Going on Vacation

Over the summer I have had the privilege of hosting 7 friends at my house in Nara. My first Japanese house guest was my host mother who was visiting from Tokyo on her way to a school reunion in Osaka. She came on a Friday in early June. We went out to eat tonkatsu (photo left) then returned to the house. It was fun to have a mother/daughter weekend - even if it was for less than 24 hours. I was amazed how similar her personality is to my American Mom. She taught me how to make bread in the Japanese bread machine I own, she helped me determine the weeds from the flowers in my garden and we sat chatting (in Japanese) about church, family and friends in Tokyo. I think her trip helped reassure her that I'm doing ok living 'away from home'.

I've been so blessed to have been accepted as part of the Kimura family. So when they invited me to spend part of August (the hotteest/most humid month in Japan) with them at their mountain home - I jumped at the chance. My host father, the architect, designed a mountain home that saw the completion of construction this fall. I've been anticpating visiting this place in person (I've seen videos of the construction progress). I've stayed at their property in the mountain when I was a short-term missionary in Japan and was always amazed at the impact nature has spiritually. Nature is a refreshing reminder that "God Did It". A Truth you sometimes forget living in the concrete jungle of a city.

So while I spend 5 days in the mountains practicing my Japanese, eating some home cooked Japanese food and playing with my host family's grandkids. And a few days in Tokyo reconnecting with friends and co-workers. You can enjoy some preposted photos which will appear daily on the blog to while I'm gone.

Photos - My host mom, host sister, host sister's friend and I at Mt. Tateshina, Nagano ken in 1995.