Cultural Exchange

It has been a whirlwind of a three weeks.  At the beginning of August Carrie brought a group of Japanese students to the US and we got to keep Miori for 10 days.  We were told that she spoke really good English and that she was very shy.  Both things were true.  :)

When we first agreed to host, we thought that we would have moved into the new house and would have plenty of bedroom space.  Well, that didn't happen.  So Bob and I moved down to the basement and slept on an extra mattress we were saving for the new house and gave Miori our bedroom so she could have some privacy and quiet.  (She's an only child... we asked if she had siblings- 'no I have cats.')  She retreated a few times when the kids were being loud and crazy.  

I took all 6 to the grocery store to stock up on food that she might like.  And we came home with free balloons.  I haven't taken all of them in at once in a very long time and I was reminded why.  

We all got to go to the dentists office.  I brought coloring books to keep them mostly occupied.

The girls all started diamond art painting kits.

Perrin did one too.  

Miori made us Japanese style curry and rice for supper.  I liked it, and most of the kids did also.   
We met up with the other girls and their hosts to swim on Tuesday.  It was hot and a great day for the pool.

There was a high dive, which they all had to try.

Perrin spent most of his time in the kiddie pool.

Kelly took her girls and Miori to the ice cream social at the nursing home that evening while my girls had piano.  

I shooed them outside for some fresh air and they got out the sidewalk chalk.  

Then we made fresh squeezed lemonade.  

Everyone got to squeeze one lemon. 😜

Bob and Trent took their Sunday school class out to eat for an end of the year party.  We were going to go to Kartville afterward, but it rained so they were closed and we ended up going bowling instead.  Miori and Kou were pretty good at it. 

Miri-goose and Perrin made up a game with a box and a feather. 

Thursday Lynelle invited all of the homestay students and families to swim.  And then it rained... but then it cleared off!

Swimming is the great equalizer.  You don't need to speak the same language to push each other off the dock.

Goofballs. 😊

The students got to go to a "target practice" event (haha. a very Midwestern American experience!) so I snuck out to the woods to see what was going on.  I spent most of the 10 day visit with the kids and barely did anything at the house- it was weird. 😏)   Second try laundry faucet fit the sink!

A little Uno.

We went to the library and Pinky's.

The older girls did the puzzle we checked out from the library.

We sent Emmy and Miori off to spend the night with the other girls and I headed out to do some cleaning.

We started packing to move.  We. have. so. many. books.  This is the stack of books that Cecily spent her summer reading.  

So many boxes; mostly books.  

Kelly took the girls and hosts to the farmers market for brunch after their sleepover, and then to the Riverfront Museum.  I don't have any photos of that uploaded, but it looked like a lot of fun! 
More coloring.  :)  The school the Japanese kids attend really discourages screen time so since my kids really like their screen time I felt like I had to scramble a little to keep them occupied with anything else. And not fight. With a guest in the house.  Unnamed child: How long do we get Mom's nice voice for?  haha. 

Ready for church Sunday morning!

Cadence got to lick the beater after we made homemade ice cream.

We took the ice cream out to Bob's parent's house that evening and the girls built an elaborate lego town.

Monday we went to the farm for lunch and to show Miori around.  It was hot though, so no one really wanted to be outside.  They have a new swing!

Carrie took the kids shopping in the afternoon and I swung by the house and came in on this conference.  

They were getting set up to put up my box beams! 

We all met up in the evening for a picnic.  There was juggling.

And games.

These two spent their time on the playground getting sweaty and dirty.  

My brain doesn't work anymore, and I almost forgot, but I remembered in time that gifts are a big deal in Japan.  Londyn made us a custom shirt for Miori.

The last full day was the day before school started.  I took Emmy and Miori to meet up with Kou at Hobby Lobby.

Perrin wanted to play games, but he doesn't really play games.  They humored him.

We did some shrinky dinks.  The first batch didn't turn out all that well, but we perfected our process.

Cecily spent the afternoon at freshman orientation (😭) and we got Eli's and then we took Miori to the grade school and the middle school for meet the teacher night. I was tired and overstimulated after all of that.

We were all up bright and early Wednesday morning.  Miori left at 7am and then the girls were off to school.  2nd, 5th, 7th, and Freshman.  

Overall it was a good experience and I think I would do it again.  I think I would have enjoyed it more if we were not trying to finish up a house, pack to move, and start school all at the same time.  I was kind of a wreck the first few days worrying that she was going to get homesick, that we were going to make her uncomfortable and that we were too loud and what are we going to do to fill this much time and what if she hates all of our activities.  But it was fine.  And I don't think we ruined her trip. She's too polite to tell us even if we did.  Perrin after she left:  Did Miori leave? But I'm going to miss Miori!

Also Cecily: Wow, we haven't done this many things in one week in... ever!   

Blessings.