March 6: Beautiful Miss. Yang Hyewoon stays
in my house
by Mie
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Miss Yang Hyewoon(Korean) who is an exchange
student to International Christian University,
stays in my house. She came to Oita Yesterday
for the home-stay experience. First, at the
Miyases, though, unfortunately Mrs. Miyase
got a heavy cold then, we became the host
of the student. As it was very warm today,
we walked out. Surprisingly, we spotted a
cherry blossom, probably the first one in
this spring. |
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Miss Yang studied in University of Massachusetts/Boston
and dispatched to Japan to stay for a year.
She wanted to have an experience in rural
Oita. I took her to one of my friend's house
nearby. My friend, Mrs. Kawano, gave us a
plenty amount of Daphne. |
 
Mrs. Kawano also keeps chicken in the garden.
I expected Miss Yang would be glad to see
them. Healthy chicken were picking up grasses
in the field. We also found a cute hamster.
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As Miss Yang is not so familiar with the
kitchen garden, Mrs. Kawano showed her the
garden. Miss Yang is learning how to pick
green vegetables up. Rape blossoms are good
for marinade, Mrs. Kawano said. She also
suggested Yang to pull Japanese radish up
as well. Yang enjoyed the new experience.
We got so many other vegetables like a bunch
of brocculi, salad greens, and even red Andes
potatoes. We were delighted to have a special
experience today.
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We soon boiled the brocculi for lunch. It
was fresh and sweet. After lunch, Yang helped
me wash dishes. |
 
As it was so hard to stay at home on the
day like today, we were tempted to drive
up to Kujyu plateau which was about to change
its color from winter brown to early spring
green. The gentle slopes of the mountains
were very beautiful, and black burned patches
of the slope were impressive as well. |
 
We then visited "Flower Park."
The entrance fee was free because there were
no flowers at all. They are preparing for
planting flowers, and buds are already coming
out of the soil. I said toYang to come here
again when flowers are in full bloom.
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Instead of actual flowers, we took around
many souvenirs like peopling in the shop. |
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On the way back home, we stopped by my friend's
wonderful loghouse in Kujyu plateau. The
house was imported from Canada. |
 
It was a perfect time for us. They were to
have afternoon tea. Mr. Yamada kindly treated
us with tasty coffee dripped by a siphon
and Mrs. Yamada's home-made yogurt cake.
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The wonderful quilt was elaborately hand-made
by Mrs. Yamada. The color gradation was fascinating.
She said she wanted a nice quilt that matches
the green of the plateau. |
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They keep two lively rabbits besides a cat
and a dog. The baby dog just came to the
house yesterday. Mr. Yamada said laughing,
"I am a dog, I don't have a name yet",
a parody of famous novel by Soseki Natsume,
"I am a cat. I don't have a name yet." |
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After we came back home, my husband Ken challenged
the recipe he just learned from today's "Cooking Class for Men." Since he was exhausted with driving, Yang
and I helped him prepare for "Jjiaozi",
dumpling with minced pork and vegetable stuffing.
We also made "Mustard marinated rape
flower" and "Butter-roasted Andes
potato." |
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After dinner, I talked about my travel to
Korea several years ago over the album. We
also found Yang's home on the map of Seoul.
We had a pleasant evening. Then, what shall
we do tomorrow? Yang wants to learn how to
cook some Japanese dishes. Yes! we will make
something together. |