July, 2014

She stopped by my house during her awesome trip from Germany and stayed 2 nights in my place. I can't imagine at all from her looks but she is so powerful lady!(I mean she has full of vitality) 
She started her trip from Germany and through Russia, Mongolia, China, and some South Asian countries and finally reached Japan. The awesome thing was she was using hitchhiking most of her way in each countries.

When she started hitchhiking to come here she was in far about 400 km from my place.  She said that it probably takes 7 to 8 hours so I will be your place around 7 pm, but I wondered the does things go well like that.
I don't have hitchhiking experience but I thought it must be hard to find some drivers who allow the stranger get in their cars especially in Japan. I guessed most of Japanese people is not used to accepting the hitch hiker and no one help her. Usually, I have to have my kids go to bed by 10 pm, it is to be little bit trouble for my family if she arrived over that time. I was worried about that. However, she arrived 7:30 pm with a stranger driving a car! Awesome! She arrived almost just in time!
I asked her how was the hitchhiking. She said it was very easy, I just caught only 3 cars and everybody so kind!
Oh~, I didn't know the hitchhiking is possible in such a conservative country!


Humm, Japan is not bad as I thought.

That day when she arrived was my dog's birthday is 10th anniversary. We celebrated with her, she just arrived though. That was very nice.

In the morning just little bit trouble 

Next day, I had to leave my house at 9:30am and I told her about that last night. 
I guessed that she would wake up around 8 am and she would go out to somewhere, shopping, sightseeing, or something but she didn't wake up.

Knock, knock, knock At 8:30,but she didn't.

I started to vacuuming the floor with big noise to wake up her very naturally, but she didn't.

At 9 am..she didn't.  I repeated the knocking...
 but it seems no effect.

Oh no... it might be terrible, what should I do if she won't wake up before I leave.
Should I wake up her with using any ways? or 
Should I leave without wake her up?
In the end, I opened the door of her room and woke her up.

It might be almost illegal but I had no choice. Then, I decided to let her stay in home. Of course although I had little bit worries, I chose to believe her.

I learnt one thing.
Usually,Japanese adults are very punctual in any situation but it's not same in the world.
I understood.
This is the Couchsurfing!
This is one of the cultural difference which I wanted to feel through Couchsurfing!

Because I'm going to experience same thing often in the future hosting.

Now I am used to it because this happen not only with her but some people also do same thing after this hosting.

do the homework together!

Enjoying the fire works!

Mutton

In the night of the day, we had good moment. We enjoyed Hanabi (small fireworks) in front of my house, and my wife and I enjoyed her travel story especially Mongolia one was very interesting. I heard that they use a lot of oil for cooking, and they love mutton.One day, she wanted to try beef to escape mutton life and she found the restaurant has the sign of beef. She ordered steak of course. However, the meal which the waiter brought her was Mutton! It's very funny! Even though she said she loves Mongolia.

Final day, I brought her to service area nearby. We promised to meet again in the future.
Then, She headed to west to go to South Korea despite the big Typhoon was coming. She reached the border line between south and north Korea, and she sent me a picture took with a north Korean soldier. Of course, She reached Mongolia again finally.


What a lady!   Awesome!