The book that we presented to the class Wednesday, God needs no passport, by Peggy Levitt, was full of examples of emigrant’s life which we didn’t talk about(just because we were staying on her thesis). And most of them is how emigrants connect themselves to America and their own country. How some of them talks about  their identity, like how they are trying to become member of America but at same time they are still connected and part of home country, was pretty relative to me. I also want to be part of America but same time I am still so Japanese, as characteristic-wise, and as culture-wise.

The major difference between my story and their story is how big the religion take part of. For me, the way to staying connected with home country was internet and Japanese friends in school. For them, it was church with community of their own people or religion of their home country. Although we talked about it in presentation and through past classes, I still did’t know about idea of  church as community because we barely have the idea of it. But today I went to church first time. It was small church and people there are close and friendly to outsiders. People just talk about their daily life, pray together, and bless each other. It was something new for me, but I understand how people go to church not only because for prayer but also for people there.