Second Trimester

Second Trimester has begun and is flying along! Things are going very good. I didn't go anywhere or do anything during summer break in August. It was a much needed time of rest. Summer school, summer club, summer camp was two full weeks of non-stop activity and plain wore me out. It was a fun time but very busy. Second trimester started the last week of August. Since then, we have planned open houses, Little Randy day (a movie "star" elephant, special programs like Jamboree, and a multitude of other activities. To say that this trimester will be busy is a bit of an understatement. Along with that, we are still designing the second grade immersion program in greater detail. I have attached some random pictures to just share with everyone! Enjoy!




Hero & Mari - Ladies I go visiting unique places with while they practice their English skills. It has been quite the blessing doing things with these two!




An Old Japanese Well.










We visited the North Pole! Interestingly Japan is much closer than I thought! And, they serve French cuisine! Actually, this "Guest House" didn't have any rooms and was just a restaurant way out in the middle of nowhere! How anyone found out about it is beyond me. In the States, it all about location. In Japan, I guess, not so! : )



The kids decided to pile their hats upon my head! The cracked me up! Look at those little faces - too cute!

International Center - The Star Festival

On July 12th, the International Center had a Star Festival Activity. The Star Festival is a holiday celebrated August 5,6,7. Sendai is known for their celebrations and the Tanabatas that fly high above the city as visitor's come from all over to see these amazing pieces. Look up Japanese Star Festival on google and you will see some samples of Tanabatas. During this time "wishes" are attached to pieces of bamboo and miniature tanabatas are placed alongside. The wishes are like prayers that the people want to have answered this year. At the International Center, I had the opportunity to wear a Yukata (summer Kimono). The above picture is me with the other ladies who were serving the tea ceremony. The one lady 2nd in from the left was so funny. She just got such a kick out of me in my ensemble. She just loved it and went on and on about it to my friend, Ms. Abe, who was translating the whole to me. It made me laugh.



This is the bow that was tied to the back of my Yukata. I could never reproduce this bow. The ladies go to a special training class to learn how to tie Kimono bows.

This is Paula Lutze and I. She was so funny b/c she has all her clothes on underneath her Yukata. The ladies couldn't find a way to explain that she would be given undercovers to wear to stay modest. Me, I just was lucky and the lady helping me gave me the garments first to put on so I had no problems with changing everything. The undergarments reminded me of light linen/cotton slips.
This is the front view. Not a lot can be said about it. The colors were so pretty. We didn't have many choices. Paula is petite in American standards but in Japan the ladies are so much smaller. There were only a few Yukata's that would fit our more "ample" frames....if you get my meaning! : )
This is my finished "wish". I wrote my name. My "wishes" go straight to God so no need to write them down and put them on a tree....
This lady was so good to show me how to write in Japanese. The strokes are pretty precise or the words/sounds change.
This lady was performing The Green Tea Ceremony.

The Last Month....in review....

I feel really bad that I haven't kept up to speed on this blog. I wanted to keep it as my "online journal". Evidently, that isn't working so well, unless, you measure a successful journal as being one that has been written in regardless of how many days pass between entries. In that case, I have great success!

May was a difficult month for me. I struggled a lot with missing my family, my church, and my friends. I was going through some big time culture adjustments. I was having communication issues with coworkers, and feeling like I couldn't do the job. I know, with no doubt, that God brought me here, so, there is no such option as quitting. You don't quit what God has brought you to do. However, you definitely have to learn to adjust to it - and - that is not easy, at times.

May was Friends' Day at Meysen. It was a time with carts pulled by horses, hotdogs from Costco, American food (popcorn, cheesecake, blueberry muffins, etc.), pony rides, put-put golf, and variety of articles sold and just an overall time to invite friends and family to see what Meysen is all about. There were Open Houses for each class. Mine was just 1 hour but all the parents were comfortably seated in the room while I taught. I didn't mind this time. I somewhat knew what to expect, and was better prepared. The greatest challenge was working 14 days straight. Sunday, May 31, was Marayama's (sister campus) Friends Day. I worked from 6:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. It was a very long day. I had a good time but it was long, non-stop work. Then on June 7th was Takamori Friends' Day. That, too, was a long day but different. I was teaching so didn't have as much to do in the morning. Though clean up was still ahead of me, it made the day a bit easier to handle. After the day was over, my friends Paula and Sara and I went to a place called Tirols. It was delicious! It is Japanese Italian food. The portions were greater than I thought they would be. It was nice to be able to end the day with friends and a relaxing dinner.

