The following is a running diary of my last week and a half in Japan. Couple of things. It’s long. I know. Hopefully its enjoyable. The yen to dollar rate is about $1 to 100 yen. If you don’t know what a word or food is. Just put it in google, yahoo, or wikipedia and it will tell you. This is designed to be an adventure. If you can’t stomach the whole thing just scroll down to the end.
Monday, April 20 – Got up at 7:30. Wow that’s early for me in Japan. Went to Dokkyo University. My first time there. Nothing like doing something new right before you leave. I met two friends there. Ate lunch (McDonalds in the school cafeteria). Shared about the Bible. Then I went to a huge shopping mall a short train ride north. Came home (about an hour train ride) and watched The Dark Knight with Brian. He hadn’t seen it. We packed some CDs with tracts.
Tuesday, April 21 – Got up at the more reasonable hour of 8:30. I finished off the bread this morning. (Better replenish.) Took the new train line to Rikkyo. I love the new line because I always (well except that one time) get a seat. People just haven’t discovered it yet. I went to English club. The media intern went with me and got some video. After the meeting 4 of us went to lunch. Josh and I had a heated discussion about movies, and the 2 Japanese couldn’t keep up. (One described me as “enthusiastic”.) Then I hurried home to change for basketball. I tried out my new shot form which is still a work in progress. Stopped by the supermarket for that bread (and bananas and orange juice and Vitamin Water the best Japanese sports drink.) It was POURING down rain so I was soaked. (I was riding a bike and can’t hold an umbrella while riding like Japanese people.) I decided to go ahead and do laundry.
Wednesday, April 22 – Went with Melissa and Audrey to TGI Friday’s to use that point card I’ve been carrying around. On the way there I went to BookOff (oh yes!) to sell off some clothes/shoes/knickknacks. Gotta lighten the load for those suitcases. They didn’t give me much. (Big surprise.) At Friday’s I went with the Hamburger lunch special. Fullsized. The girls went with half salads. Typical…At 3, I met the guys from the office and we went bowling. I put up a pathetic 83 the first game. (1s in the 5th and 6th frame will do that to you.) I rebounded with a slightly more respectable 126 the second game. I dominated in some Mario Kart action. When I got home I decided to pack up the first suitcase. (Watched Undercover Blues with Dennis Quad and Kathleen Turner. Decent.) All loaded up it comes in at 51 lbs. Hope it gets through at the airport. All those DVDs and the Mangas I’m bringing Mom.
Thursday, April 23 – Went to Shimokitazawa where Kuni’s is, where we have house church. But he is getting back from America today, and it’s his day off anyways. So I’m not going to his café. Going to Osho’s for some sweet gyoza action, and then to sell off the last of my cds and a video game. They gave me 1400 yen ($14) for the cds and 300 yen for the game. Not bad. I was hoping for more from the game. I go back home and kill some time with Bill Simmons and Madden. At 7:30 I go meet my friend for some Mexican in Shinjuku. It was actually where we first met. I didn’t realize that till they brought it up. We ordered the fajitas.
Friday, April 24 - Back to Rikkyo for English club. Then hang out with some students till about 2:30. Then me and 3 guys go play some pool. At 4:30 one has class, so the rest of us go to Otsuka, which is a station on the main circle train loop in central Tokyo, one stop from Ikebukuro (which is where Rikkyo is). See I’ve never been out of that station (through it many times) and it’s the only station on the Yamanote (the main loop) that I haven’t been out of. Plus it’s where Josh (my old roommate and former jman) used to live. I had heard it was a pretty sad excuse for a station, but actually it turned out pretty good. Has a BookOff (with some American video games no less!), McDonalds, and a 99 yen shop, which is like a dollar store but focuses on food. Then after that, we went back to the school to meet everyone for the first party of the semester. It was going to be an expensive party (3000 yen each, go back to my former conversion if you need it =) but they told me not to pay because it was my last one. So many freshmen came, plus a couple of older students that hadn’t been coming because they were job hunting. They gave me a poster card with notes on it and a ninja sword (which may or may not have been plastic). Also one girl gave me a singing, “dancing” (I use that term loosely) Daisy Duck, because she is the most awesome traditional Disney character (Jasmine and Ariel are the best princesses). I drank some Calpis Water because we don’t have that in the States. By the way it was a little cold today.
