Memories of Kyoto 京都市

I remember, walking down the dark, quiet side streets of Kyoto, hair damp, waiting for the bus. Having just been to the onsen and discovered God’s sculpting job of the human figure. Trying new sodas from the corner machine, “I wonder what this one tastes like?” ¥150. “Hmm rather like the last one, like Pocari Sweat.” Sleeping on the bus, hair still wet, towels in our laps. “how many more stops?” passing our stop and getting off at the station, because we knew that we knew the way from there. Past Kyoto tower, past the French deli (how many were there in Kyoto? More than in France, that’s for sure), around the corner past the Lawson and a left past the Honda place. I remember the cool dark air of japan, peaceful in its way, a refreshment after the heat of the bathhouse, where my sunburn prevented me actually getting in. “this one feels weird, there’s an electric current!” “what do we do?” the good-intentioned Japanese woman pantomiming what to do with the buckets. Figuring out how to shower, bathe and shower again. Being the only Americans and the only ones neither ancient nor brand new. Finding a strange but pure new appreciation for God’s handiwork in women. A new closeness with my new friends; shared experience; shared intimacy. “It’s okay, we were at the onsen together.”

Walking during the daytime and trying to find our way back—“where were we? Just keep walking towards the tower, we’re that way.” “can’t we stop for lunch? How about here?” salmon and rice. Gyoudon. Coffee-water, or was it tea? おいしい、アミっちゃん！So much walking.
Daytime bus passes, nighttimes wandering, trying to find the right bus, but we couldn't read the stops. Asking in Japanese how to find the arcade and shopping street, teasing amy about her Japanese “boyfriend.” More rice and salmon. Onigiri, yum. Jazz before bedtime in the hostel bar. Conversations. Candy corn.“I can’t find my train pass.” “Well, do you have it?” “No, I can’t find it…” Boarding the train to Tokyo, not knowing what awaited there.

Warmth, friendship, family.
The time I became best friends with Amy B.

Japan update!