The month of June has been passing pretty swiftly. I have come to realize that God is Sovereign - that means that every detail has been worked out by Him, I don't have to worry. Do I worry? Of course, that would be lying to say I didn't. However, He constantly reminds me that there is no point in worrying about it, He's got it. Living here without a phone is an adjustment. I don't wish to have a phone. It just means that you have to learn to plan. So, my story... I got on a bus, 3 minutes to spare, heading for the train station. I was to meet my friends at the second stop, Yaotome, and then go downtown together. However, we never talked about what time to meet, only that we needed to be at our destination by 4:00p.m. We never said I will see you "here" by such and such a time. I got on the bus and prayed the whole time that they would be there and if they weren't there, then, I would sit and wait and study my Japanese book. (That was funny, too, because there was this older gentleman on the bus who was helping me with my sounds....I think he got a kick out of it! There are so many sounds in Japanese to learn!) When I got to the Yaotome station, lo and behold, my friends had just walked up the steps! They were so happy to see me and I them. We hugged and laughed - you would have thought we hadn't seen each other in a year! But, it reminded me that the God I serve is in contact with all of His children - He can relay the message, no problem!

Then, in addition to that, God has reminded me that He is Hope! There is always Hope when you put your trust in God. This statement is made because of so many experiences....it is hard to know where to begin. First, I have been struggling to communicate with my coworkers. It is a very complex scenario to overcome because, though, the words we are saying are the same language, the interpretation and understanding of them are completely different. Through prayer alone and the hope that God would enable communication, we are now understanding each other. Secondly, this is kind of silly, but I met this guy. I am not saying anything than simply this; there are more options in Japan then what I had originally thought. In fact, very handsome and nice options. That is all I will say to that! Increased options are really nice, though, especially, when you think that the options have all been relegated to only a handful and you are prooved wrong! In this case, I am happy to be wrong. But, again, it is to God that all glory is given because with Him ALL Things Are Possible - even nice, single, handsome men in Japan. Can I get an "AMEN"?! Gig, I think of you at this moment. : )

This is a basic summary. There are many more stories that I could share but time does not allow me or, rather, I do not allow the time. Whichever way you look at it - we're done here.
Love Always! cj

A New Mile Marker...

I have successfully navigated the bus from and to my destination of Izumi-chuo!!! This is a big deal! I have in the past experienced great frustrations because I have not known what bus to take. My co-workers have stated time and time again that I need to get on the "right" side of the bus. This would be great advise had anyone else been standing in a line waiting for my bus. However, as on all occasions, there was no one there but myself and a couple others (who hadn't any better idea about what bus to take than I), we got on the bus. The first time, the driver understood enough English or rather the words "Mey-sen Kind-er-gart-en", that he dropped us off in front of our very own apartments. I have no idea if that will ever happen again but it was nice. The second time, we got dropped off 40 minutes walk from our lovely apartments. I didn't like walking in the cold, at night, when I had just spent 5 hours walking downtown. After that experience I was most definetly avoiding the bus system if at all possible. That was about 2 months ago. Then, yesterday, my coworker Becky showed me what she has been talking about all along....getting on the right side of the bus. I know this seems so simple yet, when you see the pixs, you will understand why I had no clue. So, although, I wasn't so fond of the way in which she pointed out it's simplicity, I was happy that I finally got an answer as to getting on the "right" side always. This is another mile marker in my Japanese Adventures. To be able to get to and from home, simply and assuredly, has to count for something, right?!



This is the Bus Terminal Schedule for coming home. It is okay to read but still causes a bit of trouble sometimes This is the Bus Terminal Schedul for going from my house. Green means M-F Blue means Sat and Red means Sun & Holidays.

This is the sign where I am to always get on the bus on the "right" side. Now looking at this bus, would you know if everyone stood on the right side or the left side? Yep, me neither! This is, in fact, one of the buses that would take me every where but my house. A definite "No Go!". So I have learned that I must look for a symbol that reminds me a Tahitian god and then an asterisk tree (one asterisk on top and two right below it). That is my ride home!

Tokyo - I'll add captions after work on 5/2 - start at bottom

Cherry Blossom Fair

Teachers and Staff at Meysen. We went down by a river and looked at a cherry blossom fair. It was fun. Different than what I was expecting but, then again, everything is different! Cherry is also known as Sakura. The "a" is soft like in the old style "amen". And the "r" is curled like in Spanish. fyi

Backrow: Marina, Becky, Me, Annie

Frontrow: Kim

These girls all work with me. Very nice people. Kim is the only one who is came out with me in February.

