Letters from Japanese Pen Pal: Part Two

Dear Rachel,
Japan is warm, a little hot. I saw many movies in Golden Week. I saw "Star Wars Episode 1," "Deep End of the Ocean," and so on. I like "Star Wars" very much and I like Ewan Macleger very much. He is hot!!! Who do you like? "Brass" is a good movie, too. What movie do you like? I want to see "Green Mile."
Bye,
Love Lisa


Dear Rachel,
How was the prom? I wanted to see you when you wore a big formal dress. If you took pictures in prom, please show me. I think you were sooo sweet.
We can see the American movie almost several months later than you see them in U.S.A.
I want to see "The Green Mile" but I can't see it on video yet. Perhaps, I can see it on video a few months later. I like Tom Hanks (I don't know his name's spell). Apollo 13 is my favorite movie.
Bye
Love Lisa


Dear Rachel,
I couldn't write you for long time. Sorry.
I had to study for test. Yesterday was my birthday. I'm 16 years old.
When I finish the test, I'll write you email almost Everyday. [you BETTER, Lisa!]
Test begins next Monday.
Bye


Dear Rachel,
I'll have English words test tomorrow.
I have to study, but I don't want to do.
I saw Kabuki the day before yesterday. This was the first time for me. But had a exam, so I couldn't relax. [At the time, I could not relate to this at all. My schooling was so easy and such a joke at this point that I couldn't understand why she was so upset over an exam. Poor Lisa!]
My parents will take me to German and Switzerland in summer vacation for my birthday. [Okay, maybe I don't feel so bad for Lisa after all.]
What do you want for your birthday from your parents? [Twenty bucks? A hug?]
Bye,
Love Lisa




Can you tell which one is the Japanese girl? Because I can't.

Letters from a Japanese Pen Pal

In high school, a friend of mine went to a church that did a cultural exchange program where Japanese students came to America for a few days. My friend hooked up all of her closest friends with their own personal Japanese girl to take around school for a day! Let me tell you, this was like Heaven on Earth! MY OWN PERSONAL JAPANESE GIRL, people! I got to pick her out of a line up and everything.
Her name was Lisa and she was adorable! She had short hair and could not speak a lick of English. My friends and I each took our respective Japanese girl and had a big picnic outside, which I think the Japanese girls took to be some sort of American festival or ritual that was called, "Picnic lunch."

From a postcard, dated March 31, 2000

Dear Rachel,
Thank you very much for joyful time. I really enjoyed!!! It was so exciting. I like Picnic Lunch: I'll have that in Japan.
Thank you,
Lisa


We were pen pals for several years after that, up until college when we tried to go electronic but one day her email address stopped working. I might try to contact her again soon, having found her address on an envelope from my closet! She did, after all, mention allowing me to stay at her family's house, should I ever visit Japan. Do you think the offer still stands?
Some gems:

Dear Rachel,
Hi. How are you?
I'll eat lunch with friends who went to America together in pizza restaurant tomorrow. You can eat as much as you like for ten dollars at this restaurant, so perhaps I'll eat too much.
We have sports festival next month. I'm officer of sports festival, so I'm busy making preparations for it. Tomorrow is a holiday! It's Greenery Day (Birthday of Emperor Showa). A day to commune with Nature, to express thanks for its blessings.
We have another holidays too. We don't go to school for five days. We call these holidays "GOLDEN WEEK." What wonderful days they are!
My mom and dad bought a MD stereo for me. I really like it. When is your birthday. My birthday is June 1.
I want to go to America and meet you again.
Bye Bye.
Love,
Lisa