<Post-Event Survey Responses from Host Families>
Q. How did you spend your time with the international students?

• • At first, we talked about each other’s countries. Then, we did a hands-on activity where they painted clay maneki-neko (beckoning cat) figures. What left the deepest impression on me was when the two students cried as they were leaving—it was very moving.

  • In the first half, we played a card game “the Hyakunin Isshu (a classic Japanese poetry card game)”. In the second half, we had tea time with coffee and cheesecake. Since I also studied abroad, we had lively conversations about topics like career paths and life planning.

  • Our visitor kindly played games with our young daughter and enjoyed sencha (green tea) and traditional Japanese sweets.

  • We introduced Japanese culture, made dorayaki together, did calligraphy, and had nice conversations.

  • We had lively conversations from beginning to end. We talked about Sweden’s well-developed welfare policies and how people enjoy summer homes, as well as our memories of traveling to Taiwan.

  • We enjoyed Japanese sweets while chatting.

  • We made and ate takoyaki together, and played a train-themed karuta game. The visitors were interested in parenting, so we had meaningful talks about their childhood and their relationships with their parents.

  • Our visitor kindly brought and made milk tea from his home country for us. We played games like karuta and sugoroku together. We also wore yukata, learned a traditional dance from his home country, and danced the Bon Odori together. I enjoyed hearing about his home country.