Travel Log and Some Initial Impressions

Well, it's been well over week since I last wrote, and as one might expect, A LOT has happened. I arrived safe and sound in Tokyo last Wednesday, August 19th, and spent three days with Bernie and Cheryl Barton, the career missionaries for the Church of God here in Japan. After meeting the a few other missionaries in the area and visiting a couple hot spots around Tokyo, we headed down to Kobe, the city where I'll be living for the next two years.

We arrived in Kobe last Saturday evening and enjoyed dinner with a couple church members at Coco's, a restaurant that serves everything from taco salad to hamburger steaks to Japanese curry. Since then, I have met the congregation at Tarumi Church of God and begun planning for the English classes I'll be teaching beginning this coming Thursday.

The last week and a half has been a blur, but I do have some initial impressions of my new home and life overseas. First, I appreciate the famous Japanese courtesy that I have read and heard about. Though I struggle to even begin to communicate in Japanese, I have not yet been lost without someone to make sure I know where I am or where I'm headed. At restaurants, people go out of their way to try and speak English when I get confused by the menu or the Japanese being spoken. Earlier this week, I hopped on the wrong bus back to my apartment and the bus driver didn't make me pay for the ride AND directed me to the correct bus. Small things make a huge difference...

Second, transitioning to another culture is more tiring than you could imagine. Going to the grocery store has never made me so sleepy. It seems like even the weather sucks energy from me. I enjoyed a good nap before I came to Japan, but now I see more value in them than ever before.

Third, I appreciate the value of support that I wrote about in my last post. I have certainly come back around to feeling less distant from those supporting me both here in Japan, at home in the US, and around the world. The people that surround me with support, friendship, and prayer are pillars that raise me up here. They make adjusting a little easier, and remind me that I am not alone.

Well, I know this is brief and a bit clipped for my last week and a half, but as I become less tired and a little more settled in I'll better delve into this new world. Thanks for keeping up with me and I look forward to staying connected with life back in the US as new connections and relationships form here.