A European adventure
So here I am, back in my room after my first three weeks back in Euro’pa (as we say in Japan): two-and-a-half weeks in England and half a week in the Netherlands. And what a time it was. When I saw “Bury St Edmonds” appear on the plane in-flight tracking system, I knew I must be nearly home. Funny to see that after seeing places like Seoul, and Ulanbattaar (Mongolia!) and Siberia. And after Bury, then Oxford appeared on the map!
Being met at the airport by Mark and Daisy and Beep Beep, with Sian and Grace soon appearing, was lovely. Clapping my eyes on Daisy brought a tear to my eye, and them all driving to meet me was really kind! I was introduced to Grace as ‘This is Daddy’s sister’, and thereafter it stuck with her: ‘Sister’. I felt like I was on Sister Act! We then drove to Devon and mostly all seemed so ‘normal’. The English countryside…seeing family…
There were a few strange things too; such as when I almost said to a lady in the loos in the Little Chef, ‘Oo, are you English too?’ Then I remembered that here, everyone is English! (The only English ladies I’ve been in contact with in Japan over the past year are Julie and Edi (two mission colleagues), another three Christian workers, and I once overheard an English accent in Starbucks… I sat close just to listen. My main ‘culture shock’ was when still in Japan, at Kansai airport; the ‘wave’ of tall, blond, Dutch air hostesses that swept through was quite a stir…I had to stop myself from staring. I might be tall and blond but I’m not used to seeing a whole pack like that….I realised how the recipients of the early American missionaries (Elisabeth Elliot and friends) to the Ecuadorian jungle must have felt like on seeing these strange people looking different and having weird ways of inter-relating.
At home Mum and Dad greeted me warmly. Balloons were up at the top of the drive, and banners inside, and Dad couldn’t stop hugging me on seeing me. I feel kinda safe in the world when hugged by my dad I’ve realised.
It was nice to get to know my 2-year old niece Grace’s routine at bedtime etc; and Mum cooked us some lovely meals. I caught the lurgey sick bug going round, but once recovered I was able to visit Anita and Dave (and Naomi and bump) in Taunton. I also visited the new WEC South-West co-ordinators in Taunton. I saw Becky and Neil twice, and was one of Albert’s first visitors, as he was born just about as my plane landed on the 23rd. Samuel, my godson, was so pleased to see me and gave me a lovely hug. I took some nice photographs.
I also popped in on Bill Honey in Hillcrest Road from church, and Tony and Brenda in the willows. Oh yes, and Alice got engaged too!
I had a few days with Mum and Dad once Mark and family had returned to Surrey. Met James Li in the Fulham Chinese restaurant on New Years Eve and Mum and Dad and I also popped down to the Square to see the knees up going on there, (Cotton Eyed Joe sort of stuff) before I watched Take That and The Sugarbabes and then Point Break the film, and then in my overtiredness (I was only a week off 30 by this point so need regular bedtimes!) felt kinda tearful and nostalgic for friends in Japan and realized I was already 9 hours too late for their midnight
Next was seeing my sister Soph and Suzanne. I got to Dorking on the train. We went up Boxhill for a walk, then soup and roll in National Trust café, and played Yahtzee a lot too. I had one amazing day where I won every game of everything we played (other than the very last!) Their new house was a bit like Jane Maskell’s in Bicester.
Next I went to Oxford, from 4-6 January, and Sally and John put me up; Sally even came to pick me up from the station. When I heard a Japanese family in Oxford train station and understood what they were saying, I was quite happy and relieved I hadn’t forgotten everything! Sally and John were really kind to me, and Naomi also hosted a fantastic reception for me on the Sunday afternoon. It was such fun to see people. Naomi’s and Pete’s and my somewhat impromptu meal of fish and chips on Cowley Road afterwards was also brilliant fun. A birthday meal to remember!
It was lovely to meet Harry Skyjkjack, and see his parents Sharon and Simon for one evening. The following day when Sophie and Tim drove down from Cambridge to see me we went to the pub in North Hinksey that we’ve always liked and had a good catch up, although I fear that more of the conversation focused on me than on them! Going to visit Bernie and Wendy with them, and seeing both Annalies and Emma as babies was an unexpected bonus! I also went into the IFES office, enjoying tea and cake there on Sarah’s birthday, and catching up with Helen and Lindsey. Sarah had me round for dinner the following night too with some other special guests. Finally, Jules’ birthday presents to me were so special- and we both shared a highly memorable hour-and-a-half in Starbucks in Borders in Oxford, during which time I said I had remembered I must tell her something, and she in quick witty response asked if it was that I was pregnant!!! (and as she knew the answer was No, as much as I did, it caused a lot of silly giggles. (Don’t worry, I’m not:) but it was hilarious. )
Jo and her family welcomed me warmly to the Netherlands from 7-9 January. Chime had made me a ‘birthday hat’ of green paper, and Lucia seemed quite happy to meet me as now a little girl, running to the door to see if Daddy was home initially! Gioia has big blue eyes which is unusual. They are all gorgeous. Chime played with his road system a lot and even was using a toy I’d given him about four years ago (and now he is five) as one of his traffic light systems!
