Party at the Yamauchi's

Yamauchi-san, the koto teacher, and her husband (who spoke excellent English) hosted a Temecula couple for the 10th year anniversary of the Nakayama-Temecula sisterhood: Ken, the TVUSD board member, and his wife Nancy. The Yamauchi family invited me and Amy to attend their dinner party last night.

It was a pretty tame party with Sukiyaki. Ken and Nancy were nice people, nicer than the other Temecula visiters whom I've met. But they weren't particularly interesting. Two of my students were there, so were two other families from Nawa and two boys from Nawa Jr. High. It was not very exciting, with the language barrier and all.

But I did find out that Haruka and Sanami from my school were actually sisters, and they have a older sister in Yonago Nishi and a younger sister Yumi in Amy's elememtary school. They live doors down from the Yamauchi's.

Haruka is a 3rd year in my English elective course. She appears shy (smiles abashedly everytime she makes eye contact with anybody) but doesn't hesitate to speak English. Sanami is a first year, and she is one of the best students of her year (and extremely ambitious too: her semester goal is to be in the top 3 of her class, while other kids have goals such as study 30 minutes everyday or trying not to forget things; also has a good hand of calligraphy, although a bit wild for a girl--Kyoto-sensei's comments).

It was really nice to kid around with them outside of school uniforms. I met their mother too, a really nice lady who grows flowers.

(updated: 11/13/04)


Yamauchi-san demonstrates The proper sukiyaki technique.


Me, Yamauchi-san, Nancy, Amy, Ken, and damn what's his name?