Host Family Part I: My Family

I had the most amazing experience with my host family, the Tomori’s. They made me feel as if I was both an honored guest and a member of the family-at the same time.

My day with them started early in the morning when Mr. Keitoku Tomori came to the hotel to pick me up. I was one of the first of the American teachers to be picked up, which led to a lot of good-byes (since all of the American teachers had spent every waking moment together for the previous week).

We drove the time minute ride to the Tomori house, which turned out to be AMAZING. It was a large house with beautiful woodwork throughout. They had a large tatami mat room with a table for 10 people and a large Shinto alter and a smaller tatami room that is more like a den (with a tv). They showed me around the house and to the room that I would be staying in for the night, which had an incredibly beautiful welcome sign hanging on the door (that Ayaka made).

We sat and had ice tea and figured out the day together. The language barrier was only a small issue, but I really wished that I spoke Japanese so I could have a long conversation with them.

The Tomori family has 4 members, they include:
Keitoku Tomori: father and office worker
Sumiko Tomori: mother and nurse
Shota Tomori: son and college student living in Okinawa, studying law
Ayaka Tomori: daughter and high school senior planning on attending college in Tokyo in April to study Economics