greeting

My host-family Brenda gave me an e-mail, so I wrote back to her today.

Hi Brenda and Colin.

I'm really glad to hear what you have been up to. And my birthday was a week earlier than Clair's. Thank you for greeting for my birthday.
I'm fine, and get course credits at a steady pace. And I keep a diary in English with a goal of 100 days. (Although I've been writing for 83 days for now, I cannot say my English is getting better. Never mind! This kind of things happens all the time.)

You all had a good time with Claire in the three-day weekend. Good for you! I remember you and Claire enjoyed scrabble sometimes. I was extremely terrible at the game, but Claire was a good competitor of you. Don't you remember that you asked me to use my electric dictionary when you two could not seek a proper word in the game? I was a bit happy you asked me:-)

And,Great!!! you started learning how to play golf! I remember your saying that you might start golfing to have MORE time with Colin. You are as active as ever, aren't you! I know Colin is a good coach of you. Colin let me play golf at the neighborhood golf course. I like driving-shot but hate putting-shot, so I tended to be in a bad mood on the green, but Colin was very patient and kind to me. Please let me know again when you had a debut game. I wish I could play with you all. I'd really like to do that...

A few weeks ago, I watched a TV show which featured Cotswold. I recognized the river, the villages, the hills and pathways. Those lovely sceneries soften my heart. But I was really missing you while watching the show. Although I love every scenery, I wouldn't like to visit there again if you weren't there. I think these places are special for me because of loving you all.


Anyway, you have some guests in weekend? It will be another busy weekend again. I wish I could help you in the kitchen. During my home-staying, a lot of your friends visited your home. I remember all of them so well. They all were very nice to me! And I learned a lot from you what hearty hospitality is. Do you remember that Allan and Barbara sent me a tea cloth for my good serving? In my room, it still has been hooked.


It is almost one year after devastating flood. I worry about English weather this year too. Hope everything goes well with you. See you soon!!

Lots of love xxx
Yuki

Thank you for reading.

I miss my host-family

I really miss my host-family after seeing lovely scenery of Cotswold which were aired on TV tonight.

I'm just looking at pictures of them in my photo album. Everyone were smiling a lot in the pictures.

I've not laughed with happiness like this after coming back in Tokyo...

Although I want to attach several pictures of Cotswold here, they were all developed photographs.

I've just scanned only one of them.

I found nice pictures of Cotswold on the Internet. If you are interested in wild flower, click here.

Derek, Claire, me, Brenda and Colin

Thank you for reading.

Cotswold

I've just submitted two papers to tutors, so now I'm feeling great! I feel like drinking a lot tonight. Maybe after writing this, I'll make a dash for a supermarket to buy something alcoholic.

Anyway, have you been to the country side in England? A TV show (Sekai fushigi hakken) features Cotswold in England tomorrow night. I am really looking forward to watching the program. Why? Because I did home-stay near there!
The name of town I stayed is Cheltenham which locate in the center of Cotswold. So, my host-family took me for a drive to several villages sometimes.

I remember a memory whenever I heard the name Cotswold. When my host-family and I were walking in a narrow pass, some tourists were coming across from the other way. We all gave the way each other, and went off the pass, so nobody were walking when crossed each other. Then, we were smiling and greeting and joking while crossing. I really loved the conversation with strangers. So, I was excited when I saw some people in distance.

However, there were a bad memory in the pass. As Cotswold is the most famous as traditional English rural area, so, many Japanese tourists also visit there. When my host-family and I went off the pass to give them the way, despite the fact that they noticed what we did, went away walking in the center of the path for granted saying nothing and no-bowing. All of the Japanese regardless of age and sex were same as this.

Soon after coming back to Japan, there was a bad story again. When I were walking in pavement, a man on the bike were coming from behind. But he couldn't pass in pavement, so he went off to the road, and he went away saying to me, "Die!" ("Sine!" in Japanese)

I am not a person who is pure-hearted. But I was almost crying at that time. How come?

Thank you for reading.

my host-family's journey

I've got an e-mail from Brenda. She said they had just returned home from a week long holiday in Las Vegas as Colin's birthday celebration. Regardless of having work, it is very nice that they can afford to have a long journey twice a year. They are going to go to Australia and Newzeland in Christmas holiday. I replied to her soon as below.

Thank you for your e-mail!! All of the stories of your travels were extremely exciting! I can't wait to see the photos. I've thought you two like a cozy place for your holiday. But Las Vegas is the most gorgeous and glittering town in the world isn't it? So, if you don't care to be squeezed on the train, why don't you visit Tokyo next year? If you do that, I will make a perfect plan for your journey.

Your life is my ideal life. You have the lovely house and garden, the challenging position, cheerful friends, bright and beautiful children and especially gentle husband. Above all, you have a fulfilling life. Of course I am sure all arose from your effort, and you deserve all.

I still spend uninspiring life by myself. Although I've been into study at the university now, I don't have any purpose of my life in it. I know it is shame that I can not see how I live even at my age. But I got totally fed up with the hard work because I've been seeing many colleague had a severe mental illness. For now, my small wish is to get credit needed for graduation at my 3rd grade. And I hope to go backpack abroad at my 4th grade. Of course I can not earn enough money because now I just run a small personal business on the Internet. But,,, Que sera, sera! Whatever will be, will be, right???

To tell you the truth, I use the translating software to check my English. But even so, I am glad to hear that you could understand my English sentences. Although at one time I hoped to enter graduate school to be clinical psychotherapist, I had to give up because of my poor English skill. So your words cheered me up. I will keep studying English.

I am looking forward to seeing the photos. And give my love to Claire. Oh, almost forgot, my birthday is around Claire's in May. But you should not say sorry to me. I have only one host-family, but you took care of a lot lot of students, so you don't need to memorise the birthday.

Have a nice weekend at Claire's!!
With love.

Happy Birthday Colin!!

Happy Birthday Colin!!

I wish you happy long life and good health on your birthday.You've had your birthday party with Claire on Sunday, haven't you?It's quite pity I cannot say happy birthday in person every year.

I know you become one year older than last year, but I don't have to count your years.Also you too don't have to care your age because you look very young for your age. When you lied to me about your age, I believed firmly you were around 50.I remember clearly I was very confused because I counted in my head how old you were when you had a first baby James.

I never meet nice Japanese guy like you, so I still might not have been married.You are always considerate to everyone. That's why everyone like you. It was my great honor to meet real English gentleman in my life. (I am very much flattering because I don't have any birthday present for you, ha ha ha!But believe or not, I told you true feeling.)

Seriously, at this time every year, I can't help thinking how lucky I am to have your family in my life.Hope we can get together in the future.

With Lots of Love

Colin taught me what they say "vapor trail" in English, so I made this photo card for his birthday.