Peter Pfaff in Japan

Finally Starting!

2010-04-08T04:48:00.001-07:00

First day of teaching, DONE AND DONE!! It went well.. just tired, and planning/adjustments for tomorrows classes, then a nice break for the weekend. It is exciting!

Fun Times

2010-02-07T06:44:00.000-08:00

Well, things are continuing pretty normally here in Japan. Some highlights since the last post include getting to do Shodo, which is Japanese calligraphy. It was really really fun, and I hope to be able to do more of it in the future. Also, there was snow! Apparently a pretty rare sight to have substantial snow in Tokyo. In the neighborhood where I live we got about 2 or 3 inches. Enough that I could build a few respectably sized snowmen. One of which is still holding on out front, though it did tip over a few days ago... It was great to finally have something nice come from cold weather! Another fun thing, just today I got to attend my new church for the month. This month it is Ikegami church, which in in the south and slightly west-ish part of Tokyo. I was the only foreigner in attendance which was great, it gave me a chance to have an (almost) entirely Japanese speaking morning and afternoon! Really fun, plus a great lunch after the service. I sent out my January newsletter out a few days ago, but forgot to put it up on the blog, so here it is! enjoy. January Newsletter

Stayin' alive

2010-01-27T05:53:00.000-08:00

Well, the last week or so has been long and busy. Lots of events, lots of classes and such. Last sunday between church and events I spent 6 hours on the TRAIN ALONE that day! that was pretty taxing. It doesnt help that i have been feeling pretty under the weather lately. I dont know if it is sick or a cold, but it seems to be waning now so that is good. Other than that I am just getting ready for placement and things like that. That is officially on February 25th, so be sure to check back on that day to find out where I will be going in Japan!

SUMO!!

2010-01-23T03:37:00.001-08:00

well, it is now saturday night and another busy week is under the belt. this last week was really great though. along with meeting new people and attending a new church I was also about to attend both a Kabuki theatre performance and SUMOOO!!! Sumo was one of the best times I have has in a long long time. Those guys are HUGE! And surprisingly agile for having such bulky bodies. but the pictures are right here...

Japan- Sumo!!

all 130 of them!

New Year, new things

2010-01-20T07:37:00.000-08:00

Hello Hello,
Well regular classes and a fairly busy schedule have once again set in here in Japan. this month I am traveling up to the north part of tokyo (called Omiya) to attend church on sundays and also my english class observations. It is a long ride, but I have been trying to keep busy on those with my ipod and lots of kanji flashcards. aside from the normal daily grind my next month will be fairly uneventful, with the exception of being able to attend the Kabuki theatre this past tuesday and I also get to go to Sumo on friday! That will be pretty exciting. My site placement announcement will be this upcoming February 25th. Please keep that in your prayer. I have the options of either staying in tokyo somewhere or going to Niigata. Right now I dont really have much of an indication as to where i will be going, so that is something to look forward to. Right now I have been doing better with implementing a normal daily schedule, so hopefully that will translate into more and more common blog posts, and I know I have said it before, but for real this time! actions do however speak louder than words, so I will let those do the talking.
Well it is about time for sleep and a busy day tomorrow, so I bid you farewell and God's blessings. And Happy New Year. お休み!
Peter

Newsletter!

2010-01-06T23:07:00.001-08:00

December Newsletter
Here is the latest edition of my newsletter, enjoy!

Pictures

2010-01-06T17:47:00.000-08:00

Japan- Christmas Cookie Day

Japan- random Christmas 09'

Japan- Aquarium + Odaiba

Happy New Year!...soon

2009-12-30T23:18:00.000-08:00

Well it is about 4pm on December 31st, 2009. Almost 2010. It's weird to see the passing of the decade in which The entirety of my high school and undergraduate years took place. And it was almost one year ago that I found out I would be coming to Japan to do Mission work. It is incredible how much God has guided and changed my life over the course of the last decade, and also exciting to see what direction it may go in the the coming decade. I pray that everyone has a safe and fun New Year celebration, enjoy the time, and don't forget to reflect and thank God for all the blessing he has given and the trials he has gotten you through.

