I'm Here!!!

Sorry I haven’t written yet! Life has been a whirlwind of traveling, catching up with long lost Japanese friends, trying to get oriented to a new area, unpacking, working, and a never ending series of orientations. I’m gonna break this one up by topic so you can read as you like. It’ll probably be pretty long. Gomen ne! (Sorry!) Look forward to shorted anecdotes and random stories in the future, but this is the general overview to set the scene. J

Flight Over:
ANA Airlines: most uncomfortable seat ever! I didn’t sleep a wink, but I was sitting next to a super friendly/interesting guy from the program who is working in Okayama (a few hours south of here), so we talked for most of the 11 hour flight. It is his first time to Japan and he doesn’t speak Japanese, so it was fun to get to teach him as much as possible on the plane, and give him a tour of the Tokyo landmarks as we traveled from the airport to the hotel.

Tokyo Orientation:
Imagine. 600+ foreigners, most in their 20s, looking sharp in business attire, all living in one hotel in the heart of Tokyo. Weird experience. I’ve never seen so much schmoozing and so much click forming go down in one place in such a short amount of time. It felt like not being in Japan, cause everyone was speaking English. Some of the sessions were helpful, some weren’t. I got to meet up with my YWAM friends the night I flew in, my friends from study abroad and my church in LA the next night, and the next night I ditched the hotel and went and stayed with my host family in Yokohama. It was so nice to see everyone! It felt like coming home in a weird sort of way. It looks like I am headed to Tokyo twice next month to see friends. The Nozomi Shinkansen, the fasted bullet train ever, connects Nagoya (30 mins from here) and Tokyo in a short hour and a half ride. The downer is it's the same as buying an airline ticket.

Yokkaichi:
Yokkaichi is my new city! Its alright I guess. Its super super industrial, and although I am close to the beach, its super super industrial. Just from the city, its definitely not one of my favorite places in Japan, but life is about people and not places. I loved living in La Mirada because I loved my classes and loved my friends, not because I loved La Mirada. I think it will be the same thing here. God has be here for a reason, we’ll just have to wait and see what it is!

Apartment:
I got really shafted on the apartment situation. Eight of the people working for this board of education are living in small apartments closer to the train station and the shopping, with a nice view of a garden out their window. Three of us are living in apartments 40% smaller, farther away, and with a view of a parking lot that houses semis. Cool… My kitchen is literally a recess in the 3 foot entrance hallway. I can lean on the wall while I cook. The sink in at my waist, but if I lean forward I hit my head on the other wall. There is literally zero counter space, and I have 2 shelves that are about 6 inches by six inches. No joke. And it's the same rent as everyone else is paying. LAME. I just had my first meal here alone, and I almost had a breakdown cause I never eat alone when I am back in the states. One of my Japanese friends called me though, and it was soooo soooooo nice to catch up with her! It totally changed my attitude. YAY video conferencing! It makes me feel like I am less alone over here as I really am. (The other people in this apartment aren’t here yet, so I am really by myself).

First day of work:
I got totally totally lost on my way to the other apartment complex yesterday to meet with the others (who all live together) to head to the train station. I had gotten all dressed up for work, and then had to ride my bike in pelting rain with no umbrella. I wore a trash bag to try to stay a little dry, but it didn’t do much for my legs and hair. I got totally lost, and thought if I could just know where the convenience store I could orient myself. I found this little Japanese woman to ask, and totally lost it trying to ask her, “Where…sob SOB SOB… is the… sniffle… convenient…SOB…store?” So by the time I rolled up to their apartment I looked like a drowned rat. And then I got to go to work and introduce myself to my new coworkers. *sigh* I am working in the education department of city hall for the next month until school starts. I have my own little desk in the Japanese style office of education on the 9th floor (great view!) My own desk means that I have a seat at a giant table that everyone works at, including my boss. They gave us the day off to get situated today. Monday, I meet the mayor. The rest of the month is curriculum prep and doing teachers training seminars for the Japanese teachers of English.

Co-Workers:
I love LOVE LOVE the people I am going to be working with. My boss, Ms. Irie, is super super kind and sweet. Jenn, one of the second years, has fully dedicated herself to making sure Jason (the other new person) and I are completely taken care of. She has spent all day taking us around, getting us oriented, taking us shopping, making sure we are fed, helping us get our cell phones, etc. for the last two days. She’s pretty much my favorite person ever right now! I really think we are going to be good friends. J Everyone else is super cool too. There’s 5 new people coming tomorrow, and they start work on Monday. I am so thankful we got a few extra days to get settled!!

Health:
Both my feet are hurting me now. SO LAME! If you could keep that in your prayers, it would be awesome!

Church: I’m trying to meet up with the pastor doing a church plant here ASAP. We’ll see how that goes. J

Weather:
In the 90’s and a million percent humidity. Sauna anyone?

Tomorrow:
Yokkaichi-Matsuri!! Our city’s yearly festival with a lot of Taiko drumming and dancing.

Prayer Requests:
-Emotional Health: If you can’t tell, I’m taking the transition really hard. The summer was so busy, I am just now starting to realize that I don’t go to college anymore. I really really miss my Biola friends, and wanna move back in to the old house we rented last year. Not possible even if I wasn’t in Japan. Please pray that I would be able to process in a healthy way, keep a positive attitude and not be homesick.
-That God would bless my relationships with the people I am going to be meeting, and have met.
-Pray my feet would get better.
-Pray for my fam. I think they miss me quite a bit.

THANKS FRIENDS!!!!!!!!!!!! You mean the world to me, and the reason I am feel homesick is cause I want to be with you! So know you are loved!!!