Blown away and tears : Round 1

We've had a monthly 20's-ish group hang out, so I wanted one last one before leaving. As the initiator this time I got to choose where, so of course it was something I've never had, Nepalese. But that's not the point of this post. Yes it was delicious, no it's not the same as Indian, but it is similar.

These wonderful people have been one my pillars of support by the grace of God. They have been so kind, honest, and welcoming, exemplifying God's "family" community. I just wanted to hang out with them again for this last dinner, but then I was given many engagement/wedding/goodbye gifts. I was blown away by their thoughtfulness and generosity. That's part 1.

Since my first Sunday here when Natsuki showed me around church, and then her family from January 1st celebrating Japanese New Year's, this family has welcomed me in as family in Japan. They teach me about Japan, cook amazing food, show me new places, introduce me to new things... they've taught me through example how to be hospitable, relaxed, and loving. With their home cooking, long conversations, laughter, and kind hospitality, they made me feel at home. That's part 2.

 the energetic, hardworking, funny store managers  the planner, Amiko   

My coworker planned a goodbye dinner which I thought was just our office, but it ended up being a surprise goodbye party with many other people we have been working closely with, the Japanese staff from our client's company. Some people that couldn't come wrote a card (being read in the photo above) and they gave me many goodbye/wedding gifts. I was so touched by everyone's generosity and kind words, I didn't, and still don't know how to respond. Needless to say, many tears were part of the goodbye on Friday, my last day of work. Even my boss, who doesn't seem like the emotional type, teared up a few times at our last shu-rei (traditional Japanese "end of the day assembly/meeting"). I had to write letters to each one because I knew I wouldn't be able to get anything meaningful out without crying if I tried to say it. That's part 3.

Since many of us at the office are foreigners in Japan, somehow affiliated whether by blood or marriage, we immediately had a connection. In Japanese you can say people have "the same smell" when you feel that kind of connection right away. I could never imagine better coworkers. It really is possible to love the people you work with and to look forward to working with them every day. Maybe I'm unnecessarily pessimistic, but there seems to generally be those that are not quite as enjoyable company like that one annoying one, that one slow one, that loud one, etc, but I was wrong! God gave me an amazing work family that made a home and community for me here. On Friday after 1.5 hours of sleep (baking cookies and writing letters), when the morning commute was exceptionally cozy and I had to look up to breath any remotely fresh air, even then I was sad to think it was the last morning commute to see them.

 My office family :)

I was dreading this part- being attached and having to leave...it is harder than I anticipated.

Since my internet is so slow I will work on Blown Away Round 2 tomorrow (about this weekend). I have to get some sleep to get busy tomorrow during the (VERY FEW) office hours of the bank, post office, and ward. Seriously, how is it possible that such an advanced country's bank hours are all 9am-3pm, and charge for ATM use (at your own bank!) before and after 9am-6pm, and close down except in a few major sites after 10pm?? It's like you have to take time off to put money in the bank...only a few more days of this system that I'm still not quite used to. Despite those things, I will miss so much here.

My favorite verse Ephesians 3:14-21 experienced over and over:

"For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen."

He strengthened me, he covered me in love that surpasses knowledge through His people, and continually did far more abundantly than what I asked or imagined. Praise the Lord for his kindness and provision.

7:54am PANIC

I had a moment of panic at 7:54am. I am always on the 7:53am train, but today I was still in bed. I've never been late to work except one time when the trains completely stopped when it snowed. For any business related meeting or work in Japan, being on time is late so I'm always early ("on time"). I figured that out soon after I started working here based on a comment when I was five minutes early (that was practically late).Praise the Lord I made it to work at 8:56. That's crazy. I was out the door in 8 minutes (hence the ponytail) from the moment I looked at my phone. I did my makeup on the platform behind a column in three minutes before my third transfer..and I ran, knocking people out with my duffle bag during transfers. The rush hour trains are not ideal for anything bigger than a small clutch. Sometimes I'm sure a little person running in a trench coat with a duffle bag and purse flying on either side was a funny site to see.

I got permission to leave work early to catch my flight. Since it's Golden Week starting tomorrow, the flights tomorrow cost three times as much. Now I'm on my way to Nagasaki! This is my present state: between super excited, tired, relieved...and waiting for a bus. One bus, two trains, two flights, and then a train away!

Snack time at the airport.

Last night I got off work at 9:30pm and then packed for the trip. The night before was my church small group Bible study, and the day before my friend was visiting. I will post my friend adventures from April 19-29 when I have better Internet connection to upload photos, but for now I'm at least due for a brief update.

Life has been nonstop since mid-April when my mom came, then my sister and niece, then a high school friend, then college friend, now Nagasaki, and then I only have two weeks to figure out all this legal stuff before moving back. It is a lot like when I first moved here: except this time removing my residency, health insurance, social security fees, transferring money, canceling my phone plan, cleaning the house completely since this time no one will live there, visiting my grandma as a few times, packing, sending my stuff.

Honestly it is overwhelming and stressful to think of figuring it out alone again. During the beginning of my time here, that was probably the hardest part. But this time I am 100% sure, based on last time, that God will help me through.

Psalms 9:1-2 I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart; I will recount all of your wonderful deeds. I will be glad and exult in you; I will sing praise to your name, O Most High.

Psalms 18:29-30 For by you I can run against a troop, and by my God I can leap over a wall. This God—his way is perfect; the word of the Lord proves true; he is a shield for all those who take refuge in him.

I'm not in fact alone at all! I understand why many psalms are about remembering God's faithfulness and trusting Him, since that is what gives me peace this time around.

Japanese eyebrows and a Nagasaki prayer answered!

A few perks of retail related work:- being up to date on trends, research = browsing stores, magazines, blogs - checking up on our stores = going to malls and shopping centers - more lenient dress code for a Japanese company = stretchy skinny pants, slacks only on occasion

My blogging has mostly been on trains recently since I spend many, many hours on them. There's currently a creepy man with sunglasses smirking directly across from me. I moved. People don't really wear sunglasses here, so especially in a train on a cloudy day it's pretty questionable. When I was visiting one of our stores I was asking about what is selling, customer feedback, etc, and sunglasses weren't selling at all. The associate explained how Japanese people's eyes and eyebrows are further apart than Caucasian people's, so it is hard to find sunglasses that don't show off your eyebrows above the top of the sunglasses. Also, without the little nose grips, they tend to slide down. When she worked at Gucci before she said many customers added them so the sunglasses wouldn't slip down. That reminded me, a few weeks ago on a train (half my stories are from the train, it's like I live on a train haha) a group of young people surrounding me were analyzing my face, not knowing I speak Japanese. I think I've mentioned before, people think I'm Spanish or Eastern European, not Japanese. One of the comments they made was "her eyes and eyebrows are close!" I thought that was such a strange observation but it makes sense now, it seems to be a desirable feature...?

With so many things coming up back to back, I was getting stressed especially about where to stay in Nagasaki when I go with a friend in two weeks. It's during "Golden Week" which is a bunch of national holidays in one week, AKA one of the most busy times for travel. After spending weeks researching, emailing, etc, it seemed that the rest of Japan was going to Nagasaki too because there were NO vacancies for two of the days right in the middle of Golden Week (unfortunately a short, Golden Weekend this year because the holidays fell on the weekend). I have been wanting to go to Nagasaki since my senior show when I started research on Japanese Christian history, and had this sort of calling like feeling to go. (Photos of the Japanese Christian history related paintings on my art blog: click here) I prayed and prayed for God to provide a place, then after work yesterday I got a call from one of the hotels saying they had vacancies for a room (for two since I'm going with a friend) during the busiest days!! And at a very reasonable price in a good location! PRAISE THE LORD. I was overjoyed and am still so grateful for this clear answer to prayer! I emailed places that said they were full, including this one, praying and hoping that God may work something out and He did! I hope that what I learn in Nagasaki will be used to serve God in some way. He works in unexpected ways so I'm looking forward to this.

On my lunch break at the shopping center today I bought a cheap duffle bag for the Nagasaki trip at a stand with a sales guy shouting about the special prices and limited time assortment. Aside from the effect on the poor man's vocal cords, the technique proved effective with tons of middle and older aged ladies crowding the area...plus me. This seems to be a common scenario at fish markets, produce shops, department store food floors. Where are the young people?? Anyways, ¥1000 yen later, ready to go!

There's my post summarized in a photo. Notice the distance between my eyes and eyebrows and that black mesh thing is part of my duffle bag. YAY!

Auntie Ema time and a newspaper headline

This was funny: spinning drying fish in Ginza.

Some highlights from the visit:

We love fish in Japan.

This sweet little lady has so much energy. She knows how to say cheese for photos now! And she talks, like making conversation. Impressive, she just turned two yesterday. I was probably still gnawing on crayons and making confetti with Mina's homework.

It's fun to finally be able to show them around instead of the other way around. We went to Sato Yoske, a noodle shop since the 1860s.

