by Mike Costanzo | Dec 10, 2006 | Artwork, Devotion, Jen
For many, many years now, Jen has dreamed of one day writing and illustrating her own original children’s book. In fact, ever since we started dating back in 2000, both of us have been waiting for the day when Jen would finally have the time and energy to...
by Mike Costanzo | Dec 9, 2006 | Engrish
One of the funniest things about being here in Japan is all the Wasei-eigo that we see from day to day. In fact, for anyone whose first language is English, Wasei-eigo is a seemingly endless source of amusement and entertainment (just ask any Japanese language...
by Mike Costanzo | Dec 8, 2006 | Missions, Teaching
Today I (Mike) taught at Hirose Elementary School, and before I went into work, I prayed–a lot. Today was a wonderful and perhaps unique opportunity to share a little bit about Jesus– in school . This week’s syllabus requested that I ” talk...
by Mike Costanzo | Nov 19, 2006 | Travel
Let it never be said that the Costanzos can’t wing it with style! This Friday, Mike says to Jen, “Hey Honey, how does a weekend trip to a ryoukan (Japanese-style inn) sound?” Jen says, “Sounds great, but where?” “We’ll find...
by Mike Costanzo | Nov 11, 2006 | Music
After we posted our first blog entry about Mike and the Sugaya P.T.A. Band, we got more than a few incredulous replys. And in fact, there was even one who postulated that the whole thing was an elaborate fabrication on our part! So to set the record straight, we want...
by Mike Costanzo | Nov 11, 2006 | Mike, Scenery
Today excepted, this whole past week here in Tamura has been a week of non-stop wonderful weather. In fact, it was so nice that I (Mike) couldn’t resist taking the digital camera to work and finally climbing up the hundred or so steps to the top of a local park...
by Mike Costanzo | Oct 28, 2006 | Holidays/Special Events, Teaching
Last Sunday was Takine Jr. High’s school festival. Apparently, every Japanese school has one of these, and they’re big deals. So we were excited to be able to see what all the hype was about. Jen was allowed to come both days, and got to meet the principal...
by Mike Costanzo | Oct 28, 2006 | Friends, Music
And now for one of the coolest and most surprising opportunities to happen to us since we’ve been here in Japan… As you remember, I work at a local Junior High School ( Takine J.H.S. ) four days of the week, and on Friday I teach at some local Elementary...
by Mike Costanzo | Oct 28, 2006 | Japanese Food, Mike
It’s been a whole month and a half since the first installment of the story of Mike and his wonderful discoveries of the different foods of Japan, and when we last left our intrepid hero, he had eaten Nuts and Fish, fried squid, and natto, among other things....
by Mike Costanzo | Oct 11, 2006 | Day-to-Day
Like Jen said in our previous post, this past Monday was Health-Sports Day (a national holiday in Japan), so both of us had off of work. With a whole free day at our disposal, and perfectly gorgeous cool fall weather to boot, we took it as the prime opportunity to...
by Mike Costanzo | Oct 1, 2006 | Holidays/Special Events, Wakakusa
Today was possibly the biggest and most important day of the year at Wakakusa Kindergarten: the annual Kindergarten Sports Fest ( Undokai ). This is the day when all of the parents (who either never visit the school or usually only come to the school long enough to...
by Mike Costanzo | Oct 1, 2006 | Holidays/Special Events, Missions
Last Sunday (9/24) we (the Funehiki team) had an incredible opportunity to share our faith and our love for God in the most unexpected of places—a secular Folk & Pop Concert at the Funehiki Culture Center. Apparently, the concert organizer heard that the team...
by Mike Costanzo | Oct 1, 2006 | Holidays/Special Events
Last Saturday (9/23), our employers arranged for us to be taken to the annual Samurai Parade in Aizu. Back in the states, lots of people love to relive the glory of the medieval days (you know, knights in shining armor and swords and fake English accents and all...
by Mike Costanzo | Sep 18, 2006 | Wakakusa
Many of you may have noticed that in the past month we’ve been posting lots of pictures of us, of our team, of local scenery, etc. But so far, we haven’t posted any pictures of our employers, and especially of Mr. Maki (we call him Encho-sensei), the...
by Mike Costanzo | Sep 13, 2006 | Japanese Food, Mike
It’s probably a safe assumption to make that pretty much everyone who knows me is aware that when it comes to food, I (Mike) have an insatiable flair for the exotic. Of course, that’s just a nice way of saying that I eat some pretty bizarre things...
by Mike Costanzo | Sep 7, 2006 | Mike, Teaching
Have you ever wondered what it’s like to be an ALT (Assistant Language Teacher) in Japan? NO? Well, regardless, I’d like to share a few pictures from my job, in case there’s anyone who WAS wondering… Me at my desk at Takine Jr. High School (my...
by Mike Costanzo | Sep 2, 2006 | News
Hey everyone, We have incredible news!!! Remember last week when we said that maybe we would meet the Prime Minister and eat sea cucumber sushi on the Moon? Well guess what– it really happened !!! We never would have dreamed that it was possible, but in an...
by Mike Costanzo | Aug 23, 2006 | Day-to-Day, Holidays/Special Events
Wow, what a week this has been!!! This week we set up our new apartment, met our new co-workers, went to parties, attended a Japanese festival, walked all around town, gone shopping, had meetings with our employer, met the mayor, the Chairman of the Board of...
by Mike Costanzo | Aug 14, 2006 | Travel
Hey everyone!!! Here we are, all four of us (Mike, Jen, Benno, Nate), sitting in the airport and waiting for our flight. Praise God; we got through security with no problems, and in record time!!! The hand of the Lord was definitely with us. It’s wonderful to...
by Mike Costanzo | Aug 13, 2006 | Moving
Remember when we said our computer was ok? Well, it’s not; it’s busted…again. Bad hard drive. So now we’ll be getting on the plane with a defective computer, and fighting our tech support battles with HP from overseas. What a nightmare this has...
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