Saturday, April 25 – Slept in till 10. (It is my day off after all.) I listened to the Braves beat the Reds online, while hearing the rain outside, knowing that it is cold today and I’ve already packed up all my pants…I made some biscuits and sausage for lunch. Watched some Seinfeld. I met 2 friends in Shibuya to do some Karaoke. It was pouring down rain so there were some rivers to maneuver around. Sang some Disney, Queen, Beatles, ABBA. Only the essentials. Had gyoza for dinner. Finished off the night with a goodbye party for Trent, Lindsey, and myself.
Sunday, April 26 – Listened to some NFL draft coverage, while drinking OJ and eating toast. Didn’t shave my head this morning. Went to Kawasaki to meet a friend. We had okonomiyaki. Then I went with Richard and his family to California pizza kitchen for my last supper with them. Then back to their house for my last house church. Said goodbye to the kids.
Monday, April 27 – Got up and listened to a bit of the Sox-Yankees game. Had a meeting from 10ish-12:15. I thought it was suppose to be a training time, but it turned out to be a time of sharing what God has been doing. Really good. Took Melissa to the bus station to go to the airport. You know how on the elevators they have a sign with a ridiculous number of maximum people that will never actually fit on the elevator? Well this particular elevator said 15. There were definitely 16 people in there when we got to my floor. Nice. Went out to the “pink poodle place” (not it’s real name =), which I have spread the rumor that it’s the best burger place in Tokyo, with a bunch of missionaries for lunch. After Brian and I went to the 50 yen arcade. I was shocked to see the Marvel vs Capcom machine had been changed out of the basement. But then we went upstairs and there was Marvel vs Capcom 2, the single greatest fighting game of all time!!! I played and my 50 yen lasted till the final stage where I lost a close one. Met my friend for dinner at Gold Rush, my official favorite restaurant in Japan. It is 2 hamburger steaks, baked potato, veggies, and rice. Plus you get a drink (normally melon soda). At lunch only 680 yen, for dinner 900.
Tuesday, April 28 – Got my Suica Train card down to 1yen today. Oh yes. Went to Rikkyo University for the last time. It was probably the saddest time yet. It was cool because a lot of the Seniors I’ve known my whole time there, came to METS (English club) today, and then to lunch with me. I’m pretty sure they came because it was my last time. Normally you would never have more than 2 or 3 seniors, ever. On a side note, I got tons of hugs today. More than I’ve gotten in over a year and a half with them. That was pretty cool. On the way home I nailed the trains perfect. I got the right car and door for the exit at the switch (it’s difficult sometimes because there are 8 and 10 door trains and they stop in different places). Then was the first one up the stairs going to the other line. Walked down the platform and on to the train. I went to basketball for the last time today. I actually got frustrated in the first game. But after that I had fun, and played pretty well. I actually had one of those “oh wow” blocks. Where as I normally just tip it so it’s an air ball. Came home. (Still light out! Last week it was pouring down rain remember.) Did laundry, made biscuits and sausage, and watched Seinfeld. Had a tussle with Itunes/Quicktime. Stupid apple. (That’s right. I lowercased it.)
Wednesday, April 29 – Last full day in Japan. Did the last expense report in Japan. Met Maiko for Tonkatsu lunch. Let me just say that Tonkatsu is amazing. We fry everything, even pickles, in the South, but not pork. Why oh why? Makes no sense. Came back home and I am now writing this. I will pack and cook supper. I’m down to 111 yen. Today was sunny and warm and there was a 24 hour special on the Quarter Pounder with Cheese meal.
People often ask me what my normal schedule is. This is not it. This was special and unique. Just wanted to give some insights.
Thank you so much for the prayers. Wouldn’t have made it otherwise.
Daniel Pirkle
Jman
Tokyo
(for the last time)
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Friday, April 17, 2009
Psalm 13 - Ending days in Japan
"How long, O LORD? Will you forget me forever?
How long will you hide your face from me?
How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and every day have sorrow in my heart?
How long will my enemy triumph over me?
Look on me and answer, O LORD my God.
Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep in death; my enemy will say, "I have over come him," and my foes will rejoice when I fall.
But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation.
I will sing to the LORD for he has been good to me."
My time in Japan is drawing near, and often I have felt far from God. I fail even more often. But he is always good, and he does have unfailing, unconditional love for me, and for you, and for the Japanese.
Friday, April 10, 2009
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Monday, April 6, 2009
Friday, April 3, 2009
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