I would be more than happy to be just half as cute as she is as a mom!

This month is flying by already. I feel like I'm on a floatie in an ocean, going with the flow and hoping to make it through. My mom visited last week, then overlapped with my sister and niece for a day, and now it's just my sister and niece. When I arrive home it is nice to see the light on and say "tadaima" and hear "okaeri" in response. I'm not ready to be a mother though (I guess nobody says they ever are) because I wake up in a slight panic when my niece cries in the middle of the night. I'm sure that's something parents get used to. My sister said if any mom is completely honest, having kids reveals anger management issues that you may never have known of. Unfortunately, I am afraid of what more that kids will reveal in me because my commute has already made my anger crystal clear. I'm not the type to ever lash out in a fit of rage, but that "ughh" feeling is definitely anger. Even as I write this I'm getting over how my second train was one minute late, making me miss my third train by about 30 seconds. I may sound insanely precise, but everyone I have talked to here who does some kind of morning train commute can relate with the importance of that one minute, even a few seconds. I can't just speed up to make up for it, I have to watch the train leave and wait for the next one. It has been a good lesson to be satisfied living life on a floatie and going with the flow since there's absolutely nothing I can do about it. Some thoughts from this week's train rides (that just sounds more fun than "commute"): Sir I sincerely hope that is your briefcase... One man down. My shoe lost the commute battle, missing flower. Having my butt nested under yours while being squished from all sides was exactly how I wanted to start this morning.

I got sick about 10 days ago, not major, just fever, migraine, congestion, lost voice, typical virus symptoms. I haven't been sick since November! With work events until late evening this past week, recovery is slow but I'm sounding less and less like a dying toad. It was a combination of lack of sleep and stress. I talked to my boss the Friday before about leaving. For the most part I really like my job, and I have been meeting top executives and hearing how they think, joking around with them, things that people working for those companies for years may never have a chance to do. On Saturday with a client's store opening, I didn't think twice about the CEO giving me a hug but now that I think of it, that's pretty unusual. Also being in the first headline article of the Ginza Economy Newspaper was definitely not an everyday experience. This was at a press presentation for one of our clients. (See link for photo and article in Japanese)

http://ginza.keizai.biz/headline/2257/

The Tommy Bahama food is delicious.

Basil mint lemonade, seared ahi tuna, ahi tuna tacos, hamachi and yuzu citrus appetizer, piña colada cake. Even using Japanese ingredients, I didn't realize until I talked to Japanese guests, how foreign this food was. My coworker got a mango and chicken salad. They don't really do giant entree salads which I love at Japanese restaurants. Even though I will seriously miss Japanese food there are some foods to look forward to :)

I said goodbye to my sister and niece on Monday morning. Before I can even start to get lonely, I have two more visitors, then a trip to Nagasaki for Japanese history research, and then 3 weeks after that I will be home.

2 Corinthians 4:16-18 So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. 17 For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, 18 as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.

I always have this on my mind since one of my favorite professors explained it to us: Christians are always somewhat homesick.

It's true. No, not for California, but for heaven.

2 Corinthians 5:7-10 for we walk by faith, not by sight. 8 Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord. 9 So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him. 10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.

Sweet Naan and Sweet Potatoes

I'm hooked on the above. Japanese-Indian food and Japanese sweet potatoes. I think because of the high standard of all bakeries in Japan, the naan at Indian restaurants has to be excellent to keep up and satisfy Japanese customers who are accustomed to really good bread. Naan (type of Indian/middle eastern oven-baked flat bread), as well as kimchi (Korean spicy pickled vegetables) in Japan are definitely sweeter than in the states. Since Japanese food tends to be sweet (like teriyaki...we even use sweet cooking wine in case the recipe doesn't call for any sugar), maybe the ethnic food caters to sweet taste buds. I have a sweet tooth and happily accept the possibly less-authentic versions of ethnic food. Until I visit India (hopefully someday!!) I won't know whether the Japanese-Indian or California-Indian is closer to the original.

Japanese sweet potatoes are everywhere, and many places sell fresh steamed sweet potatoes or stone-baked sweet potatoes that are ready to eat. Just like there are at least 5 kinds of potatoes that are white inside in the states, there are usually about 5 different varieties of sweet potatoes (but one kind of white potato). I often buy the steamed/baked ones and uncooked bags to bake in the oven wrapped in foil, and probably eat at least two a day. Hooked/fixed/obsessed/however you describe it, it's like dessert and a meal combined in one, and is perfect on its own without sauce or sugar. God made amazing things. I finally am starting to notice the variations between the yellow inside/purple outside sweet potatoes. I used to think they're potatoes, how different could they be? You'd be surprised! (This is five different kinds of sweet potatoes, all different textures and flavors)

I also am making the most of this abundant, affordable, fresh seafood from fish markets. It's crazy that one small pack of strawberries is about 500 yen (over $5) while a whole fresh mackerel can be 88 yen (less than $1) from a fish market. I'll wait to buy strawberries at Costco this summer and in the meantime buy fresh squid and seaweed for 300 yen combined. Pictured below:

Fresh seaweed (very crunchy, really good!), fusion (made up) bibimbap with raw tuna, uni, mixed sashimi, WHALE sashimi, seaweed salad, and mini squid, boiled.

I had Puerto Rican food for the first time at a new restaurant called Ramichan Cafe, run by  the baseball player (Ramirez) Ramichan's wife from Puerto Rico. Lots of spices, fresh ingredients, plantains, meat and seafood.

The above portion was written almost two weeks ago...sorry for the delay! My internet connection has been really unreliable, and work has been busier than usual so I haven't gotten a chance to get back to the post and write. As fun as food is, it's not that important so I didn't want to post until I had something more substantial. Don't get me wrong, there are many benefits of food like praising God for taste buds, being able to enjoy variety, a channel for creativity, facilitating fellowship and spending time with people, maintaining health, etc, but it's nowhere near the core of what I really care about.

It has been over four months since I left home, and even thoughI have finally gotten adjusted to life here there are many challenges each day. Before I left, I asked God to put me in a place where I have no choice but to rely on Him, and that I will experience Him as my comforter. He has answered my prayer and drawn me so close that my thoughts, life, motivation, and everything would make no sense if He was removed. I am seeing more of how challenges bring to light things that I normally hide, like pride in wanting credit for something or wanting to control situations. I've had to go with the flow much more, like on Friday my 30 minute trip home turning into 2+ hours because of a train accident. For each situation, God has given me a response:

When I get frustrated or stressed about work:

Colossians 3:23 Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.

When I am down and discouraged, His response:

2 Corinthians 1:3-5 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For as we share abundantly in Christ's sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too.

This comfort comes through His constant presence and love:

Isaiah 41:8-10, 13 But you, Israel, my servant, Jacob, whom I have chosen, the offspring of Abraham, my friend; you whom I took from the ends of the earth, and called from its farthest corners, saying to you, “You are my servant, I have chosen you and not cast you off”; fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand...  For I, the Lord your God, hold your right hand; it is I who say to you, “Fear not, I am the one who helps you.”

He has blessed me over and over again, often through other people. I never know what each day will bring, but I am confident in God's promise, "My grace is sufficient for you, my power is made perfect in weakness." I'm glad to be weak so I can see clearly that God is working. His work is always beyond my imagination, as it should be! (which brings me back to one of my favorite verses)

Ephesians 3:20-21 Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

Post coming soon about sakura (cherry blossom) season and potluck cherry blossom viewing lunch with my favorite lunch group ladies from church.

Falling from a tree

Let's start here. This reminder makes the following conversation a little funnier.  I got Page to take purikura (these sticker pictures you can write on/put stamps and backgrounds on). He barely fit in the purikura booth, and his head went over the backdrop screen. Most things aren't made for someone 185cm... more convenient for those around 155cm (like me).

Funny conversation while walking in Ginza after work with a man, maybe late 20's, who came walking alongside me.

* [ _____ ] are my thoughts*

"~~~~" in Japanese

"umm I don't know what you're saying." [I know exactly what you're saying. Leave me alone.]

"Oh, I speak English! [Great.] I lived in San Francisco some weeks...(blahblahblah kept talking) Can I have your autograph?"

"What? No."

"I see you in a magazine, or movie."

"Nope, never."

"You are beautiful, you look someone who I see..."

"Nope."

"Are you going somewhere?" [Obviously]

"Yup."

"Are you busy?" [How did you know? Does no eye contact, no glance in your direction, and speed walking give it away?]

"Yes."

"How long have you been in Japan? Are you busy now?"

[Since 2 seconds ago when you asked last? Yes, still busy...and I'm so glad you asked!] "3 months. I'm getting married and going to find a dress now." (I was really on my way to make an appointment at a bridal shop.)

"ohh.........you marry. How many?"

"1...?"

"Oh, one, not two? Me too, one time, but that's ok!"

"Oh." [I have no idea what you're talking about. Maybe divorced?] (and I sped up)

"Well have a nice time."

"Thanks."

