2024 Walla Walla Sister City Project ②

12/10/2024

Second day of homestay. We let our guest relax in the morning and chatted over breakfast about various topics—Walla Walla city, the sister city project, his family, his home, his farm, etc.

As he has aged, he has also gained a wealth of experiences, making every conversation interesting, and time flew by quickly.

Though he doesn't have biological children, he hosted many homestays, meaning he has 'children' from various countries around the world. The high school students he once hosted are now doctors and lawyers, and he has attended weddings of 'children' from abroad. It's inspiring to see a life that reflects what I hope ours might look like in a few decades.

Some of these 'children' come back with their 'grandchildren' for visits, and when his wife fell ill, their son or daughter came from overseas to help. I thought that was a wonderful way to live. 💖

He brought many souvenirs for the 'children' in Sasayama. He even brought gifts from the family who stayed with us last year. It's called the 'Sister City Express'. 😂

Instead of wrapping gifts in paper, he carefully wrapped them in bandanas and secured them with a city pin—what an eco-friendly idea! He even brought a self-published booklet detailing his 25 years of involvement with the sister city. Amazing!

After hearing his fascinating stories, we went to pick up the luggage that should have arrived and stopped by Kōzōji temple on our way back. We thought he might be tired after arriving late at night, but he was determined to adjust to Japan schedule despite the jet lag.

After discussing various appointments and his past experiences, we thought it might be nice for him to take it easy when he is with us.

John, who was away for work during the day, returned home, and the three of us enjoyed dinner together. The two men chatted over wine, and since they both love to talk, the conversation flowed with changing topics. 😊

I wonder what tomorrow will bring!