When I received my host family name and address from the Saitama Committee I wrote a note on a postcard of Pittsburgh. I put an eighty-cent airmail stamp on it and sent it. The email above is the response I got from my postcard . I wrote that I was excited to be coming to Japan and asked Kotaro what he would like me to bring from the U.S. for him and his family.

  


We took the team bus from the airport to the Town Hall to meet our host families. I was really nervous and scared. The host families were excited to see us. An announcer introduced us to our host family in alphabetical order. There was lots of waving and hugging and all of the host families were really happy to meet us. Tommy Briley was introduced to his family first, and they grabbed him and took off! I was almost last and thought, "Oh my Gosh, what happens if I don't like these people?" I then met Mr. Kishi with a handshake. Then I met the rest of the host family. They didn't speak English very well, and I couldn't understand them. But they all smiled and I smiled back.

 


We went to dinner with a group of other host families at a Japanese Steak House. After dinner, we got back in the van. We pulled up to a dark house somewhere in Japan. "Wow, where am I?" I thought. We entered the house, I took off my shoes and I pulled out my slippers, (which were conveniently packed in an outer pocket of my suitcase). When they turned on the lights, even their fish tanks lit up! It was freezing in their house, but they turned on little heaters. Mr. Kishi showed me to a room where I could put my stuff. It was a small room with a small chest of drawers and a leather sitting chair, but no bed. I thought I had to sleep on the chair! But Mr. Kishi said "You sleep upstairs." Wew.
The Kishis House in Saitama Japan, about 20 miles outside Toyko. They drive a Nissan Presida and a minivan
 

My host family had two boys, Kotaro, who is 11 years old and Takahumi, who is 7 and a little girl, Kurumi, who is 3 years old. Kotaro plays DF for the Omiya soccer team, who was also in the tournament.


Kurumi was always doing something really funny


All of the Japanese host families were very, very nice, especially my family. They made me feel so welcome. Although they did not speak English very well, we would use hand symbols to communicate. It was like playing charades. The Kishis are also very fun. Kurumi (the little girl) is always jumping and dancing around making us all laugh. She knows a little English too...she says "I bite you!" She is very funny. They also took me shopping and bought me an official Japan National Soccer Team warm up--10,200 yen! I think they really liked me and I really liked them. I miss them.


Takahumi's room


The Kishi house was pretty small. Mrs. Kishi would cook breakfast and would serve us kids at a small kitchen table just big enough for 4 plates. We would have eggs and rice and eat with chopsticks. Mr. Kishi would sometimes work nights, so he slept in late. That's a Hello Kitty clock on the wall. 		 


Cool Japanese toilet, with a heated seat and lots of fancy buttons for butt washing. They also have a water spout on the lid that came on after you flushed for washing your hands.

 

Did I miss something? If you have any comments, suggestions, or pictures and you would like to share them,
contact me at heydanny388@hotmail.com