So I got back just now, and called the Wilsons and Chiara and Yuki and said hello to my landlady (slightly disappointed in her response) and presented the first of my presents, unsquashed, to her: some English tea.
Thank you to all who made my stay in the UK special; it was!
Being met at the airport by Mark and Daisy and Beep Beep, with Sian and Grace soon appearing, was lovely. Clapping my eyes on Daisy brought a tear to my eye, and them all driving to meet me was really kind! I was introduced to Grace as ‘This is Daddy’s sister’, and thereafter it stuck with her: ‘Sister’. I felt like I was on Sister Act! We then drove to Devon and mostly all seemed so ‘normal’. The English countryside…seeing family…
There were a few strange things too; such as when I almost said to a lady in the loos in the Little Chef, ‘Oo, are you English too?’ Then I remembered that here, everyone is English! (The only English ladies I’ve been in contact with in Japan over the past year are Julie and Edi (two mission colleagues), another three Christian workers, and I once overheard an English accent in Starbucks… I sat close just to listen. My main ‘culture shock’ was when still in Japan, at Kansai airport; the ‘wave’ of tall, blond, Dutch air hostesses that swept through was quite a stir…I had to stop myself from staring. I might be tall and blond but I’m not used to seeing a whole pack like that….I realised how the recipients of the early American missionaries (Elisabeth Elliot and friends) to the Ecuadorian jungle must have felt like on seeing these strange people looking different and having weird ways of inter-relating.
At home Mum and Dad greeted me warmly. Balloons were up at the top of the drive, and banners inside, and Dad couldn’t stop hugging me on seeing me. I feel kinda safe in the world when hugged by my dad I’ve realised.
It was nice to get to know my 2-year old niece Grace’s routine at bedtime etc; and Mum cooked us some lovely meals. I caught the lurgey sick bug going round, but once recovered I was able to visit Anita and Dave (and Naomi and bump) in Taunton. I also visited the new WEC South-West co-ordinators in Taunton. I saw Becky and Neil twice, and was one of Albert’s first visitors, as he was born just about as my plane landed on the 23rd. Samuel, my godson, was so pleased to see me and gave me a lovely hug. I took some nice photographs.
I also popped in on Bill Honey in Hillcrest Road from church, and Tony and Brenda in the willows. Oh yes, and Alice got engaged too!
I had a few days with Mum and Dad once Mark and family had returned to Surrey. Met James Li in the Fulham Chinese restaurant on New Years Eve and Mum and Dad and I also popped down to the Square to see the knees up going on there, (Cotton Eyed Joe sort of stuff) before I watched Take That and The Sugarbabes and then Point Break the film, and then in my overtiredness (I was only a week off 30 by this point so need regular bedtimes!) felt kinda tearful and nostalgic for friends in Japan and realized I was already 9 hours too late for their midnight
Next was seeing my sister Soph and Suzanne. I got to Dorking on the train. We went up Boxhill for a walk, then soup and roll in National Trust café, and played Yahtzee a lot too. I had one amazing day where I won every game of everything we played (other than the very last!) Their new house was a bit like Jane Maskell’s in Bicester.
Next I went to Oxford, from 4-6 January, and Sally and John put me up; Sally even came to pick me up from the station. When I heard a Japanese family in Oxford train station and understood what they were saying, I was quite happy and relieved I hadn’t forgotten everything! Sally and John were really kind to me, and Naomi also hosted a fantastic reception for me on the Sunday afternoon. It was such fun to see people. Naomi’s and Pete’s and my somewhat impromptu meal of fish and chips on Cowley Road afterwards was also brilliant fun. A birthday meal to remember!
It was lovely to meet Harry Skyjkjack, and see his parents Sharon and Simon for one evening. The following day when Sophie and Tim drove down from Cambridge to see me we went to the pub in North Hinksey that we’ve always liked and had a good catch up, although I fear that more of the conversation focused on me than on them! Going to visit Bernie and Wendy with them, and seeing both Annalies and Emma as babies was an unexpected bonus! I also went into the IFES office, enjoying tea and cake there on Sarah’s birthday, and catching up with Helen and Lindsey. Sarah had me round for dinner the following night too with some other special guests. Finally, Jules’ birthday presents to me were so special- and we both shared a highly memorable hour-and-a-half in Starbucks in Borders in Oxford, during which time I said I had remembered I must tell her something, and she in quick witty response asked if it was that I was pregnant!!! (and as she knew the answer was No, as much as I did, it caused a lot of silly giggles. (Don’t worry, I’m not:) but it was hilarious. )
Jo and her family welcomed me warmly to the Netherlands from 7-9 January. Chime had made me a ‘birthday hat’ of green paper, and Lucia seemed quite happy to meet me as now a little girl, running to the door to see if Daddy was home initially! Gioia has big blue eyes which is unusual. They are all gorgeous. Chime played with his road system a lot and even was using a toy I’d given him about four years ago (and now he is five) as one of his traffic light systems!
So I got back just now, and called the Wilsons and Chiara and Yuki and said hello to my landlady (slightly disappointed in her response) and presented the first of my presents, unsquashed, to her: some English tea.
Thank you to all who made my stay in the UK special; it was!
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