One Month!

So Gary and I have officially been here for one month! It's hard to believe, in some ways it feels like we've been here longer in that we already feel pretty comfortable in the city, getting around etc. It doesn't feel TOO foreign actually. That could just be because we've lived in other countries before too, I don't know. We've accomplished a lot on getting the feel of some of Tokyo...this city is HUGE and it will take us a LONG time to see all of it, if we ever manage that even! There are still areas of Mexico City we didn't see after living there for 7 years.. though we covered most of it!  We have 2 months left on our tourist visas and we are working on trying to change our residency status from tourist to resident. We hope to do that from Japan and avoid a trip back Stateside to finish the paperwork, hope we can do that as I'm anxious to get an apartment and get started on Church stuff!
Anyway, we had to run some errands the other day, we got a bit turned around in one of the subway stations (trust me, this is easy to do!) but we eventually made our way to our appointment. Afterwards, since we were near that side of town we stopped to do a little more exploring in Shibuya during the daytime this time. It was every bit as busy!

 

                                        I did manage to run into an old friend! 

Mr. Peanut and I!

 
We were getting hungry so started looking for a place to get a bite to eat.. we ran across a couple of interesting places, including this one...

 

Yeah, we DIDN'T eat there!

 

 

Then we found Che Guevarra advertising this... hmmmm.

 

It's probably some special communist powder stuff.

 

 

Yesterday, Gary and I were at a convenience store and I saw a tasty looking treat. it looked like a pocky stick thing, which I love!

 

 

But then I noticed the cute little cartoon puppy on the package and a little seal with a doggy picture on it...SO ClOSE! Even Japanese doggy snacks are Cute!

 

BTW, if you just happen to go into a public toilet equipped for the Disabled, and if you just happen to push a button thinking it's to Flush, it MIGHT turn out to be a button to call for help instead and you might suddenly have a lady talking to you in Japanese and IF you get nervous and don't answer.. they might just send a security person to see if you need help...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The sun is out...quick wash the laundry!!!

It's been rainy and cloudy the last few days and since today is sunny and breezy I'm working on catching up on laundry! I know you all probably think that missionary life is all glamorous etc. but the truth is really much more ordinary than glamorous!
Granted, figuring out how to do the "ordinary" is often times much more of an adventure than back home! Grocery shopping is an adventure, I try to figure out what I'm buying by looking at pictures and sometimes I manage to be right , other times it's a surprise! Especially here in Japan where even the alphabets (yes, all three of them) are incomprehensible! I'm working out figuring out Hiragana, but that still leaves Katakana and Kanji. To top it off Kanji has over 2,000 characters and each character can have more than one meaning! AND Kanji is not technically an alphabet... it's more like communicating via pictures as each character doesn't represent a sound like an alphabet letter, they represent an idea or concept. Very tricky, especially since they will often use all three types of alphabet in a single word...
Speaking of similarities the language is the same way. Words with different meanings depending on where you place the accent while pronouncing the word. For example, the word Shujin means HUSBAND as in my sweet Hubby.

 

 

 

Shujin and me

 

HOWEVER, depending on where I place the accent it also means... PRISONER!

 

Shujin

 

 

And, as any of you who know me and my language skills know, I am FAMOUS for placing accents in the wrong places!  I will DEFINITELY be introducing my husband as my prisoner!  He says its the same thing anyway...

 

This and That!

 

 

Well we went to the Chofu Cultural Center the other day, saw an ad in the English language newspaper saying there would be free immigration help there. We had a few questions so thought we'd check it out. We were met by some very friendly people, and a nice lady who acted as interpreter for us with a lawyer. Our lawyer wasn't certain on how to answer our questions so he went to the trouble to call another lawyer (a veteran lawyer with LOTS of experience he said) and scheduled us an appointment for Wed. at this "veterans" office, and even said he was going to try to meet us there. Very nice people! I really hope we can get all the paperwork done soon so we can get our own place and a church building and get to work! There was a very nice view from the Cultural Center!

Today, it rained all day so apart from a run to the grocery store...(actually a walk with an umbrella) I stayed inside. I was feeling like eating something American today so I bought a few little steaks, made some broccoli with cheese sauce and some potatoes. My local grocery store really doesn't have much in the way of vegetables. I haven't seen any canned veggies, other than tomatoes, and corn. The frozen veggie section only had broccoli and corn and a mixed veggie bag. The fresh produce only carries what's in season..at the moment I think it's leeks and squash! I'm going to have to check out a few different stores, I've never been a big veggie eater anyway, but I do like canned greenbeans on occasion, and calabacitas...(zucchini ..green or yellow).
Anyway, the dinner turned out tasty and I set a plate aside for Atsuko too. Later we can have some leftover Oden soup later that Atsuko made last night..it was delicious
 and full of so many goodies that I have no idea how to say or spell!
Followed the Packer game online today...very disappointing! Nice to be able to stay in touch with people and on top of events back home... how times have changed since the first time we went to Mexico and were lucky to get an occasional letter from the outside world!  Now I can stay in touch with my daughter in Panama or my children or family in the States on a daily basis...how spoiled we are!

