This past weekend we hosted a man from Japan. We didn't know much about Aki before he got here. We knew his age: 31, his job: city planner for the Kami City, Japan, and knowledge of the English language: minimal. That was about it. Another thing I knew for sure is that my knowledge of Japanese is limited to what I learned from listening to Styx. I reluctantly went to the airport to pick up our visitor, dreading the ride home and the potential for Wyland to be a fussy (high).
Once Wyland & I met Aki, I felt at ease. He told me in English that he has a son also. His son is 23 months. I imagined perfectly proper Japanese toddlers minding everything their parents tell them and also never crying.
I learned over the course of his stay that as parents we have a lot in common. He told me that his son likes airplanes and trains, watching TV and eating pancakes just like Wyland. I also learned that Japanese toddlers are just that, toddlers...This was learned on an especially long ride to the museum...Wyland crying the whole way. It made me feel a lot better when Aki told me that when his son cries he doesn't know what to do. We should form a club.
What a great weekend we had welcoming Aki into our home. And despite our difficulty communicating, I was able to learn a lot about our visitor, being a parent and about having a toddler. Thanks, Aki!