It has been awhile since I have kept you all updated on my life, which is not good for any of us! If I detail everything I have been doing, you will not finish reading the entry to the end (and it would take me forever to write! So, here is a recap of events, like the headlines of a news broadcast:

December 16

Speech Day and Christmas party at Japanese language school. My speech went well, as did all of my classmate’s speeches. Quite a few people were in attendance, and one of the vetran J-3 missionaries came and brought the new J-3s flowers. That was so nice!

December 23-25

Children’s Christmas program, Christmas Eve worship, Christmas Day worship, caroling at the nuring home, and a lunch/program after Christmas Day worship at church. Then, an invitation for the J-3s to a Christmas dinner at our surpervisor’s house. Whew! Busy weekend!

January 1-5

Vacation in Malaysia visiting a seminary friend. A good friend, a fantastic time, cool shrines and musueams, Indian food, and hot weather. It was hard to return to Tokyo!

January 9

Day trip to city of Nikko, west of Tokyo. Friends and I spent all day exploring historic temples and shrines. A fun time!

January 10

SUMO!!! I sat in row 5 of the arena to watch my favorite professional sport of all time. I am hooked! It is a lot of fun, and I was very close to the entrance used by the Grand Champion — it was so cool!

January 11

I begin teaching at the dormitory (named Katarina Center) in Tokyo one day a week until the end of the school year. The J-3 left at the end of the term because her baby is due in February, so the three women J-3s are filling in until the school year is over.

(In April when we being our teaching jobs, one of us will continue working here at Katarina).

Thank you for keeping updated on my blog. I will try to be more timely, since I will be at a computer one day a week for the next few months. Also, next week I plan to take my film in to have it developed, so watch for pictures of all these adventures!

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