30.11.07
Understanding
Psalm 139:1-6, 13-16
It’s important to be understood. I think about understanding a lot in Japan. I have to listen carefully to Japanese speakers to understand what they are saying. When I go to the store I often have to ask people to speak slower or repeat themselves. I can’t understand them. It is hard for me to make myself understood to Japanese people, too. Japanese grammar is so different from English grammar that I often mix up my words. Sometimes Japanese people laugh at me because I say something incorrectly. I can’t make myself understood. I can’t convey who I really am: my feelings, my dreams, my goals. Also, Japanese people often don’t understand who I am as a person. Japanese people often have a lot of misconceptions about Americans. For example, they think America is dangerous because people are allowed to own guns. They think all Americans love McDonald’s. These things are not true. I think Japanese people also have a lot of misconceptions about foreigners in Japan. They think we don’t speak Japanese. They think we all speak English. They think we are all English teachers. They don’t understand who we really are. You also may worry about being understood. Students, you probably think teachers don’t understand how much homework you have in other classes, or how challenging the assignments are for you, or what kind of friend or family problems you’re dealing with now. Teachers, you probably think that students don’t understand how hard you work for their benefit, how little free time you have with your family because of your job, how frustrating it can be to teach students who often don’t want to learn.
Who really understands us in this world? God understands us. The Bible says that he knows your every thought. He knows how many hairs you have on your head. He knows how many times you have cried in your life. He had a plan for your life before you were born.God truly understands you. Because He understands us, he knows what we need. He knows how to care for us. He knows how to help us.

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written by Ruthie @ 8:16 PM   1 comments
28.11.07
Literally 2
Awhile back I posted about the literal meanings of some Japanese words. Since then I have learned some more:
  • 空手 karate -- the name of the popular martial arts form literally means "empty hand."
  • 音楽 ongaku-- Music. The two Chinese characters mean "sound" and "easy/comfortable," respectively. Thus the definition of music in Japanese could be "sounds that are easy to listen to."
  • カラオケ karaoke-- I think when most Americans think of Japan, they think of karaoke. Indeed, the Japanese invented karaoke, and because of that they will forever be branded in movies and TV as the annoying Asian businessmen drunkenly singing "Country Roads" in bars. The name "karaoke," is derived from the Chinese characters meaning "empty" and "orchestra."
  • 言葉 kotoba-- the word for "word." The first character means "word," "statement," or "remark." The second means "leaf." I thought that was an interesting image-- if an idea or paragraph or essay is a tree, one word would be a leaf. A leaf by itself isn't much, but when they are connected together by branches to form a tree, you get a living, growing thing.

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written by Ruthie @ 9:02 PM   2 comments
21.11.07
Happy Sanksgiving
That's how it sounds when said by my junior high school students.

Thanksgiving kind of sucks this year. Last year the Baiko people had a really fun get-together. Everyone came and brought traditional Thanksgiving food, we all ate too much, we said what we were thankful for, then the musically-inclined of us sang and played piano. This year several of my coworkers are otherwise engaged and I was invited to go to a sumo match on Friday (which I am totally going to!), so we're not really having a Thanksgiving party this year. And I even have the stuff to make green bean casserole! Oh well. I did hear that some people were interested in doing something for Christmas, so at least there will probably be a Christmas party.

This year I'm thankful for coworkers I can work easily with and hang out with, great friends here, comfortable living conditions, and the people at home who often remind me that I am missed. Thanks loved ones!

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written by Ruthie @ 9:30 PM   1 comments
18.11.07
Warf
The big building across the water is the Shimonoseki aquarium. Taken at Kanmon Warf, a shopping area with a cool boardwalk, one of the funnest, most scenic places in town.

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written by Ruthie @ 12:14 AM   2 comments
14.11.07
Almost Famous
Yes, this poster is up all over town. Rachel and I were the beautiful, token white girls to put in the poster with the two youngest, best-looking Japanese teachers and two of the most popular, smartest girls from the senior class.If more students don't want to come to Baiko after seeing this, I might have to start turning tricks for the school.

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written by Ruthie @ 5:44 AM   1 comments
You Tube
I now have a few videos posted on my YouTube account. You can get to my page through this link. I'll try to post more every now and then, so check back often.

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written by Ruthie @ 4:50 AM   0 comments
11.11.07
Sunset
Sunset at Baiko DaiGakuin last Sunday.