Those conversations are free entertainment, sometimes so ridiculous they're humorous. I am curious as to who he thought I looked like, but I couldn't be happier for someone to ask me what I'm about to go do. There's a famous Japanese dress designer (maybe comparable to Vera Wang, of Japan) named Hatsuko Endo, whose main shop is in Ginza. They have many rental shops all over Tokyo, but the main boutique is in Ginza. The rentals alone range from 10,000 yen~ 50,000 yen!

I can't help much with venue searching since my internet is unreliable and slow when it works. I'm grateful for a very kind fiance who is doing so much work to research and plan while I'm gone.

Many of you know how I feel about public speaking. It's worse than running...and there are few things I like less than running (except on rare occasion, maybe once every few months). I started the semi-ridiculous Insanity exercise program a while back because I preferred that over running for cardio. Now public speaking is worse than that, so basically I prefer to be a wallflower or hide away in the background instead of stand in front of people.  For work I've been interpreting and it has been quite a challenge explaining sulfur dye printing, import regulations, and copyright issues on the spot in Japanese in front of a group for staff training. By the end of day two I felt much more comfortable than day one. My boss compared practicing this way, diving in head first to sink or swim, to mother hens dropping their baby chicks out of the nest to either figure out how to fly or fall to... you get the point. She was the mother hen. Fortunately she followed that up with saying she was confident we (my coworker and I) would do a great job. (I think that was more for motivation than an honest opinion.)  The good part besides practically gaining experience is that I have to be sure to spend time in the morning putting each day in the Lord's hands instead of my own grasp. I trust that He will sustain me and carry me through each day, even while public speaking and interpreting! I'll jump out of the tree to tackle this fear but I know I'm not free falling- I'm in His hands.

Psalms 28:6-8

Blessed be the Lord! For he has heard the voice of my pleas for mercy. The Lord is my strength and my shield; in him my heart trusts, and I am helped; my heart exults, and with my song I give thanks to him. The Lord is the strength of his people; he is the saving refuge of his anointed.

Psalm 121

I lift my eyes up to the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. He will not let your foot be moved; he who keeps you will not slumber. Behold, he who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. The Lord is your keeper; the Lord is your shade on your right hand. The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night. The Lord will keep you from all evil; he will keep your life. The Lord will keep your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forevermore.

Yoga time

Over this past year, much with the help of my mentor, I have been changing things to ease up in many areas. According to those employment personality type assessments, I'm an "Achiever." The pros- highly motivated and goal oriented, but the cons- perfectionist and "never good enough." One of the things I have been trying to ease up on is filling each moment, needing to be productive (at least in ways that I thought were actively productive). This is unhealthy, don't do it! When it came to fitness I was equally "motivated" and doing Insanity, the body-weight version of P90X, a very intense, high impact exercise program for over a year. Watching a youtube clip advertisement is enough to wear you out, but I was determined to do it. It was effective in terms of fitness alone, but not overall well-being, so I've decided to take a break. I haven't been doing it that often for many months now, even before I left I was on and off of it depending on time. My official break began partly because of physical exhaustion from the commute. Walking, taking 3 trains, and walking again just one way to work is still taking a toll. [Other reasons are TMI (too much info) for a public blog!] Anyways, I've switched to yoga. Again, maybe extreme coming from the high impact cardio, but the past week of it has been lovely. I can listen to any music or pray while going through the poses. I'm also increasing my calcium and vitamin intake, finally realizing I can't take my health for granted. By being much less comfortable and having to figure things out here, I've seen many things I previously took for granted. God has changed my heart to be more grateful on a regular basis.

I've been continuing the early morning start to get my mindset and priorities set before the day begins. It has given me more peace throughout the day. Now incorporating a five minute "sun salutation" yoga session.

 As entertaining as it would likely be to include a photo of me doing these poses, I'll spare you all.

I'm in a small group Bible study about Job (not employment, that's the guy's name), studying material along with the rest of the small groups at church. It's a three part study, including the weekend sermon, our personal study with materials given, and watching a DVD lesson that the pastor put together.

The two things that have stood out most so far through reading more on Job:

1) Job's honest "lament-laden worship" (quoted from ESV commentary) after he lost his possessions and family. He didn't pretend he could be happy all the time, but worshipped even in sadness. There have been some difficulties I can't write about here, but I am reminded to go to my heavenly Father's presence and be openly torn/sad/heartbroken about the situation while still praising God for who he ALWAYS is.

2) God won't let go of us or undo salvation; we are firmly planted in his hand. Satan tried to prove to God that Job would turn away, but Job's response shows that God's saving work is powerful and permanent.

Psalm 37:23-24 The steps of a man are established by the Lord, when he delights in his way; though he fall, he shall not be cast headlong, for the Lord upholds his hand.

Psalm 121:4 Behold, he who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. The Lord is your keeper; the Lord is your shade on your right hand. The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night. The Lord will keep you from all evil; he will keep your life. The Lord will keep your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forevermore.

Jude 24 Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.

Last Friday at the youth/young adult service the pastor taught on Jude 24. It seems to be a theme, that even though circumstances may be difficult and hard to deal with, God is holding on to me and won't let me go.

Part 2. Excitement like my appetite.

I couldn't finish the week in one post, but even two is a only a really short summary. While I worked for two days, he explored around Tokyo and found his way around to get to Nikko. I went once over ten years ago and mainly remember the see/hear/speak no evil monkeys being much smaller than expected for how famous they are.  He said that it was freezing (much more snow than Tokyo!) but beautiful, and a nice change from the busy city.

He met me after work and we went first for appetizers, to the best rated Taiyaki (traditional fish-shaped sweet red bean pastry) shop. The crust was super thin and crispy, with their homemade anko (sweet red bean paste) inside that was divine. They bake (or however you call making something on an iron like that) them for 30 minutes to get that perfect crust.  That's the only thing they sell, no variations, nothing else. According to my brother, if they specialize in one thing and stay open for that long, they must be pretty good at it. So far his logic has proved true when trying out new places in Tokyo. Then we went to eat Yuzu (Japanese citron) Ramen and Chashu pork bowl, another really well known place. The yuzu made the normally heavy tasting ramen much more refreshing! We shared those because without me telling him, somehow he knew that there was still round 3 coming for "dinner." I wanted to take him to a traditional "yakitori" pub. It's like grilled chicken skewers, except not necessarily chicken...more like parts of chicken. We got a few unusual parts, and he was pleasantly surprised at how good they were.

I love stone-baked sweet potatoes!! That's probably the ONLY thing I will miss about winter here. I am ready for spring!

A little representation of America in Japan, the Texas Burger at McDonalds. Daifuku from a famous place I grew up coming to (Mochi with sweet red bean).

 Konnyaku (devil's tongue)

And a real cow tongue...taste buds and all. "Gnarly" is how Page described it.

I grew up going to this street bazaar that is held 3 times a month, and pretty well known for old ladies (as you may see in the background). It's always bustling, and the average age is at least 70. Among the food and relatively wide customer range merchandise available to purchase, there are also funny things like bright red underwear, thick high rise light pink fuzzy long underwear, every imaginable type of seaweed and dried squid. I was excited that one of the days he was here was one of the street bazaar days. Oh, and maybe I should mention it was Valentine's Day. That could be taken as either, I have not even one ounce of romance in me to go smell fish and see grandma underwear OR these old people are sweet, let's grow old together. I prefer the latter interpretation.

We had some Japanese festival-type food. I LOVE takoyaki (octopus balls...? the English translation always sounds awful) but he wasn't a huge fan. Was it the large dried fish flakes? Seaweed flakes? Tentacles? The smell? Beats me, I have no idea. He had 1, I had the other 5. That's a pretty balanced ratio, right?

He was a huge fan of the caramel custard Obanyaki.

There are so many types of "yaki" in Japanese street food, many that I have already written about. Maybe it's comparable to a waffle, making it on a shaped iron plate, and can be savory or sweet.

Mitarashi-dango, another variety of mochi with a sweet soy sauce.

For Valentine's Day we decided to take a short break from soy sauce and mochi-related food and try out Japanese Italian food in Shinjuku.

Even at an Italian restaurant we couldn't get away from fish eggs. It was in the sauce for the fried calamari.

Or from Japanese mushrooms, in the hand-made spinach pasta dish.

I'm pretty sure the balsamic foie gras with risotto didn't have any distinctly Japanese ingredients.  

The food was really good, but I think we were both most impressed by this bathroom. It felt like the room was moving!

Tsukiji day!

Page isn't a morning person, and he was on vacation, but this sushi will probably get him up at any hour any day. We went to Tsukiji early in the morning, waited in line for 2.5 hours at one of the two most popular sushi restaurants right outside of the fish market. (Tsukiji is the largest fish market in the world.) I included photos of maguro (fatty tuna) and uni (sea urchin) because those were incredible too. This doesn't show all of the sushi.  We did "omakase" (leaving it up to the chef, so he has a menu for the day depending on what the best catches were for the day). The chef was right in front of us and would make each one at a time for us to eat. The top three in terms of impact were:

Buri

Shirako

Hokkigai

The Buri was absolutely delicious, generous cut of fresh fish with the perfect amount of rice and wasabi. I can't explain how perfect it was.