Well, I suppose that I have been here long enough to warrant an update!
I have been completely loving Japan, and can't wait to share! :)Here is a little bit about my host family here and the daily routine, and a few other things that have gone on! We also went to Kyoto and Tokyo before we got here, but it has been too long for me to recall it all now.
Last saturday we arrived at Omika, where IC is, and met our host families and such. My host parents were actually going to Tokyo for the holiday weekend, so I stayed at Mariko sensei's house and the Jones' house one night each, and after I came back tomy host family's house I sort of settled into a nice routine!
I wake up a couple hours before class each day, since it takes about an hour to get to school and an hour to get ready and have breakfast. For breakfast we usually have rice (gohan), along with an egg over easy, some seaweed, and some fresh tomatoes or lettuce or something. We usually also have some dried-ish salmon on top of the gohan, which is really yummy (oishi)! When I go to school I walk to the nearest bus station, take a 15 minute bus ride to the train station, and take one stop to Omika station. From there I walk 15-20 minutes to class!
All of our classes start at their 2nd period, 10:20, but starting next week I will be going for first period to meet with the two girls I will be doing LST with! Their names are Aya and Kumi! ;) Please pray for each of them and for me as we start reading Luke together and practicing English.　
Once at school we have Japanese class twice a day two days a week, such as this week Weds and Fri. Chapel is T-W-Th during lunchtime, so that makes lunch a bit rushed on those days. However, it usually works out for us to eat just fine. After lunch is the second session of Japanese, and then we have Bible with Jones. The book we are reading, Bible and Mission, is interesting.
After Bible we have either Intercultural Communication with Jim Batten or Japanese Lit with Harris Ives. On the days we don't have those classes we either have review sessions, culture lessons, Bible or field trips! Next week we will visit Hitachi seaside park, and the week we will visit Hitachi seaside park, and the week after we visit the rotary club and the Hitachi factory.
After classes end for the day I head home again. However, coming home the bus doesn't stop as close to my host family's house, so I have to walk about 15 minutes uphill! Actually one night I thought I was lost but really I just hadn't walked far enough! lol Once home okaasan (mama) and Vi and Chan (host sisters from Vietnam) are usually all cooking something yummy! Otoosan (papa) is watching TV or reading the paper. We all sit down to eat once it is ready in the living room at the low table there. We begin with "ittadukimasu" and end with a set phrase (cant remember). After dinner I study and shower and watch TV with okaasan and otoosan. Last night we watched a scary drama that seemed to be based on Agatha Christie's "And then there were none" but modern and Japan-ized. Scary! I enjoyed it despite the language barrier.
Last Monday was a holiday here so Ayaka and I went to Mito to go shopping! Who would guess that I would end up shopping in shopping! Who would guess that I would end up shopping in Japan? JK EVERYONE. Ayaka and also Miki, a girl who graduated from IC and goes to Omika church (and loves KPOP!) shopped around in Mito station and took PURIKURA pictures, those crazy ones that make your eyes huge. It was awesome!
Today was another fun day with Ayaka. Today we also had Misato with us!We met Ayaka and her mom at Omika station this morning and drove to Fukushima together, to Ayaka's hometown of Iwaki. We were plenty far from the danger zone of that prefecture, don't worry. First we needed to stop at Ayaka's grandparents, and we got to meet them from the car! Actually, they gave me and Misato each a little envelope as we met them, and it turned out to hold | met them, and it turned out to hold some shopping money. So, I also did a bit more shopping today! After we met them we went to her house for a few minutes, and met her dog. ;) Then we went and ate some sushi! Actually it was really good. The first one I had was even slightly grilled! I had a really good. The first one I had was even slightly grilled! I had a couple that were just rice with salmon on top, and some with seaweed around them, and etc. and i had some delish mango! After lunch we went to the Fukushima Aquarium, which was awesome and a lot of fun! They had Aquarium, which was awesome and a lot of fun! They had many cool fish and suchlike. And a cute baby sea lion that i fell in love with. (sorry, Jason that i fell in love with. (sorry, Jason! lol jk). We spent a few hours there and then went shopping! Ayaka has been showing me the best cute, cheap places to buy me the best cute, cheap places to buy things. Both Monday and today we went to her favorite store, Honey's! It is cheap and has good sales. I got some cute stuff today for not much, a pair of gray flats, some pants/skirt lol, a shirt and a dress. And I used some of the shirt and a dress. And I used some of the money her gparents gave me. So sweet! Also, her mom bought me a funny little hat-hair clip. it is very stylish here, and i am becoming stylish is very stylish here, and i am becoming stylish for japan too!Also, apparently I have big american feet. lol. the shoe sizes here are S-M-L-LL and my foot is L. ayaka, in contrast, who is about the same height as me, is S. they got a good laugh about my big feet today. lol
After shopping we made a bit of a wrong way so we were late for eagle bash, but it was ok!eagle bash was really fun. we met a lot of former OC was really fun. we met a lot of former OC students, former IC-OC students, future OC students, and people connected with IC and OC. I even met Anna Holmes' dad! He's a funny one.well, i suppose i shall give a little bio of family members here and then turn in. i of family members here and then turn in. i have to get members here and then turn in. i have to get up early to get to omika church by 9 tomorrow!
okaasan, mama: Okaasan is probably the touchiest Japanese in japan, which fits well for touchiest Japanese in japan, which fits well for me！She gives me lots of hugs and such and takes good care of me，　ａｌｗａｙｓ　ｃｏｏｋｉｎｇ　ａｎｄ　ｓｕｃｈ．　ｓｈｅ　ｃａｎ　ｅｖｅｎ　ｒｅａｄ　ｌａｂｅｌｓ　ｆｏｒ　ｍｅ　ａｎｄ　ｋｎｏｗ　ｗｈａｔ　ｔｏ　ｌｏｏｋ　ｆｏｒ！　ｓｈｅ　ｉｓ　ａｗｅｓｏｍｅ．
ｏｔｏｏｓａｎ，　ｐａｐａ：　ｏｔｏｏｓａｎ　ｉｓ　ｇｒｅａｔ．　ｈｅ　ｉｓ　ａ　ｂｉｔ　ｑｕｉｅｔ　ａｎｄ　ｄｏｅｓｎｔ　ｈａｖｅ　ｍｕｃｈ　ｅｎｇｌｉｓｈ，　ｂｕｔ　ｈｅ　ａｌｗａｙｓ　ｈｅｌｐｓ　ｍｅ　ｐｌａｎ　ｏｕｔ　ｍｙ　ｔｉｍｉｎｇ　ｔｏ　ｓｃｈｏｏｌ　ａｎｄ　ｃｈｕｒｃｈ，　ａｎｄ　ｄｒｉｖｅｓ　ｍｅ　ｔｏ　ｔｈｅ　ｔｒａｉｎ　ｉｆ　ｉｔ’ｓ　ｒａｉｎｉｎｇ，　ａｎｄ　ｍａｋｅｓ　ｓｕｒｅ　ｔｈａｔ　ｉ　ｇｏｔ　ｅｖｅｒｙｗｈｅｒｅ　ｓａｆｅｌｙ．　ｈｅ　ｉｓ　ｇｒｅａｔ！
ｖｉ：　ｖｉ　ｉｓ　ｔｈｅ　ｓｗｅｅｔｅｓｔ　ｌｉｔｔｌｅ　ｇｉｒｌ　ｙｏｕ　ｃａｎ　ｍｅｅｔ！　ａｃｔｕａｌｌｙ　ｓｈｅ　ｉｓ　２２　ｔｈｏｕｇｈ．　ｓｈｅ　ｈａｓ　ｂｅｅｎ　ｈｅｒｅ　ｆｏｒ　ｓｅｖｅｒａｌ　ｍｏｎｔｈｓ　ｎｏｗ　ａｎｄ　ｓｔｕｄｉｅｄ　ｊａｐａｎｅｓｅ　ｉｎ　ｖｉｅｔｎａｍ　ｔｏｏ　ｓｏ　ｓｈｅ　ｉｓ　ｐｒｅｔｔｙ　ｆｌｕｅｎｔ．　ｓｈｅ　ａｌｓｏ　ｔｏｏｋ　ｅｎｇｌｉｓｈ　ｉｎ　ＨＳ　ｔｈｏｕｇｈ，　ｓｏ　ｗｈｅｎ　ｗｏｒｓｔ　ｃｏｍｅｓ　ｔｏ　ｗｏｒｓｔ　ｓｈｅ　ｉｓ　ｍｙ　ｔｒａｎｓｌａｔｏｒ．　；）
ｃｈａｎ：ｃｈａｎ　ｗａｓｎｔ　ｈｏｍｅ　ｔｈｅ　ｆｉｒｓｔ　ｎｉｇｈｔ　ｉ　ｗａｓ　ｈｅｒｅ　ｓｏ　ｉ　ｈａｖｅｎｔ　ｇｏｔｔｅｎ　ｔｏ　ｋｎｏｗ　ｈｅｒ　ａｓ　ｗｅｌｌ，　ｐｌｕｓ　ｓｈｅ　ｄｏｅｓｎｔ　ｒｅａｌｌｙ　ｓｐｅａｋ　ｅｎｇｌｉｓｈ．　ｈｏｗｅｖｅｒ，　ｓｈｅ　ｓｅｅｍｓ　ｖｅｒｙ　ｓｗｅｅｔ　ａｓ　ｗｅｌｌ！

