In Which I Sought a Pleasant Peninsula

I was so surprised and delighted when I was asked to be one of the two chaperons to guide the seven junior high school girls on their first expedition to the States as part of their sister-city exchange. People kept marveling at the coincidence and good luck I had in “randomly” being placed in Shimizu, Hokkaido, the sister-city of Chelsea, MI (not twenty minutes from my hometown). I know I only have God to thank for such providence, and can only wonder at how one person can be so blessed.

With excited girls in tow and their waving friends, families, and teachers fading from view in the windows, T-sensei and I bundle the girls and their bags through bus, airplane, and van to our slice-in-the-wall hotel in NYC. T-sensei had a rather full schedule for that evening and the following day planed, so without any ado other than depositing our bags and distributing room keys and hotel contact cards (just in case), we ventured off to Times Square. The girls enjoyed “real American hot-dogs” from a street vendor (poor things…) while I found a nice vegan curry empanada cart. Seeing NYC through their eyes was truly precious, as they took pictures of /everything/ (a theme to be carried throughout their time abroad). There were a few hiccups, like when they ran to have their pictures taken with a Minion and Elmo walking around and then were harassed for a tip afterwards (which I practically threw at the characters to make them back off). All-in-all I thoroughly enjoyed being the Mother Duck with her trail following after (yes, even when it felt like herding cats).

We walked a lot, even by my striding standards, but made it to our destination of the Empire State Building. Walking through the museum like interior before the elevator to the 86th floor’s observation deck, I couldn’t help being reminded of every reference; King Kong scaling its side, the alternate universe in Fringe where zeppelins actually use the docking port built for that purpose, the new seat of Mt. Olympus in the Percy Jackson world, but especially Sleepless in Seattle (having only just watched it two nights prior). The view was lovely, though~

We were moved through the walkway so fast everything such a blur...

But they couldn't stop a quick semi-pan

I got yelled at by a guard for sticking my head (and most of my torso...) through the fence to get  shot down the building...

The next morning (Wednesday the 26th), after a delicious and mighty breakfast at this swanky place next to the Times building,

 Dean and Deluca

we set off on the subway downtown to Battery Park to catch the Staten Island Ferry in order to see 自由の女神 (The Statue of Liberty, though literally it means “Goddess of Liberty”). Rather than pay high prices, wait around in lines, and spend our whole morning taking a ferry to Ellis Island itself, we achieved the same goal of viewing the statue riding this free ferry service.

Gotta love the Battery Park

Of course I would have my camera flipped to a terrible setting when taking this picture..

Manhattan 

From there it was back on the subway uptown to Central Park south, to kill time before our lunch reservation. Much to everyone else’s delight, we went to the Apple Store (which I have to admit, despite happily not owning a single Apple device and finding their headphone selection rather generic and too over-priced, the glass staircase leading underground was pretty cool~). Luckily, it seemed a few of the girls grew tired of the press of so many hipsters patrons as well and we made a break for FAO Schwarz next door.

At least they're going the right way...

I love pocket churches

Oh, Apple...

It was a day of Big adventures~

Didn't like the idea of this clock looking at me as I descended anywhere...

I loved the Muppets corner they had!

Even though my girls had no idea what they were T^T

These guys. My favorite Muppets and ghostly duo >;3 

We then sat down for eggs Benedict, lemon-berry-ricotta cheese pancakes, and apple smothered French toast at Sarabeth’s Kitchen (with many stares from the sorts of patrons you’d expect to frequent a $16-a-plate-minimum brunch cafe facing Central Park next to the Trump Tower and Essex House). For the rest of the afternoon, we had the use of a private van with a Japanese driver and Japanese guide. Our next stop was MoMA, so be prepared for much art (though I'm refraining from posting the blurry ones..):

James Ensor: "Tribulations of Saint Anthony"

Vincent van Gogh:

Vincent van Gogh: "The Olive Trees"

Not that it's probably much of a surprise, But I was crying to be so close to Van Gogh

They're just so alive

"Starry Night"

(as if you didn't know...)

Georges-Pierre Seurat (Grandcamp series):

"Some say they see poetry in my paintings," Seurat wrote...

..."I see only science."

Giacomo Balla: "Swifts" Paths of Movement + Dynamic Sequences"

Kurt Schwitters: "Revolving"

Joan Miro: "The Birth of the World"

(I forgot to take notes on this one because there was a couple constantly standing in front of it...)

But I like the way their silhouettes line up on the street...

Alberto Giacometti: "The Palace at 4 a.m."