Buttons, Buttons Everywhere!

We are currently staying in Atsuko's family home, it is a very comfortable  older traditional style Japanese home. I find the house fascinating because even though it is an older home there are electronic buttons everywhere and for everything.  Every room is sealed off from the other rooms and you only heat the room you're in... very smart and handy. You enter a room, push a button and turn on the heater in that room. When you go into the kitchen/dining area where most of the daily hanging out goes on, you push a button and the FLOOR heats up! You can comfortably remove your slippers and lay your feet on a toasty warm floor! Since I have always suffered from cold feet, I especially enjoy this! In the kitchen there is an alarm that beeps on the refrigerator if you don't close the door tightly. By the kitchen sink there is a button to turn the hot water heater on or off as well as a button to set the exact water temperature for the shower and the bath tub waters. (yes, there are two different faucets for those). Speaking of baths and showers, I have been totally converted to the Japanese bath style. First you take a shower and get completely clean and then you hop into a deep tub (up to your shoulders deep) and SOAK! It's SOOOO relaxing... I love it!  And since the water temperature on the heater is set for the temperature you want it you just turn on the faucet and out comes the water at your preferred temperature..no fiddling with the hot and cold trying to find that right mix!
 It is all very logical and convenient!

Shibuya!

Yesterday was Atsuko's day off and we all decided to drive to Shibuya! Shibuya is probably pretty much Toyo central. It really reminds me of what I imagine New York's Time Square to be like.
Lots of lights, people, traffic and shops! Just crossing the street is amazing!

 

The lights were so bright that even though it was night time it looked like it was day time!

 

We explored the little side streets and by ways... in one alleyway we found this!

 I'm beginning to feel like Where's Waldo with this jacket of mine that keeps turning up in all  the pictures!

 

                                              

 

                                                       
                                                                                                             Sumo dudes!

                                                                    Life size Spidey!

                    Picture taking Japanese style!

 

 

Anyway we saw a lot of the area.. the massive amount of people everywhere you turn is mindboggling. I haven't seen this since Mexico City and Mexico City didn't throw in all the lights and noise!

 

 

I know there are lots of videos in this post but pictures really just can't describe enough the organized chaos of this part of town!

 

But, Atsuko's day off is over, and today we're back in Fuchu. I have laundry to wash, and errands to run!

 

 Till next time!

 

 

 

 

 

Shinjuku!

So yesterday we explored the Shinjuku area...it's more central Tokyo and has skyscrapers and lots of traffic! In the midst of all this though we managed to find a Christian Bookstore! Very Nice!
Then we found something I was VERY excited about!

 

 

We also found a very nice bookstore that has an extensive English book selection! Any of you who know me realize what a big deal that is for me!

Here's a few pics from he area!

                                                              (yes, it was cold!)

 

(anime guy floating over Gary's head!)

 

                                                      

Walk About

This morning we headed out again, exploring more of the Fuchu neighborhood. Fuchu appears to be a pretty much middleclass type neighborhood with a lot going on just about any time of day.
We hadn't eaten breakfast so the first item on the agenda was to find some food! We wandered down a couple of little side streets from the train station.

 

And found a small Tempura shop. (This is really a picture of Gary pretending to take a picture of me but really trying to discreetly get a picture of the tempura shop for you... sorry about my messy hair!)

 

 

Anyway, it was an inexpensive shop and served delicious food! We got a little octopus/seaweed salad appetizer. It tasted like the ocean.. seriously, I remember that flavor(?) while swimming in Panama!

 

 

Then our tempura meals arrived. I had hot udon soup with tempura on rice.

I had NO idea what to do with that giant wooden spoon, no one else had one,(I usually spy on other diners to see what to do), so I just used my chopsticks and left it there.

 

Gary had a set meal, as it's called here.

 

 

After taking care of breakfast we wandered the streets of fuchu a bit. While Gary rested on a bench I went in and explored a temple area. I think all temples have the temple dogs at the entrances.

 

This guy was also on guard...

 

 

 

Here are a few shots...

 

 

 

And a short video.

 

 

I honestly don't know much about Japanese temples or religion, I did just purchase a book by a Christian Anthropologist about Japans history, religions etc. to give myself a bit more insight into the Japanese mindset etc.

 

Whenever we're out and about I like to take pictures of funny English translations that I'll randomly post in my blog.  Check out the Hello Kitty stamp.. Atsuko was pretty indignant by the  "Back to my hometown LONDON!!!!"

 

           Of course we all need to have Scum absorbent sheets handy in the kitchen!

I think we should eat the "healthy menu from my home!" I like the chicken sign in the back too..."This is the real chicken!"

 

  This was the restaurant name right next to the tempura shop we ate at...yummy! (actually it does look good despite the name!)

                        At some point I will buy and try these noodles just for the fun of it!

 

 

Some new Christmas lights were up... the Japanese haven't quite gotten the concept down yet. There are apparently Christmas unicorns...

 

                                                                        owls....

 

                                                                        And fish!

 

 

Until next time!!!