The last Vacation...

Yesterday marked the last vacation, other than climbing Fuji, that I will be taking this year. My wonderful sister in Christ, Madeline, joined me in Japan for a 5 year reunion of friendship and traveling the world. We started the 17th (well Madeline did flying the long way here). We first rested and recouped in Kofu, attending the sports day where my students were competing for the big prizes the bragging rights of the school. We watched baseball, soft tennis, soccer, and some pool cleaning (not a sport but they were so we watched for a while). The baseball team won the number one prize- They were so stoked! Madeline and I cheered and stood out while students yell "oh GAIJIN (foreigner)". Hey its life. Any who we were also the only girls in the place with shorts on and t-shirts- the lady next to us had long sleeves, pants, a hat with a towel under it protecting her neck and face. She looked like one of the wisemen, but that is the style here.

Any who after a day of sports and sun, we took to church on Sat night. We had a special speaker and I was excited to hear him. BUT it was an experience where much prayer and possible leadership change is needed. The speakers name is not needed but raised an interesting fire in the church. He was an older missionary from America who has lived here for many years. He talks about the history of Christianity in Japan. Much to my liking I might add- History of Christianity in Japan how interesting. He also has written a book about it and was endorsed by President Bush and many other well known evangelists. As he spoke both in Japanese and English- from the beginning we were very confused to his  meaning. Since he spoke in both Japanese and English (giving his translation of both) we didn't receive all the information in either language. There were gaps and this made it hard to follow. Also he was very brash- he said things that if said in America he would have a lawsuit on him by many different people such as the Obama supporters, and supporters of homosexuality, and PWSGT (people who support good translations when in a multi-lingual group-yes I just made that group up but It should be started). He also said some pretty brash thing about Catholicism too. This was all very unnerving. His credibility was not well displayed thus we all had to discern what he was saying about history (and this after we did our own study on the History of Japan). Mind it- it finished and I prayed that God would lead hearts closer to himself no matter the most ridiculous of speeches ever. It was a wonderful chance to open up my heart to seek what I believed and discuss why I disagreed or agreed with what he said lined up with scripture. So my heart was challenged but saddened by a seasoned missionary who could easily turn people away from Christ. So this was challenging and good to see- in a way that we were challenged to step out in what we believed. 

Sunday came and with that the rain that wouldn't end for the two days were were there. We went to Tokyo via the trains with one of my English teachers, Mrs. Ono, and the home economics teacher, Ms. Matsumoto. They have both become my friends and I appreciate them very much. We visited the Meji temple and the wonderful gardens they had near the temple. The azaleas were in full bloom and they were a wonderful addition to the day. SLosh SLOsh- we then sloshes through stores shopping and looking while many MANY people hustled and bustled around us doing the same. 

Then Sunday we endured rain again, visited Sensoji temple- with the remark "that is one HUGE lantern" Ate some Ann BEAN- a sweet bean considered the Japanese sweet- but seriously it is so good- but not like candy- more like a healthy candy. And then began our trek back to the station to catch a 510 buss to Kawaguchiko (a lake at the base of FUJI). Well we were still on the subway at 500 and sweating because we were so nervous about being late- then it happened......

The subway doors flew open, and the race began- we were dodging Japanese people right and left. Sliding up between the smallest crevices and up the LEFT side of the escalators (which is the running side). As were were running up the -sclator- we were abruptly stopped by two STANDERS- I thought- seriously??- standing in the moving side- how not Japanese. And thus I wanted to say Excuse me (SUMIMASEN) but the words would not come out. Maybe it was the extended time that I have spent with Madeline speaking English or my lack of study here the last few weeks I am in Japan but the words would only come out in English- THUS Madeline gave me a gentle "hey tell em excuse me" and lightly smashed her hand on the railing- which was so American-(loved it)and the ladies looked back and started to move. IT worked! While laughing we moved to grab out bags from the coin locker (coin ROCKER- is how you say it in a Japanese dialect- and thus is my favorite favorite thing to say or ask for- Do you have a coin ROCKER? what kind of Rocker are you? A coin ROCKER- ok enough). But we were panting-laughing, and being laughed at while trying to grab our stuff- throw it on our backs and throw the scrabble tiles on the floor. Thankfully they didn't spill everywhere but carrying a small black satchel- and having it fall on the ground in the middle of the ground then picking it up and running.. Sketchy if you ask me- and we were! Then after the scrabble mishap we were off to the races again... going left and right dodging people yet trying not to knock people unconscious due to our huge bags and flailing arms. Then it was about 510- we were so fast- they were on the last calls for the buss and we flung out stuff on the ground while panting and then flew onto the buss as it pulls away. All this while realizing we were the only foreigners and girls under the age of 45 on the buss- we laughed then enjoyed the AC and wonderful views while traveling.

