Yes, we meet strangers everyday but how often do you get a chance to stay with one? On top of that, this stranger doesn't speak your language. She doesn’t understand your 'lah's and 'lor's. Neither can you grasp her 'ne's and 'desuyoo's. These were my thoughts when I landed in Narita Airport last December. As a participant of a homestay program organized by NTU, I was feeling apprehensive and nervous about the two-week stay.

My first stop was Shizuoka, which houses the famous Mount Fuji. Mount Fuji is, no doubt, awesome and breathe-taking, but it certainly isn't the only thing that Shizuoka has to offer. Located along the Pacific Ocean, Shizuoka is a scenic place of mountains and lakes.

At a matching session at the Christmas party that the Japanese hosts organized for Singaporean participants, we met our respective hosts. My host is a family of three: Katsuhiko Tamura (Father), Aki Tamura (Mother) and their two-year-old daughter, Haruka chan. Chan, appended behind children's names, is a term of endearment. San, on the other hand, is appended to adults' names as a sign of respect.

My hosts and I did not say much to each other. After all, what was there to chat about when they were not conversant in English and I was equipped only with the limited Japanese that I had picked up in school?

However, over the days, I learnt that language difference is really not a barrier at all. What we could not express in words, we substituted with hand signs and pictures. The dictionary became a vital communication aid. It helped too that I could write in Chinese because Chinese characters, called kanji in Japanese, are used in the Japanese language.

Katsuhiko san and his parents stay under the same roof. Yet they do not have to meet each other everyday, thanks to the interesting design of the two-storey house---- each floor has its own entrance, bathrooms, kitchen, dining room and other essential facilities. Katsuhiko san and his family stay on the second floor while his parents occupy the ground floor. Thus, while staying under the same roof, their privacy is not compromised.

As I found out later from my second host family in Chiba, such living conditions are actually a common sight in Japan. Japanese men spend most of their time out at work, leaving their wives at home facing the in-laws alone. This innovative housing solution reduces opportunities for conflict between Japanese wives and their in-laws.

I bade farewell to Shizuoka and the Tamura family after seven days, moving on to Tokyo to embark on my second homestay.

My second host family consists of Nobue Yamanaka, a lady in her thirties, her husband Masahito Yamanaka and their three-year-old daughter, who coincidentally is also called Haruka chan.

They stay in Chiba, a two-hour train ride away from Tokyo. Unlike Shizuoka, Chiba is a more urbanized area. I stayed in Sakura City, the residential part of Chiba. Christmas was around the corner, and to my delight, I was staying in an area famous for its Christmas decorations. Orchard Road decorations certainly falter in comparison.

The Yamanaka family is also an extended family staying under the same roof. However, the household facilities are shared between the Yamanakas and the parents. The reason for this? The elderly couple were Nobue san's, not her husband's, parents. Every morning, Nobue san will wake up early to see her husband off to work and stay up late to wait for his return. It comes as a surprise that a modern family like the Yamanakas still observes such traditions. I found out that most Japanese women quit their jobs after marriage to be homemakers---- Japan is definitely not a lucrative market for maid agencies.

Japan, in my opinion, is a country with strict social norms. However, it seems the children are spared from such exacting rules. Instead of imposing restrictions on their children's behaviour, the Japanese allow kids to grow naturally. Raised in an environment that encourages creativity and individual expression, both Haruka chans are free to act out their desires. I believe that this freedom to speak and to act is essential for a happy childhood.

The two-week homestay in Japan not only furthered my understanding of Japanese culture but also widened my horizons. Living in a different culture, I was motivated to reflect upon the lifestyle that I had become so accustomed to. I have gained a better understanding of my culture and myself.

However, the most valuable thing that I gained from the homestay is my friendships with the Tamura and Yamanaka families. I was really touched by the amount of effort they would put in to provide an enjoyable stay for a stranger. I enjoyed the same hospitality and sincere friendship even from their young children ---- three-year-old Haruka chan woke up by herself early in the morning, to see me off at the airport. I am keeping in contact with both families, and I believe this will still be the case in many years to come.

Authored by Hwei Hsia
Edited by Yongxin