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written by Ruthie @ 5:52 AM   1 comments
10.11.07
Sailing Ship
A friend of mine told me that a huge sailing boat would be docking in the Shimonoseki harbor last Sunday, so Ami and I went to check it out. It was so awesome!!
We walked around on the boat FOR FREE. It was built in the 80s as a sailing training ship. That was about the only bit of information displayed in English on the entire ship.
I felt like a pirate. Just being on a real sailing vessel was like being transported back in time. It felt really romantic and exhilarating.
Captain Square Chin Ruthie manning the helm amidst a mighty tempest. Or something.

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written by Ruthie @ 8:20 AM   3 comments
8.11.07
Fun Facts
  • Instead of using hash marks to count things like points, the Japanese use the five-stroke character , meaning "correct," to count.

  • When they're one space away from having Bingo, the Japanese say "Reach!"

  • In restaurants, getting a doggy bag is rarely an option.

  • Milk containers are available in sizes of a half gallon or smaller-- no gallon jugs.

  • Sandwich bread is generally sliced twice as thick as American sandwich bread.

  • Sliced turkey lunchmeat-- or really, turkey of any kind--is totally unheard of.

  • Junior high school and high school classes are started and ended with the students standing, bowing, and saying the appropriate phrase: "yoroshiku onegaishimasu" (something akin to please) or "arigatou gozaimasu" (thank you).

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written by Ruthie @ 9:09 PM   0 comments
7.11.07
Thank You
I think Japan is a very polite country. Everyone always says “please” and “thank you.” At school the teachers and students often say “thank you.” When I go to the store I always hear “thank you” from the clerks. We say thank you to everyone in our lives. But do we say “thank you” to God? Why should we thank God? What has God given us? What has God done for you? Did you decide to be born to a Japanese family? No. Did your parents decide to be Japanese? No. They had no choice. You had no choice. You have a family with enough money, a good school, a safe place to live, and enough food to eat. Who decided that? Was it an accident? No. God gave it to you. God decided he wanted me to come to Japan. I didn’t even want to come to Japan at first. But three of my college professors asked me three different times to consider coming to Baiko to teach English. I considered it, and finally decided to take the job. In this job and this country I have been blessed with amazing experiences, new friends, and great students. God gave me this gift. He gives us everything we have, everything we need. He even gave us the way to Him through Jesus Christ. Do we say “thank you”? Are we really thankful? Remember to thank God everyday, because He gave us all good things.

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written by Ruthie @ 9:10 PM   0 comments
6.11.07
Hiroshima
This weekend the teachers at Baiko High School took a little trip to Hiroshima and Shimane. The weekend started with a ride in a bullet train to Hiroshima, where we ate a HUGE meal.
We had-- in this order-- sashimi (basically sushi without the rice), fish liver, a plate of seafood (pictured above), deep fried sardines, deep fried squid, deep fried ham and onion on a stick, and a bowl of rice with roasted eel.

The next day we headed to Shimane to go the Iwami Silver Mine, a recently-appointed World Heritage Site. Back in the 17th century a third of the world's silver was mined from this location. Below is a little trail off the paved road that Ami and I investigated. We found some ruins tucked back in the forest.
Before heading back to Shimonoseki we went to the Shimane aquarium. Their main attraction is a White Whale show, but Ami and I skipped it in order to spend more time in the rest of the museum. In all, it was a really fun trip. Now I have to go back to Hiroshima sometime to see all the other famous stuff!

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written by Ruthie @ 6:24 AM   2 comments
4.11.07
Blowfish Jump
A jumpy-bouncy-thinger for kids shaped like a blowfish.

Only in Shimonoseki.

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written by Ruthie @ 9:21 PM   1 comments
1.11.07
Halloween
I knew my thrown-together pirate costume wouldn't be the best at the party, but I didn't think I would be put to shame by the awesomest Jack Sparrow costume I've ever seen:
And she could act like Jack Sparrow, too. The whole night I thought I was looking at Johnny Depp. It was freaky.

What did you dress up as for Halloween?

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written by Ruthie @ 5:56 AM   4 comments
 
私について

Name: Ruthie
Home: Japan
About Me: I want to know who God is and what his truth is. I love getting lost in beautiful music and cloudless star-filled skies, especially in the fall. I hate being bored. I like big cities. I want to travel the world.
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