Aloha Friendship Yurihama Visit to Hilo - 2011

From August 4 to 8, we were blessed with visitors from Yurihama. The girls who stayed with us, Mayu Hashimoto and Yuki Onda, are both ninth graders at Togo Junior High School in Yurihama, Tottori Prefecture, Japan. The visit was part of the Sister City exchange and made possible by the East Hawaii Kiwanis Club. This is the same program by which D1 was able to visit Yurihama in October 2010.

The visit began with a Welcome Dinner at the Hawaii Community College Cafeteria. Wanting to give our guests a taste of something we do, we made a stop at Yogurtland on the way home. The next day, the girls went to school with D1. That evening, Gramma & Grampa joined us for a poolside dinner before we ran off to Wal-Mart for trinkets. Saturday's schedule included a trip to the Volcano and to the macadamia nut factory. We had a nice dinner at Sushi Bar Hime, where the chef made a Pink Lady roll just for the girls. The evening ended at a bon dance at the Nichiren Church in Panaewa. Our last full day with the girls started with a quick detour to Rainbow Falls before we proceeded to the Hilton Waikoloa Village. Having never travelled outside of Japan, the girls were awestruck at the magnitude and opulence of the resort. They also pigged out at the breakfast buffet in the Water's Edge ballroom. The Farewell Dinner that evening was an amazing spread of traditional Hawaiian food (kalua pork, lomilomi salmon, chicken long rice, squid luau). BTW, my contribution to the Farewell Dinner was a pan of spicy soybeans. I will be posting that recipe next week!

On Monday morning, it was time to say goodbye. I hope the girls enjoyed their trip. I also hope that this will not be the last time they get to see each other.

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From August 4 to 8, we were blessed with visitors from Yurihama. The girls who stayed with us, Mayu Hashimoto and Yuki Onda, are both ninth graders at Togo Junior High School in Yurihama, Tottori Prefecture, Japan. The visit was part of the Sister City exchange and made possible by the East Hawaii Kiwanis Club. This is the same program by which D1 was able to visit Yurihama in October 2010.

The visit began with a Welcome Dinner at the Hawaii Community College Cafeteria. Wanting to give our guests a taste of something we do, we made a stop at Yogurtland on the way home. The next day, the girls went to school with D1. That evening, Gramma & Grampa joined us for a poolside dinner before we ran off to Wal-Mart for trinkets. Saturday's schedule included a trip to the Volcano and to the macadamia nut factory. We had a nice dinner at Sushi Bar Hime, where the chef made a Pink Lady roll just for the girls. The evening ended at a bon dance at the Nichiren Church in Panaewa. Our last full day with the girls started with a quick detour to Rainbow Falls before we proceeded to the Hilton Waikoloa Village. Having never travelled outside of Japan, the girls were awestruck at the magnitude and opulence of the resort. They also pigged out at the breakfast buffet in the Water's Edge ballroom. The Farewell Dinner that evening was an amazing spread of traditional Hawaiian food (kalua pork, lomilomi salmon, chicken long rice, squid luau). BTW, my contribution to the Farewell Dinner was a pan of spicy soybeans. I will be posting that recipe next week!

On Monday morning, it was time to say goodbye. I hope the girls enjoyed their trip. I also hope that this will not be the last time they get to see each other.

Create your own free picture slideshow