At the hotel in Washington D.C., my BFF and I chatted over a cup of hot chocolate. We looked back at what we had done during the trip and she wrote it down on some sheets of paper for me. They will be a good reminder of the trip. In the guest room, which was warm and comfortable, we enjoyed watching House Hunters (a reality show about people searching for homes) and news. We were concerned about the weather. At that time, a powerful blizzard was approaching the East Coast.

The next morning, I was leaving for Japan. Before that, we had a complimentary breakfast at the hotel. I chose a pancake, scrambled eggs, and yogurt. Their waffles looked tempting, but I told myself not to eat too much this time. Otherwise, I would have suffered from a stomachache again!

It was snowy and very windy outside. Luckily, however, my flight had not been canceled.  Also, I really appreciated her idea of our staying at a hotel near the airport the night before the flight, because there could have been traffic jams on the highways due to the snow on the day of my departure.

We left the hotel and got on the shuttle bus. She kindly accompanied me to the airport to see me off. Looking back on those wonderful experiences she had offered me and considering how happy I was to be able to see her after such a long time, it was very hard to say goodbye. However, with our firm friendship, I believed, there was nothing that would tear us apart.  We were always best friends no matter how far apart we were!

The flight was delayed by one hour due to the strong wind. However, I did not mind it. It was because the passengers next to me were a nice, friendly American couple from Virginia. When we talked about Virginia, I felt as if my stay in Virginia were continuing. While the airplane was taking off, strong winds shook it. The couple assured me that it would be okay, which relieved me. They were very caring. After take-off, when a flight attendant passed us by, they stopped her and asked me if I would like something to drink. Thanks to them, I never got bored during the 14-hour flight (plus one-hour delay).

Our airplane flew over Canada, Alaska, and the Arctic Ocean.

I changed flights at Tokyo/Narita and arrived at Osaka/Itami in the evening. My husband picked me up at the airport. “I’m home!”

While Miss Fairy and Luca were at school, my BFF, Mr. M and I took a walk with “Puppy”. I liked strolling in the woods. Although it was winter, the woods were never lonely. I heard birds singing and saw many squirrels going up and down trees restlessly. I imagined how beautiful the woods will be when spring comes.

My trip was drawing to a close. I was going to miss my BFF and her family. I had not seen my BFF and Mr. M for 17 years. Nevertheless, once I heard their voices, I felt as if I had gone back to the old me. It felt very natural to be around them. Time did not matter. My BFF and Mr. M have always been my ideal couple. Now that they have two wonderful children, they are my ideal family!

Both of the children were very kind to me. Luca showed me how to play Pokémon. I liked him talking about his favorite Pokémon characters. Miss Fairy taught me many things about American culture, school life and American slang. We hugged many times! When I had a stomachache (just because I ate way too much delicious American food), both of them worried about me. Thanks to their thoughtfulness, I recovered quickly.

Puppy was also kind to me. In the morning, he opened the door of my room and woke me up. While I was eating something at the table, he was at my feet. He kept a warm, friendly eye on me.

The most important thing I learned from my trip was love. We took a family photo together before my BFF and I said goodbye to the family and left for Washington D.C. We stayed overnight at a hotel in D.C.

I was blessed with opportunities to visit a day-care center, an elementary school, and a middle school. My BFF kindly arranged my visits, so everything went smoothly. As you know, I am particularly interested in education. I had visited several universities in the U.S. before, but this time I was able to visit earlier educational institutions. I was grateful for the help of my BFF in arranging these visits with the educational institutions and their welcoming hospitality during my visits.

In the day-care center, the children ranged in age from infants to school-age children. Some rooms had pets, including rabbits, which were well-cared for.  The children looked happy with their friends and caring teachers there.

As for the elementary school, my BFF and I visited the school cafeteria at lunchtime, and then the library, and a classroom. First, I was impressed with the design of the school building. It has only one story, which I think is good for students (K-5) and teachers to meet and communicate with each other. Inside the building, I liked the playful color scheme. The walls along the hallway were decorated with students’ art works. They showed each student’s individuality. I enjoyed looking at them.

The school library was the perfect place for children. There were several places to sit and relax, which you could choose depending on the age or on the feeling on that day. The layout and design were intended to inspire children’s curiosity.

There was a good counseling system, too. If students had a relationship problem, school counselors were there for them. They had good methods to encourage any students in need, including shy or very young students, to turn to the counselors.

We visited a reading class. The teacher was wonderful. She encouraged students to think and express themselves freely. I also liked the classroom. There were positive messages and quotes put up on the walls. Some were words of encouragement, while others were those of empathy and compassion. I noticed Luca was proactively engaged in class. I was impressed!

The middle school was also a very good school. What I was happiest about was that we had lunch with Miss Fairy in the conference room! I was delighted to see her at school.

We went to the public library, too. It had a good atmosphere and was equipped with many PCs for visitors to use. The library has many books, but provides downloading and streaming services as well.

Back at home, my BFF showed me Miss Fairy and Luca’s yearbooks. They helped me to understand what their schools were like and what the students were interested in. Furthermore, she showed me children’s books, which might be useful for my teaching, and several good websites of schools and continuing education.

Miss Fairy showed me her homework. Now that she goes to middle school, she does her homework and submits it on her PC. If she has any questions, she contacts her teachers online. She also showed me a vocabulary quiz from her English class and some handouts from her chemistry class. They were very interesting.

Luca showed me his homework, too. In his English class, he was learning how to spell words. He categorized the words into several groups and wrote them in his notebook.

Both of them were very good students! I am proud of them!

On January 1, my BFF, Miss Fairy, Luca and I visited my BFF’s parents’ home again. We drove through the town of West Point, which was a typical small town with neat rows of stores and businesses on the main street.

At my BFF’s parents’ place, their Labrador retriever welcomed us. In the house, my BFF’s father lit a fire in the fireplace. I met a cute fluffy cat in the room. She liked staying still in front of the fire. Miss Fairy, Luca, and I watched Pokémon on TV. Actually, I was not very familiar with the story of Pokémon. Indeed, I did not know anything but Pikachu. However, they kindly explained what was going on, so I was able to enjoy the story with them.

We went to the dining room. Her mother cooked and served stew with oysters, which her father had grown in the river. It was so delicious that I had another helping. The cornbread she baked was also tasty.  After that, we ate traditional Southern U.S. New Year’s food: black-eyed peas, collard greens, and stewed tomatoes for good luck and prosperity. Greens are said to represent money and prosperity. They were delicious! I loved her pecan tarts, too. She was a great cook, and every meal she cooked was full of love!

After lunch, my BFF and I looked at some albums which included old photos of her ancestors, going back to her great great grandparents. The photos showed old traditional American lifestyle. I was particularly interested in their elegant dresses.

We saw some birds coming over to the yard. One of them was a Northern Cardinal, the state bird of Virginia. Not only I but also birds loved to visit that place. It was wonderful to see my BFF’s family again! It was an unforgettable New Year’s Day.