Shirako was a first for me, and maybe last but no promises. It's cod sperm. The taste was surprisingly pleasant and the texture was smooth. I had a very awkward conversation with the sushi chef and even made him blush because of a comment I made about it that sounded very inappropriate...I'm still embarrassed and won't go into detail!

The third was Hokkigai, a type of shellfish from Hokkaido. I forgot to translate after the chef explained it in Japanese and after all these slapping sounds (preparing the sushi for a few people) Page was a bit confused and asked me why he was smacking the food on the counter. It stimulates the muscles of the shellfish, which is still alive when the chef prepares it, and then stiffens to the perfect consistency to eat. Its muscles were still contracting when we got it. It started out flat on the rice, and curled up, falling off the rice sideways a few seconds later.

Then I really wanted Page to try these oysters at a place also in Tsukiji because it changed my opinion about oysters. This is their seasonal dish, but they're famous for tonkatsu (pork cutlet) and omuraisu (omelet-rice dish) so we got both. Another example of our unusual eating ratio, Page had about 3-4 bites and I finished the rest...after the egg omelet, eel riceball, red bean croissant, and sushi.

Another day he went with me to do lots of grandma-related errands, and the district ward is right by the Tokyo baseball stadium so we walked by it. Then we visited my grandma and took her out to dinner. She was delighted to meet him, and spoke as much English as she could remember. I hope I can speak random foreign languages that I normally never use when I'm 91!

In that one week we had so much mochi and fish, both cooked and raw.  We also went to one of the best rated mame daifuku (bean mochi with sweet red bean filling) places.

  Japanese diners serve classy food. Green tea warabi-mochi with black honey and vanilla soft serve.

I'm still excited beyond words thinking about getting married to this guy, and it makes me do silly, cheesy things like pose with "fiancee" hand lotion.

But I'd say this photo reflects that his excitement is pretty close to mine. If we had an excitement ratio, I'd argue that it's kind of like my appetite, maybe hard to believe there's so much there because I'm not that outwardly expressive, but it's pretty intense.

 Ok sorry Page, I promise it's the last time I'm publicly posting this photo. We can be normal too: 

Part 1. "I love you."

Sorry for the delayed post. I've been kind of engaged in other activities. Reading that bad pun may have made you wince, but I couldn't help it. I'M ENGAGED!! When I heard him say "I love you" for the first time, I knew it was coming (read on for an explanation later in the post). That was about 2 seconds before the will you marry me part of the proposal, so no I didn't expect the actual proposal at all because he successfully misled me to think it wouldn't be for a long time. To be honest, I'm not sure if "Will you marry me" were the actual words because I was in shock. At least it was a really happy shock :) Here are some highlights from his visit:

"Best dorayaki (like a red bean honey pancake)  in Tokyo" in Asakusa. 2x the price of a normal one, but 5x the flavor.

I asked the Asakusa-manju man to let him try out the traveling manju stand. You hold it on your shoulders. He has been doing it for 15 years or so!

This tempura shop, (brown tempura because of sesame oil) has been going strong for over 100 years!  Making Okonomiyaki (savory Japanese pancake, they bring you the ingredients and you make it on the iron plate on the table). The man can cook, I want to marry him ;)

1. Take your shoes off to go in.

2. He will be a great roommate but I'll never be able to borrow his shoes.

 I want this pig lantern.

The pre-engagement shot 1.

Pre engagement shot 2, floor 52 of Sky View in Roppongi.

He met my favorite lunch crew!

Shibuya crossing performance artist- 4000 hugs and counting!

Trying a churro in Japan. PRETTY TASTY. It competes with Costco churros.

Seared raw chicken.

Chicken liver- type of yakitori. Typical pub fare.

Horned shell liver with ponzu gelee.

We know how to eat :)

Sakura dango, and green tea and purple sweet potato soft serve. It was finally (kind of) warm enough to try!

This photo/face made us laugh for like 10 minutes. I look like my brother. (No offense Noah, even though I was attempting this chubby little man...)

 Yokohama Chinatown. WOW. 

Shark fin dumpling.

Had to have him get a taste of my Hong Kong experience: 1000 year old egg congee.

KIND OF EXCITED!

Fugu (blowfish) tempura sushi. We lived.

The "I love you" part is extra exciting because we didn't say it until we got engaged, to make sure there was a real and lasting commitment behind the "love" part.

In Japan Valentine's is a girl-->guy day, and White Day, on 3/14 is the guy-->girl day. I've been reminding him of this since...last year? He gave me really pretty flowers that are similar to our wedding colors. He got handmade banana hot cocoa cookies dipped in white chocolate, and he's into sakura flavored things (a spring time flavor in Japan, made of cherry blossom leaves) so sakura mochi, and Japanese (green tea, sakura, etc) chocolates. I went for the small boxes since we were eating the equivalent of 5 meals a day. No, I'm not talking about "5 small meals a day" like healthy people are supposed to do... these photos are only a select few shots of it all.

 Needless to say, we had a wonderful time and it has felt weird going back to my daily routine right after he left. We're working on wedding plans but nothing is set in stone yet. Speaking of stones...

He spent almost two months designing it! Very well done, I love it!

Eat my sushi roll facing south-south-east

Half of this post is from a week ago, sorry for the delay! February 3: Setsubun Day, literally "season split" day, the day before spring. Two traditions, A: Mame maki: throw roasted soybeans and say, demons out and fortune in. It symbolizes casting out evil spirits. B: Eho-maki (Lucky direction roll): silently eat a large rolled sushi whole (without cutting) with lots of different fresh seafood, sweet rolled omelet, veggies, facing that year's compass direction (this year, south-south-east, based on the zodiac year) for one wish to come true

For a better explanation, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Setsubun

Miso filled wheat gluten for soup, shaped like cartoon demons for Setsubun Day.

Bean store selling roasted soybeans for Setsubun Day, notice the cartoon demon mask.

Take a wild guess as to which tradition I took part in...

There are a variety of different free magazines at train stations with good deals. One is for hair, nails, etc, and there are several for different areas in Tokyo. It lists tons of salons in those areas with photos, and first time visitor deals. I picked one, and it was amazing! It included my first conditioning treatment, which is pretty standard in Japan. I wondered how everyone had such nice hair, even though most people dye it. For one, they cut it more than twice a year, but also this treatment is incredible, it really renews your hair.

I made a Banana Espresso cake last week for my coworker who was moving to England.

This was for a client lunch at work. It's eel hitsumabushi, so you eat the eel and rice first, then you can pour the dashi broth and add wasabi, green onions, and seaweed in a separate bowl and add the eel and rice so it's like two dishes in one.

Right now I have a very special man visiting me and I'm showing him around Tokyo. He's been adventurous, trying everything I give him including raw chicken, horned shell liver, thousand year old egg, slimy potato, chicken liver, fish eggs, salted cherry blossom leaf mochi, purple sweet potato ice cream...plus tons of "normal" Japanese food to even it out!

We continued on the prayer series at church last week. Due to my pride, I think I can live on my own but it's not true. My pastor compared prayer to private conversations between a husband and wife. The only way to be close is to have conversations in private too, not just in groups. That's why it's not that praying in church isn't enough as if there is a quota. That alone just doesn't develop a close relationship. At the same time, it is encouraging to pray with people. I went to a ladies' prayer and gyoza making time at one of the pastor' homes, and through talking and praying it opened my eyes to people's struggles and insecurities. It seems like everyone has it together but by everyone opening up like that, I hear about stress in relationships, trying to love family, being worried about what people think, anxiety for the future...

2 Chronicles 7:14-16 if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land. 15 Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayer that is made in this place. 16 For now I have chosen and consecrated this house that my name may be there forever. My eyes and my heart will be there for all time.

I'm powerless to do anything compared to God who created the universe, but his eyes and heart look toward me?? How humbling and amazing, I love that!

Power Up

Power up? Like fueling up on food? Energy for the daily battleground commute getting run into and pushed around...?Nope. Every evening I prepare for the next morning by getting my clothes, accessories, breakfast, lunch, and purse ready so I'm not scrambling. (I'm not a morning person!) There's something wrong with that list. Physical well being? Some variation of eggs, fermented soybeans, fruit, oatmeal, depending on the day. Check. Physical appearance appropriate for fashionable retail clients and executive meetings? Check. Responsible grown up belongings like cell phone, charger, money, key, business cards, ID? Check. So what's missing? Inside. How is it that at times you can feel awful even when healthy, warm, and well fed? There's a huge other component to life that has to be taken care of too. My pastor taught on the power of prayer, and it was clear to me that I was relying on myself on a regular basis until I hit a roadblock. "God I need your help after I can't do it." There's an assumption that I can independently do many things. I live in the world he created, breathing the air he made, living with the life he gave me and body he designed, so I'm not at all independent. I've decided if I can wake up to shower and eat, I can definitely wake up for more important things like this! My morning routine now starts at 6:30, so far so good (this week). I know 6:30 really isn't so bad, especially to any moms who read this, but I grew up being the last one out of bed, easily sleeping at least 10 hours. God has been giving me baby steps to adjust to less and less sleep. 6 used to be plenty, but now with lots to adjust to it's not quite enough to feel rested. If I become a mom some day and think about this I will probably laugh and wish I could get solid 6 hours straight.

