It is fifteen years since I first went to Japan on a sixth-form school trip and stayed with the Okamoto family for a week in Kashiwa, Chiba Prefecture. They welcomed me into their home with my basic Japanese, communicating with photos, gesture and smiles. It was a turning point for my Japanese studies. During my home-stay experience a longing grew within me to truly communicate with Japanese people who have such an extremely different culture and upbringing to my own. My host-sisters Mamiko and Noriko met me for dinner in Ginza one night after work recently. We had a wonderful catch up and marvelled together at how long we've know each other. They have both visited me in NZ more than once and I'm sure they'll be back :)
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