Well, Hannah and I landed in Ohio a few weeks ago, now. Our visit to Portland, OR with Sam and Don was wonderful. We really enjoyed hiking, biking, eating organic and local, relaxing...drinking coffee, etc. And the bikes and public transit, not to mention all the nature...were wonderful! It was really nice. Thanks guys. We finally landed in Ohio on the 11th, and it's been non-stop ever since. We spent some time with family, visited GFC, and have generally been trying to readjusted to America and figure out our next steps ever since. It's all been a little dizzying.
For those who are interested, this is what we've come up with. For starters, we'd really like to get Hannah started in a masters program for speech pathology. She likes teaching middle school language arts and social studies, and she would take the right job if she saw it available, but in Ohio teachers are required to get a masters. Her thinking is that if she has to get a masters, she'd like to do her masters in speech pathology. So we've been getting her set-up to do that. She's looking at Kent State's program and thinking that's her best option. So, she's getting things lined up to begin her prerequisites at Kent, and she has been accepted to the university but will have to apply to that program specifically at a later date. In the meantime, she's looking at teaching-related jobs she could do now and through the summer.
For me (Adam), the journey of re-entry is a little different. After considering possible further education in counseling, I came to the conclusion that it might be too much to have both of us in graduate school at the same time. And besides, I'd still like to explore church ministry. Hannah's schooling desires had us thinking we'd like to land nearer to Cleveland or Akron. So, after lots of thought and prayer, I've been looking at associate minister positions in those areas (possibly related to youth ministry). I interviewed for one such position last week, and though it was truly an encouraging experience, nothing is set in stone at this point. I'm still discerning, and so are they. It's a bit of a challenging time for me, trying to discern God's direction and calling upon my life as it relates to church ministry. I covet your prayers for peace and direction.
The fact is, even after buying a car and cell phones we aren't much more "settled" today than we were the day we got off the plane. Our suitcases are unpacked but most of our things are still in boxes from 2 years ago. If we felt God directing us, we could go just about anywhere. That's both exciting and terrifying. We'd like to settle near family, long term (and more of our family are in northeast Ohio than anywhere else) but we're really pretty flexible at this point. So that's where we are with things. We're visiting with Hannah's parents for the foreseeable future, and waiting to see the first few things drop into place before moving on other things.
Furthermore, we're still getting used to being in America. It's an adjustment moving back from Japan. Somethings are surprisingly easy for us and other things surprise us by their difficulty. And of course, we miss our friends in Japan. We're thinking of and praying for you guys! Gambatte!
Well, this is enough for now.
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Packing Up, and Saying Sayonara
Yesterday we spent our last days at our schools, saying some really sad farewells, and today we spent the entire day packing our belongings and cleaning our apartment. Things have really wound down quickly. We've had a few goodbye dinners and trips, some nice times with friends, and now we have just a few more goodbyes to say before we say our final goodbye to Funehiki.
It's a time filled with a lot of mixed emotions. We're really going to miss our teammates and the many new friends we've made here. It's hard to imagine saying goodbye, and possibly never seeing some of these people ever again. We've tried to make the most of it, and finish well, but we still have our regrets. Also, we're excited to head home and see family, but we're nervous about everything else that comes after that. We're trying to just take one day at a time and savor things as they come. Tonight we're savoring Tomoko sensei's Japanese curry one last time!
Our plan for our final days in Japan are to take a long bus ride to Tokyo, then Hiroshima (to see the Peace Park and Miyajima), and then Kyoto, before catching our flight on the 30th. We will be visiting with Hannah's sister in Portland for a few days and then arrive back in Ohio soon thereafter. We're looking forward to catching up with everyone we've missed these last two years. Many good cups of coffee are beckoning us home.
We may be out of contact for a few days as we are traveling but we'll try to let everyone know when we've made it safely back to the good ol' U.S. of A.
Till then, take care.
