Answers to some questions -

I feel like I need to answer some of the questions that people have posted:
1. Everything that you eat here has a soy taste to it. I think they use a lot of soy sauce. The seaweed had a soy taste as well as a vinegar “twang” to it. It was really rather tasty.
2. In Tokyo you see a mixture of English and Japanese writing. However, once we got to Kurashiki, the English stopped! It is also more difficult to find people that speak English once you get to some of the outside communities. I am not sure about my host family as of yet. I do not see them until this Saturday. All I know is that the gentleman is 70 and his wife is 65. They have an outside dog and they do not smoke! I have a phone number and I will probably call them this evening to touch base.
3. I have several gifts for my host family. It is customary to give gifts. I am giving them Godiva chocolates, a team photo of the Dallas Cowboys, a Fort Worth Cats baseball hat, some Fort Worth playing cards, and two CDs courtesy of Dad and Laurie! I feel very good about the gifts I am giving.
4. It cost me 12 dollars to do my laundry. Things are a little more expensive down here.
5. Typically you have a choice of the style of toilet that you want to use when you are in a public place. However, I am not sure what the conditions will be like at my home stay.
6. And no Paula - Scarlet Ohara is not from Kurashiki!!!!

I hope this clears a few things up!