A Family From Kagoshima
Finally, it seems like spring has arrived in
Sasayama. The swallows outside are busy looking for homes.
In the midst of that, a mother and her two elementary school-aged
siblings came from Kagoshima.
Since the children are studying English, they expressed a desire
to immerse them in an English-speaking environment as much as possible." Of course, we can!" we said.
So, they came all the way from Kagoshima for that purpose.
The older sister was a very responsible girl, and the younger brother was still full of energy and remain childlike innocence.
The mother was watching over them very closely and carefully. This time, their stay was four nights
and five days.
Conversations with John were in English, and the children's responses were great. The older sister could converse in English. The younger brother was able to understand the content of the conversation quite well, and it was clear that he was trying his best!
On the first day, John went to pick them up at the station. After that,
they all went to the grocery store together to buy ingredients before arriving at
our place. The children were not at all reserved and immediately became lively
and friendly!
They woke up around 5 a.m. to catch the flight
from Kagoshima around 7 a.m. It must have been a long journey.🛫🚃🚗
After a lot of
conversations, they went to bed early. I wonder what tomorrow will bring?
The weather was not favorable on the second day. The forecast said
it wouldn't rain until around 3 p.m., so in the morning, we went to Kozoji
Temple, rang the bell, touched the river water, took pictures jumping off a
tree stump, and so on. We had a buffet lunch at the Kuro Mame no Yakata enjoying local vegetables and black soybeans from Sasayama to our heart's
content! Then we did some sightseeing in the Oyama area. We went to see the Meiji tunnel and Showa tunnel of Kanegasaka tunnel, the thousand-year-old fir tree and the couple's
ginkgo tree at Otte Shrine, and even went inside the Machiura Kofun (ancient
tomb). We talked with an old lady on her daily walk and did various activities,
but the highlight for the children was probably searching for butterbur
sprouts! (*Butterbur scape is an edible wild plant that can be harvested in mountains around spring.) It was a little late in the season, but we tried to find as many
unopened buds as possible, put them in a bag, and ate as tempura for
dinner. We also fed the chickens and harvested vegetables in the greenhouse.
The children were very busy.
Conversations in English while using their hands
and bodies must have been quite different from their lessons at cram school
or language school. I think it was easier for them to understand and the new words they learned were easier to stay in the children's memory. Well
done!
Finally, on the third day, the weather cleared up. In the morning, we made small storage boxes in the workshop. We cut the wood according to the patterns the children designed, and using saws, sandpaper, and wood glue, we assembled the boxes. For lunch, we went to an Italian restaurant called Patria. As always, the food was delicious, and we had a wonderful time. After that, we bought some ingredients and went to Namikimichi Centeral Park on the way back. We wanted to see the moving dinosaurs and play in the park, but we arrived too late! The boy was very sad and disappointed but nothing much could be done, so we promised that he could go tomorrow and went home.
Day four was a retry of going to the park we went yesterday! It rained quite a bit the previous night, but it cleared up beautifully in the morning, so the family spent time together at Namikimichi Central Park. They had lunch at Acchan Shokudo, a retro Showa-style restaurant near the park. At this point, the small storage boxes were almost complete, and all that was left to do was to pack them up for taking them home.
Day five, our time flew by so quickly! John had to leave for work, so everyone woke up early to say goodbye. Until they left the house, they packed their bags, played in the garden, ran along the rice field paths, and enjoyed themselves until the very end. We had a good chat even in the car to the station, and they continued to send LINE messages and photos on their way back.
Every time, I think about how each guest comes here in their own circumstances, and as we spend time together, their facial expressions gradually become calm, and they leave with a sense of peace. The nature of Sasayama and the relaxing passage of time surely bring healing. This is called the "Sasayama Magic!"🤩
The new guests will be arriving tomorrow. I wonder what
kind of encounter it will be?
Well, I'll start preparing to receive them from now!🏃