the next day we biked/ ran around the Kawaguchiko lake- about 3 hours combined, and enjoyed taking sweet pics of FUJI! 

This have become to long and about two weeks over due- thus I shall end here and say- On to the next topic. Until Next time!!!

Remember: You know it is bad when you are so tired at your desk- so you decide to take a walk to the bathroom sit on the lid and catch a few winks. My count for toilet naps- is up to 4! Ridiculous but when you can't say you are sick and need to "sleep" on the nurses beds- you gotta go somewhere!

~MOlly

It's the end of Japan as we know it........

Jonan Chu Gakkou

Well, I am not claiming to be a prophetess to the end of the world, let a lone Japan. But what I do know is that my time in Japan is coming to a close. This is begins now...

I am sitting at school- a day away from the last day of my teaching at Jonan Chu Gakkou. To this I feel both bitter and refreshed. Bitter that tomorrow I will have to say goodbye to the teachers and students who I have learned from and lived with for a year, but refreshed knowing I will be able to move back to my next calling- Columbus Junction. I sit here having had 5 classes of last classes, and knowing at tomorrows meeting I will need to represent Iowa, and my learning of Japanese twice. Once to the teachers in the morning meeting, and one over the intercom for all the students- and maybe not see all the students in this day.  So to practice and remember I shall write for you my two speeches in Japanese and English  (this is more for my practice and less for the benifit of knowing the mistakes and errors I will make tomorrow-thus will be using romanji so you realize this is actually a speech..-)..

Teachers Speech (for the sake of formality I will give two speeches at two times)

Ohiyo gozaimasu. Kyo ga Jonan Chu Gakkou de no watashi no sygono shu desu. Kono ichi nen wa totemo tanosh-katta desu. Sensei- igatta itsumo watashi wo tasukete kurete, arigato gozaimasu. Jona Chu Gakkou wa totemo stekina gakkou desu. kono gakkou de oshierukoto ga de kite hokori ni omoimasu.

(translation- Good morning. This is my last week at JCG. This year has been very fun (or a translation of fun that i do not have in English). thank you teachers for being so helpful and kind to me this year. JCG is a great school. I am honored to have taught here this yeary, thank you.)

 Students speech (over an intercom- LAME)

Hello everyone. This is Ms. Molly. Kyo ga Jonan Chu Gakkou de no watashi no sygono sh esu. Kono ichi ne  wa totemo tanosh-katta desu. This year has been very fun.  Thank you for studying English very hard. Seito no minasan wa eigo wo benkiyou shite kurete, arigato.  watashino ichiban no onoide wa minasan to ishyou ni hashita ju kiro road rasu desu. Please study hard and enjoy learning. Thank you so much! See you someday!

(translation- it is translated in the speach if you didnt' catch it you are lame! just kidd'n).

Well this is not why I am writing this blog- but more for my reminder- of how nervous I am right now sitting her knowing that tomorrow I will have to give this speech no matter how small it is to a group of 40 teachers and over 700 students. The students are safe- because they have are my students- mistakes are my gain for them (the more real I look the better) but to teachers it is nerve racking- thankfully I will take out a piece of paper and read it from it not to look at the faces of the stunned teachers who I can't even know what they think. TO this past statement I am stunned to think that I would still have such a immature brain- and shows my need to grow-up a few years. Maybe when I am older I will no longer feel the pressure but this is probably not true and feel like after tomorrow and my 5 min speech I may grow up a few years. 

