As of tonight, I have officially been in Japan for one week. Things have been going well. I really like the people at the church here, and the neighborhood and city are going to be fun places to live. This week was spent mostly on getting aclimated and settled into my new surroundings, getting to know people, and numerous New Years-related events; New Years, of course, being a big holiday in Japan.
You can visit the Photo Page for some new pics from the past week. Meanwhile, here are some written highlights and thoughts from the past week:
Sunday: I attended my first service at Nagoya Immanuel Church (where I was introduced and brought brief greetings), as well as lunch with some of the youth — all of which was good, but also a huge reminder of the language barrier. I certainly feel like I have a lot to learn. But, I also have many new friends to learn from, and it can’t hurt to be immersed in it like this. Still, occasionally it feels a little overwhelming. In the evening I had supper with Pastor Saoshiro, the staff and their family. I really enjoy my new Family and look forward to working with them.
Tuesday: New Years Day was a full day, with a special service in the morning and a big New Years dinner with the Family.
Wednesday: Wednesday was an even more full day, with a combined district-wide service (at which I was introduced again, and brought more greetings, this time throwing in a little Japanese). Afternoon and into the evening was spent with the youth, with a special service for them (and in part by them) and again lots of food.
Thursday: There was a missionary couple (Ron and Joan Stoller) I met in Osaka when I lived there a few years ago, who just happen to live in this area, and also happen to be friends with Ken Saoshiro, one of my new cohorts here in Nagoya. Small world. They had a party on Thursday we went to, and it was good to catch up with them.
Friday: Pastor Hirase (one of the staff pastors here) took me out on his scooter to help me do my foreigner registration thing at the ward office, to help me pick out a computer printer, and to give me a whirlwind tour of the city. It was both a fun and productive day.
A good week, all in all. My jet lag didn’t last too long; as of yesterday I was feeling pretty much back to normal. And now that I’ve been around the city, done some shopping and laundry, and been here about a week, it’s starting to feel like I actually live here and am not just visiting. The weeks to come should be interesting and fun, as well as challenging, as I begin my studies and ministry. I’ll try to keep you updated with shorter, more regular posts. In the meantime, that’s a wrap for this week.