Speaking of adjustment, here's a list of Japanese business manners that are finally becoming pretty natural. I was telling my boyfriend about them and based on his surprised response I figured maybe this is unusual and worth sharing.

-order of seating according to rank in relation to the entrance for any meeting -order of exchanging business cards in order of rank -how to exchange: below the other person's, with both hands, bowing, keep it out the whole meeting, etc -when to stand -when to sit -when to put out slippers, when to turn/fix visitors' shoes -how to enter the room, entering and leaving -how to serve tea, order of cup and sweets, direction of spoon -what to say upon entering and exiting the room -walking clients out, push elevator button, what to say, bow low and remain bowing until doors close -two types of formal Japanese -written formal Japanese, different than spoken

Everyone does this at my company depending on who is available, or not involved in that meeting. It's a lot to remember since this is only the expected etiquette outside of my actual job responsibilities but I'm so grateful for being able to learn all this.

I agreed to paint for the youth/young adult service to go along with the teaching. I finally got back into painting Friday night (until 5am...still not doing well getting more sleep). The message was on discipleship, following Jesus Christ, and one of the passages was Matthew 4:19-20. And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” Immediately they left their nets and followed him. I got an image right away when I read "net" and "follow" so here is the result. I imagined the net being left (in the foreground) and then following the unknown path ahead. The painting is almost as tall as I am!

Life like commuting

A few thoughts I wrote down this morning: 1. Tall man, must you reach over my head holding on to that particular handle instead of the available one directly in front of you? Call me a princess but unless it's absolutely necessary I'd rather not have to tilt my head 45 degrees for the remainder of this ride.

2. I'm not exceptionally short for Japanese standards. How did your elbow reach my head on your way out of the train? Ouch.

3. Getting off is like an intense untangling game, having to twist, tug, and shove. I tried to stand by my exit to avoid that but kept getting pushed further and further into the train at each station.

4. I'm ready to go back to bed long before arriving at work.

On a better day a few days ago:

I figured out my commute. You can minimize the human bumper cars with a little preparation, maybe comparable to life in general? There are deadlines, goals, all sorts of people you pass without noticing and some you can't avoid, or even those you run into. Some people need some extra nudging because they're completely self-absorbed. If you plan ahead you can make it out at your destination a little easier by getting to the right door on the right car closer to your transfer. There are plenty of factors out of your control like train delays, rude people, getting stepped on, and awkward situations. For example as I scribble this in my journal, since I was pushed forward, I'm practically straddling this poor seated woman, who fortunately seems to be in a different world reading her book. Add something you enjoy, in my case, mellow music to balance my busy surrounding, and go with the flow.

Same day- after a few store visits for work I had been on 12 trains by the end of the day. I'm impressed at how people of all ages take multiple flights of stairs, all at the same pace like robots, no one losing their breath!

I hope the good food makes more sense now. After getting elbowed, shoved around and stepped on every day, it's like a simple reward at the end of some days. I could live on eggs, vegetables, and Japanese sweets. One of the current seasonal things is sweet potato sweets.

 I was too lazy to put the egg through a sieve to make it evenly yellow. Maybe if I were making it for someone else... but this is one of my favorite things: tamagoyaki (rolled sweet egg omelet)

Japanese sweet potato sweets (yes, there are purple sweet potatoes!)

Grocery stores and convenience stores have really good ready-to-eat bento type lunches, sushi, and even bakeries in the stores. Maybe it makes more sense to explain that the daily fresh made food section is much bigger than the frozen food section? Anyways, after dinner they start discounting the food since they can't sell it the next day, so by the time I get to grocery stores it's often around that golden hour. The local grocery store has this stand inside that has some fresh made Chinese dumplings, spring rolls, and Japanese sweets. They change what they sell there depending on the season. I bought these sweet potato sweets there.

Side note:

The bottom of Japanese Forever 21 bags have the whole verse of John 3:16 written out, and the brand is spreading all over Japan :D

Inspired by Fidea

I went snowboarding with friends from church last weekend. Last time I went I was 13, so that experience+80's rental gear+borrowed fly-like goggles+100 yen beanie probably made for some pretty good entertainment for others on the slopes. My favorite parts were the ski lift rides and the hot spring baths afterwards. Just like there's typical American camp food, potluck food, there's typical ski/snow food here: curry, tonkatsu, omelet rice, and ramen.

On our way home we stopped in Nagano prefecture at St. Cousair Winery and Chapel, owned by one of the girls from church's uncle.  Their jams and spreads are sold in many stores in Tokyo.

 Mille-Feuille of Wild Boar Shoulder with Winter Vegetables, Cheddar Sauce, and Herb Oil

 Fresh house made bread

Smoked Deer marinated in St. Cousair Winery Red Wine with Chevre Cheese, Pumpkin Squash Fried Gnocchi, in Honey, Sherry Vinegar and Red Currant Sauce

 Sauvignon Gratin of Mascarpone Cheese with Nagano Apples and Fresh Berries

The location was beautiful, and the food was excellent, but what stuck with me most was a woman's story who works there.

Fidea Kobayashi moved to Japan from Tanzania after meeting her Japanese husband. She, with her sister and mom, started an orphanage site that supports, educates, and provides a home and community for orphans in Tanzania. They put their money together and bought the land, and are slowly building it up. The proceeds from one of the lines of jam from St. Cousair goes to support the organization. This is their website:

http://www.songeaskids.org/index.html

She knew that we were Christians since we were church friends, and she told us about how it is her life dream to see this complete. She talked about how her motivation comes from when God will ask her what she did for Him, and she wants to have an answer. Reading her Bible, going to church, praying, even though those are good things, a lot of that was for herself rather than for God. Her passion for these children and not caring to  spend her money and life on herself was inspiring! What an example of love, dedication, and selfless giving. I forget too quickly that everything I have and can do are from God and as much as I like to think I have control over these things, I really don't! I'm grateful for that reminder through Fidea.

I would write more but I'm beyond tired with a migraine so I need to get some sleep! Work has been going late this week, getting home at 9 and 10, but I still enjoy it a lot. I feel in over my head interpreting between international clients and Japanese developers, meeting with executives, giving input that could positively or negatively affect the growth of these companies...but it has been the best way to learn about the business world and Japanese customs. This weekend so far has been visiting my grandma, looking for a phone for her, and family-related errands which is a whole boatload of things to think about and figure out. I hope to rest some time tomorrow!

It's not always easy to say the least, with so many new things, but this is what keeps me going:

Have you not known? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, and Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength. Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint. (Isaiah 40:28-31)

"I like to move it move it"...but not really

It's slightly warmer this week but approaching the coldest part of winter, there are many more homeless people in the train station and the smell of urine is very strong, so there's a spot in particular where I hold my breath. The windows for one of the trains I take going out of the city is packed coming into the city, and each morning I'm still amused by the dew on the windows from all the people crammed inside. Since I've done my share of pushing to get through people or off the train, I'm not quite as offended by getting whacked in the head or being pushed around. My grandma is successfully packed up, and I'm completely spent. This weekend I'm going snowboarding and to an onsen (hot springs) with people from church. I'm looking forward to it but at the same time exhausted from packing, taking care of my grandma, church translation and design stuff, work, and packing up my apartment to move too...seems like it all came at once! I got two notices for late rent plus a fine with the second notice for being late after I had already paid in full, but that's cleared now too.

New Years is a long celebration and has continued this week at work. It's customary to visit home for New Years and then bring gifts when returning, so I've had snack time average 3 times a day, plus sushi for lunch on Monday as a happy new year lunch upon returning to work. One highlight was coconut from Thailand, it was dried but soft like the texture of mochi...it was specially ordered from the hometown of one of my coworkers from Thailand, and not available in other parts of the country. She said that even from big cities the coconut is different, usually harder. It was by far the best coconut I've ever had and it made me want to visit. It doesn't take too much for me to want to go somewhere though!

My coworkers were making fun of me for always taking food photos so it ended up being blurry!! This was our sushi lunch.

