Lighthouse Girls

As roommates, we've been enjoying time together with our two newest roommates Johanna & Kathryn who are here with the summer team. Last week we went out for coffee at a local shop. I love these girls!!

Kathryn, Mandy, Nami, Aki & Johanna

Soccer, soccer, soccer!!!

Last weekend I went to my first soccer game. Soccer is incredibly popular here, and we only sat for a few minutes during the half-time. It was crazy, loud, and very fun! Would have been more fun if our team had won, but... maybe next time!



Johanna, Aki & Me

Sophomore Dinner...

Recently I hosted a dinner party for the sophomores. The food was tasty & the time together was great!

My personal haven...

When I first moved here, I had a futon on the floor, a few shelves, and a rack to hang my clothes on. After acquiring a few more pieces of furniture and spending some time with a friend's sewing machine, I'm now LOVING my little room. Design is a high value for me, as is rest, so having an asthetically pleasing room is such a blessing to me! Living in a different culture is exhausting, so its so nice to come home to a place that is restful and relaxing!

More crazy English signs...

This vending machine gave me a good laugh:


Of course Americans do the same thing when wearing t-shirts or even tattoos with Chinese or Japanese characters, not having a clue what it REALLY says! (Those of you considering a Chinese tattoo may want to do a little research first!)

Mandy's Friday English class...

My Friday night English class has been a great opportunity to learn and strengthen friendships. We always have a lot of fun!

Nami, Me & Mayu, enjoying Sprite floats after class.

Ice Cream for Dinner!

One night, Jamie, Jones & I went out to dinner at Baskin Robbins. That's right- it was an ice-cream for dinner kind of night, and all three of us thoroughly enjoyed it!

The Japanese Driving Test... Attempt #2: passed :D

God had mercy on me & I passed my driving test on the 2nd try!

Dreadfully awaiting our turns to drive with the Japanese driving official.













When the driving man announced the one person who passed that day, I've never been happier to hear "Bah-ru-ko-mu-san" (Balcom-san). Whew!!!
Praise Jesus!!!

The Japanese Driving Test... Attempt #1: failed :(

Today Jamie, Elbert and I took our driving tests for the first time. (yes...there may be many times when its all said and done!) We all passed the written exam, and all failed the driving course exam. I think I did really well, only making one main mistake. When preparing to turn a corner, in Japan, before you reach the corner, you are to signal and drive as close to the side line as possible. Something about avoiding bicyclists and pedestrians. Elbert, Jamie and I all made that exact same mistake- thus we will all be returning soon to try again. In Japan, rules are extremely important, and getting your license is more of a miracle. So...we're going for round 2 on the 4th of July!On the way home, we stopped at Starbucks for a delicious beverage- a sort of reward for an intense day at the DMV! Once again, chai makes everything better!

God is beautiful!

Recently God has been showing me his beauty here in Japan. Prior to that, culture shock had kept me from enjoying the beauty in God's creation here, and had just made me long for the flat, wide open prairie that I miss back in Nebraska. Not only am I seeing God's beauty in the land here, but also in the relationships he has blessed me with. Praise Jesus for his awesome creation!


Our staff teams recently met in Tokyo to welcome this year's summer teams. About 30 American college students are spending their summers with 5 different BEST Clubs throughout Japan. We are excited to have them here!
Fellow staff members: Ruth Ann, Joanna, Me & Jennifer.

Joanna recently finished her term in Japan and is now back in the States. I miss her greatly, as God blessed us with a very fun friendship these past 8 months. I am excited for Jo as she begins to minister now in California. I love you Jo!!

Freshmen Camp was a great place to continue getting to know our new freshmen friends in BEST Club, as well as having fun with the old gang.


The sophomores presented me and Elbert with our very own jerseys. At sports activities we're now one of them, which is pretty fun! Elbert and I both teared up, agreeing this is the best gift we've received in a long time!


Playing Princess Monopoly with Brianne & Sarah while babysitting. Who knew Princess Monopoly could be so much fun!!!

Introducing: Aki, my newest roommate! Aki and I were close friends three years ago during my summer trip to Japan. She recently returned from studying abroad in the U.S. We had a great reunion after being apart for 3 years!

Saturday the BEST students gathered at the beach for a BBQ and games all afternoon. What a beautiful place to have so much fun!



Sarah Butler came to visit last week. What an encouragement she was! She was a mid-term worker just like me three years ago, and helped lead my summer team in Japan. We enjoyed karaoke, a visit to the onsen, and Starbucks while she was here. Thanks for visiting, Sarah!!

Eating dessert with the freshmen girls in my Friday English class.

Two of my favorite friends here: Jamie & Jones!


Dinner with Elbert, Wakki & Misa. My favorite: this chocolate cake!