Ok so besides this speech and things. I say, my thoughts from this year at Jonan. Well for firsts thankfully they turned on the air- seriously it was hot today- and to this I am grateful. I loved this school for its- "bad image". It was said of the school that is was kind of the reject school with problems and problem children- I didn't see this. Grant it, I saw my share of kids who overly didn't pay attention, who wore their pants around their ankles, and slept in class or who maybe got in a few fights, but is that not the essence of childhood? To rebel to find some kind of normalcy, to push the borders seeking someone to set up boundaries for them and give them a reason to do what is right, and to fight because seriously when you only have the experiences from the prior 12-15 years of your life you are still learning how to manage your own emotions. I did every one of these things in my life- rebel, push boundaries, and fight my emotions- (and possibly try to wear my pants by my ankles but have found that not so comfy or attractive). These things do not reflect institutions but the development of children. Yes, there are other implications which knowing about the whole life of the student- family, personality, and blood type (well this would be a japanese thing) would thus bring into the picture yet for the simple fact that life can stink for anyone- the rich, poor, the children who like to study and those who only like to play sports and at the foundation of this there would be seen a similarity of emotional reactions from all types of people thus making the labeling an act of Judgement on students instead of seeing there is potential in everyone to do something wonderful for the World and ultimately the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, God all mighty. Thus I have seen past the little stumbling blocks that get in the way and ask- what is the purpose of their life what do they have to offer and how can I help them see that they have so much to offer as a (child of GOD)! I have not perfected this in practice but as I journey I shall become more like Christ in this thinking, and seek after this as a Goal. This year has been a wonderful practice for me. Through the good and bad. Thus is my reflection of Jonan this year. A great school with just as much potential as any other school. I love the students and will miss them greatly! Lord bless and keep them- make his face to shine upon them and send people in their way which point to Christ and lead them to the knowledge and power of GOD- and the wonderful gift of Love that God has for them.

Ahh I have extended my time on this blog but will have more updates as this last three weeks quickly closes and the heat and humidity rises!

Remember: If you are on a subway at 5:00 and need to be to the buss station at 5:10- running in a large city is definitely a quick way to explore and find where you need to be!

It's the start of something- bad…

What is the outlook for Football 2009-2010? Why should you care? Because- It’s football the number one American sport and the best part of the year. Why is this the start of something bad? Lets look at a certain team I have been tracking….

 

The Vikings- the pride of Minnesota- the purple and gold-the Queens- (insert any rude remark you want to). They are my team of choice. Before about two years ago- it was a “bleak winter” for the Vikes. They were on a slow downward crash with the loss of Randy Moss, and many other decent players (hence I do not say great players just the decent ones). And thus the hope was slowly degrading. But then a few years later- one man- Adrian Peterson- appeared as an angel in white- is it true? Well for now lets say he has saved the Vikings from lots of huge upsets…. He has turned into a strong point for the Vikings- but with out a decent QB- there is not much a running back can do but hope and wait for a ball. This QB problem set aside I say the U of I graduate- Greenway, and Strong Safety- Tyrell Johnson- have also played a very clean part of the small successes the Vikings have had.

 

Now, this past season was a not so degrading for the Vikings and had a definite upward slope as the season progressed. Though with the early ending of the season due to a few horrible games- the Vikings still have a pretty low rank and thus a big chance for improvement. That brings us up to this year…. The pain the agony….

 

Even living in Japan- I have read and kept up with the ins and outs of the Vikings- and Brad Childress’ moves (lame I will call him BRAD from now on- Childress is a ridiculous word to say- and in Japan it would sound more like Child-less- which is actually even more ridiculous.) His moves, which compared to Michael Jackson- are not so “Thrilling”, are quite okashi- (embarrassing, and not called for), the thought of asking a injured over worked and over paid “use to be good but now just trying to save my manhood” oppositional  –UPS (packer) team player, to play for a team that is trying to MOVE UP- is a BAD move for leadership. WHY? I ASK WHY? (why would you want someone who can’t throw a football anymore?) Why not put leave him where he should be- out of the media and in an arm sling- I mean in retirement. That is what he wants- so give it to him (because we want it too). Any WHO- This potential shake up has really given BRAD a horrible beginning of what I would like to say- another chance to show the Vikings stuff! I think this year will be much more of a growing season for this newer team and without the reckless addition of another injury prone player I think they will have another year of growth and potential… And for recent news- the suspension of the “Chase for Favre” gives me hope that the ridiculousness may have come to a close and we can say- Goodbye class- and hello- NEW season!