On November 15 I wrote a list for my time in Japan categorized under Purpose, Goals, Plans, and Other. It has been almost two months since then and I'm on track, either started or currently doing what I had hoped to do. There have been lots of challenges, many not to share on public blogging, but I know that God has blessed me in many ways and is constantly watching over me. Without challenges I wouldn't really know how other people feel. I prayed for compassion, to feel other people's experiences as if they were my own, and God is developing that in me so I can know how it feels to be in certain situations. I'm reading 1 Corinthians now, and was reminded of wanting to learn to become Japanese by Paul's writing about becoming the people group whom he wanted to reach while following God's way. Work has been the perfect opportunity to learn, but not without many slip ups and stressful situations! I wonder why the usual 6 hours of rest isn't enough, and 7 still feels minimal...but the commute, living alone, walking miles every day, new job in a different country with different business customs, moving, my grandma, new people...I guess it would be enough to wear me out.

Isaiah 41:8-10 But you, Israel, my servant, Jacob, whom I have chosen, the offspring of Abraham, my friend; you whom I took from the ends of the earth, and called from its farthest corners, saying to you, “You are my servant, I have chosen you and not cast you off”; fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

I'll be just fine, I have the strongest support in the universe and beyond :)

Happy New Year!

What an original title...which reminds me, earlier this evening a Japanese girl I recently met asked me to explain sarcasm because an American acquaintance used the word in a message. I compared it to "tsukkomi," a form of Japanese joking, but explained it as meaning basically the exact opposite of what is actually said. I then realized it sounds a lot like lying. With many international student friends this past year, sarcasm has probably been the hardest American thing to explain, much less try to communicate how it could be funny! I spent the first half of New Year's Day with my grandma eating Ozouni (New Year's soup with mochi) and Osechi (Japanese New Year's dishes).  There are countless variations for each dish. For Ozouni, the soup base can be fish/seaweed stock, chicken stock, or miso flavor, and the mochi is grilled or boiled depending on where you're from. I was grateful for my mom making New Year's food every year, and making it with her the past few years so I wasn't completely lost in what to buy or how to make things. There are so many things my parents did that I now finally understand and am grateful for.

Then the second half I spent with a friend from church and her family, eating round 2 (plus more!) at my friend's home. Her dad loves to go to the Tsukiji market weekly where there are tons of specialty shops for Tamagoyaki (sweet egg omelette rolls), Katsuobushi (dried bonito), Ofu (wheat gluten...? sounds awful translated), eggs, meat, etc. It is most famous as the world's biggest fish market but the surrounding market also has lots of history. I love the specialty shops all over Japan, anything from places that make only Taiyaki (fish shaped red bean pastry) to pickled vegetables shops. It is amazing to me, being more accustomed to giant grocery stores, that these places stay open for decades! Until the food topic came up I thought my friend's dad was reserved, but after my enthusiasm was evident as a fellow food lover we spent the whole evening and the next morning talking about shops, cooking, and places to visit and eat in Tokyo (specifically to take my boyfriend when he comes).

He introduced me to different types of dried bonito flakes, furikake (dried rice condiments), and I was fascinated about the endless varieties and specific uses of each! The depth of my Japanese foodie adventures is growing. I'm starting to understand how there can be so many specialty shops even next to each other selling the same type of product. That must mean I barely know anything compared to most Japanese people who keep those places going.

Then round two, officially dinner: Sukiyaki (Japanese hot pot cooked in an iron pot, dipped in raw egg) and Ozouni (New Year's soup with mochi).

The time with her family was an unexpected, completely undeserved blessing. I was humbled by her family's hospitality and challenged by my constant "on the go" habit because of how relaxed they were. I often think in task lists instead of enjoying and making the most of each moment. I usually interpret that as "maximize efficiency" more than actually making the most of my time, which could mean just sitting still at times! My impatience has been apparent especially through my grandma because it has been hard to be joyful and loving while she is forgetful and negative, yet wants to talk for a long time.

For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. Galatians 5:13

For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died;　2 Corinthians 5:14

Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly, it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 1 Corinthians 13:4~

I read those and think that's impossible, but I'm so glad it's not up to me alone! In my weakness God's strength is evident because He is the one who will empower me to live this way. He's the only one who has loved as deeply and unconditionally as He already has and always will.

In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him.  In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 1 John 4:9-11

The next morning with my friend's family, 

Sweet Black Beans with a bright red pickled vegetable (red and white are New Year's colors)

Ofu (wheat gluten, from the specialty store, some filled with miso)

Maguro Tsukedon (raw tuna in soy sauce, mirin, and wasabi paste on seaweed and sushi rice)

People go to temples at the beginning of the year so I stopped by one on my way to my grandma's to see what it would be like. It was crowded, as expected!

I had to look up what the incense fanning was about. It is believed to have healing properties so people fan it wherever they want healing. There were tons of stands selling food, spices, tea, and giving out samples. I was full by the time I left, and successfully convinced to buy small dried clams to put in rice before cooking. I've eaten lots of samples so I'm pretty selective, but that one was a winner AND limited only til January 10th.

This is completely irrelevant but...I just came across this blog by a traveling Australian couple's time in Japan, and it explains the history of maneki-neko (beckoning cat) that you see in lots of Japanese places. It has really good photos and some history mixed in. Very interesting! http://www.thenomsters.com/2012/11/17/japan-day-4-gotokuji-temple-gotokuji/

Ending 2012: Toshikoshi with Obaachan

As the past "visual merchandiser" I have become the office decorator- so far for Christmas and for New Year's. (For reference on Japanese New Year decoration customs: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kadomatsu). We get a fresh wreath shipped from Washington DC every year as a gift, and it was sad to take it down after Christmas! New Year's is the grand cleaning time in Japan (like spring cleaning in the states, but I think more common). It's common for companies/offices to also take part in the grand cleaning, so that's how the last day work day before the New Year holiday is spent. Then we got to go out to lunch at an Italian place and have a many course meal, as a thank you for your work/New Year's lunch from the company. I'm impressed at everyone's appetites here, I'm normal! We all finished our starter plate with bread, then pasta, pizza, fish/steak, and dessert, and espresso just fine.

    

This weekend I spent some time with Japanese students I met in the states who are back in Tokyo now, and then with the youth/young adult group from my church here. I'm slowly working on my grandma's packing this week, and spending New Year's Eve and New Year's with her. I'm pretty into food as you may have noticed, so even if it's just the two of us, I'm doing all the New Year's traditions. If it were just me I probably wouldn't, but it has been many years since she's been able to spend the holidays with anyone so I want to make sure she is able to enjoy every part of the holidays that she grew up with too. In the states I'm a "foodie" but here I'm average. Enjoying food is a means of connecting people and an important part of any holiday or celebration, so even though my grandma might not care as much about particularities of flavor differences and limited seasonal items, she misses those traditions that include the food. For New Year's Eve, most likely along with the rest of the country, we watched Kouhaku Utagassen, an annual Japanese New Year's music contest that covers a huge range from enka to pop, while I made a few dishes for tomorrow's feast. Then right at midnight we had Toshikoshi Soba ("year-passing soba noodles"), another tradition to eat soba noodles as a family to start the new year. I just learned this year that the long noodles represent a wish for long life. New Year's Eve is very different here; rather than parties to celebrate it is much quieter either spent at home with family or at a temple, as they ring the gong at midnight.

 

I talked to the youth/young adult pastor brainstorming about art ministry opportunities, and I might continue my verse interpretation type paintings in large scale in Japanese ink going along with the passages he uses for sermons. That was actually his idea, and I told him I had been doing pretty much exactly that before I came to Japan. Besides that I'll be designing fliers for events, but the painting part is really exciting! So far I've never had an avenue for using painting in church, because painting during preaching would be awful since I'm uncomfortable in front of people. There's a huge art store in Shinjuku that I'll go to as soon as possible to get supplies for Japanese ink painting. BUT one thing at a time. First: grandma packing. Second: design fliers. Third: move. Fourth: ink painting.

I've been thinking about this passage pretty much nonstop for a long time now. What specific skills/talents has God given me, and how can I use them for His purpose and other people instead of keeping them to myself? There are things I could do, things anyone can do to fulfill a need... but God made each person differently gifting them in different ways, and I want to continue to use what He specifically gave me (painting/drawing).

“For it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted to them his property. To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them, and he made five talents more. So also he who had the two talents made two talents more. But he who had received the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master's money. Now after a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them. And he who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five talents more, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me five talents; here I have made five talents more.’ His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’ And he also who had the two talents came forward, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me two talents; here I have made two talents more.’ His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’ He also who had received the one talent came forward, saying, ‘Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you scattered no seed, so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here you have what is yours.’ But his master answered him, ‘You wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I scattered no seed? Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with interest. So take the talent from him and give it to him who has the ten talents. For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’  Matthew 25:14-30

But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. If all were a single member, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, yet one body.  1 Corinthians 12:18-20

I still catch myself wishing I were the outgoing charismatic one, wishing I could speak comfortably in front of people, wishing I had different gifts, but God sees the big picture, composing each piece to have a specific function so He knows exactly how I fit in with my specific strengths and weaknesses. As long as I'm still alive, that means He's not done using me so every day is a new adventure, whether or not I'm abroad. With that in mind, I'm looking forward to this upcoming year. It's now 3 hours into 2013 in Tokyo. Akemashite omedetou gozaimasu! (Happy New Year!)

