Graduation Joy in Japan: A Family Tea Ceremony–Lauren’s UCLA Success Honored in Kyoto
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Congratulations on graduating from UCLA, Lauren! And how wonderful that this trip to Japan is your graduation celebration. It makes me so happy and truly honored that your family—with your parents in Arizona, your brother Jackson (a sophomore in college in NY), and you in California—chose Japan for this momentous trip, despite being spread out across America. “What are you going to do after graduation?” I asked. “I’m heading to San Diego,” she said. “It’s a two-hour drive from LA.”
When I mentioned to Randy that Naoko and I had lived in Seattle for a year twenty years ago, he looked a little surprised and said, “I’m from Seattle!” I then told him, “I was studying at Seattle Pacific University to get a certificate in teaching English as a second language,” to which Randy replied, “I used to live really close to that university!” A sudden sense of connection blossomed between us, and we chatted about Seattle for quite a while.
The Arashiyama Bamboo Grove, one of Kyoto’s famous tourist spots, is best visited early in the morning. During the day, it gets incredibly crowded with tourists. I wondered what Randy’s family would do. Anndrea’s email from the previous day said, “We’ll stop by the bamboo grove early in the morning and go straight to Komurasaki An at 10 AM.” I thought, “That’s a very smart idea!” Anndrea has the Japanese surname Kawamura, and apparently, she has distant Japanese ancestors. However, it seems only her son, Jackson, understands a little Japanese now. I asked Anndrea, “How was the bamboo grove this morning?” She smiled and laughed, saying, “We overslept and didn’t make it!”
Jackson is a sophomore at a university in New York, majoring in engineering. His university life on the East Coast is a five-hour flight away from his family home in Arizona. I wondered if he ever missed his family back in Arizona while he was in New York.
I asked him, “Don’t you get homesick for Arizona when you’re studying in New York?” He replied with a carefree expression, “Nah, not really. I love the city of New York!” I couldn’t help but glance at his parents’ faces. He has two more years until graduation. Hang in there, Jackson!
Naoko and I don’t have children. Seeing Randy’s family, so full of laughter, joy, and happiness on this trip, truly makes me think, “How wonderful!”
Please enjoy the rest of your trip to Japan.
