I have some good friends all over the world. Most of them are from the porcelain world, but some of them are my language partners. My British friend and his daughter had been visiting us for a while, and this morning they left. While cleaning my house, I was thinking how lucky I am to have such amazing friends.

Martyn and I first met at Lang-8 over 18 years ago and started chatting on Skype. He visited where we live (both Fukui and Osaka), my parents house (Shiga), and we’ve traveled to many places together. In the past he once visited with his wife, and his brother and his girlfriend stayed at our house as well, and this time he broght his daughter with him.

Our friendship just started between my friend and I, but in 18 years, it has been growing bigger, and now our whole family has been friends with his family. My parents always love having him visit, and this time they gave him my grandmother's antique doll. My father gave him some of his favorite photos he had taken. Our daughter stayed at his house in summer when she was a college student and spent time with his children. I met his parents two years ago when I visited him in the UK. My husband has become good friends with him and they have planned touring together when he gets his motorcycle license.

I'll gradually write what we did, but I already really miss them.

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