“San Franciscans are
very proud of their City.
It’s the most beautiful
place in the world.”
Robert Redford

It has been an absolute honor for Kathy and me to host my friend Saori, and her daughter, Saki, for the past week. They departed San Francisco International Airport late last night and are returning to their home in Sasebo, Japan right about the time I’m writing this post at 7:20 pm on Saturday night. (It’s a little after noon on Sunday in Japan.) In one word, the week was magical.

Saori and I have been friends for 28 years. I’ve met Saki, now almost 16-years-old, before, but she was very young at the time. This visit was a totally different experience. She is an intelligent, competent, and personable young woman who seems to enjoy her life to the fullest. 

Our two one-day trips to San Francisco were enjoyable, despite the less-than-ideal weather conditions on those two days. We never did get a clear view of the Golden Gate Bridge. We did, however, enjoy seeing various landmarks around The City. Perhaps the highlight was lunch at Ghirardelli Square. Yes, lunch. While it may not have been the most nutritious meal of the week, our Ghirardelli sundaes hit the spot.

Saki enjoyed her day-long visits to Presentation High School (Wednesday), The Harker School (Thursday), and Notre Dame High School (Friday). By visiting those campuses, attending classes, and participating in group activities, she was able to get a taste of high school life in the United States.

Last night, Saori and Saki prepared edamame, homemade gyoza, onigiri, seasoned rice balls, and miso soup. Steve, Morgan, and the kids joined us for dinner. Even the kids are experienced Japanese food eaters, so they thoroughly enjoyed the meal. Needless to say, there were no leftovers.

Saying goodbye is always difficult, but I am confident that our friendship with Saori and Saki will continue for many more years. I don’t know if Kathy and I will ever get to Japan again, so there is a possibility that we will never see them again. Fortunately, we’ll always have FaceTime and email to keep us in contact with each other. And who knows? Maybe they will visit us here in San José again some time.

I am grateful for all that Saori and her parents provided for me during my first two visits to Nagasaki in 1998 and 1999, so to have the opportunity to provide hospitality for Saori and Saki in our home, and to share with them “the most beautiful place in the world,” is truly a gift.