Basically,
If something in Japan claims to be pudding do not trust it. It is probably JELLO. If something claims to be yogurt, do not trust it either... despite the fact that it looks like yogurt with little chuncks of blueberries mixed in it... it is proabably JELLO. If something claims to be jelly... that simply means that it is JELLO. I have yet to try the custard, but as you can tell... I'm having a few reservations about it. It was bad enough trying yogurt, pudding, and jelly, and having to throw half of it away... They even hand out milk JELLO with your lunch at the cafeteria here. It is so nasty... I have a hard enough time as it is with fake cherry JELLO, let alone that stuff. Okay, so moral of the story... don't trust your eyes in Japan... or the words written on things... trust your gut or if worse comes to worse... if you don't know what something is... it's probably JELLO.
Adam
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Friday, October 10, 2008
North Korea
Today,
I went to Freshness Burger down the street from Toyo University with Crystal (Texan) and Hayley (Australian). We at first started talking about American politics based upon a few questions Hayley had about it and it exploded into an intellectual flurry of thoughts. Crystal definately lead the stream of thoughts and discussion followed by Hayley. I don't like debate that feels like arguing so I remained silent. It would have worked so much better if we had a stick to pass around because you basically had to intrupt someone in order to speak. But the discussion basicly flirted upon the topics of nuclear weapons, the Middle East, why we went to war, how war has changed, what the world is becoming, the morals behind modern motivations for war and war tactics, how the world veiwed September Eleventh, how it veiws the US, and so on. There were many things we talked about.
So, today I have been feeling an overwhelming sense of God's workings in the world. I feel a decline in the strength of America, and a looming dark cloud to the East. It's like my relocation to Japan has altered my sixth sense and caused me to feel even stronger than before. I see what the world sees about the US from people that would never go there. It scares me. Not in a sense that I am afraid of death, but in a way that dampers my soul and gives me a greater love for people and a longing to understand. It is a good kind of fear rooted in love. Does that make any sense? I have been feeling this and knowing it through people since I got here.
Eventually our conversation turned to North Korea. And it basically boiled down to this... The Japanese news often refers to North Korea and the other day it showed footage inside a South Korean courthouse were evidentally South Korea has found evidence that North Korea is manufacturing short range nuclear weapons. Short range... North Korea hates South Korea and Japan. In our conversation at the table today, Crystal was commenting on how Japan isn't a giant military power and that China wouldn't do anything about North Korea because they are allies... and all that would go through my mind was a dream I had maybe three years ago. I was in Japan and people were running around in terror. Everthing had turned a shade of red with two moons in the sky and I heard a voice call out to me, "Japan will boil". It was terrifying.
Sitting at the table and listening to Crystal speak I then remembered that I was in the largest city in Japan... Tokyo. Not only that... but in the center of that city! Not very comforting... however fear does not grip me, because I have faith. It is something I cannot explain properly. I trust in God. I know that whatever happens God is there and He is just. I know that pain may come my way or enormous terror may grip this planet... but God is just all the same. I know He judges the heart and He knows every good and bad thing. There is no reason to fear because God is just. There is nothing I can do or need to do becuase I am not God. I can never be a good person because we all fall short of that... however, I can be greatful and trust in God. He knows what He is doing.
I know that no good author puts something into his book that is irrelivent. I know also that the US isn't as stupid as it sometimes may seem. God's allowing a mystery to be built in this modern world from multiple angles that I am sure will have major repercussions once revealed. I think this modern world is advancing so fast that it isn't even sure about much of anything anymore. Today has become more of God's arena than anyone could imagine. I can see Him tying up the loose ends of history and finishing off many equations. Much has been revealed to us of late, but we are just on the threshold of a mystery that will soon rear its ugly head and send tremors throughout the earth, as far as rocking its very foundations.
War has even become so confused that nations are invading other nations based upon rumors! Morals are being questioned and motives weighed like never before in history. With the existance of weapons of mass destruction, it has become acceptable however highly debated, to invade another country based on the fear that is may attack. It has come down to this... "Should we wait for them wipe out half of our population, or should we attack them first and dismantle their capablities before they are fully capable?" War has become such a beast that it comes in the form of fear itself... and unlike anytime before in history, it is now global and involves lands unrelated.