 

These are my hopes and wishes for this new year- Prosperity- Growth in wins- and a great defeat of the Yellow and Green in their own stadium (as I sit by and watch with great delight). So ends my rant and ravage of the most ridiculous start to the 2009-2010- season. Go Vikings!

 

Remember: American football has many elements of greatness one being great use of a winter coat and those winter socks your grandmother gave you last year for Christmas.

~MOlly

Nothing like a surprise---10K road race!

(one of my fav teachers- we speak few words- but she is so nice!)

Surprise! Happy Birth---- NO way it is not a surprised party. Surprise you won 1,000,000 yen- no I didn't win a million yen. And NO big surprises that would spark any major change to my financial situation or my age situation- but more of a mental/spiritual uplifting surprise- a 10k road race. 

(thankfully numbers are pretty universal- but then they split girls and guys- using kanji so I was lost)

This race is completed every year and is a tradition of one of my schools- Jonan Chou- and the Kofu High affiliated with this school. Each year the Jr. High - runs a 10K or 5K - with 400 kids on the cycling road, and the High School does a 100K walk/run marathon. So this year I thought I would just come and enjoy encouraging students running- but after three teachers asked if I wanted to run- Of course I said "YES". (then looked at my clothes and asked to go home quickly to change. So I raced home (yes before the race), and changed into my sweet- Japanese teacher style- Puma Warm up and raced back to school. At 10 o'clock we stretched- and was energized by a cheer team- then was told- 10 mins we will start. AHH the nerves ran high-I figured I was running at the back- "to help the slower students" (because these kids are a good 7 years younger than me and also very small. 

(team ENGLISH- we ran together)

10:29- I walk around the huge group of girls (yes in japan they always separate gender), and said Good Luck- gambete, and was asked so many times- are you running? I said YES, I can! So, the last minute seemed like a million years, and with my uncertainty of this race in the heat and just the safety of all these kids-- BANG!!!

(the school from the soccer field- if you look- kids are in the windows- lots of em!)

10:30 the gun shot off- and we were off- About 200 girls and ME! Many running way to fast- to begin a 10k- (6.2) mile race, and many just shocked I was actually running. We ran up a hill over a bridge down to the cycling road- and ATSUI NE! It was very warm that day- the clouds were out so it was nice to not have the sun blazing us but the wind was very still!

As we ran this race- I was passed and did some passing- My goal was to finish in under 1 hour and run with as many different kids as possible- and Encourage every student!!! I found a few of my English friends- girls who love to speak English and we talked and ran- and then half of the girls stopped- and walked- I was surprised... IS this not a race? (but they do not prep for this race they just do it) so for their safety I say- walk if you feel like it! but I kept going- Then you could tell the boys were let off because they came in swarms and zipped past all the girls- not saying all boys are faster than girls but these boys were RACING- some girls were just doing this because they had to. I was in for both. So we kept going passing parents and them saying_-- EHHH- sensei??? HAII-Eigo no sensei desu! 

(owarimasu- the finish line teachers! how genki!)

Any who- as I was running with students I had this moment of realization (yes i did say that). I was cheering for all students who ran past- I was sweating with the students- checking on them to make sure they were ok-running with them in their immediate struggle-seeing them through the only ways I knew how (through easy Japanese and English encouragement and running). I was able to give and be apart of their lives- to struggle to see them through. It was a defining moment for me a moment that no matter the language barrier there was something we did together- running as a team as a group no one left out. It was so moving- and so hot- but so spiritual in that I felt the light of God through the students (whether they new it or not or believed or not- They are created by the same God I was- the are loved by the same God I am). They kept me going and faster than I thought- I finished in 45 mins- and then had time to go back and finish the race with more students (many who are by themselves- or looking like they were struggling). I just kept running- I was given energy from on High and enjoyed running and seeing kids smile and I know it is sappy but words can't express what I felt... It was a bonding unlike anything I could imagine. 

(again the school- I can just hear the kids- Ms Molly!!!!!)

Also, I was so bold to ask teachers to be in pictures- and show students basically hanging out of the windows- and the fun surroundings I saw while running and cheering for students

(the most ridiculous pic- of the teachers- they are funny!)

Remember: It's not all about you- I have been learning it lots- thanks kids!

~MOlly