Getting to Know Mika

Mika arrived yesterday afternoon after a 13 hours of travel.  It took 4 hours to fly from her home town to Tokyo and another 9 hours to Los Angeles.  Host families were asked to pick up their students at the study center at 4:00 p.m.

When I entered the room where everyone was gathered I was greeted by 25 smiling 16 year old girls in school uniforms.  "Hello!"  They all called out to each person entering the room.  As I scanned the group, I could see excitement and adventure and fatigue in their expressions.

It was taking a long time for their American teacher and Japanese teacher (who came with the group) to get their paper work ready,  so I stepped forward and asked, "Where is Mika?"

They all said back, "Where is Mika.."  then there was some giggling and this adorable girl with the cutest round face waved her hand and called back, "That is me!"

We met in the center of the room and shook hands.  I introduced myself as her host mom.  We just smiled at each other and then she rejoined her friends and I stepped back with the other host families.  After that, several other host parents called out the name of their student and introduced themselves.  I could see relief on the girls' faces when they saw that we were as excited to meet them as they were to meet us.

We were friends from the moment we met.  She is just adorable.  Friendly, outgoing, funny and interested in learning everything she can about our life here in America.  She fits right in around here.  After a dinner of tacos, which she loved, my daughter and her fiance took her out for coffee or tea and then to the grocery store so she could pick out some foods for her lunches.  When they got back, she and I worked on a short homework assignment that helped us establish the house rules about bedtime, what time to get up, what chores she can do, who takes her to and from school, etc.  Around 9:00 she went upstairs, took  her shower and went to bed.

Today, I took her and then met two other host mom's close by so I could take their students the rest of the way to class.  Both host moms work so I volunteered to take the girls in the mornings.  After dropping them off a 9:00, I ran a few errands and then went back at 1:00 to help drive them to the Mall for an afternoon of shopping and unwinding after their traveling. 

They were so funny!  Oh, my gosh, they are cute.  They wanted to take pictures of everything and everyone.  There are guys selling cell phones from little booths in the center of the mall.  For some reason, the girls had to take their picture with these guys.  The guys looked so bewildered by the attention but were good sports.  After the pictures, I followed up and explained that they had just arrived from Japan and were just so excited about everything and everyone.  All the guys took it with good humor.  Their favorite stores:  American Eagle, After Thoughts Accessories, and The Disney Store.  We learned that they do not like lemonade and they think American candy is too sweet.  They don't like it at all.  They all wanted to take pictures of the Sweet Factory but when we asked them if they wanted to shop in there, they all said "NO, too sweet!"  I wish our kids felt that way.  Another thing they shy away from is carbonated drinks.  They went to the food court and 90% of them ordered fruit drinks like smoothies and said they didn't drink Coke or Pepsi. 

I took her Japanese teacher in my car to the Mall.  When she found out I was Mika's host mom, she asked how Mika was doing.  I told her she was doing great and that we really liked her.  She asked if she was too loud.  I told her no, she was very polite and not loud at all.  She looked surprised and she and the three other girls who were in the car all said at the same time, "Really?  Mika is not loud?"  Then they all laughed.  I guess she is quite the talker in class.  It was cute when I told Cari what the teacher had said, she laughed and said, "That's funny because two of the girls asked me if Mika was loud at our house and when I told them, no she is quiet and polite, they looked bewildered and said, "Really?" I wonder what we have in store once she warms up.  LOL  We're all pretty animated and noisy.  Shewill fit right in.

Well, it's 11:30, I'm exhausted from being out in 111 degree heat driving the girls around today.  I'm going to bed.

Until later..........................   ô..ô