Meeting the Neighbors

They have an interesting custom in Japan. When you move in to a new place, you are supposed to introduce yourself to your neighbors on the left side, the right side and across from you.

Also, you are supposed to give them a gift (usually some cookies or laundry detergent). Well, we only have 1 neighbor since our building only has 2 apartments; one of which is our own.


So after many attempts to meet our neighbor (she works late), we finally were able to catch her one morning. We introduced ourselves and gave her some detergent.

Well, she knocked on our door a couple days later and had some stuff for us! We have lived in 5 apartments in Japan, but this is first time that someone has reciprocated the "moving in gift."

She hooked us up with a Jimmy's German Chocolate Cake and a Pineapple! (pictured above)

It was perfect, as we could share the cake with the folks who came to the Wed. night study and we saved the pineapple for after Friday night prayer time. It was a cool blessing!