There is a mystery building and the day will soon come when it is revealed... that is what my feelings are for today. I great sense of meaning rooted in fear rooted in love. If that makes any sense....
I went to Freshness Burger down the street from Toyo University with Crystal (Texan) and Hayley (Australian). We at first started talking about American politics based upon a few questions Hayley had about it and it exploded into an intellectual flurry of thoughts. Crystal definately lead the stream of thoughts and discussion followed by Hayley. I don't like debate that feels like arguing so I remained silent. It would have worked so much better if we had a stick to pass around because you basically had to intrupt someone in order to speak. But the discussion basicly flirted upon the topics of nuclear weapons, the Middle East, why we went to war, how war has changed, what the world is becoming, the morals behind modern motivations for war and war tactics, how the world veiwed September Eleventh, how it veiws the US, and so on. There were many things we talked about.
So, today I have been feeling an overwhelming sense of God's workings in the world. I feel a decline in the strength of America, and a looming dark cloud to the East. It's like my relocation to Japan has altered my sixth sense and caused me to feel even stronger than before. I see what the world sees about the US from people that would never go there. It scares me. Not in a sense that I am afraid of death, but in a way that dampers my soul and gives me a greater love for people and a longing to understand. It is a good kind of fear rooted in love. Does that make any sense? I have been feeling this and knowing it through people since I got here.
Eventually our conversation turned to North Korea. And it basically boiled down to this... The Japanese news often refers to North Korea and the other day it showed footage inside a South Korean courthouse were evidentally South Korea has found evidence that North Korea is manufacturing short range nuclear weapons. Short range... North Korea hates South Korea and Japan. In our conversation at the table today, Crystal was commenting on how Japan isn't a giant military power and that China wouldn't do anything about North Korea because they are allies... and all that would go through my mind was a dream I had maybe three years ago. I was in Japan and people were running around in terror. Everthing had turned a shade of red with two moons in the sky and I heard a voice call out to me, "Japan will boil". It was terrifying.
Sitting at the table and listening to Crystal speak I then remembered that I was in the largest city in Japan... Tokyo. Not only that... but in the center of that city! Not very comforting... however fear does not grip me, because I have faith. It is something I cannot explain properly. I trust in God. I know that whatever happens God is there and He is just. I know that pain may come my way or enormous terror may grip this planet... but God is just all the same. I know He judges the heart and He knows every good and bad thing. There is no reason to fear because God is just. There is nothing I can do or need to do becuase I am not God. I can never be a good person because we all fall short of that... however, I can be greatful and trust in God. He knows what He is doing.
I know that no good author puts something into his book that is irrelivent. I know also that the US isn't as stupid as it sometimes may seem. God's allowing a mystery to be built in this modern world from multiple angles that I am sure will have major repercussions once revealed. I think this modern world is advancing so fast that it isn't even sure about much of anything anymore. Today has become more of God's arena than anyone could imagine. I can see Him tying up the loose ends of history and finishing off many equations. Much has been revealed to us of late, but we are just on the threshold of a mystery that will soon rear its ugly head and send tremors throughout the earth, as far as rocking its very foundations.
War has even become so confused that nations are invading other nations based upon rumors! Morals are being questioned and motives weighed like never before in history. With the existance of weapons of mass destruction, it has become acceptable however highly debated, to invade another country based on the fear that is may attack. It has come down to this... "Should we wait for them wipe out half of our population, or should we attack them first and dismantle their capablities before they are fully capable?" War has become such a beast that it comes in the form of fear itself... and unlike anytime before in history, it is now global and involves lands unrelated.
There is a mystery building and the day will soon come when it is revealed... that is what my feelings are for today. I great sense of meaning rooted in fear rooted in love. If that makes any sense....
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
This Past Sunday
This past Sunday,
I embarrassed myself so bad. The church I am attending in Tokyo has this event going on that is called the Juballie (probably spelled wrong). During the anouncements right after service the guy on stage was trying to promote the event when suddenly people began to turn in their seats looking at me with faces full of discontent. I had a translation device in my right ear so that I could understand what was going on and was shocked when people started looking at me.... but then... I heard what was beckoning their attention. Just as the man on stage was talking about the Juballie, something from one of my pockets was calling out. Removing the translation device from my ear
I heard in horror that this sound was the sound of the men chanting at the peagan feastival I had visited the other week. Having left my camera in my back right pocket, I must have triggered the right buttons in the right combination of wiggles for one of my most culturally interesting pieces of footage.... but at the worst possible moment there ever could be! I couldn't have dreamed of a worse moment or place for that to happen. Undeniably, my face turned a pleasent color of red as I groped around trying to stiffle the noise... pretend it wasn't coming from me... and then scramble to cut it off swiftly before more damage could be done. by the grace of God, as I was trying to play this whole thing cool... the lights were also dimming for a power point presentation.