God Bless!
Hannah華

Song: "You Won't Relent" by Misty (someone) and (someone else).
^ i cant remeber the singers but its a Christian song and it is amazing and has been speaking to me a lot lately. try to look it up!

PS sorry about the type. this keyboard is finicky about switching languages!

christmas/クリスマス

well, hello there! there's no time like the early a.m. to write about your life, now is there?
finals week came and went, and i lived through it all. i even made...a's! unexpected a's! i am now at home, sleeping lots and generally enjoying life. some family time, some friend time, some personal time (late at night, such as now). and last night i saw the lunar eclipse! despite clouds, it was exciting to see the faint red of the moon as the shadow of the earth overtook it. it's really amazing!
christmas is coming soon, but before christmas comes, the girls do! you see, i am "hosting"/"kidnapping"/loving two of my japanese friends for a couple of weeks over the break! currently, they are in new mexico and arizona on a mission trip, but come thursday the whole home dynamic will change once again. here are two girls who have never experienced an american christmas before, in all it's materialistic "glory." it will be an interesting experience for all of us, for sure. right now my only issue is gifts for them, at least, personal ones. how do i give different but equal gifts? how will they be perceived across the culture barrier? i love them both, but i am admittedly closer with one of them than the other. how does that factor into gift-giving? i still have a couple of days to think on such things, but i'm just not sure.
really, i am tremendously excited to be having them here. after a week of "family time" they will be welcome invaders indeed. not that i don't love family time, because i do. but everyone needs a little space (although technically with two additional boarders there will be less space!)
we'll see how it all turns out.
in the mean time, i think i will sleep sometime in the next 30 minutes and wakeup sometime in the next 10 hours.
blessings, peace, joy, and season's greetings!
hannah