Tea for the Japanese Students

The girls and I invited over the eight Japanese students enrolled at the local university. We didn't know any of them, but my good friend, mother of the curly redheads, teaches them at the school.


They were an absolutely charming group of young ladies (especially the one with freckles!) and one young man who was sitting pretty as the only male. We chatted rather carefully over tea and goodies--I would ask a question, they would consult with each other in Japanese making sure they understood correctly, then give me a carefully worked out English answer.

My favorite moment came after a lull in the conversation, when I invited them to go back for seconds. As a group they immediately stood up and rushed to the table with their plates. Some things transcend cultural differences, and one of those is the appetites of eighteen-year olds!


After we talked and ate, I herded them out to the pool for an hour of swimming. Their reserve disappeared and they joined right in the diving contests, water tag, and big game of Sharks and Minnows with my children.

Tea was our Standard Menu: scones, cookies, cucumber sandwiches. Then, at the last minute, because it was so very hot, I made a cold punch bowl of grape juice and Italian lemon soda, which was all I had in the way of punch fixings, and a big bowl of cut-up watermelon.