I had to leave the room as soon as it was over, just to distance myself from the event as best I could.... I was beyond embarrassed.... I just couldn't erase the horrified faces from my memory... But now that I look back of it I can laugh.... because man! does God have a sense of humor or what?!
I embarrassed myself so bad. The church I am attending in Tokyo has this event going on that is called the Juballie (probably spelled wrong). During the anouncements right after service the guy on stage was trying to promote the event when suddenly people began to turn in their seats looking at me with faces full of discontent. I had a translation device in my right ear so that I could understand what was going on and was shocked when people started looking at me.... but then... I heard what was beckoning their attention. Just as the man on stage was talking about the Juballie, something from one of my pockets was calling out. Removing the translation device from my ear
I heard in horror that this sound was the sound of the men chanting at the peagan feastival I had visited the other week. Having left my camera in my back right pocket, I must have triggered the right buttons in the right combination of wiggles for one of my most culturally interesting pieces of footage.... but at the worst possible moment there ever could be! I couldn't have dreamed of a worse moment or place for that to happen. Undeniably, my face turned a pleasent color of red as I groped around trying to stiffle the noise... pretend it wasn't coming from me... and then scramble to cut it off swiftly before more damage could be done. by the grace of God, as I was trying to play this whole thing cool... the lights were also dimming for a power point presentation.I had to leave the room as soon as it was over, just to distance myself from the event as best I could.... I was beyond embarrassed.... I just couldn't erase the horrified faces from my memory... But now that I look back of it I can laugh.... because man! does God have a sense of humor or what?!
Friday, October 3, 2008
Pot Luck
Last Saturday,
All the international students got together in Naomi and Crystal's dorm room for a Pot Luck Night. I came in half an hour late... well technically exactly on time since the time for it had been laid out as starting between 6pm and 7pm. I came at 6:30pm, just to see who had come. Most everyone was already there, so I apologized for being late and not having made my food and rushed back downstairs. Actually, I wanted to see if anyone had brought spaghetti because that was my idea. I was safe.
The first time I had made spaghetti I hadn't had any salt... and it didn't taste very good. However this time I did so I was hoping it would taste better. It was some time near 7pm when I had finished and left my room with a steaming hot pot, fingered laddle, and a washrag to sit it on. I thought I had everything, but as the door to the stairwell closed I froze in place. Do I have my access card? I thought. Hands full and far too late for it to matter, I brushed it off and made my way to the noisey pot luck. Shoes littered the entranceway.
At first I didn't know where to sit my pot, because the table was full of half-empty entrees. There was fried soba, spooned fruit, fried green beans, nikuman, and Qoo amoung other things. I set my pot on the sink while I checked to see if I had my card. No... I didn't. I had left it in the card port in my room and there was no way I could re-enter it now to retreive it. What made it worse was that my roommate was one of the only people not there. Even worse was the fact that my roommate had a reputation at the time for going out during the day and not comming back until the late morning. I had appearently forgotten to tell him about the pot-luck, so he was all the way out in Shinjuku or Akihabura. And I didn't know his phone number nor did I have a phone.
After finding a decent spot on the table to set my contribution, I went with Naomi and Hayley out into the hall where they were going to attept to find out why Heather and Tehreem were still locked up in their room. I wanted to use her phone to call the IPO office. However, when Tehreem answered the door and after formalities and such when I asked her, she wouldn't let me use her phone. I was slightly appauled. What was the meaning of her not letting me use her room phone. All it could do was call the office. I wanted to get the dorms landlord to use his masterkey to open the door.
