Bradcat's Personal Focus... Cultural Care Package

When I started learning Japanese in November last year, I signed up for a lot of language exchange websites. This was mainly to help my own learning, but found myself inundated with messages from Japanese people wanting to learn English on a causal basis. I only really stayed in contact with those who were willing to help me if I helped them. I needed someone who had a decent grasp on the English language, but also wouldn't mind taking the time to explain the things I was learning.

This is how I met Mami! She was incredibly helpful in explaining phrases and defining key words for me. We'd also chat about cultural differences between England and Japan, such as education, food, and music. Whilst chatting one day, I suggested that I'd like to send her a "British care package" as a thank you for taking the time to help me out. This is what I sent to her...

Included in my package:

- Bone china tea cup and saucer
- Lots of Earl Grey tea
- Cadbury's Dairy Milk and Buttons
- Robinson's jam
- Selection of sweets (Yes, I know Maoam aren't British, but they're very popular)
- A two pence coin from the 1930's
- A CD of British musicians spanning 1970's - present

Luckily the package made it to Mami chan in one piece. I was particularly worried about the tea cup! A week later I received a message from Mami on LINE to say she'd received her goodies and would like to send me a care package too. Incredibly flattered by her generosity I obliged, and she designed a package based around things I love. Sure enough, a week later, this arrived...

Inside the box I found a small note letting me know which songs Mami enjoyed the most from the CD I'd put together, along with an contents list:

- Instant ramen noodles
- Chocolate koala snacks
- Crisps
- A Steins;Gate plastic art sheet (You can read about Steins;Gate here)
- A bottle of Ramune (Because I'd mentioned I'd seen them in a YouTube video)
- Scandal's latest single "Kagen no Tsuki" (Which I featured on my blog a few weeks ago) which came with a Haruna (my favourite member) art card

Hopefully there will be more of these packages in the future! Mami chan, hontou ni arigatou gozaimasu! (本当にありがとうございます)