When the mail came today, there were letters from the two Japanese middle school students who will be staying with us in April. This is the third year that we have hosted Japanese students. I’m not sure why we do it. Yeah, sure, I want to expose my kids to another culture. Yeah, there’s that whole small world thing. But mostly, I think I like hosting because the students provide us with comic material for the rest of the year. It’s just funny. Last year’s student wrote a bio went like this (and I am not saying that I could write better in Japanese; I could not).
“Nice to meet you. Japan is very much. Arlington is very much. I like onion. Let’s play the clarinet.
My heart is you. I love you.”
This year, our students are two boys. One says that he likes baseball and doughnuts (we can probably satisfy both of his passions). The other loves Eyeshield 21 - which apparently is an anime about American football (okay, I had to Google that). He also warns me that he does not like natto. “No natto! I do not like natto!” Back to Google. Turns out that natto is a fermented soybean paste which apparently resembles spider webs. Yum.
He can relax, it’s not on the menu at our house.
What is on the menu are butterscotch brownies…and they are good. 
4 Comments
January 26, 2008 at 2:33 pm
But mostly, I think I like hosting because the students provide us with comic material for the rest of the year. It’s just funny.
wow. condescending and racist much? how well do you speak japanese?
January 26, 2008 at 5:50 pm
I am not commenting on my students commendable, but limited, English skills - I am referring to the humor of the situation - I speak only the Japanese that I can look up in a English/Japanese dictionary - hilarity ensues.
January 26, 2008 at 9:27 pm
Carol-
It’s nice that you end this entry with the prospect of butterscotch brownies! Will you make me some? Better yet, will you come here and bring us some!!?!? I can’t wait to continue to read your blog- very funny.
-Emma
P.S. It’s been difficult to keep your daughter under control! All she wants to do is observe people in the cafeteria for her cultural psychology class. Being studious is UNACCEPTABLE, only because I will be very upset if her GPA passes mine.
January 27, 2008 at 4:28 pm
Emma- I will bring butterscotch brownies when I come to the hallow-ed halls of Whore-to-Culture House next week.
C-
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