I hope to live by my favorite passage:

For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen. Ephesians 3:14-21

Sweet blessings of Christmas

I wasn't sure how it would feel to be away for the holidays this year. It's hard to believe I have been here for over a month already, and by now Christmas has already passed! My mom left early on Christmas Eve to make it back for Christmas with my dad since their 3 kids are currently spread out on 3 different continents...I keep telling them we take after our mom. My mom and I got our share of eating in. These are a few of the many plates I ate at a buffet one night.

A little info on Christmas in Japan: just as Thanksgiving is not Thanksgiving without turkey and cranberry sauce, Christmas is not Christmas here without chicken and cake. I don't know why it's those two things. It used to be roasted chicken and a pretty vanilla sponge cake with whipped cream and strawberries inside, but it has branched out to special Christmas menus at KFC and other Japanese fast food chains, and very fancy cakes in all forms with Santa and reindeer decorations on top. I thought the KFC thing was a little strange because of the high quality food here, but I talked to a Japanese girl from church who said her family tradition is to go to KFC and get the Christmas chicken set to take home and eat. Also, Christmas Eve is celebrated more than Christmas Day. Most people spend time with friends and go on dates, not a stay-at-home-with-family kind of celebration. It is commercialized, taking advantage of Japanese people's draw to limited, seasonal items year round. I must admit, I have encouraged it with my share of snowmen shaped strawberry bread, Santa custard bread and cakes. The Christmas goods are a work of perfect craftsmanship, it's incredible! Christmas Eve was a national holiday because the day before, on a weekend, was the emperor's birthday. I just found out the Friday before that we didn't have work on Monday...good thing, I was about to go to work! Christmas day wasn't a holiday, but January 1-3 is off for New Year's. For my company (and some others but not all), we get all of next week off!

 An example of commercialized Christmas, and "the best baguette in Tokyo" (with a bakery on every corner that means a lot here!) at Viron Bakery. I had to take my mom, my fellow fresh baked bread-lover. I was trying to decide when to go to Nagasaki for my research trip but I think I will stay here because my grandma's nursing home move-in day is set. I'm really grateful that my mom will come then just for 3 days to help my grandma move and do all the paperwork that I wouldn't know what to do with. Despite all her work this past week, realistically I need to do some serious packing to get her stuff together while I don't have work next week. God's timing is always perfect!  It would be pretty tough to do it only after work when I get home at 7.

Now about my Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. I went to lunch with the usual group of church ladies to a place that is known for food from Tosa. It is where my grandma's family is originally from before they came to Tokyo. It's famous for "katsuo no tataki" (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tataki)

I went to the Christmas Eve service, and then to my grandma's for the evening. I took her some gifts like flowers, a variety of cough drops (she goes through bags of them so quickly but can't go shopping for them!), a fluffy shoulder shawl, dinner (including yuba wrapped shrimp spring roll...yuba=tofu skin, and she loves shrimp) and dessert (her favorite: custard cream puff, and green tea chocolate cake for me).

 Ok fine, maybe more than just cake for dessert... Daifuku, Milk Tea Custard Bread, then I baked persimmon bread, and ate my mom's Christmas Stollen (not photographed).

She was really happy to spend the evening with me and for the presents since she hasn't spent Christmas with anyone for a while now. We even sang Christmas songs for about 45 minutes, with my embarrassing piano accompaniment. (I haven't played piano since middle school!) Her long term memory is amazing, she can still sing a song in Chinese she learned in elementary school. I've been turned down by her about twice a week since my brother left (who somehow gives her a magical energy boost, I wish I had that effect too) to take her out to dinner, but finally coaxed her into going with me the next day for Christmas.

Christmas day wasn't the usual [roll out of bed close to noon, eat my mom's 7+ variety of Christmas breads, stay in pajamas til late afternoon, eat cookies, open presents, eat a Christmas feast]. I woke up at 6:50am, got ready for work, and took an aptitude test consisting only of speed addition for an hour. That was awful. Merry Christmas! But the rest of the work day was normal, more meetings and research, then I rushed to my grandma's and took her out to a restaurant on the 13th floor of a department store. She loves places with nice views and good food. Who doesn't haha...well I may be an exception because I equally enjoy questionable places in basements (see curry post). She kept saying, "oh I don't know if I should go... maybe I can't do it... maybe I should just stay home" even though she had her skirt and jacket laid out, dentures in, hair combed. I got her clothes out, matching green purse and cane, lots of layers, wheelchair set, insisted we go, and told her she could sleep all day the next day if she got too tired tonight. She had a really good time and ate more than I've seen her eat in a long time. The owner was really kind and gave us some of the desserts that were sold at the front of the restaurant for free to take home!

I've done so many dumb things, shrugged, and said "you live and you learn" to myself more times than I can attempt to recall. The extra sweet reader will think, "oh, little Ema" while the more common reaction may be "man she's dumb" but I have no shame so here are some examples:

1) Get extra 100 yen coins in case 60 minutes isn't enough for the dryer, to avoid a long row of damp socks laid out on top of every empty surface in my room except for the floor.

2) Turn the heater off before doing Insanity (exercise DVD).

3) The train transfer planners already figured it out...the train will not come any faster just because I speed walk/almost run to the next platform. I might as well go at the same normal fast pace as others.

4) Check the adjacent station exit number for a store in the station to return to pick up hemmed pants when the station is the busiest transport hub in the world with "well over 200 exits." (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shinjuku_Station)...ugh.

5) Less than 6 hours of sleep+commute=back pain.

Here are my church lady lunch friends, and little Christmas and move-in apartment gifts from them. One of them made the wreath! The move-in gift included the cutest kitchen tools, and a pliable cutting board. Don't ask about my cutting methods before this...they may have included a metal pot, my hand, a plastic bag...but perhaps not.

Even though I'm given Japanese sweets, beautiful cakes, Christmas cookies, chocolate, Hokkaido smoked salmon with cream cheese and bagels, and Nagasaki tangerines at work almost daily, I think it has balanced out with the walking, vegetable+tofu soup dinners, and occasional running/Insanity DVD...but who knows, I'm wearing a minimum of 4 layers every day so I could be packing on the pounds for all I know :)

Besides walking miles every day, here's why Japanese people stay thin and live long: literally EVERYWHERE. There are some elevators available these days, but it would take more effort to walk the distance to get to one than to suck it up and take the stairs. 1st photo: to exit a station...obviously implies stairs to enter. 2nd photo: to cross a street

This year my holiday season was very different than previous years, and I think the bigger Japanese holiday season is coming up next week so we will see how that goes! I am more grateful now for things like family and warmth, but God has provided for me with church family here. I love how age makes no difference, because our minds are alike, just as Paul writes:

"So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and in one mind." Philippians 2:1-2

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God." 2 Corinthians 1:3-4

In my mind I knew what the Bible said about God providing for our needs, but I was anxious still about if I really would sense it or if I would feel secluded and alone away from the comfort of home and friends. I still miss them a lot, but God has been faithful to provide comfort, encouragement, and love through people here.

"The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. The Lord is my portion, says my soul, therefore I will hope in him. The Lord is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him...for the Lord will not cast off forever, but, though he cause grief, he will have compassion according to the abundance of his steadfast love; for he does not afflict from his heart or grieve the children of men." Lamentations 3:22-25, 31-33

What? Kubo-san?

Apologies for the delayed update, lots of new things going on! First, I moved last Saturday! I had been looking on weekends and after work at share houses, furnished apartments, monthly mansions...comparing prices, looking at locations for a place to access three of my regular destinations (church, work, grandma), who lives there (lots of men in share houses)... It was quite a hunt. On Saturday I got up early, looked more, found a place, paid, and moved in by 7pm. What a day. Moving is difficult without a car! It is a small studio apartment furnished with basic stuff, in a concrete building (as opposed to the other option, wooden apartments) with a code to get in and security cameras, equivalent to being a few blocks from Union Square in SF. Since this is public that's all the details I can give! Saturday night was emotionally rough. I had just finished my first week of work plus taking care of my grandma, adjusting to the commute, then at the apartment the heating and hot water didn't work yet and I wasn't confident finding my way around the streets in the dark.

Sunday was much better. I went to church, had lunch with the usual group of Japanese ladies (aged 30-70s, I love it), explored the apartment area while it was still light out, and called the gas, electric, water companies and agency about the heater. At lunch it was fun to find out there are so many people who like food even more than I. That's hard to believe right?? Examples, both in Korea: 1) following a Korean food delivery guy back to his restaurant in an alley with no English or Japanese just to eat Korean miso noodles 2) making animal gestures and (japanese) animal noises to get Korean BBQ "If there is something I want to eat, I have no shame and will do anything it takes to get it." Translated quote by one of the ladies, at least 70 years old. What an inspiration :D

We have a usual lunch place close to church. The lunch menus are very reasonable in Japan, often half the price of dinner. This place has a daily changing menu and a dessert and coffee set. This main dish I chose this past Sunday was swordfish with balsamic reduction and the banana chocolate bread pudding. Banana+chocolate+coffee is my favorite combination of all time so you can imagine my excitement upon hearing about the dessert of the day.