Joseph Cornell: "Untitled (Bebe Marie)

Claude Monet:

They have benches in this room

So you can just sit and stare in awe for as long as you need

Or wander up close

I might have been a little emotionally compromised

I was able to get  so close

I had to take a moment to compose myself on those benches

So the details of my life could again make sense in the Big Picture

Piet Mondrian: "Composition in Red, Blue, and Yellow"

Pablo Picasso:

"Ma Joline"

The Kitchen

Rufino Tamayo: "Animals"

Roy Lichtenstein: "Drowning Girl"

Jackson Pollock: "On the floor I am more at ease. I feel nearer, more a part of the painting since this way I can walk around it, work from the four sides and literally be in the painting."

Robert Rauschenburg: Selections from the "Thirty Four Illustrations for Dante's Inferno"

(Forgot to get the name of this one too, but I /really/ like it)

After too short hours, we had to be on our way again. Our first brief stop was back over to Central Park, to the building John Lennon was killed by and to walk through Strawberry Fields.

Then we were off (again!) to take the girls shopping in Times Square (mostly the Disney store, but they stopped in Forever 21 (which used to be the Virgin Megastore *sob*) as well).

It was getting late, and the girls were so tired after traveling so much the day before and hitting the ground running in NYC. After visiting (so many….) souvenir shops, our Japanese tour-guide brought us to a nice little shop where we could get some comfort food for dinner (Ramen!) We set off on our last excursion T-sensei had planned: a drive across the Brooklyn Bridge to see the city-scape lit up at night (or, over a 20minute drive for 2 minutes in the freezing wind of the harbor to take bad pictures ^^;; ).

With exhaustion looming over all of us, we quickly retreated to our hotel rooms. After breakfast at the same place as the day before and piling everyone’s bags in an airport van, we left the Big Apple for the destination the girls had wanted to go to even more: Chelsea, MI.

Spring in Michigan is a misnomer. It’s dirty and cold while it clings to the bareness of winter and never wants to give up its bleak grey atmosphere until June (just in time for summer). The grass is grey, the trees are grey, the sky is grey, and most dispositions toward the State at that time of the year are of a similar hue. But for me getting off the plane and driving the familiar stretch of pot-holed highway from Detroit: it's one of the most beautiful things.

The girls were excited to be with their families, and we did many things throughout our time such as touring Chelsea, visiting the Jiffy Mix factory, playing with preschoolers, staying overnight at the Howell Nature Center, and walking around Ann Arbor. Naturally, most of the families were U of M fans, but I had an Ohio State alumnus on my side as we toured The Big House (which I took many pictures of for the sake of documentation of enemy territory).

"tornado warning in East Lansing: All residents advised to go to MSU stadium. no chance of a touchdown happening there..." Keep laughing, Big Brother...

Nothing if not cheeky~

(Sorry Alex~)

I was over-whelmed by the amount of English I was hearing (and visiting a college town was making me feel painfully nostalgic) and even the amount of physical contact I hadn’t realized I’d missed. Most people probably know I don’t express my care for someone through physicality (poor Jenny knows I’ve shied from her hugs often enough). But the casual hands on my arm and half shoulder hugs from the parents were so comforting. In Japan, even the simple gesture of shaking hands is replaced with a bow, so I guess even I have become starved for human contact.

There were many emotional reunions throughout my short time in Michigan, most notably with my mom and later with Val (sorry I always cry around you ><; ). Mostly I just felt so incredibly grateful for the love I have received and do now receive from so many wonderful people. Your support is sorely needed and most sincerely felt. I had been granted the permission to stay with my family as my “host family” during the trip, but I knew I wanted to be there for the girls as much as I could and didn’t want to shirk any duties since my “reason” for going in the first place was to work. The parents of the families hosting and coordinating the events, however, were more than kind and even told me to leave some afternoons to spend time with my family. I was able to sneak up to MSU and see Val; go to church the next day and have lunch with her and Kari and Kathryn; have afternoon tea in the Tardis with Allegra; gorge on delicious Olive Garden salad with Katie and Jenny; hang out for an afternoon with Kelsey (sorry for dozing off ><;; ) and even spend a few hours with Nicolette, Megan, and Brittany (sorry it’s been three years since we’ve hung out ><;; ).

Thank you to everyone I was able to see, however briefly (and for those I couldn’t see this time, I know we will!). I feel that God has me in Japan at this time for a purpose, and feel content with my life and continuing adventure here. But it wouldn’t be such an amazing experience and blessing if I weren’t able to share my experiences and receive support from Home.