Re: Got a 16yo Japanese student
What an interesting outcome.
This young lady was a pleasure to host. Language was a real problem, as she wasn't prepared for 'us lot'. Her embarrassment stopped her from even trying, until Anita got it thru to her not to worry about mistakes.
My 16yo Hayden did a sterling job.
They use to look funny walking up to the bus...he striding out in front, she tagging behind.
(I use to watch them and think...my god the world has gone thru so many changes, and so much is still the same).
He never lost her once, introduced her to everyone, and sheltered her from any possible trouble.
Funny how thing are handed down. When he took her in to his class, one of his mates commented "oh sh@#, the Japs have landed".
She worked here on sat morning with all the other school kids, and they all got on well. She got paid along with the rest, which she couldn't believe.....bought her father a really nice bottle of after shave with it.
Anita was the one that had the most to do with her. Never had a daughter, so it looked strange seeing the 2 of them girlie-shopping.
She was really really Japanese, not only in appearance, but in shyness.
The hand would go over the mouth-face quickly, with the single definite 'nod' accompanied by a grunt... but Anita got her out of that.
She did everything we did with no hesitation.
No one in her family speaks english.
Dad is in Transport in Tokyo, owns a 1 b/r apartment there, and the family lives in Date City, with a European style house, and 1 set of grandparents live there too. Mum is a house mother.
Grandparents on both sides she says are 'Traditional Japanese'.
Dad (photos) is not short, seems slim and wiry, with a crew cut, and quite dark...looks like a real Jap to me...not one of those city types we see here on their honeymoons.
Mum I believe is very lovely woman.
What really surprised me was the depth of their culture and manners, which were not timid, but more graceful.
We had an evening with all 16 students, and they are all heavily steeped in culture....dance, costume, calligraphy, origami, music, dance, arts...many other things. It was all 2nd nature to them.
Obviously big part of their lives.
They all went to a private catholic girls school, with a uniform not unlike our schools, except, the Japs just can't get the socks and footwear right.
Black socks and b@#$% running shoes. That was a surprise.
All played a western instrument.... ours classical piano.
Aldo. Remember your friend recognizing Hayden's school tie as the same as his. Well this young lady recognized it too. I guess the catholic dress code is similar throughout the world.
Anita got what can only be described as a beautiful letter from her mother. The effort she must have gone to putting it into english!!! and the content... really made it all worth while.
I sort of scratch my head and wonder....what the hell went wrong in the 1930-40 that led us down that path...as these people are very nice and may well have more in common with us than the rest of Asia....but, I also have the belief that the German and the Englishman have a lot in common too.
Anyway, a very rewarding experience.
Cheers
Phillip
