"Do your kids like Japan or America better?" Questions people ask - series #1

I thought it might be interesting to do a series on questions people often ask us since the reason I started this blog was to better comunicate our life as missionaries with our supporting churches and friends in America. So this is the first one to share with you that I was just asked the other day.

"Do your kids like Japan or America better?"

It's a tough one to answer and each missionary family and missionary kid is different and probably would answer differently (I would be curious to hear their answers). I asked the boys how they answer this question and they said that it's really hard to answer. I think the most simple answer is, "Both". Our kids like aspects of Japan and work hard to make it home when they are there and of course we like America and work hard to make it feel like home too. Also, there are different things they like and appreciate about each country.

My kids (years and years ago) eating one of their Japanese food favorites - cold rice balls with samon or tuna inside wrapped with seaweed

Here are some of the things they said they like about Japan: "seeing the surprised look on Japanese people's face when we can speak Japanese well, sushi, snow, ramen, all the parks, no swear words, curry rice, the music playing in the stores, round steamed bread filled with flavored meat bought at the local convenient store, park golf, rice crackers, free school hot lunches (at Japanese school), traveling on trains..."

What do they like about America? "speaking English, school is easier in English, real wood furniture, saying that we've lived in Japan, owning our house, easier to make friends with Americans, not being stared at, good hamburgers, cutting down a real Christmas tree, bagels, watching sports (especially football and basketball) on TV (and in Englsih), libraries..."