After Tehreem refused to let us in her room on the basis that she and Heather were preparing a secret entree, she shut the door and Hayley assured me that I could use her phone in her room. I don't remember if we then went back to the party, or if we went to her room immediately after, but it wasn't long before we came upon it. There are about three buttons on our room phones none of which either of us could read... but just a couple nights before, I had witnessed Naomi press one of the buttons and the manager called back almost 20 seconds later. We tried that button and when nothing happened, we tried the other ones too and sat on the floor waiting for the phone to call us back.
We sat with ou legs stretched out before us and our hands supporting us in the back across from eathother on the kitchen/livingroom floor. When it was evident that no one would respond to our call, Hayley began to tell me a story about what had happened earlier on in the week. On the Tuesday of the festival. Before she came with us that night.
She had tried to work her washing machine, but it wouldn't do anything. She tried to get help from management, but it still didn't do anything. She started crying and began to become home-sick. They took her up to the seventh floor to one of the SCAT teachers (who is American) so that she may be able to help her. They figured out that the water first needed to be turned on before the washer would work. One of those kinks that comes with being one of the first occupants.
I soon found out that the meaning of the story was to suggest I ask this lady if she knows someone with a master key. But first we wuld check the lobby to make sure there were no workers present. So we got off the floor and continued our adventure.
All the international students got together in Naomi and Crystal's dorm room for a Pot Luck Night. I came in half an hour late... well technically exactly on time since the time for it had been laid out as starting between 6pm and 7pm. I came at 6:30pm, just to see who had come. Most everyone was already there, so I apologized for being late and not having made my food and rushed back downstairs. Actually, I wanted to see if anyone had brought spaghetti because that was my idea. I was safe.
The first time I had made spaghetti I hadn't had any salt... and it didn't taste very good. However this time I did so I was hoping it would taste better. It was some time near 7pm when I had finished and left my room with a steaming hot pot, fingered laddle, and a washrag to sit it on. I thought I had everything, but as the door to the stairwell closed I froze in place. Do I have my access card? I thought. Hands full and far too late for it to matter, I brushed it off and made my way to the noisey pot luck. Shoes littered the entranceway.
At first I didn't know where to sit my pot, because the table was full of half-empty entrees. There was fried soba, spooned fruit, fried green beans, nikuman, and Qoo amoung other things. I set my pot on the sink while I checked to see if I had my card. No... I didn't. I had left it in the card port in my room and there was no way I could re-enter it now to retreive it. What made it worse was that my roommate was one of the only people not there. Even worse was the fact that my roommate had a reputation at the time for going out during the day and not comming back until the late morning. I had appearently forgotten to tell him about the pot-luck, so he was all the way out in Shinjuku or Akihabura. And I didn't know his phone number nor did I have a phone.
After finding a decent spot on the table to set my contribution, I went with Naomi and Hayley out into the hall where they were going to attept to find out why Heather and Tehreem were still locked up in their room. I wanted to use her phone to call the IPO office. However, when Tehreem answered the door and after formalities and such when I asked her, she wouldn't let me use her phone. I was slightly appauled. What was the meaning of her not letting me use her room phone. All it could do was call the office. I wanted to get the dorms landlord to use his masterkey to open the door.
After Tehreem refused to let us in her room on the basis that she and Heather were preparing a secret entree, she shut the door and Hayley assured me that I could use her phone in her room. I don't remember if we then went back to the party, or if we went to her room immediately after, but it wasn't long before we came upon it. There are about three buttons on our room phones none of which either of us could read... but just a couple nights before, I had witnessed Naomi press one of the buttons and the manager called back almost 20 seconds later. We tried that button and when nothing happened, we tried the other ones too and sat on the floor waiting for the phone to call us back.
We sat with ou legs stretched out before us and our hands supporting us in the back across from eathother on the kitchen/livingroom floor. When it was evident that no one would respond to our call, Hayley began to tell me a story about what had happened earlier on in the week. On the Tuesday of the festival. Before she came with us that night.
She had tried to work her washing machine, but it wouldn't do anything. She tried to get help from management, but it still didn't do anything. She started crying and began to become home-sick. They took her up to the seventh floor to one of the SCAT teachers (who is American) so that she may be able to help her. They figured out that the water first needed to be turned on before the washer would work. One of those kinks that comes with being one of the first occupants.
I soon found out that the meaning of the story was to suggest I ask this lady if she knows someone with a master key. But first we wuld check the lobby to make sure there were no workers present. So we got off the floor and continued our adventure.
To be continued...
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