Day 7

Haha! Well, yesterday held a lot of 'firsts' for me...

I went to Chiba to a team prayer meeting with the Chiba missionary team. It was really a good time. The Belhaven group and I went with Roger. It was good to hear some of the things that have been going on in the lives of some of the missionaries. Getting there was the real adventure... :) We left the apartment around 7:15 am, and did not get to Chiba until 9:45. I continued to see trains go by going the opposite direction with people literally squeezed against the doors. Right before our train arrived Roger told us to take deep breaths while we could.... :) When the doors opened a flood of people poured out. By the time we were almost on we wondered if we would all fit... We did! By the time we were about 5' from the door the massive force of people trying to get on was so strong that we were literally rammed into the train car. I think I was the last person to make it through that door. There was a man that stood outside the door and pushed people in until the doors could close. I later found out that pushing people into the crammed cars was what those men do for a living.... :) When we got to Chiba we had a prayer and singing time, and then had lunch. I think that three of the Chiba team members are from Australia. They have the greatest accents. I love Australian accents...!

After a short walk with two of the Belhaven group to explore the surrounding area (which was mostly covered with 8" thick bamboo), I rode with some of the Chiba team to the closest train station. That in itself was an adventure. Riding in the front left passenger seat of car on the left side of the road, and turning right onto the left side of the road.... It was really a weird feeling that you'll never be able to understand until you have done it! At the station, three of us got on the train. The two other people got off about 35 min. before me. From that point on it was my job to find the way back to this apartment. I did it! So not only did I ride the train and subway by myself and navigate the subway station by myself, I did it in a country where everything is written in another language! (I feel proud of myself.)

Well, I will have to post more later.... I also put a picture that I took of Mt. Fuji. I hope you can see it in the background... Enjoy!

Hannah