New Friends, New Adventures
This week has been full of adventure, fun, and new challenges.
Tuesday was my first time teaching an entire English lesson by myself, and it went really well! I taught middle-school age, as well as helping with younger classes. The first graders and elementary age are more challenging because they require much more energy and interaction… my first try teaching an elementary class was a challenge, but I’m going to keep trying this week!
On Wednesday we had a morning training session with the Thomsons, then we went out to eat at a ‘kai-seki’ restaurant to celebrate one month of being in Japan! 'Kai-seki' is a multi-course meal made with local, seasonal food. It was so good! I tried raw squid and oysters, among many other Japanese delicacies.
The next day we went on an adventure with our new friend H. He took us to Awaji Island, which is about an hour south of where we live. We traveled the world’s longest suspension bridge, connecting the mainland to the island. Driving along the coast of the island was so beautiful, with mountains on one side and the ocean on the other. We had great talks with H while driving, and he took us to a fancy Italian/Japanese restaurant for lunch (this picture is with the chef). After lunch we visited a very old Shinto shrine, which was special to him because every New Year he and his family go there to pray for blessings. It was one of my favorite days since being here, because I love exploring new parts of Japan and seeing the beauty that is here.
Friday morning was spent cooking with our friends M and S. We made omu rice (fried rice omlet), onigiri (rice balls, usually with fish inside), and katsudon (breaded pork and eggs over rice). It was a delicious lunch! We enjoyed chatting together over lunch and spending time with these ladies.
Friday night was Adventure Club at a local community center - an English program for elementary age students. We spent time playing games and having fun with them. This is a stressful time of year for kids, as it’s the end of the Japanese school year and everyone has exams, so we were glad to bring smiles to their faces!
This weekend has been restful. I got to talk with my family on Saturday, plan English lessons for this coming week, and practice some Japanese. Yesterday James, Niki, and I went hiking at a nearby mountain. It was so refreshing to be outside in nature, and see the beauty of God’s creation. There was a beautiful lake at the foot of the mountain, and then we hiked up to the very top - and I realized I’m not used to hiking mountains! But it was so worth it to see the view of Sanda from the very top! We met some friendly people along the way, and enjoyed the peacefulness of nature.
Thank you so much for your prayers! I see God moving everyday through relationships; He is constantly bringing new people into our lives, which is so exciting! Teaching English is getting easier with practice. Language study is still challenging, but I’m not about to give up.
Please pray for the relationships God has brought into our lives - I invite you to join in prayer with me for the people here in Sanda! Pray for the families of every student who comes to Flip English, and for the college-age friends we are making. This coming Saturday we are hosting a ‘Texas Taco Fun Night,’ a chance to get to know new friends who are our age, play games together, and provide an environment where everyone feels welcome. This will be our second event like this - last week we had 3 people come, and this time 5 people planning to come! Please pray that God will bless this time.
Your prayers are so important - I couldn’t be doing this without you! If you’d like more specific details about life here, feel free to comment or email me. I’d be happy to share more pictures and stories of how God is moving here!
Blessings, Allana
