|
SubscriptionsSites I Read
|
|
|
|
| Okay! I'm sitting here at my Board of Education office (in Japan) just chilling since the students are currently on spring vacation...well, anyways, I'm really bad at these sort of things, so I'll just jump straight into it. Forgive my English, as I think it's slowly but surely deteriorating living here :)
I'll be going to India with 13 other JETs (Japan Exchange and Teaching program) with Habitat for Humanity at the end of April. (You know it's coming!) As part of volunteering with Habitat for Humanity, we are fundraising, which will go towards the building materials for the homes that we'll be building. (Here it is...!) I'm currently fundraising - you can see many of our undeveloped fundraising ideas below - and well, I just wanted to put it out there and ask if any of you would like to donate. As always, any amount would be appreciated - my friend and I made around $30 with just a little coin box - so even if you put in 50 cents, it's all good. I'm really looking forward to this; besides the obvious fact that we'll have the chance to help build homes for the people, I'm hoping this will give me a little direction on where to go with architecture and also push me in some direction in my now neutral stance with God.
If you would like to donate, please go to this website and click on the "Make a Donation" Paypal link. Thanks for your support!
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/hfh_saga/
Below is some information about the project:
We'll be working in the Kadalur district near Pondicherry which is more or less in the southern portion of India. Currently, 30 of the planned 97 houses are under construction. The houses we'll be building have a solid brick wall with a concrete roof and each house takes about 45 days to complete; we'll be there for 2 weeks building the living room, bedroom, kitchen, and toilet.
| | |
| It is currently 8:45 AM and I am waiting for my bath water to heat up after coming home from a long all-nighter spent in the city! Osiokeh and I went to a club to see the "West Japan Dance Battle," where there was a showcase of about 20 dancers and 5 were selected to go to Tokyo next month. Good stuff.
Anyways, while Osiokeh and I were killing time at an Udon shop, we were brainstorming ideas for our fundraising for the Habitat for Humanity trip in April/May. Here's our current list, some of which was inspired by the all-nighter delirium:
-Mystery grab bags, full of surprises...! or rocks
-Cupcakes, cookies, and other baked goods baked by our soon-to-be-begged friends who are amazing at that stuff
-T-shirts designed by us
-Random lessons: breakdance, salsa, etc.
-English conversation
-Buttons (think: Vote for Pedro), bracelets, keychains, keitai cases/keychains, and random trinkets made by us
-Pottery (Osiokeh will be taking a beginner's pottery class soon...)
-Lemonade/Hot Chocolate (depending on the weather) stand with also Hand warmers
-Kissing/Pie Booth, which will be included at either our fair that we hold or the fair that we jump in on
-At either the kissing/pie booth or the lemonade stand, offer the chance to punch darryl in the stomach for 1-man (approx $100)
-Petting Zoo (at the fair)
-Pinata
-Breakdance performances
-Combs with our names on them
-Hats
-Eye glass cases
-Write Japanese peoples' names in Calligraphy or sign it like an autograph/John Hancock...because if Americans can be wow'ed by Japanese people writing our names in Kanji, why not?
-Buy stuff from Costco and sell it or make it and sell it
-Concessions (from costco) at sporting events
-Make coin purses or Inkan case
-Puppets, sock puppets, finger puppets
-Spam musubi
-Organize a Jan ken tournament
-Make stickers
-Bookmarks
-Buy cheap picture frames and decorate them
-Same with magnets
-and with cups
-Jump in on the Saga-ken fundraising events (the group Osiokeh's going with)
-Make cool posters using the t-shirt/sticker/bookmark design
-Bingo tournament
-Chopstick rests/case
-Make a little house/piggy bank, leave it at schools and ask for donations (extra good with the existence of 5dollar/1dollar coins in Japanese currency)
-Throw a Party at Dan's house
-BBQ for humanity
-Handkerchiefs
-Babysitting
-Design a backdrop full of Gaijin with the faces cut out for people to put their face in and pay to get their picture taken.
-Calendar featuring us (African American girl and "some Japanese guy") at your favorite Iizuka City locations
If you have any suggestions, feel free to chime in.
| | |
| as the weather has gradually become colder and cloudier, i feel as if
the same has happened to my faith. i can't say it's always been that
strong to begin with, but being out here, where the fun friday night social
activity isn't attending some christian gathering, i've let myself slip
slowly into 100% 0%.
it didn't really hit me all at once. as it was happening, i've been thinking,
"well, God, help me out here." or "well, if it's gonna happen, it's gonna happen."
you know how they say you can't make yourself believe. it's true; otherwise,
i'd be believing in something i made up, i suppose.
in any case, with the latter thought, i was a little scared because if, perhaps,
God is there watching and waiting for me to come back, i'm only going to
come back after something bad happens. in all those stories and testimonies,
great things happen ONLY after the worst things. right?
so recently, i've gone into the "what am i doing?" state of mind. perhaps it's
because i'm doing this job that's not related to architecture. perhaps it's
because i have seemingly endless hours of free time compared to college. perhaps
it's because i'm drifting away from God.
but don't get me wrong, as dreary as the last 4 paragraphs sound, i'm happy, more than
just content, with life.
i just wanted you to know that i AM fine...and perhaps not at the same time.
and on a side note, for those who don't know, i have pictures on flickr.
http://flickr.com/photos/aznsax/
| | |
| so i was sick these past couple of days with some stomach problems and a cold, but i realized yet another BIG difference between japan and america: TOILETS.
there is nothing worse than having an upset stomach and not knowing whether or not within that bathroom stall, the one you've being stumbling frantically to get to, lies a "western-style" toilet or a japanese style toilet. well, the one thing worse is opening the door and finding out it's a japanese style toilet.
i don't know if i'll ever get used to these things
almost back to 100%!
| | |
|
