I Love Japan!!

We are back safely from Japan after a VERY long ride home. We got home in the wee hours of the morning--just in time for Brecken's 11th birthday. The boys were very cute and hung streamers, balloons and Happy Birthday signs all over the house. But poor Brecken looked like this all day:




That darn flu--all day yesterday and today. I just went and checked on her and she's still sick to her stomach. She couldn't even eat breakfast in bed (rice and raisins made by Steve--Brecken's favorite)--she was too weak and sick. So--I guess we'll have to celebrate Brecken's birthday when she's feeling better. What a bummer! You don't really appreciate your health until you feel like this!

On to Japan. Two weeks before we were leaving, both my husband and I started having panic attacks. We have only left our children a few times when we've gone overseas but it's always been Hawaii or the Caribbean--closer to home. We were very apprehensive leaving our children for nine days and going to a country where we didn't know the language or how to get around. We finally decided to make it a big adventure and honestly had the time of our lives!

We got to the airport, and Shio holding this sign was a VERY welcome sight.




She got us to the hotel and convention center (Sunshine City Prince Hotel) where CKU-Japan was held. Thanks, Shio!

The next morning we woke up at 4:00 a.m. and after trying to go back to sleep with no luck, we decided to brave the trains. After being there for a week, we discovered the train and subway systems are very convenient and easy to navigate. It was just that first initial ride that was tough. We got to the station at 7:30 and had no idea that it was rush hour. It was a sea of people in dark clothing and some had white masks on. (We found out the Japanese are very germ conscience and clean and if they are the least big sick, they wear masks. Smart idea!)

We tried to figure out how to get tickets but if was very difficult. We tried for some time, asked several people who didn't speak English, then I started looking for light hair in the crowd of people. I finally found a British gal who was a great help and we got on the train to Kamakura ( a VERY crowded train--we were packed in like sushi!)--a beautiful little town in the country. By the way--here's what most people look like on the trains. They fall asleep and somehow their internal time clock knows to wake up at the appropriate stop. By the end of the week, I was also falling asleep and somehow magically waking up!

We spent the day in Kamakura visiting Buddist and Shintu (sp?) temples, seeing the BIG Buddha and checking out the countryside.



I loved this photo when we got off the train. We couldn't read anything but we did recognize Colonel Sander's face. Good old KFC!



We went to a grocery store (very educational experience!) and also saw an Amish Cooking restaurant! I later found out that you can literally eat food from anywhere in the world in Japan. It was wonderful!

The next day we toured Tokyo on a tour bus--amazing city and it was nice having someone who spoke English as our guide.

The following day we found our church's temple in the middle of Tokyo and enjoyed our visit there.



Friday through Sunday was CKU-Japan. Again, I was apprehensive with the language barrier but had the most amazing translator (love you Cathy Piehl!) and two darling teacher's assistants (Chinatsu Kawagoshi and Ayumi Nakamoto). We had such a great time together and Cathy did a great job getting across the message and project I wanted to share. And, since I taught the same class seven times they sat through the same material for 14 hours! Very patient!



The best part of my Japanese experience was mingling with the students at CKU-J. Everyone was so gracious, so beautiful and had amazing spirits. As I told them in the closing event, we may not have spoken the same language but we communicated through the universal language called love. We all cried when the event was over. It honestly was one of the best experiences of my career. Thanks, CKU-Japan Students. Also, Sun-K--you did a great job overseeing the event! Also, loved my fellow teachers--Britney Mellen, Brian Tippetts, Lance "Mr. Pickle" from Rusty Pickle, Donna Downey (still one of the funniest gals I know), Becky Fleck, Fontworkz (from Canada) and Emily Adams. You all are the best! For those of you who live nearby Japan, don't miss this awesome experience in 2009!

Also, Makiko Kawabe--thanks for the wonderful experience at your husband's restaurant.



We ate tempura--totally Japanese style--and as my husband put it "This was one of the best dining experiences I've ever had!" If you're ever in Tokyo, please go to their restraurant at Hanamura, 6-6-5, Akasaka It might be by invitation only but tell them "Lisa the scrapbooker" sent you!

There's so much more I want to tell you. Know this--if you ever get the chance to go to Japan, jump on it! The city is VERY clean (all the restrooms are also very clean) and the people are fantastic. And the Baskin Robbin's ice cream tastes the same as here in the states!

Well, that's it for now. I guess I'd better go try to get some much needed sleep.

Have a great night!

Lisa

P.S. Just one more photo. The school children take tiny lunch boxes to school and their mothers always create a "surprise" lunch for them. Always very creative and decorative. Somehow I don't think my Lunchables would be acceptable!



P.S.S I got lots of incredible gifts from the students. This one blew me away! Yoko Imai made me a folder and binder with all first 100 covers of Creating Keepsakes on them! Thanks, Yoko!