It's a time filled with a lot of mixed emotions. We're really going to miss our teammates and the many new friends we've made here. It's hard to imagine saying goodbye, and possibly never seeing some of these people ever again. We've tried to make the most of it, and finish well, but we still have our regrets. Also, we're excited to head home and see family, but we're nervous about everything else that comes after that. We're trying to just take one day at a time and savor things as they come. Tonight we're savoring Tomoko sensei's Japanese curry one last time!
Our plan for our final days in Japan are to take a long bus ride to Tokyo, then Hiroshima (to see the Peace Park and Miyajima), and then Kyoto, before catching our flight on the 30th. We will be visiting with Hannah's sister in Portland for a few days and then arrive back in Ohio soon thereafter. We're looking forward to catching up with everyone we've missed these last two years. Many good cups of coffee are beckoning us home.
We may be out of contact for a few days as we are traveling but we'll try to let everyone know when we've made it safely back to the good ol' U.S. of A.
Till then, take care.
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Graduation Day
Tomorrow we will watch our 9th graders graduate from junior high to high school. It's an emotional time for me. It's filled with excitement, but also some sadness. Beyond my own feelings of connected-ness or disconnected-ness with my school staff and this graduating class, it’s also a time which makes me thoughtful for individual graduating students.
This transition is quite different from its American counterpart. Students here study very hard to take difficult entrance exams for high school (like we do for college), and then they compete to get into the best public high schools. Private schools are also available for students, but they are very expensive and generally not as well-respected… and if students can’t pay the fees, they may be out of luck. They may not get to go to high school. Unlike most of America, high school isn't guaranteed to Japanese students.
I have one student whose English is superb, who will be going to an elite high school in Hokkaido (the northernmost island of Japan). I am so proud of him. I know he will accomplish great things. I also have another student who will not be going to high school at all, and has no idea, in fact, what he will be doing next week. It’s a lot to have on your shoulders as a 14 year-old. He may not find work. His sister wasn’t able to go to high school, either, and she works full-time at a restaurant in town.
One student is from a wealthy and respected family, and the other is from a poor, not-so-well-respected family. One had the best education his parents could provide, from an early age, and the other was basically neglected by his family…so much so that he once resorted to stealing food.
They are two kids with very different stories, and I had only a smallest glimpse into their lives. I don’t know if I made a difference, but I hope I did. Each one needs different things. Ultimately, I can’t, in and of myself, give either of them what they need to succeed in this next chapter of their lives. You look at them, and you know they have no idea what is in store for them. Older and wiser, you understand at least a little how much their lives are about to change. What can I say to them? How do I pray? I don’t know. My mind rests on the last line of the “Old Irish Blessing.” May God hold them in the palm of his hand.
This transition is quite different from its American counterpart. Students here study very hard to take difficult entrance exams for high school (like we do for college), and then they compete to get into the best public high schools. Private schools are also available for students, but they are very expensive and generally not as well-respected… and if students can’t pay the fees, they may be out of luck. They may not get to go to high school. Unlike most of America, high school isn't guaranteed to Japanese students.
I have one student whose English is superb, who will be going to an elite high school in Hokkaido (the northernmost island of Japan). I am so proud of him. I know he will accomplish great things. I also have another student who will not be going to high school at all, and has no idea, in fact, what he will be doing next week. It’s a lot to have on your shoulders as a 14 year-old. He may not find work. His sister wasn’t able to go to high school, either, and she works full-time at a restaurant in town.
One student is from a wealthy and respected family, and the other is from a poor, not-so-well-respected family. One had the best education his parents could provide, from an early age, and the other was basically neglected by his family…so much so that he once resorted to stealing food.
They are two kids with very different stories, and I had only a smallest glimpse into their lives. I don’t know if I made a difference, but I hope I did. Each one needs different things. Ultimately, I can’t, in and of myself, give either of them what they need to succeed in this next chapter of their lives. You look at them, and you know they have no idea what is in store for them. Older and wiser, you understand at least a little how much their lives are about to change. What can I say to them? How do I pray? I don’t know. My mind rests on the last line of the “Old Irish Blessing.” May God hold them in the palm of his hand.
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