The photos on theses pages were taken by Leah. She had come to Japan about a week before I graduated from Shingyo Dojo to spend some time sightseeing with her boyfriend, Jake. The final week of her trip she spent visiting Mount Minobu watching me graduate. Then for the next couple of days until we all left Japan we sort of all hung out together. I took them around various parts of the greater Tokyo area to do some sightseeing of Nichiren Shu temples. We also hung out at Krispy Kreme in Shinjuku, the only Krispy Kreme in Japan.
Leah is a very special person I met while studying at Portland State University. I met her when she was doing some course work in Japanese which required her to tutor first and second year students. After her time as a free tutor I made arrangements to pay her to tutor me on a regular basis. So for almost two years we would meet together two or three times a week to practice Japanese. We also were enrolled in several classes together, such as Japanese film and Japanese literature classes. We became very good friends during that time. She introduced me to many of her friends who would allow an old fart such as myself to hang out with them.
I have many good memories of my student time at Portland State University because of her. Her Mother and I also became good friends and we would occasionally go to breakfast on Saturday mornings in Portland. Her Mother also helped me with some sewing projects. She has been very supportive of my efforts to become a priest. She was at my Tokudo ceremony in Portland and I was so happy that she was able to see me graduate in Japan. Currently she is taking time off from work to polish up here Japanese even more, so that she can either teach or work in Japan. I sincerely wish the best for her future.