This was a menu to choose a flavor-filled crepe wrap. Good luck figuring it out! I just pointed to ingredients after someone tried to translate the menue. You know me, I can pretty much figure out how to communicate no matter how silly.

This is Samuel. This is Samuel eating, while driving, with chopsticks! Does this bother anyone else? Samuel is so funny. He swore that he could do this, no problem. So down the road we went. He obviously was successful, since none of us died! He is in charge of another side of Friends Club at Meysen.

A Sakura- Cherry Blossom - tree in the front garden of Meysen. It almost reminded me of a weeping willow. The blossoms were on the tree for, maybe, a week. Like overnight the tree exploded in color, then overnight everything was gone. That is the way of the Sakura. Also, anything with Sakura on it - dishes, clothes, bags, stationary - only are available during April. I bought some wall art in April b/c I didn't know if I would stay on till next April. : P

April in Review...

I can hardly believe that April is over with and today is the first day of May. So many things have happened it is hard to know where to begin. What I do know is that God has blessed me greatly. I am thankful for the good and the bad I have experienced here in Japan.

When I was in college, Jonathan and I talked of visiting Washington D.C. one spring to see the cherry blossoms. The only problem with that was that every year the blossoms came at different times. You can't exactly predict when they are going begin blooming. So, we never went. Then my friend Eric moved to D.C. and I thought, "wow, now I have someone else to go visit and see the cherry blossoms!". But that never happened either. All of this story to say, the whole of Japan blooms for an entire month! The Lord brought me to a whole COUNTRY planted with cherry blossoms! They are truly a beautiful sight to see. In early April, my friends and I took the bullet train and went to Tokyo. That was the beggining of the season. Here in Japan, it is a big deal. Families sit on blue tarps and get drunk under a cherry blossom tree. It lasts for all day or as long as they desire to stay drunk. Interestingly it is not as messy as one would imagine. There are recycle stations at various locations that they can put their glass, burnables, and plastics appropriately trashed. I need to tell my brother to come visit me next April, that is if I am still here.

I started teaching full time this April. That was a different kind of experience. It took me some time to adjust to what was asked of me and to get into a rythm with the kids. The Japanese don't typically enjoy change and, me, I am all about change. These two ideas don't mesh too well. So I am trying to give the kids mostly what they are used to but, also, change it up a little bit, too. Communicating with staff and co-workers is different, too. What is said is not always what is said. Understand? Me neither. That is my problem. But, ultimately, when words don't make sense, I just have to look at their hearts and realize that malicious intent is not in them. I need to learn to take what is given to me and filter it with love, and pray that the Holy Spirit fills in the gaps.

That brings me to the next thought, I miss my church! I miss everything about it. Funny, how that is one of the greatest holes in my heart that cannot be filled. Everything else can be filled with a skype call, phone call, or package. But being apart of my home church cannot be filled. I realize that this is the path for me but it doesn't mean I don't long for home on Sundays.

I have made some good friendships. I have learned the bus system, mostly, except for the exact bus that will drop me off in front of my house. I am still working on that one. It is hard when there are three options, varied only by a little unknown symbol. However, I can walk because I know where I am going, that is good. Things feel less strange and more comfortable. For this, I am grateful. The weather is warming up, so, I am not freezing anymore. I am grateful for this. Being cold is not my forte.

I miss my peeps! I love you all! Write or call when you can. I will purpose to be better with updates and such on my blog. I know ya'll like seeing and reading about what is going on over here.

Updated pictures....

So below are more recent pictures of my apartment. First, is the Toilet Room. Didn't want that one to be first but, alas, there is no getting around it. If anyone is taller than 5'8", good luck with this Toitlet Room. It is sooooo tiny. But the good news, there is a handwashing faucet right in that room w/towel. The soap I had to rubberband it to the wall because it doesn't stay upright very easily on that ledge. So...there's the toilet.....

This is my kitchen. In fact, this is all the kitchen I have. I am working on getting a narrow table to put in here, against the wall opposite this area, so that I can use it for a counter. Otherwise, this is all the counter space to be had. The microwave/toaster oven/oven is pretty cool - small but cool. They need to make these available in the States.

Behold, my living room/bedroom part 1. I like it. It is cozy but everything matches. There are a lot of windows and I like it. That is all that matters.

My living room/bedroom part 2.

Below, the Friend's Club office and teachers. I just thought I would compare their space to ours. We've got it good! Kevin is the only one interested in looking at the camera. Everyone else is too shy.

For preschool graduation, the teachers dress in Kimonos. They lookes really nice. I will have the opportunity to dress in a Kimono. When that happens, there will be pictures! Watch out!