Returning from India: A Memorable Stay!

Our recent guests were a lively mother and her energetic siblings. They stayed with us for 10 nights, which is considered a long stay in our house. Although they usually live in India, they chose our home as one of their temporary places during their homecoming trip.

This time, the 10-night, 11-day stay included a new request for the children to experience attending a local elementary school and kindergarten, making it a new challenge in many ways. I contacted a nearby elementary school in advance, and the principal and teachers kindly agreed to let them attend for three days, allowing them to join local children at school and kindergarten.

On the same day the guests arrived, my third son who had been abroad returned home temporarily, and they enjoyed interacting together. My son has a TESOL qualification and experience teaching English to children, so he was a big help.

At the elementary school and kindergarten, teachers welcomed the children by preparing an exhibition about India, a summer vegetable harvest experience, water play, and even had a farewell party on the last day. Despite the short stay, the children received a message card from local friends, which made them very happy.

Since our guests came by car, they were able to go shopping, eat out, and visit parks as they wish. (Since I wasn't at my best condition due to a bad cold, the mother might have taken out children so that they don't disturb me. Thank you for your concern!)

Indeed, having a car is essential in Sasayama! 😅

A neighbor invited us to see the newly hatched rhinoceros beetles, so we took a walk to visit him. Not only did we see the beetles, but we also checked out their backyard garden, caught cabbage white caterpillars (which became food for chickens 😆), and caught some frogs. We also saw fireflies at night.
As you can see, the children had experiences they wouldn't normally have. Despite it being the rainy season, we were blessed with nice weather, allowing for plenty of outdoor play.

The children, especially the younger sister, loved playing the English shopping game, Guess Who?, and card games like Old Maid. We also went for walks, collected flowers for collage art, and played with origami. They spoke a lot of English while playing, and their reactions in English were so natural and wonderful.

Before we knew it, the 10 nights flew by, and they moved on to another adventure. Before they departed, the mother gifted us an Indian craft basket which she made during the stay with us. She mentioned that the materials are not available in Japan, making it a very special treasure for us. 😍

It seems their stay in Japan will continue for a while, and they sent us photos from their visit to Universal Studio Japan. Unlike staying at B&Bs or other types of accommodations, the continued interaction like this is the essence of what makes a homestay special!

Wishing you the best during your time in Japan and back in India!
See you again! 🥰