You're the best around, and nothing's gonna ever keep you down!

(10 points to you if you got the title of this post.)





Pictured above is some promotional advertisement for the recent remake to "The Karate Kid" It was released a few months ago in other countries including America but like pretty much all movies it was released late here in Japan. As you can see from the picture August 14th was the date here, but this post isn't about the sometimes extreme late release of films in Japan. (That rant is for another day)

What I am confused about is the title they chose in Japan. For those who can't read it says "Besto Kiddo" which is the English bastardization of "Best Kid" which doesn't really make any sense to me. Why is it called the best kid? "The Karate Kid" actually uses a Japanese word in the title Karate. Now one could argue that in this remake the kid doesn't actually use Karate. As he is in China, he learns Kung-fu a fact that has been pointed out by many irritated web surfers. He doesn't learn Karate he learns Kung-fu so why call it "The Karate Kid"? Perhaps I could agree with you there but it still wouldn't explain this



The original movie was also called "Best Kid" in Japan, and yet the original actually had the character learning Karate and even going to Japan in the second film. Why is he the best kid? What exactly is he the best at? Karate?

Then again this is the country that released

under the title of "Uncle Carl's flying house" I personally feel like "UP" would have sufficed.



(By the way I recommend the remake. I thought it was done quite well and stands on its own and I don't particularly care for remade classics)

Minority x 3

I'm American, black, and Christian which makes me a minority within a minority within a minority. Chew on that for awhile

In search of fellowship

Making friends in Japan can be a difficult and frustrated process especially for a foreigner and even harder for a foreigner who isn't fluent in the language. While I can hold various conversations and speak enough to usually comfortably make it through each day, I am not on the level to really keep a conversation going and throw in the fact that the Japanese can already be extremely difficult to get to know anyway you can see my dilemma. So when I do make a friend that I actually see at least semi regularly I am quite thankful for that blessing.

Now what's even harder is finding fellowship which as a Christian is something I seek and desperately need. I once heard this definition of fellowship and I liked it. Can't remember where it came from to give it its due credit.

Fellowship: Two or more people sharing in the same struggle.

For me a huge struggle amongst many other things would be living in Japan as a Christian in a country that has 1% Christian population. I love all my friends but Christians know there are many things that you just cant relate to and share with someone unless they have the same Christian thinking/struggles as you. I imagine in the real big cities it wouldn't be so hard to find fellowship but the Christian population gets thinner in the smaller areas and those that do exist tend to be much much older. Fellowship with older people is great too because it usually means they are wiser, but everyone needs someone around their age as well to experience their walk in Christ with. I've manage to find those even my age but then the problem of living in another country rears its head. For the most part they don't speak much English and I don't speak enough Japanese/Korean/Chinese. It's hard to break the ice considering that problem a long with the overtly shyness of a lot of Asians.

For the majority of my life I had no fellowship and was quite weak as a Christian. 5 years ago that all changed when I moved to San Francisco for study and then when I moved back to my home town St.Louis. Now I am in Japan and I can feel the effect of not having what I had. For now I continue searching for fellowship and churches, and as always pray. I admit I can get frustrated by the failure I have been having but I've failed enough times to know God won't fail me, so I look to this verse for comfort and hope.

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Philipp 4.6-7

Any close friend would be great. Fellowship with a friend would be awesome.



Here is a good website thrown in for good measure
http://www.biblica.com/

Happy Birthday to me!

That is all.







Thank God for another year.

Awa Odori 2010: The Dance Dance Revolution

Visit the prefecture of Tokushima between August 12th and 15th and you will see something you had no idea could happen in such an usually empty place, and that is hordes of people dancing and partying as they take part in one of Japan's biggest festivals known as "Awa Odori"

Having lived in Tokushima for six months I was well aware of its country feel and fairly quiet life style. I was also told many times that in the summer there would be a huge festival in which people from all over Japan would come and the city of Tokushima would become as lively as a Friday night in Shibuya. We'll I moved from Tokushima but told myself I would return to see the cities claim to fame, and so I did, and it was GREAT!

Awa: The old name for Tokushima
Odori: Dance

Celebrated during the Obon holiday in Japan Awa Odori is a huge festival centered around dancing in the streets. Many dance troupes put on dancing displays as well as the average joe doing his or her thing, and all are invited to join in. As any festival in Japan there are also tons of small tent shops selling food, snacks, and featuring games to be played such as catching goldfish or small baby turtles. My favorite of these treats would be kakigori. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kakig%C5%8Dri) I've never seen so many people enjoy each other than my time with Awa Odori. It's like during those four days everyone participating are family gathering for a long overdue reunion.(Look my drunk uncle is dancing again.) I attended with two friends which was nice cause I always enjoy a festival much more attending with people I know.


Even if you aren't part of a dance troupe it is highly likely you will end up dancing with a group of strangers at some point. My friends and I were even coerced into joining the dancing the evening I arrived my suitcases still in hand as we danced down a long street being watched by people on both sides like a parade. All in all it was a pretty good time and nice to see some excitement in Tokushima being a former resident. I'd recommend anyone who has a chance to attend the Awa Odori if possible. I'd say the only downside is for those are not fans of crowds because it is CROWDED and quite a pain to navigate when trying to get back home on a bicycle. Regardless the music is loud and lively and the costumes are bright and interesting. Oh and the ladies are pretty and plentiful, haha

(I do what I can.)