Happy New YEAR!!

Merry Christmas!

2009-12-24T07:01:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas!!, from the helm of the world! It's a weird feeling that it is now christmas for me, but not anyone in america yet...

Closer and closer to christmas time...

2009-12-23T03:43:00.000-08:00

Each year it seems to come around faster. My first christmas season in Japan has been pretty great. People and stores here don't really "over-do" christmas decoration and sales, but there are still enough of them that you know what is going on, it's nice. A very welcome reprieve from the "black-friday" mentality.
At churches there have been alot of good events. I posted some pictures the other day and will link them here at the end of my post. A few christmas parties, some get-togethers, and lots of other fun happenings. The next few days will be pretty good/busy with various christmas parties and church services. I am certainly looking forward to them all.

Japan- Christmas lights 09

Japan- Takenotsuka christmas parties

So I wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and (I should have another post before new years to tell you this but...) a Happy New Year!!

Well hello there!

2009-12-15T06:48:00.000-08:00

Hello dear friends,
Can you believe.. my first semester of Japanese class is almost already finished! That is crazy! It feels like I just got here, but in reality it has been almost 3 months already! Time sure does fly. My latest newsletter can get you caught up on most of the happenings this last month. Lately things have just been getting busier in preparation for the christmas break and all the great activates that will happen in it. This friday is my first japanese speech! That is exciting, but a little nerve-racking since the audience will be mostly native japanese speakers.. After I do mine I am going to try to snag a video of it and maybe but the translation underneath and post it for yall. Wish me luck these next few busy days as classes and activates all wrap up!

Peter

LET THERE BE PICTURES!!

2009-12-15T06:45:00.000-08:00

and it was good...

Japan- VYM Retreat '09

Japan- BBQ

Reds- Dec 5th 2009

November Newsletter

2009-12-15T06:39:00.000-08:00

November Newsletter

i know.. i know...

2009-11-18T05:47:00.000-08:00

2 WEEKS!!! agghhh.
Yes, I am aware I am terrible at upkeep of the blog as of late. Things have been quite busy, but also productive. Since two weeks ago I have resumed my language classes after a short break for VYM retreat, visited costco and ikea (both pretty much identical in japan), celebrated thanksgiving! with turkey even (thanks to costco), and that is really about it. Even though it doesn't seen to exciting they have been pretty great weeks. I have been learning a lot of Japanese, even made a japanese friend! That is quite exciting. In the coming week there are a bunch of activities (which i will be taking pictures!) and some other great stuff I should be able to fashion into a much more interesting post than this one! But in the mean time thanks for reading and please keep all the mission work over in Japan in your prayers, and also for guidance for the leaders both here and in America.

October Newsletter!

2009-11-04T04:59:00.000-08:00

October Newsletter

Niigata

2009-10-27T07:17:00.002-07:00

Hello,
Well, I am back from Niigata! the trip was really really great. It was one, nice to see more of Japan than just Tokyo, two, was nice to see some countryside, and three, gave be a great sense of peace. Before going to Niigata I had been slightly anxious about my site placement when it comes around, because I like Tokyo so much that I had really wanted to stay. However, Niigata was so great also that I now would have no qualms about either site. The people were great, the area was beautiful, and the food was just incredible. I was able to stay with a few different host families. The first place that I stayed was another (former) missionary. Her name is Gretchen. She marries a Japanese man, and now teaches english while he is a rice farmer/moche maker. Check out my pics from Niigata to see it take place! The second night I stayed with another family who were congregants at the Lutheran church there, the Satos. This too was great. We had about a 4 hour conversation over dinner that ranged from music to mission service to just about anything we could talk about in my poor japanese and their much, much better english! The whole experience was just very uplifting and a really great time.
Long story short, fun bullet trains, great missionaries, delicious food, friendly people. You should go visit Niigata too!

