My friend in New Zealand Ellen phoned me and asked me to interpret to her former host family-- Otoosan and Okaasan Tsuchiya san in Japan that she and her family will visit Japan on December and they want to visit them in Shizuoka.
I tried to find there home in Ando but unfortunately i did not find it ... instead i phoned to okaasan and otosan ... and she said they want to meet me in person so that they can teach me their home and wants to know more about my friend in NZ and about me.
Ok ... so i did set a date ... and the two old nice couple picked me up to my work ... that's after my class in the afternoon ... then they drove me to their home in Ando ... and when we reached their place i was so surprised and laughing coz when i was actually looking for their home last Wednesday ... there was this last 3-storey house that i spotted and which looks like a community hall for me ... there were 3 kids playing in front of it and approached me if what they can help me ... so i told them that i was looking for the number of the house but i can't find it ... they helped me look around but we did not find it ...
So i asked them if they know Tsuchiya san's residence ... then the kids told me that one of their playmates who was helping me to find the house is also Tsuchiya ... but since she is still small ... she don't know her house number ... and i can't imagine she's related coz i am looking for two old couple Tsuchiya san and i don't think they have a small kid.
So that's the surprise ... the last house i was standing with the kids is the house i was looking for ... and one more surprised was that the house on the first floor is actually a buddish church !
So there ... otoosan was actually an oboosan or a monk. ... but since he was old already ... it is his eldest son who replaced him and do the work now.
Since i am new to their place ... we did have some prayers first as a sign of welcoming to their home and meeting them in person.
Then they invited me to their home on the second floor and we had a lot of chatting about my friend and family .... about me ... and they showed me a lot of albums and souvenirs of all the former foreign students they handled for many past years ... and again another surprised for me ... i saw all the pics of my NAKAMA former members who were exchange students that time ---and i saw some pics of my friends who was living now in Australia and NZ! Yaaay what a small world!
I told to Ellen my experienced and i was wondering why i never meet otoosan and okaasan before ... Ellen reminded me that they been inviting me many times to some events at okaasan and otoosan place but i was very busy that time to my family and NAKAMA.
But oh well... it's a good chance to meet otoosan and okaasan Tsuchiya san.
They are really so kind and adorable.
I really felt their warmness. No wonder why all the foreign students they helped consider them as their second parents --- they are truly awesome!
See you all again otoosan... okaasan xx
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