Home Stay

My host family is made up of a mom and a dad as well as another host student. My “parents” are really, really nice and they’re very helpful. My “mom” was the one who met me at the university. We left the room and I gave her my gifts. We walked down to a bus station next to a university building and took the school bus to the Fuchinobe train station. Then we took a bus from Fuchinobe station to a stop near their house in Midorigaoka. Then we walk for a while before we get to their house. My “mom” asked me questions about myself and my family in America.

They live in a traditional Japanese house, so it’s practically made up of all wood. The foyer floor is made out of stone and is slightly lower than the rest of the house’s floors which are made of wood. Except for the bedrooms, which have tatami mats for floors. You are supposed to take off your outside shoes and leave one pair in the foyer. My family gave me a pair of slippers to wear inside the house. However, they have a separate pair of wooden sandels for the toilets. There are three bedrooms on the first floor of the house as well as a kitchen, den area, two toilet rooms (one for the urinal and one for the toilet) as well as a senmenjou, which consists of the sink and shower. The washer is also in the senmenjou. There is an upstairs, but I have yet to go up there.

My room isn’t quite as big as my room in America, but I sleep on a futon, so I have space during the day. A futon is basically a long cushion with a thick blanket on top of it that you use as a mattress. It also has the actual futon which is kind of like a really, really thick, soft quilt. I don’t have to use it yet, because it’s still pretty hot here. The futon is stored in the closet during the day, so I actually have quite a bit of room. I also have a desk and a little dressing table with a mirror. They also put up two calendars in my room.

That’s one thing I kind of don’t understand. There are bazillions of calendars in the house, haha! There is at least one in every room that I’ve seen so far. Some of them have pictures of my “parents’” real kids getting married and such. My “parents” also have TONS of knick-knacks. I’m glad I gave them Texas T-shirts instead of one of the Texas knick-knacks I brought for other gifts. They seemed really pleased with the shirts. The smaller one should fit my “mom” just right. However, the one for my “dad” is a bit big….

They are also hosting another student. They call her Haru-chan. She’s 20, just like me, and she also goes to the same university. However, she’s from China, and she’s been with the family since before April of this year. She’s actually in some of their daughter’s wedding photos. She’s really nice, she’s been helping me figure out the bus routes and such.

The family also has this cat that they call Hachi-chan. Basically it means “little eight.” She’s a calico with green eyes. The first night I was here I saw another cat walking outside the house. My “parents” said that it’s a wild cat that they call Roku-chan which means “little six.” Apparently Hachi-chan and Roku-chan are good friends. Today I saw Hachi-chan open the one of the sliding doors by herself to go outside! Now THAT is talent! However, she has yet to learn to close the door once she’s through.

This is a picture of the kitchen area. This is where we eat meals everyday.

This is the shower area. You're supposed to shower and then get into the hot bath.