc8t_By3fI6YD9bVEKlwlJRxpKA2y4Azgpb0ROjQIEFqYdeEyLNpcqkOKb2I9rIwVCNks46K4/s1600/SAM_1487.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" nx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7VHiqXoKN_SaV1ZwXWUCBXvqBABI4zRNUKICpoo-TBZUCtfhS9cu-fkodSFUVPBh54Xzc8t_By3fI6YD9bVEKlwlJRxpKA2y4Azgpb0ROjQIEFqYdeEyLNpcqkOKb2I9rIwVCNks46K4/s320/SAM_1487.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jack-o'-lanterns that held the cookies I gave out.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2i_xQvIrGDtfGR9Oc4QncD6iPSNjCo66tNqmVkig1fKNvvHxB0Xpa8IxIy6SDqfka71ITpgWsGvHhc5kyRQ1rv0SitQ6zFmkXrVwxtB730ouRLPCnPhPu7lGKvmHhciVkd6FuXIjnADE/s1600/SAM_1493.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" nx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2i_xQvIrGDtfGR9Oc4QncD6iPSNjCo66tNqmVkig1fKNvvHxB0Xpa8IxIy6SDqfka71ITpgWsGvHhc5kyRQ1rv0SitQ6zFmkXrVwxtB730ouRLPCnPhPu7lGKvmHhciVkd6FuXIjnADE/s320/SAM_1493.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The scariest costume fot the oldest kids! I look so gross here!</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLFYDlB6DvyQ4UQ_KkfChL9RrlrBPzhP4DcszjxL-bE37GoMKP5-mrUcJ12o9BXdfu9kdExtQBRvb76wrYpJHd4YKQpv5W5OiRhZVWdRrthqoF51lXipYTd5TF69hWNQb58L-AZDoMNbQ/s1600/SAM_1498.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" nx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLFYDlB6DvyQ4UQ_KkfChL9RrlrBPzhP4DcszjxL-bE37GoMKP5-mrUcJ12o9BXdfu9kdExtQBRvb76wrYpJHd4YKQpv5W5OiRhZVWdRrthqoF51lXipYTd5TF69hWNQb58L-AZDoMNbQ/s320/SAM_1498.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">COP-10 High Level Session Opening. That's the Prime Minister of Japan, Naoto Kan on the screen.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBQmmvRkmcxXeAERb7D8mfvW4Z6b6q_8YjM9o0jPRAdwRsSO0UaYvkMsbwPS-G2f-PLV1OwnRqe1uGneQiIBuC7vfSGR45dciirB23JBeEBdHTvVGIgTlvcN1UAv2wKKjpYdPSSFqDhnQ/s1600/SAM_1500.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" nx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBQmmvRkmcxXeAERb7D8mfvW4Z6b6q_8YjM9o0jPRAdwRsSO0UaYvkMsbwPS-G2f-PLV1OwnRqe1uGneQiIBuC7vfSGR45dciirB23JBeEBdHTvVGIgTlvcN1UAv2wKKjpYdPSSFqDhnQ/s320/SAM_1500.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">COP-10. The symbol of the conference was origami animals.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs4c9ORDohE2lQ-kPri4NlxiK9tE8SVCbfa5h10RPEtDumOUOf6NIBMoNQGqY-A9Y2K4dSTc5JvP6vhnpYHX3GgxdcvvL-XfLIeswpa4jafaiNUivAwpovF8j8fH6gukzV81GU64ArfFo/s1600/SAM_1501.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" nx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs4c9ORDohE2lQ-kPri4NlxiK9tE8SVCbfa5h10RPEtDumOUOf6NIBMoNQGqY-A9Y2K4dSTc5JvP6vhnpYHX3GgxdcvvL-XfLIeswpa4jafaiNUivAwpovF8j8fH6gukzV81GU64ArfFo/s320/SAM_1501.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Some of the many information booths at COP-10.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVUxaPXoTCEF6OhpqLn-Ad4xXuJO3q4_0w19AgTsiopxXiLkMLmo1eRNymabAq3dugl-ferNeacBnObO81jadQVwDB_0lAlhii3foRrhZI5xHs_UQkjrIANV9VvX9qU3Wuj1D0kc045w4/s1600/SAM_1507.