Happy Whatever

I have those days when I realize I've lived here too long. The other day, a co worker came in wearing a flower for, as he put it, "Remembrance Day." Of course, he added, that's what they call it in Canada. In the US it's called Veteran's Day.

I offered my trademark blank stare.

Was it today? someone asked. No, he replied. November eleventh.

"Oh!" My eyes lit with recognition. "Peppero Day!"

Because you can't compete with edible pencils.

Japan Trip Part 3

We found a stair way to heaven after we took the train to Kyoto. It was actually an outdoor escalator in a large department store/mall, but that doesn't sound as cool. Lunch time was upon us, so we scanned each floor for restaurants. We weren't sure what we wanted, but we decided not Ramen again. We searched the shopping area, found nothing, and went back down the magical stairs (still sounds better than escalator, doesn't it)and found another good restaurant in the city. We found menus, pointed to the pictures we wanted, and inadvertently ordered Ramen. It was good nonetheless.

We found a cab and asked the driver about sites as we checked our map. Everything was good. Was the palace good? Yes, he agreed. Good.

He dropped us off at the palace and made his way back to somewhere else. I'm sure it was good, wherever it was. I'm sure the palace was good, except for the happy guards who wouldn't let anyone in. "No permission," we were informed. Good to know.

On the outside was another scenic park, so we took pictures and enjoyed the lovely day. Children chased pigeons while white flower petals rained around us. Nature. What a ham.

We walked to a shrine from there and read a story on a sign. Apparently boars are good for healing and providing safety on trips. I also believe they taste like pork, but the sign didn't mention anything about that.

We walked on as we hunted for a Starbucks we knew had to be nearby. At least half an hour later, we decided it wasn't as close as we had thought. By the time we found it, I was convinced we were seeing a mirage. Can caffeine deprivation do that? If it did, that sand tasted a lot like coffee so I can't complain.

After we continued walking, every third building was a Starbucks. Nice touch.

We entered an endless shopping area, bought some souvenirs including a doll with helmet hair, and finally found Engrish to cherish. I bought it, and I'll take pictures if I remember. If not, sorry.

We ate fries, watched fashionable people shop for clothes and occasionally trip, then shopped some more and headed back.

Beka and I were still hungry when we got back to our hotel, so we went to the mall area to find any restaurants open after 8. We went to a place called Spuds and ordered sandwiches and fries. The guy behind the counter looked Indian, so we asked where he was from originally.

"India, I guess," he replied. It turns out he had lived in Canada and the U.S. a good deal of his life. He sounded American, except for when he rattled off our orders in Japanese. I was a little embarrassed to admit being from Korea at that point. Well, we can order food in Korean, kind of.

I'm sure we redeemed ourselves by eating fries with chopsticks. But, he brought us silverware "just in case" so you never know.Thankfully we didn't need it.

India Trip Day 3

We went to Dr. Roy's house for a huge breakfast. He told us about other ministries Priority One has in other parts of the country. Some missionaries get sued by extremist groups, and some get martyred.

There's religious freedom where we were, but if someone claimed you used bribery to convert people you could end up in court. So Vacation Bible School is plainly labeled and parents pay to send their kids. There's no doubt they know what it is.

After breakfast Shajy, an assistant pastor, showed us around the campus. He pointed out some rubber trees they grow on the property. They plan to make rubber and sell it. Between that and teaching, they're trying to make the ministry self-sustaining. "I don't make much money," Shajy joked at one point. "I'm in ministry."

Dr. Roy made a similar joke when he mentioned bribery. What would he bribe people with?

I thought how we were asked to help teach V.B.S. the following day. I decided I'd try not to bribe anyone.

Westernization is happening here, so some traditions are changing. The divorce rate is rising. However, Dr. Roy didn't completely blame Westernization. Getting a job right out of college and supporting oneself is easy nowadays. So divorce is rising.

Arranged marriages are still prevalent. Due to this even seminary and college students are discouraged from mixing. Boys and girls don't talk together much.

Parents research potential spouses for their children, searching back several generations. They often weigh in jobs as well; many couples here work together. Having the same job isn't required, but it helps.

The American in me cringes a bit at the thought of that much parental involvement, but the parents here take great care with it. In a way, it's kind of sweet.

Beka counted how many rupees we had left that evening. One thousand, or just under fifty bucks. That's what most teachers make in a month. And according to Dr. Roy, teachers make a good salary. It still amazes me how little we actually need.

We met some of the seminary teachers at a restaurant for dinner. We listened as they ordered using three different languages. Everyone knew English, and many knew Hindi.
But people come from different states, and each state has its own local language. Ordering food can be confusing.

In the end we got everything we ordered. At least I think we did.