Wrapping Things Up...

Well, this will very likely be my last "Japan Journey" update, at least done in Tokyo. We are leaving in the morning for the Narita Airport, our flight leaves in the afternoon, and we're due back in Harrisburg only about 1 hour after our flight left (crazy time zones, huh?). So I'll catch you up on what we did today (Sunday).

Jen and I were met this morning by two of our closest friends we made on this journey, Yoji and Akira. They took us to an old section of Tokyo where we were able to do some more shopping and experiencing the culture around us. I think it's so neat that even though Jen and I were shopping, we were still able to engage in so many cultural experiences, especially in our conversations with our two friends. We even got them to pretend that they were really Americans, and talked only in English the entire day! (even to each other!). We laughed so hard on the train rides that tears came to our eyes as we joked around. The Japanese people just stared at us. In Japan, it is not normal to have conversations with those around you on places like a train - let alone loud, crazy ones. Many times we stand cramped in an elevator with about 20 or so other people and go up countless stories in complete and utter silence. I don't even want to imagine what would happen if someone would sneeze. I bet the whole elevator would jump in fright!

I would just like to point out that as I am typing this in the Sakura Hotel lounge, sumo wrestling is playing on the television next to me. No, I was not able to witness a *real* sumo wrestling competition while here. They are extremely expensive to attend, believe it or not. Paying all that money to watch sweaty obese guys push each other around a circle doesn't really make sense to me, but hey--whatever floats your boat.

Anyway, back to today (sorry, I have some ADD tendencies). After shopping there, we headed to Shinjuku, where we had lunch at an "Italian" Japanese restaurant. Let me say that it is NOTHING like our Italian restaurants. Think of it as penne noodles meets lots and lots of seafood, without the strong tomato taste. I got steak with rice and veggies. It was really good. Afterwards, we headed back to Asakusa where we were able to experience a much less-crowded temple city than yesterday when we went. I just love our time with Akira and Yoji. We are constantly smiling and laughing. Today Akira's word that he wanted to learn to properly pronounce was "polaris." This is a VERY difficult words for many Japanese, because the "l" and "r" sounds are not in their language (at least not pronounced the same way Americans pronounce them), and many times they can get the two sounds confused with each other. They were so funny to watch as they needed to figure out the exact position of their tongue in their mouths! There is so much we don't even realize goes into the delivery of our language. To me, English is so easy - especially when compared to the Japanese language that not only has a ridiculous amount of letters and strange word order, but also an insane number of symbols. Add to that the fact that they read from top to bottom, right to left. I don't know how they do it! But I guess if it's all you've ever known, it's simple. Also, we have so many words in English in which not every letter is pronounced (take "drought" for example), so I can understand why it can be hard for them to learn, particularly with the rule that there really are no rules to some of our insanely spelled words.

We concluded our evening back in our hotel's cafe, Jen and I sharing pictures with Akira and Yoji of our family and homes in the States. They are in such awe at how much room we have. My hotel room here is literally maybe 1/4 of my bedroom at home, and that even includes having a bathroom in it! With so many people living in a place with such little space, the only option is to build up. That's why we see so many highrise apartments. And you would not BELIEVE the price some of these places cost. For literally a hole-in-the-wall apartment, only big enough for a bed, a bathroom, and a sink, it can cost anywhere from $700-1,000 or more a month. We're very fortunate to live in an area that - compared to other places - is relatively affordable to reside. When I return home tomorrow and sit on the couch in our big living room, I can now more fully appreciate the ways I am blessed to live where I live and how I live. I am really, really excited to share my experiences with my wonderful 3rd grade students. They have e-mailed me a couple times during my absence, and I can honestly say that I miss them! As wonderful and life-changing this experience has been, I am ready to head back to the States.

Thank you to everyone who has followed me on this once-in-a-lifetime experience. I hope that I will be able to chaperone this trip again in the future (although I don't want to keep someone else from experiencing what I did), and I am so thankful for the chance to bring my own cultural background to the table of learning and respectful acceptance.

Until I return, I will say in Japanese: "Key-yo-say-ket-tay!" That means, "Take care!" Blessings to you all! :-)