Hopechan Came to Chicago, From Afar

Hopechan was staying at the home of Dan-san and Hiroko from July 29 to August 14.  Her staying Chicago in Photo Diary were posted in Hiroko’s Japanese Blog at http://Ishimaru92.blog105.fc2.com

Here are some highlight days:

On July 29, Hopechan arrived at O’Hare

2^nd day, Tuesday is Hiroko’s laundry day.  Hopechan helped Hiroko at Laundromat.

While waiting for the laundry was finished, Dan-san, Hopechan and Hiroko had breakfast at McDonald.

Hopechan was shopping at Disney, Forevery21, and many other stores in Chicago downtown.

3^rd day, Hopechan was down.  She said she slept very well first night and woke up at 6 as usual schedule in Japan, so Hiroko took her for shopping, but her jet-lag came one day later.  She was slept all day long.  Hiroko tried not over doing. 

4^th day AM, Hopechan was shopping at Sam’s Club.  She loved to push the cart.

Okinawa-san took care of Hopechan overnight with her same age grand-daughter, Danielle.  Okinawa-san treated her #1 Chicago Pizzas for their dinner and let them play at village carnival.  Hopechan played piano for her, too.

5^th day PM, Hopechan came back from Okinawa-san around 1 PM.

At night Hopechan and Hiroko went to see Chicago’s night view from John Hancock. 

6^th day, Hopechan’s hard working day

In the morning, Hopechan came with Dan-san and Hiroko to clean the church early morning.

Hopechan gave the water to the plants in the Hiroko's Porch Garden

Afternoon, Hopechan worked hard to help Hiroko to have the welcome party for Hopechan.

Cleaning the shrimps

Lisa/Dave, Elsa/Richard came to meet Hopechan and having dinner.  Hopechan was setting the table and made Miso soup.  Hopechan was very happy to see them all, and especially received cash present from Elsa who couldn’t take her shopping and manicures.

Hopechan attended Devon Church’s Sunday Service.

Helping the Puppet show

Shopping at Navy Pier in the afternoon.

It was planned to go to SixFlags Great America, but predicting the rain by the weather report, so the plan was changed.  It was rainy cold day, so Hopechan went to shopping stores nearby.  She loves to push the cart.

Hopechan went to SixFlags Great America. - no photos for the day

Because of Hiroko’s arrangement didn’t work out well, Hopechan went to SixFlags with Richard’s family, who can’t speaks any Japanese.  Hopechan was very up-set, but Hopechan tried to communicate with them by her limited English knowledge, Hiroko thinks.  She has very good hearing skill, so it helped her.  It gave her very good experience to test her English skill.  Hopechan and Richard’s family communicated somehow, and they said they had very good time and tired.

She learned many expressions, such as “Oh, my goodness!” “I see!”  “I think so!” “I wanted to see “(the name of movies,” and please play it for me!” (She wanted to see the movies, so each time she asked Dan-san in English,) and many other expressions.  She was trying to use those English expressions and used it very well.

After the SixFlags Great America, Hopechan was so tired again, that she didn’t wake up and couldn’t attend church school.

Hiroko planned to take her to Millennium Park and Willies Tower with one the girl from Church.  Hopechan said she was fine, so we went to the places as planned.  Raining very hard that afternoon, all of them didn’t have a good time. 

Hopechan couldn’t attend the church school again. 

She loves to go out at night.  Before the night, Hopechan wanted to go to Aquarium and Art Institute.  This is inside the building, so she loved walking around.  Thanks for Joyce to get the ticket for Aquarium. - no photos in Aquarium

At evening of the day, Lisa/Dave came to walk around the downtown Chicago with Hopechan and Hiroko.  Before going to see the fountain, Lisa took us for a very interesting restaurant for the dinner.  Thanks to Lisa/Dave for the dinner and protecting us to walk around the downtown Chicago at night.  Hopechan loves walking around in the dark night.  It has been very dangerous in Chicago downtown at night recently, so Lisa/Dave’s attending felt very safe. - no photos for Chicago Famouse Fountain and night view

Hopechan couldn’t attend the church school again.  Dan-san said she was studying home works all morning.  Planned to go to Navy Pier to ride boat and Willis Wheel, and seeing the Shanghai Acrobat show.  She didn’t want to go for walking around under the sunlight.

Even the teenager, many Japanese girls does not want to walk around under the sun light.  They are very careful not getting sun burn, and she used lots of suntan lotion.  She kept saying I don’t like her legs to be darkest in the class.  So she missed playing and swimming at Lake Michigan beach, bicycle ride, Fareless wheel and boat ride at Navy Pier, walking around the street fair, the art fair, etc. planned by Hiroko

However, Hopechan started to make the origami cranes for the children in the church school.  It seemed she would try to attend the church tomorrow.

Hopechan played Japanese songs with piano and Hiroko sang along with it.  It made Hiroko very happy and nostalgias for Japan.

Hopechan was finally attending the church school.  She seemed to be enjoying with some girls in the class.  After the church school, she had to complete her diary, so Hiroko helped her with Hiroko’s photo diary.  After the lunch Hopechan went to shopping again.

Hopechan attended Devon Church’s Sunday Service.

Hiroko planned to take Hopechan to Buddhist Temple Summer Fair, but she didn’t want to go walking around under the sunlight.  Hiroko went alone to buy the Teriyaki Chicken.  Everyone enjoyed the chicken for their dinner.

Coming back from Buddhist Temple, Hiroko took Hopechan to eat ice cream.  She ate so much ice cream.

On the Way to Mitsuwa, Dan-san put the gasoline in his car. Hopechan cleaned his car while he put gasoline in.

Shopping at Mitsuwa.  She was reading the Japanese tour guide book, and told Hiroko little by little where she wanted to go.  One of the places was Mitsuwa, and had lunch.  

After the Mitsuwa she wanted to go to the shopping village.  She found Pink store and bought pink, pink clothes.  She said she loves Pink.

She had to started to think about how to pack.

Last day, she told Hiroko she wanted to taste the Garrett pop-corn which is listed in the book.  At the same time she shopped at Disney again.

She actually started packing.  It was very hard to make package.

August 14, Hopechan left for Japan.  Hiroko can’t deal with teenagers any more.  It was tormented Hiroko for the two weeks after Hopechan left.  In Japanese saying “it is very happy and good to see the grand-children staying, but it is also very good to see them leave for their home.”  It is good saying.