Im still in Shibuya, the coolest place in the world. First off, every week that I email I remember something that I should have said, usually right when its too late. So, here's all the forgotten stuff!
1. Our apartment building is called Samaria Buraun Hausu. (yes you spell 'Brown House' as 'Buraun Hausu').
2. It is RAINING! We're starting to feel the humidity rolling in like huge crushing waves. Just a word of advice to mission moms. avoid sending your missionaries chapstick. The air is our chapstick here, we literally do not need it, but we all appreciate the thought! :)
This week has been interesting, and extremely short. There is literally no time. We wake up, immediately study, immediately work, immediately eat, immediately go to bed. There is quite honestly 0 minutes in a week for 'free time', which makes sense though, because we gave away ALL of our time to be here. Still, it makes me appreciate college where no matter what, I had an hour or so of free time each day, and if nessecary I could wake up earlier or stay up later to complete work.
Here you have the boundaries of time. 6:30 to 10:30 is your absolute limit, and the time between must be spent on specific activities. Now I don't want to be trunky here, I still have a nice, full year ahead of me to look forward to. This time is the most fun I've had in my life (seriously). It is an amazing experience, so with that said here is some things I miss about home;
Miss list:
1. Cheap food. Everything, EVERYTHING here, no matter how small is always at least 100yen (1 dollar). A pack of gum, a single pretzel, a 100ml water bottle, a single mini-fun size candy bar. EVERYTHING is rediculously expensive. I cant wait to get back and buy a jar of peanut butter for less than 35$.
2. Big food. The tiny portions, coupled with the elevated prices start to get a little bit old after a while.
3. People who actually say 'Hi' back if you greet them on the street. Quite literally no one will greet you, even if you greet them. It is sometimes considered rude to greet someone that you dont know as well.
4. Not having to separate trash. At a Japanese McDonalds, you must take off the lid and straw of your drink and throw it in a seperate can, then dump the ice out in a separate can, then separate the plastics from the papers within your meal wrappers, and put all of those in separate cans. :(
Anyways, just some things that I miss. Now here are some things I am going to miss when I return.
Wish List:
1. Clean. Japan is spotless. The food is clean, the floors are constantly being swept and mopped all day long. The streets are completely litter-free. There is a huge emphasis on cleanliness.
2. Public Transportation. Not exactly cheap, but extremely convenient.
3. People are about as tall as me. I will feel very small when I come home.
Im sure I can think of more in both catagories.
Anyways, as far as packages, Im still in the process of sending it (sorry!) This Fathers day one is going to be a little late. I found a nice glass chess set, as well as a nice glass shogi (japanese chess) set, but they are all kind of cheapie still. None of that cool, jade and ruby style carved ancient looking set. Just a normal, uninteresting glass suqare.
Ill be sending home a really huge SD card, and Ill be sure to take lots of pictures of everyone in the apartment, and the apartment itself before I send it off.
As far as birthday items, any variety of food is good. Of course, ties are welcome as well (Im a missionary :). Perhaps a couple more pairs of those good socks. Every missionary reaches this dillemma at his first in-Japan birthday. Pretty much, its going to have to be all missionary stuff, because we cant use normal stuff.
Ill tell you what though, good ideas are (mission-related -- clothes 'n' stuff), and lost of pictures from home, perhaps some good food/candy (snickers :), That book of Japanese idioms that I had before.
Sorry, not much specific, but holidays, events and birthdays sort of whoosh by as a missionary without us noticing.
Anyways, thanks everyone for the love and supoprt and the prayers and the reading of the blog (so craftily constructed by mom). I hope the best for all of you! Good luck, have fun!
-Elder Martin D Mumford
[T]
[o]
[k]
[y]
[o]
[J]
[a]
[p]
[a]
[n]
[!]
Another great blog!
ReplyDelete