Just coming down from another fun-filled and, most importantly, sunny weekend. A few highlights- Accidentally crashing a party at a Brazilian restaurant and making friends with some crazy Okinawans, meeting a friend for tea at a hole-in-the-wall Okinawan cafe, going to a "suspender party" (It's literally exactly exactly as it sounds- everyone wears suspenders. I had never heard of it either..) and spending Saturday night playing board games with my co-workers in my apartment.

Probably the most comforting thing that happened though was spending nearly all of yesterday, Sunday, with my Okinawan host family, the Kinjos. Okaasan (word for "Mother" in Japanese) and Otousan ("Father") first took me in two years ago when I came to Okinawa for a month to fulfill an internship required by my study abroad program at Waseda. Their daughter was at that time about to be an Okisho senior. Since, she has graduated and is studying at a fantastic university near my Tokyo host family's home, International Christian University (ICU).

Okaasan and Otousan are my biggest fans in Okinawa. They are so supportive of me and are genuinely interested in my experiences. They always take care of me, make sure I'm eating more than my share, gently lecture me on the importance of taking care of myself, and welcome me into their home whenever I need a place to get away. Yesterday, Okaasan and I ate lunch together at a picturesque cafe in Shuri, one of my favorite neighborhoods in Naha. From there, we drove to a pottery fair a few towns away and picked out a few pieces. There were so many beautiful bowls, cups, mugs, vases, sake containers, plates, serving platters etc that it was hard to limit ourselves! After the fair, we headed back towards Naha to a town called Okinawa City where we stopped by a home goods store to pick up miso soup bowls Okaasan had ordered. In the store, I noticed two bottles of dish soap with the "Watkins" (a local company in my hometown) label on them- I excitedly checked the back of the bottle to see where it was made and, sure enough, it said, "Made in Winona, MN, USA"! I got really excited and showed Okaasan who promptly told the two strangers next to us that the soap was made in my hometown, causing a slight ruckus. It's funny how when you least expect it you run into a little piece of home in a place as far away as Okinawa City, Japan.

We headed back for a brief respite at the Kinjo residence. From there we met Otousan and headed back to Shuri to eat at an Italian restaurant. They were both giving me much welcomed advice about my plans for next year and beyond. They also sent me home with a very fully belly and a generously large dish of risotto to keep me grooving all the way through Monday.

I cannot believe how lucky I am to have the Kinjos in Okinawa. They help remind me how special family is and how important it is to stay connected, something I haven't been doing so well with my own. But, it's put me in a great mood to start the week off with. That, and another sunny day!