Exchange Students

[Meathead]

The kids got to explore the game room. Diago came over and they climbed up into the attic and played for hours. My youngest and I were frantically trying to keep the machines filled with balls. They loved it!


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JvDf0WQwl-s

[Drunkenclam]

I'm sure they loved it.
Its probably a forbidden for them to go in parlours at home. Its like breaking the law. Don't go teaching bad habits now.Their parents might not approve

[Meathead]

I'm sure they loved it.
Its probably a forbidden for them to go in parlours at home. Its like breaking the law. Don't go teaching bad habits now.Their parents might not approve

I always have that in the back of my mind. But the pachis themselves are not inappropriate, and they are not gambling. I think the worst is what's hanging on the walls in there. I've already caught them taking photos of some mildly offensive stuff on the walls in there.

[Drunkenclam]

Shouldn't keep loose women where children are

[takethecastle57]

I didn't know that you a Western Police II Pachinko like me

[Meathead]

Well, the boys will leave for Japan on Wednesday morning. We had some fun over the weekend. Friday night we took them to dinner in a Chinese restaurant and then walked through downtown Auburn where they line the streets with classic cars once a month. Yesterday, I ended my shift a little early and we drove up to Lassen Park. Crazy place, on the same hike we encountered several lakes that were still frozen over in Mid August, and some that were boiling. We took a 3 mile round-trip hike to Bumpass Hell, a geothermal area. The boys really enjoyed it, as well as all the scenery along the way. Just some advice for those of you planning on hiking through three miles of snow...flip-flops are hardly adequate.

Shortly after we left Lassen, we picked up my youngest son from a Boy Scout camp. He had been there all week and the boys were all very happy to see each other again.

[Meathead]

The boys are nearing the end of their stay with us. Our boys are really having fun with them now. Of course my 17 year old is a little more stand-offish, I think just because of the age difference and the 'tude he's developed recently.

Last night I made them one of my favorite dishes, nasi goreng. I grew up on the stuff and I'm finally learning how to make it much better than my mother did . My wife dislikes it so I rarely have the opportunity to make it. I doubled what I normally make, and they devoured it. I expected leftovers and they were scraping the bottom of the wok instead.

They camped outside last night. I set up the tent and pulled out some air matresses. We have a "white-trash" fire pit made of an old washing machine tub, and they roasted marshmallows over the fire. We still have trouble communicating but I pulled up some pictures on the internet of skunks, raccoons and bears, some of the animals we get here at night. We had a bear visit the night before and I showed them the paw prints on my truck and then on the side of the house just below kitchen window. They got wide-eyed and grabbed their cameras. They understand English much better than I imagine. They had no fear about sleeping outside, however.

In the morning they got some soft-boiled eggs, and I got some "snowmen" in return. Then, this evening when I picked them up from school, I dropped by the store. Kiryu and Akira ran off searching the supermarket, I presumed for stuff to bring to Japan. They did find some stuff, namely Captain Crunch cereal and PEZ. but they also bought dinner. When they got home, they set to work making curry rice. That's Kiryu, holding up the box. I thought, "Two 11 year old boys, this is going to be a disaster!" But they pulled it off and we had a very nice dinner.

[dattia]

I loved following along and stalking your photos here and on FB... it looks like you all had a good time and you have given these boys some nice memories to take home with them. Awesome! Thanks for sharing!

[yose]

Thanks for sharing the time you have had with the students.Iam sure they have had a great time there.They will have great stories to take home,and memories they will never forget.You have done a great service to these kids and to the U.S. thank you. By the way I really like the white trash fire pit,there's nothing like american enginuity.

[Meathead]

The kids are back in Japan. They flew out on Wednesday afternoon. These are some pics of the sayonara party they threw for the host families. We were treated to a talent show where some of the kids played instruments or displayed karate, sang or even jumped rope. There were a number of Japanese treats put out for the American children. A partial map of Japan was displayed and the kids took turns showing us where they were from. All of the kids were from the Kumamoto or Nagasaki prefectures.

[owennewton]

I like the puffy treats in the two smaller trays bottom left, I forget the name but I get them whenever I can find them

[Meathead]

Those were almost like animal cracker, panda bears, I think. They had chocolate inside.

[owennewton]

and they have little ink drawings on them, I have had "sports" and "school work" themed ones