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" nx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVUxaPXoTCEF6OhpqLn-Ad4xXuJO3q4_0w19AgTsiopxXiLkMLmo1eRNymabAq3dugl-ferNeacBnObO81jadQVwDB_0lAlhii3foRrhZI5xHs_UQkjrIANV9VvX9qU3Wuj1D0kc045w4/s320/SAM_1507.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A giant statue at the convention center.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1rvSypwyMHig2bhnI7tMVNSrmnk0N_0vy-WkkrSZX0QPSfuRNyzfBhGGvLOSUYgdFrPT5gsXQI6svMoxicCtCs_jUoDmqjpJ3waeyVcakSR-1Z8trPdDiisNPu4XzBJUWeEBMNtOjBus/s1600/SAM_1510.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" nx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1rvSypwyMHig2bhnI7tMVNSrmnk0N_0vy-WkkrSZX0QPSfuRNyzfBhGGvLOSUYgdFrPT5gsXQI6svMoxicCtCs_jUoDmqjpJ3waeyVcakSR-1Z8trPdDiisNPu4XzBJUWeEBMNtOjBus/s320/SAM_1510.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Inside a working session at COP-10.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCnibJpEgWQA-cK3ewtazpkWVUErFmDux6AH-yiQ7JAKgeHhqqCoIsNr08-oeFPa2NTo_Fh8XrFbLejM7pp9obqypBBUxdWy_27itdJ2sAvPNCmiMYshAM3DsEz8rLAoCF4sQ27PjhVyk/s1600/SAM_1511.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" nx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCnibJpEgWQA-cK3ewtazpkWVUErFmDux6AH-yiQ7JAKgeHhqqCoIsNr08-oeFPa2NTo_Fh8XrFbLejM7pp9obqypBBUxdWy_27itdJ2sAvPNCmiMYshAM3DsEz8rLAoCF4sQ27PjhVyk/s320/SAM_1511.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is an apple flavored Oreo candy bar. Seriously. Not quite as delicious as it sounds.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKFW-hxbA5dJ03kjYefP4notiUHaijFyaWsvCWFCEYYiD8X1gZuNFCmQuGMeYPFfX9kn3RUKpw68DDWPVq4eDZpBsPUqLIQaxZKDRrM4yVHRj5XyRXxIhd6YXc1iAIJGZXm5XYrhMXANQ/s1600/SAM_1514.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" nx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKFW-hxbA5dJ03kjYefP4notiUHaijFyaWsvCWFCEYYiD8X1gZuNFCmQuGMeYPFfX9kn3RUKpw68DDWPVq4eDZpBsPUqLIQaxZKDRrM4yVHRj5XyRXxIhd6YXc1iAIJGZXm5XYrhMXANQ/s320/SAM_1514.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I took advantage of my unlimited COP-10 subway card and went sightseeing. This is inside Nagoya Station.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ9nGEOCdznFgS-dMGl-z1rKWfPX1_hocwFVz4NcFxY6gQ-cSdelbD4lNJUf0gTVgYgpJ2GzRtnc6tc-8K-sgmTsD7FMWdeoC2Tfl2y3CBZPIsEFMK5z50Q-y1Y5xqTnvzwPB3pI7t2J4/s1600/SAM_1517.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" nx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ9nGEOCdznFgS-dMGl-z1rKWfPX1_hocwFVz4NcFxY6gQ-cSdelbD4lNJUf0gTVgYgpJ2GzRtnc6tc-8K-sgmTsD7FMWdeoC2Tfl2y3CBZPIsEFMK5z50Q-y1Y5xqTnvzwPB3pI7t2J4/s320/SAM_1517.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Outside Nagoya Station. </td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBi3o-ye4hOnLW3QMIjBd7QSsb1iMaiRQEzeh3KQbj9Lc3Krr1_vXpxUxJQvX33zqNZB6c1WQH3o5N_PuXzzCwYWYNF6u76oRRQDuzcKLw6tsor7Ey381_9jilgU-v27nghVdbSK9LUWs/s1600/SAM_1519.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" nx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBi3o-ye4hOnLW3QMIjBd7QSsb1iMaiRQEzeh3KQbj9Lc3Krr1_vXpxUxJQvX33zqNZB6c1WQH3o5N_PuXzzCwYWYNF6u76oRRQDuzcKLw6tsor7Ey381_9jilgU-v27nghVdbSK9LUWs/s320/SAM_1519.