First visitor of the year 2024, from Taiwan!

During the year-end and New Year's holidays, we had a high school exchange student from Taiwan staying at our house.

Normally, he lives in a high school dormitory in Osaka. However, since the dormitory is closed during the year-end and New Year holidays, he came to stay with us through an acquaintance.

He arrived on the evening of the 29th, and we picked him up at Sasayamaguchi station.
He was a polite young man who spoke fluent Japanese!

On the 30th, the day after his arrival, it wasn't raining, so we decided to go sightseeing around the castle town.
Unfortunately, since it was the end of the year, all the tourist facilities were closed, and most of the stores were also closed.
However, we still took a walk around Sasayama Castle, Kawaramachi, and Makekirai Inari shrine.
I think it might have been a bit boring for a teenage boy who is used to city life (lol).

He stayed with us until early afternoon on January 1. Sadly the weather wasn't favorable, and the New Year's Eve bell at the nearby Kozo-ji Temple was cancelled. We also don't have a TV subscription, so we couldn't watch Kohaku Uta Gassen (the Red and White singing contest on NHK).

During his stay,  he spent time in his room playing games and chatting with his Taiwanese friends. 
He also took it easy in the mornings, waking up whenever he felt like it.
After all, it's winter vacation for him, right? He had some homework to do as well, so I left him to it and told him to spend his time as he pleased.

I'm sure it must have felt cold here compared to Taiwan or Osaka.
I asked him to turn on the heater when he was in his room, and use an electric blanket on the bed.
I hope he managed to keep warm enough.

Time flew by, and it was soon time for him to move on to his next destination.

As a token of appreciation, he even left us some Japanese sweets.
I found it very impressive that a high school student like him showed such thoughtfulness.

He will return to Taiwan this summer after completing his study abroad program.

We hope he will come back with his parents next time.

We will be waiting for you!
Good luck with your studies!
See you again soon!