My homestay experience could not have been better. My host family and a fellow teacher's host family spent much of time doing things together. In just the first 13 hours I did the following: learned the proper way to fold a kimono, rode a bike to the beach (dodging cars, walkers, and other bikers all along the way...keep in mind the streets are narrow, the busy traffic is traveling on the opposite of the road than in the U.S., and NO ONE even thinks to wear a helmet), had a lesson in Japanese flower arranging, participated in a formal tea ceremony, ate my first sashimi (raw fish), and sang in a kareoke room for nearly two hours!

The photo of the lovely lady laughing is the grandmother of my fellow teacher's host family. She is an accomplished seamstress and showed up many of the lovely quilts, bags, and purses that she had created. When I asked her if I could post her photo on my blog for the world to see, this was her reaction.