This week included lots of running around Tokyo for work meetings. I think the built up stress and fatigue took a toll on my back and 3 days in a row this week even with the help of Advil I had trouble standing up straight because it hurt too much. I walked a few minutes and sat down to rest like an old lady! Praise God, my healer, who answered my prayer to take the pain away! I had a coworker practice how to properly exchange business cards. Place it on your business card holder, introduce yourself, small bow, exchange it at the same time, try to exchange yours beneath the other person's to show respect, take it with both hands, bow, say something (that doesn't translate to English so i won't bother explaining), look at it, place it on the side of the table neatly until the meeting is over...and that's just business cards, probably the easiest to explain, so you can imagine my mind racing with every interaction. I look forward to my pig mug coffee each morning.

It says I want to fly to where you are. It's a pun because "ton" (=pork) is part of "tondeiku" (=to fly). Punny. Guess who I was thinking of when I bought the mug... :) Two fun work meeting related happenings: 1) The confused response at my Japanese name. "E? Kubo-san?" (You go by last name here, that's my Japanese last name. It is a relatively common last name.)

I don't look even remotely Asian in Japan. People guess that I'm Spanish. Their expressions say, "Why is her name Japanese, and why does she speak Japanese fluently?" It has been...I wouldn't say icebreaker, but at least a shaving off an ice block, to ease some tension. 2) Good tea, coffee and desserts. It's standard to serve tea at any meeting, common to meet at coffee shops before or afterwards to debrief, and customary to include food somewhere in there.

Just one example. Yum. I still think Japanese cakes are the best, they are incredible to see and to taste. The one I picked tasted like creme brûlée with layers of vanilla bean whipped cream, classic sponge, custard, candied walnuts, chocolate mousse, and chocolate sponge. It was all so delicate and barely sweetened so it's not like an overwhelming candy explosion on your palette. In case anyone expects an Italy semester abroad chubbyup once again, not to worry...I walk several miles every day! Well, at least so far my clothes fit fine. But hey you only live on earth once and I could die tomorrow so no I will not pass up the shop by work's seasonal variety of "taiyaki" fish shaped red bean cake on my way to dinner! (Sweet red bean and pumpkin squash)

Or the earl grey melon bread (thin cookie-like crust on fluffy bread, texture of melon not necessarily melon flavored; other names: pineapple bun, rocky bun) at the bakery on my way to work after eating breakfast...

Even besides those sweet perks, I really enjoy my job. It has been an amazing blessing! It is fun to combine design, fashion, business, and advising all in one. As usual I am probably putting more pressure on myself than needed to learn what I don't know quickly...

My mom is visiting this week so it has been a nice break to spend some time with her after work. Finding interesting places and eating out together is exceptionally fun. Her hard work and commitment to taking care of my grandma is challenging to me because I'm not nearly as willing to do it. My actions are more motivated by obligation than by love and joy in serving the Lord by helping someone in need. It is embarrassing to see my selfishness so clearly, and I pray for God to change my heart. I know that His grace is sufficient for all circumstances. The power that raised Jesus Christ from the dead is the same power inside me by the Holy Spirit so he can work miracles in me too.

Romans 8:11 "If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you." Ephesians 1:16-20 "I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, 17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, 18 having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, 19 and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might 20 that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places,"

I had a great Friday night at the youth/young adult service and Christmas party. This coming week I will meet with the youth pastor to start some art/design related stuff for church. In January I'll do some English to Japanese sermon translation, but all these things are exciting to see how God has enabled me in specific ways that I haven't had the chance to use much in church before. There is so much to say but I will wait until next time because it is past 3am here! In summary, praise God for his provision in work, apartment, church fellowship, and so many things I probably won't realize til later!

Not so glamorous, glamorous

Here's reality of public transportation and shopping: toilet paper, it doesn't just appear. Yes I took it on the train. Why? Because I stopped to buy hairspray, and you can't beat 8 rolls for 198 yen. I was in good company, several other (ok, age 50 and up) ladies had brought their toilet paper shopping on the train too. My poor mom will read this and would probably prefer to FedEx toilet paper to me than have me take pictures of my toilet paper while waiting at the platform...sorry!

Next, cockroaches. First one I've seen thus far, not bad. They are as common as spiders in the states. I used to get teary-eyed and run away but where do I run to now? I run and stomp on it with my slipper. It was huge. It was disgusting. I wanted to do anything but that, but even less than that did I want to live with it around me when I sleep on the floor!! Even squished, it was still moving, ugh then the worst part, how to pick it up? Old chopsticks.

There is a taiyaki (traditional Japanese fish shaped sweet red bean cake) right by the station by my work. (The following is foodie logic from my brother) If all they sell is taiyaki (150-180 yen each) and they can maintain that location they must be good... plus they had a limited edition seasonal kind, which, like most Japanese people, I cannot pass up! But I don't feel like it is doing the taiyaki justice to post it with toilet paper and a cockroach so I will wait and do a separate food post sometime.

Work is still going well! Day 5 tomorrow and 2 more people starting next week so I won't be the newest for long. It is easy to get caught up in worrying about keeping people happy and what people will think, but in all situations I remember that my work is for the Lord, and "You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you because he trusts in you." (Isaiah 26:3) I will keep doing the best I can do, and God has put my mind at ease because He is ultimately my "boss."

Shady curry buffet and new job

I just finished my last bite of nattou (fermented soybeans) and Japanese brown rice with dried seaweed and pickled eggplant along with wakame, tofu, and konnyaku (devil's tongue jelly) soup. That may sound crazy but I'm thoroughly enjoying the common things here that are rare commodities in the states! First about my job: I work for a retail consulting company that helps major brands come into and spread in Japan from finding locations all the way through store opening and merchandising. I can't, but I wish I could be more specific... I had no idea they were behind many major stores in Japan!

Day 1 and 2: the project manager and a coworker were discussing changes to a design they received for a shop to discuss in a meeting the next morning but couldn't draw it...then remembered I studied drawing and painting, called me over and explained what they needed. I redrew it, gave suggestions, and today the manager said it was effective in communicating their changes during their meeting so she was very pleased. I've been translating website pages, a contract, and researching and putting together a Japanese trend report calendar for a client opening up a shop next year. I had no idea that I would be able to dive into it...usually the new people are more like bellboys and baristas. It is a really unique company where teamwork is an assumed part of accomplishing tasks, lunchtime is encouraged, and overtime work is minimal. If I could hide in an underground hole and work all day, sending my work up by a mole-delivery service I would be fine, but I'm in Japan. Japanese business etiquette is important so it terrifies me to answer the phone or intercom because one mistake will reflect on the company. Think of formal Japanese as a dialect...yes I can understand it and use it if I think about it but not flowing conversation on the spot! My coworkers, even Japanese ones, said it took at least a month to get comfortable answering the phone. It'll come with time but until then my heart beats a little faster when the phone rings twice and no one has answered yet.

The commute is a whole different story. It's a solid hour, so I leave at 7:50am and get back at the earliest around 7pm. After 3 separate train lines, pulled hair, human bumper cars getting on and off, smelly breath, and a sardine-can situation...even after a happy work day I'm pretty exhausted! Since people in Tokyo have been doing it and surviving for so long I'm positive I will also adjust.

Now for the curry buffet down a random side street... Would you go in?

I wouldn't either but the list of talk shows and articles it was featured in won me over. Japanese people are used to good food so places don't stay open, much less gain media attention unless they're pretty amazing. The inside:

Hawaiian/ tribal/ log cabin decor, lined with comic books (that part actually not uncommon here)...and SO packed, anyone bigger than I would have to bump people on both sides of them to get through and get seconds.

But the food was incredible. The depth of flavor in the different curries, neither Japanese nor Indian, meat so tender it melts (plate 2 which I didn't photograph), with "black rice," their Japanese tandoori chicken, great variety of vegetables sides, their signature curry udon with the perfect noodle consistency, rooibos tea ad coffee, for 1000 yen. 3 full plates including lots of vegetables plus yummy drinks and wifi made me a very pleased customer. This was a distinctly modern Tokyo type place so I added it to the list of possible destinations to take my boyfriend when he visits.

Unfortunately my apartment hunting has been limited to emailing (except visiting a place yesterday) because office hours tend to be the same everywhere...same as mine. In the past when I get a seemingly "delayed" situation, I see much later that it was in fact the perfect time like pieces of a puzzle coming together. I think this is one of those (not actually) "delayed" circumstances...

Psalm 31:14-15 But I trust in you, O Lord; I say, "You are my God." My times are in your hand.

In the meantime, "Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God our Father, who loved us and gave us eternal comfort and good hope through grace, comfort your hearts and establish them in every good work and word." (2 Thessalonians 2:16-17)