2009-10-27T07:17:00.001-07:00

Japan- Niigata

2009-10-27T07:13:00.000-07:00

Japan- Discover Tokyo Day

I now, I now... it has been a while...

2009-10-24T02:11:00.000-07:00

Well, It has been a while since I have posted anything new on the blog, which can mean I either have nothing to write about, or I have been busy enough that I haven't had enough time to compose something good. I assure you that it is the latter of these two options! In fact the very day after my last post was an event called discover Tokyo day. It was great fun, my group went to go ride along the last remaining street car in Tokyo! We got to stop at a small amusement park, a actual park (home of what was quite possibly the worlds shortest mono-rail), and neighborhood called Sugamo. Sugamo was great, I got to eat duck soba for lunch (delicious), walk along a shopping street for old people. Pictures of that will be us soon.
After that my schedule really started to settle into in good routine of japanese classes, school, and random and run exploration. Some highlight include getting my registered alien card, I will spare you the puns, just ask Sommer... she heard enough of them. This past sunday, the 18th, I was able to go down to Yokohama to go to church, which led into the other great thing that German Lutherans love, OKTOBERFEST!! Yokohama+good German beer+good people=good time. The church there was fantastic, really good architecture which complemented and equally good service and fellowship. Unfortunately I did not bring my camera... lame I know.
Just a few days ago I did get a cell phone! It is good to finally know that if I get hopelessly lost I now could call someone. Also, sorry America, Japanese cell phones are way way cooler. My phone can get HD TV and an 8 megapixel camera... those are just about standard on the ones here. Crazy.
Right now I am in Niigata for the weekend visiting church here and meeting other VYM people, but this trip will deserve it's own post, and don't worry, I did remember my camera. I promise, pictures will be up soon, and also look for the next newsletter in about... a week and maybe half! Thanks for reading

2009-10-09T06:49:00.000-07:00

Here is the second part of my September Newsletter!

September Newsletter Part 2

More Pictures

2009-10-06T02:22:00.000-07:00

Here are some more pictures that I took around the area that I live.

Japan- Places around my area

Come with me to Church!

2009-10-06T02:21:00.000-07:00

Hello Friends!

Today I invite you to look though this album and follow me on my almost daily commute to church/english school.

Japan-Come with me to Church!!

Ahh. Routine

2009-10-01T17:53:00.000-07:00

Well, it has been over a week since I have been in Japan, and already my schedule is beginning to fall into somewhat of a routine which is really quite nice. Japanese classes have been going on for 3 days already and today the J3 missionaries (the ELCA ones that do roughly the same job I will) will begin attending classes also. I have been working on my next newsletter... now I just need to reinstall Office to type it out... may have overlooked that detail. But It will be out soon I promise.

So funny story...

2009-09-28T17:17:00.001-07:00

I went running last night at this park that is really close by... turns out that when you don't take the proper turn you can get lost! but I was able to turn around and found my way back eventually. Funny part is that I checked google earth to see where I ended up... it was less than a block from where i lived, I have just never been on the street before.

Trains, planes... or more trains, and ... well... even more trains.

2009-09-27T02:07:00.000-07:00

Public Transportation= Best Thing in the Entire World

These last few days have been crazy busy, but really great. Yesterday I went with another VYMer, Matt, and he showed me around some of the districts which are near by to mine, Tama. The cool part is that each district has a train station (Eki)in it which bears the same name as the district... pretty handy. We started out heading just north 5 minutes to a place called Musashi-Sakai. There he showed me around where the grocery store was, the drug store, the hospital (should I need it), and even the more international food store. We also stopped and ate lunch there which was... finally... sushi. I was beginning to get worried as I had been in Tokyo a few days and I hadn't really even seen a sushi place yet. It was great though, really good quality sushi and the best part... only 138 yen a plate ($1.50). Eat your heart out expensive sushi in Austin!!! After that we headed to another station just down the line called Kichijoji. This place was pretty great as well. Out door kinda mall thing with any shop you could possibly want in it. For all you craft lovers out there... there was a store called Yuzawaya. Think you like the scrapbooking isle at Hobby Lobby... what about the bins with yarn at... a store that sells yarn? Well how about an entire floor devoted to... each.different.hobby. This place was huge. The same went for the electronics store.. it was pretty great. Sometime I need to go back and peruse the headphones department.