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I found a beautiful river as I was walking.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3k-59ldDvNO8ySjl0o8OpDp8ik1w9yZ3IggHJfU05INBG884Akv2JD8lxtWnSOnjg4EIq9g-gWeBnPZI03-MOvk6nOAWoJ8Y8-34ewUiYB9qGu2-KvtOTWKmQEDTxr597l1vBbZXSpAY/s1600/SAM_1520.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" nx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3k-59ldDvNO8ySjl0o8OpDp8ik1w9yZ3IggHJfU05INBG884Akv2JD8lxtWnSOnjg4EIq9g-gWeBnPZI03-MOvk6nOAWoJ8Y8-34ewUiYB9qGu2-KvtOTWKmQEDTxr597l1vBbZXSpAY/s320/SAM_1520.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is the Hilton Nagoya Hotel.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbIfjg1Wf-vqo_OMqdvh1Rtx4jlW8UdH50OOobH9vwQ4pQWrUoq4q36KwrlZhsw4alx3_XVBiAvwHr19n5Jyhjrfk6qof1vl5EmSssauN-xEAN4nzRy9hscaMtszA7KlyidkW0ecjeQkk/s1600/SAM_1521.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" nx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbIfjg1Wf-vqo_OMqdvh1Rtx4jlW8UdH50OOobH9vwQ4pQWrUoq4q36KwrlZhsw4alx3_XVBiAvwHr19n5Jyhjrfk6qof1vl5EmSssauN-xEAN4nzRy9hscaMtszA7KlyidkW0ecjeQkk/s320/SAM_1521.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Downtown Sakae is really beautiful.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIET57ZlZCwgAyKdUHo9Jkn07bjmaB0H-nHxIYG7Br_3AwAt0N45D62w6a9_kmuBLOBvw6jSeLUNBMUUqDfiobbHhbO-4JCagS698OVhbubKcKYsa0WsKMrmdpIuhc3B659YSsi0uJmg8/s1600/SAM_1522.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" nx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIET57ZlZCwgAyKdUHo9Jkn07bjmaB0H-nHxIYG7Br_3AwAt0N45D62w6a9_kmuBLOBvw6jSeLUNBMUUqDfiobbHhbO-4JCagS698OVhbubKcKYsa0WsKMrmdpIuhc3B659YSsi0uJmg8/s320/SAM_1522.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In this picture you can see an Outback Steakhouse, a Starbucks and and Emporio Armani. I think it's funny because there is no way to tell that I took this picture in Japan and not America!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF9ExrEvdZCxxTCTf3mRefzPKcWC4O3VrIWfE95Jj4ppnI4FR4w110rs3pERvKf1It0l90geD7gB1dkRokvfZmp8HtSvq8gidExxpHsUDkQ-35Cl1AxV2CfSdG-HURgcE40ptMtowgdSo/s1600/SAM_1523.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" nx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF9ExrEvdZCxxTCTf3mRefzPKcWC4O3VrIWfE95Jj4ppnI4FR4w110rs3pERvKf1It0l90geD7gB1dkRokvfZmp8HtSvq8gidExxpHsUDkQ-35Cl1AxV2CfSdG-HURgcE40ptMtowgdSo/s320/SAM_1523.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Halloween at St. Luke's.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrhR97yoDAE5yxgIVdC0aDcm-fqkRMslbgHln9pi-Pz64hMS0jfrIKkZb9gqbjBCnCoCudjwca061iaYSN5trZRxuEhD0FaTzvIQnqqsvgz75EFRM169sxamiaDMG68eEI-34Yr4HD9Js/s1600/SAM_1526.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" nx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrhR97yoDAE5yxgIVdC0aDcm-fqkRMslbgHln9pi-Pz64hMS0jfrIKkZb9gqbjBCnCoCudjwca061iaYSN5trZRxuEhD0FaTzvIQnqqsvgz75EFRM169sxamiaDMG68eEI-34Yr4HD9Js/s320/SAM_1526.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cute little scarecrow!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2