Essay: A pleasant surprise

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The doorbell rang and I went to answer it. At the doorway stood a fair and pretty girl with rosy cheeks.

“You Mona? Me Yoko, you pen-pal from Japan,” she said in broken English. I could not believe my ears. What a surprise! Yoko explained with difficulty that her family was stopping over in Singapore for two days before flying off to Australia for holidays. I was glad that my elementary Japanese helped in our conversation.

I was also surprised to see the many beautiful presents Yoko had brought for me from Japan. It included a kimono, a Japanese paper lantern, some beautiful badges with faces of popular Japanese singers and lots of delicious Japanese foodstuff.

She also took me to Hotel New Otani where her family was staying in a suite. Her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Tanaka, were very friendly and generous. They treated me to a sumptuous Japanese meal in a cozy Japanese restaurant.

I took the Tanaka family on a brief tour round Singapore before inviting them to my home for dinner. Meeting Yoko and her parents had certainly been a pleasant surprise.”