Today I was able to go to church at what is called Center Church. This is where the Lutheran Center is which I has taken pictures of and posted the other day. It was really great to have both an English service and a Japanese service. Hymns in a language you are just learning to read are great... it is like an endless flashcard. After the service I also had the privilege of traveling way north-east to attend a special short service at the church grave site. It was very beautiful and a great way to honor those brother's and sister's in Christ who have gone before us. That is what I would like to leave you with today. Please just think about those in your life that influenced you and led you and helped you in your walk with God. Think about those who may have influenced those that helped you, and on and on. There is a tremendous network of believers who stand together, some living, some gone, but all of whom are remembered and all of whom we will see again. And thank God for that!

Pictures

2009-09-25T00:23:00.000-07:00

Japan- First few days

As Promised

Fun in Japan!

2009-09-24T23:48:00.000-07:00

Today has been quite eventful! I rode the train today an hour downtown, which is an hour and two train switches, solo. Right now I feel pretty accomplished about that. I only almost got my nose caught in the door once, but it was a good learning experience! Some other fun things include changes in websites.. for instance now instead of the button to "log in" to blogspot is says, "ログイン" which directly translated means... logu in.

My initial impression of Tokyo is that it is a far far quieter and greener city than I was expecting. In fact the only thing that I have really heard other than trains is children. Even on the train the only thing one can hear is the rhythmic clicking of the tracks and the occasional quiet conversation between people on the other side of the train. It really is quite peaceful. Friendly people, good food, God is good. I promise pictures will be up soon! be looking for them

In Japan

2009-09-23T20:30:00.001-07:00

Hello,

Well, I am not safely in Japan, and now just unpacking and getting settled in. Things are going well though, enjoying my 500ml dr. pepper I got for only 100 yen. I promise pictures of my new place will be up soon. It is called Luther House, and is the dorm housing for the seminary students of the NRK (Japan Lutheran Church).

Second Newsletter is here!

2009-09-18T15:27:00.000-07:00

Here is a link to the second newsletter...

Peter Pfaff September Newsletter Part 1

It isn't very long, just an update on leaving. Once I am in Japan though I will be taking lots of pictures and thinking of things to share with yall, so be looking for those.

Soon and very soon...

2009-09-15T17:37:00.000-07:00

6 Days, 11 hours, 40 minutes, and 25 seconds until my departure for Japan as of right... now. Everything is 100% cleared and I am for sure leaving the morning of September 22nd. So please wish me well and pray for a safe fight over to Narita International.

Yay for things working!

2009-06-24T16:51:00.000-07:00

Well, after much battle with making a template, writing a news letter, and posting it online in a fashion that people can get to it things seem to be working. So what are you waiting for?!? click on that link to the newsletter and read all about it!

July Newsletter

2009-06-24T16:40:00.000-07:00

Peter Pfaff July Newsletter

My very first post!

2009-06-16T09:57:00.000-07:00

Well this is my very first post on any blog so we will see how it goes...

These last few weeks have been very fun and busy. I spent 5 days camping and canoeing on the Boundry Waters in northern Minnesota. After that I went down to Chicago and began my missionary training on the Concordia Chicago campus. After 12 days of intense classes and making great friends I was officially sent by LCMS World Mission as a missionary and a also became a certified EFL teacher! Now I just have a lot of Japanese to learn.