BLOG!

I have not blogged one since i've been back from Nippon.  (Just real quick in regards to my last post I did beat the jet lag. I was really tired but i was waking up at the right time. I consider that a success.)

On to more pressing matters.  As some of you know I help lead the Anti-Human Trafficking ministry at Biola University.  I just finished creating a new blog for the ministry. I just wanted to make a plug for it. You can follow our happenings and stories from our advocacy groups who will be doing community awareness in Anaheim this semester.  Pray for us or wish us luck whatever your into. Thanks

BiolaAbolitionists.blogspot.com         - check it

At its end.

Well my Japan adventure has surprisingly come to an end. For the last seven weeks I've been submersed within the Japanese culture, attempting to learn as much as I could from the people and surroundings. I definitely felt like it was enough time. I was able to accomplish all of the assignment for my internship. I made a lot of new friends that I will be missing when I leave. It was honestly an experience of a lifetime. I was able to do so many things (as you can tell in my blogs). I also did so much more that I failed to blog on, but I'll have stories left over to tell when I get home.

I leave for the airport tomorrow afternoon, but my plan to defeat the jet lag demons started two days ago.

[my plan]

So for the last two days I stayed up past 4 in the morning (the sun was coming up it was weird).
With this I'm hoping that it will mess up already funky Japanese sleeping pattern. Then to really put the spin on the jet lag I will stay up all night tonight. Theoretically, I will be extremely tired once i get on my flight. The goal is to fall asleep for the entire 10 hour plane ride. When i arrive in the US it should be 12pm the same day. In conclusion, when I walk of that plane I should be good and rested, already adjusted to my regular sleeping pattern.


That's my plan, flawless I must say. I'll let you know if it works.

4th country surfed (theoretically 5th)

I know get to add Japan to my list of countries surfed in my life time (so far).  Others countries 

1. Mexico

2. Costa Rica 

3. Nicaragua

and now

4. Japan

(beat that Fish)

I will add Kauai, Hawaii to this list because it's pretty much another country surfwise and any other wise for that matter.

So 5 countries. Hopefully as I continue to breath oxygen the number of countries on this list will grow.

A friend of Jeff named Hero Kamatsu took us surfing to this fun little surf spot a few hours from Tokyo.  He started surfing when he was 44 and has loved every second of it. He took us to HIC (Hawaiian Island Creations) surf shop in a town called Chiba.  The guys and gals at the shop were very nice.  The people in the surf culture here in Japan are quite different than the hectic city urbanities I usually run into.  It was nice to see some friendly faces and get back in the water.  The beach is definitely one of the things I miss most about home.  The surf was not perfect, a little choppy and scattered but I was still able to catch a few good ones. I think I'll get to go at least one more time. Can't wait.

One more thing, the Japanese are so efficient.  Surfers had buckets and portable showers to wash themselves off and their wetsuits and boards. It was just so impressive. Some of you surfers reading this can appreciate that, I know I can.  I usually leave my wetsuit in the back of my car wet and sandy until the next time I use it, which makes for an unpleasant smell.

 As I was walking around an artist district in Tokyo I came by this small house/business with a pile of bamboo flutes at the front with a sign that read, "please try."  I tried playing a flute and found it quite difficult to play.  One lady that was there, who I may add was dressed very cool, played the flute exceptionally well and made it sound so Japanese.  I was determined to try and get the flute in my hand to at the very least, make a sound that didn't sound like I was just blowing air into a pipe. The owner, who smelled of freshly drank saki, passed on to me some words of ancient Zen Japanese wisdom, he said, "it is not about making a sound, it's about centering yourself in meditation." Upon hearing these words I proceeded to center everything within me and forget about the sound I desired to make. As my soul centered I took a deep breath and let the air that was in my chest escape through the bamboo I held in my hands. The sound was exactly the same so I gave up and kept blowing into the damn thing until it made a sweet sound.  It was lots of fun,  even the lightheadedness. 

He then said I can make my own for only 1,000 yen (about 10 bucks).  How could I say no to that?

Moral of the story: I'm not a very good Zen meditator or musician

Karaoke to the tenth degree

Karaoke, Saki, Friends, and bad voices. It was a great night.

And just incase you were wondering I rocked a solo to Fergalicious 

Tokyo National Museum and

We went the Tokyo National Museum today. I fell in love with the Samurai armor. I tried to out it on and got tackled. Just kidding but if that silly glass wasn't there i definitely would have tried.

Japanese Temples

These are everywhere. They are very beautiful. Oh and you can pay money to use the escalator, we walked.